Agent Quality Framework

At York St John University, we work with a network of carefully selected and officially authorised representatives.

Our representatives, also called partners and agents, are based around the world. These agents have received thorough training and up to date guidance on our courses, entry requirements, and the wider university experience across our York and London campuses. They are equipped to support you throughout your application journey, helping you make informed decisions about studying with us.

As an institution, York St John University is proud to support the UK Agent Quality Framework (AQF). We are committed to maintaining the highest standards in agent management, making sure international students receive trustworthy advice and that the UK remains a leading study destination for international students.

By signing the UK Agent Quality Framework pledge, we affirm our commitment to supporting international students through transparent and student-centred recruitment practices, and we declare to:

• Empower student choice and enable informed decision-making 
• Ensure good agent governance and professionalism 
• Promote ethical agent practices, professional knowledge and competency 
• Increase transparency and accountability

If you are considering using the services of an agent, we encourage you to read the British Council's student guide to choosing an education agent. Please note that you can only nominate 1 representative on your application to York St John University.

The University pays commission to these agents if you enrol at our institution after using their services. Your chances of being accepted for a course are not affected if you use the services of an agent as all applications are assessed on their own merit. We work with agents because it extends our global presence, and many students find it beneficial to get local help and personalised support with applying for universities. 

Some agents charge students a counselling or service fee and we strongly recommend that you clarify and confirm all costs with your agent in advance. You should also verify whether an agent is authorised to represent York St John University. Our agents sometimes work with other agents (often referred to as sub-agents or channel partners). We do not have contracts with sub-agents or channel partners and cannot offer them the same level of assistance and support.

You should always pay any deposit or tuition fee payments for your course directly to York St John University through the verified channels, and never to or through an agent.

We expect the highest standards from our agents, and we want to know if you are unhappy with your experience of working with them. If you are experiencing issues with your nominated agent and you are unable to resolve these with them directly, please see details on how to make a complaint or provide feedback if you believe the agent is not meeting the standards expected.

What to expect from your agent

We expect our agents to maintain the highest standards, and we want to hear from you if your experience does not reflect this. Below is an overview of what you should expect from your agent, how to share feedback about your experience, and what actions we will take in response.

Your chosen agent should: 

• Always be honest when sharing information about the University with you, and should not provide false or misleading information
• Act in your best interests at all times 
• Always respect your decisions 
• Provide you with accurate and up to date information at all stages of the application process so you can make informed choices 
• Be clear with you at the start of the process if they will charge you any fees and what they are for

Take a look at the British Council guide to choosing an agent to help you understand what you might expect from your agent.

How to provide feedback about your experience with an agent

In the first instance, we would recommend you feedback to the agent themselves. If you think your experience has been below what you should expect, and you have had no success complaining to your agent, you can complain to the University. Please note we can only deal with feedback and complaints about agents that we have a contract with.

To submit feedback, use our dedicated form and provide any evidence you might have.

Agent feedback form

What we will do

We will acknowledge your form submission within 10 working days. We will never share your details with the agent unless you ask us to. All concerns are reviewed in line with our agent monitoring procedures. If appropriate, we will follow up with the agent and take necessary action against them. While we may not be able to share full details of the outcome due to data protection regulations, we will keep you informed as much as possible.