INTO University Partnerships Annual Recruitment Survey 2014

1. INTO REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY 2014
ABOUT THE AGENTS
IN WHAT COUNTRIES WERE
THE AGENTS BASED?
Destination locations are still dominated by traditional education superpowers. China appears
to be more broadly represented than France or Germany – reflecting the wider emergence of
China as a study option for international students.
WHICH COUNTRIES DO AGENTS
SEND STUDENTS TO?
UK
78%
US
77%
AUSTRALIA
51%
CANADA
48%
NEW ZEALAND
36%
SINGAPORE
28%
MALAYSIA
22%
CHINA
20%
GERMANY
18%
FRANCE
17%
FROM
63COUNTRIES
880RESPONDENTS
TOP 5 DEPARTURE DESTINATIONS
CHINA, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, TAIWAN & THAILAND
TOP 5 DESTINATION MARKETS REPRESENTED
UK, US, AUSTRALIA, CANADA & NEW ZEALAND
WHICH TYPES OF PROGRAMMES
DO YOU COUNSEL STUDENTS FOR?
PATHWAY STUDY
(INCLUDING
A-LEVELS)
84% 31% 82% 82%
UNDERGRADUATE
& POSTGRADUATE
STUDY
ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
COURSES
MEDICAL
STUDY
ABOUT THEIR STUDENTS
Education counselling organisations are growing in
maturity. Approximately 83% of those surveyed have been
in operation for six years or longer with 62% in operation
for eleven years or longer.
Unsurprisingly, parents are
quoted as being the key
influences in student
destination decision-making
process at undergraduate
and pre-undergraduate
levels. When it comes to
graduate level study, the
influence of parents
diminishes substantially.
At the pre-undergraduate
and undergraduate levels,
20% of respondents
believe they are the most
influential decision makers.
As the charts illustrate, less
than 14% of respondents
believe that all or most of
the students who come to
them for counselling have
already chosen an institution.
Whilst 66% of counsellors
state that all or most
students have chosen the
destination country.
Pre-Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Have the students already chosen an institution?
Have the students already chosen a destination country?
Postgraduate
HOW LONG HAVE THE AGENTS
BEEN IN OPERATION?
WHO INFLUENCES STUDENT
DECISION MAKING?
STUDENTS ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO HAVE CHOSEN THE
DESTINATION COUNTRY RATHER THAN THE INSTITUTION
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST MOTIVATING FACTORS
FOR YOUR STUDENTS TO STUDY OVERSEAS?
WHICH 5 ASPECTS OF THE COURSE/CENTRE/UNIVERSITY
DO YOU HIGHLIGHT MOST IN COUNSELLING STUDENTS?
83%6 years or more
2 years
or less
Parents
2 – 5
years
6 – 10
years
11 – 15
years
16 – 20
years
21+
years
3% 14% 21% 20% 28% 14%
All of our students have decided Most of our students have decided
Some of our students have decided None of our students have decided
Students Counsellors Relatives
2014 59%
69% 12% 18%
16% 26%
2013
2012
2014
2013
2012
2014
2013
2012
51% 13% 36%
41%
44% 39% 18%
38% 26%
30% 42% 36%
7%
85% 10%
78% 16%
79%
12% 71% 15%
7% 59% 32%
19%
69% 54% 49% 15% 11%
BETTER
EMPLOYMENT
PROSPECTS
PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT
A NEW
EXPERIENCE
COURSE
UNAVAILABLE IN
HOME COUNTRY
IMMIGRATION
83% 78% 51% 45% 44%
UNIVERSITY
RANKING
LOCATION TUITION FEES DEGREE CHOICE QUALITY OF
TEACHING
FACILITIES
Unsurprisingly the majority of agents point out their students believe that overseas study will
enhance their longer term career prospects. Importantly, this is not a migration issue, which is
actually a relatively small motivating factor.
University rankings and location are most often highlighted when counsellors are advising students.
WHAT MATTERS TO AGENTS WHEN COUNSELLING STUDENTS AND IN THEIR
RELATIONSHIP WITH INSTITUTIONS?
WHAT MATTERS TO AGENTS IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH INSTITUTIONS?
For the first time, we asked counsellors about
their experience of and attitudes towards
online education. While the majority of agents
(74%) do not currently promote online
programmes, 90% would consider promoting
online programs in the future.
99% of respondents
highlighted service quality
and response times as
important or very important.
77% of respondents
highlighted timely response
to applications as a very
important factor in the
relationship.
95% of respondents
highlighted that student
feedback was important or
very important.
99% 77% 95%
ONLINE EDUCATION – A GROWING AREA OF INTEREST FOR AGENTS
90%
WHICH ONLINE PROGRAMMES DO
YOU DEEM TO BE ATTRACTIVE?
43%
POSTGRADUATE
PROGRAMMES
29%
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
COURSES
23%
UNDERGRADUATE
PROGRAMMES
22%
TEST PREPARATION
THE LAST WORD – HOW DO STUDENTS RATE THE SERVICES THEY RECEIVE
FROM AGENTS?
40% 54% 5% 1%
2000STUDENTS SURVEYED
94%RANK SERVICE RECEIVED FROM
AGENTS GOOD OR EXCELLENT
VERY GOOD GOOD
63%APPLIED VIA AN
EDUCATION AGENT
37%APPLIED VIA
OTHER CHANNELS
POOR VERY POOR
ABOUT THIS SURVEY:
INTO works with professional counselling organisations all
over the world. This infographic is based on findings from
the fifth annual survey of agents conducted in March 2014.
Rounding Policy: All numbers are rounded to the nearest
percentage point. It means in some cases that charts will
not add exactly to 100%.
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Infographic design by Bay12 Studio
HOW DID STUDENTS APPLY TO INTO?
Source: INTO student survey September 2013