Should You Use an Agency to Apply to University?

While searching for an opportunity to study abroad, there are two ways to apply to your chosen university. You can either self-apply to the university through the university website or use an education agency to help you through the application process. The two options might seem appealing to you as you start a new journey in your life; however,  which one is better? Here is a breakthrough of both options to help you choose between them.

Pros of Using an Agency 

1. No More Confusion 

With the multiple options available around the world, the process of applying to university is now more confusing than ever, especially if you are not sure which country you wish to study in. Your agent can help you narrow down your choices by converting your grades to match the systems of different countries and selecting the best option for you. 

2. Experienced Help 

Almost all education agents have close relationships with most universities. Also, they are familiar with the difficulties most students experience while choosing their majors, and so they can guide you towards the perfect choice to match your dreams. Therefore, if you decide to apply through an agency, clearly state your expectations while studying abroad. Things like what type of life you wish to live abroad, your interests, and your goals are essential to guide your agent the right way. Also, keep in mind that your advisor can only help you apply to universities that fit with your grades and language abilities, so ensure you satisfy the basic requirements for your chosen university before you ask your consultant to help you apply to this university.

3. Visa Support

If you are traveling abroad for the first time, you probably never applied for a visa; experienced education agencies can help with your visa application. Education agencies are always involved in everything related to student life, including any change to visa policies in most countries. Ask the agency for interview tips before you head to your visa interview; most of the time, they know all about the questions you could get asked.

4. Accommodation Support

Agencies have a variety of contacts when it comes to helping students, including accommodation marketplaces like Casita, which means they always have ways to reach out to experts who can get you a room wherever you are heading to. Your agent is not a magician, though. So if you only have a couple of weeks till your start date, chances are you are too late to book the perfect student accommodation. Most accommodations are booked early by students already in the country, so ensure you ask your agent for help way in advance to get the perfect room. 

Pros of Self-Applying to University

1. You Will Save Money 

Agencies do provide quality service, but they are not cheap to hire. Typically, the more experienced an agency is, the higher the amount you pay for its services. If you opt for the self-application process to apply to your chosen university, you will save quite a bit of money. However, keep in mind you will have to go through tons of information alone. 

2. You Will Gain Confidence 

Researching all the possible options on your own and contacting universities will help you gain a lot of confidence in your abilities, especially if you get a good response from one of them.  You will also have to check all the visa requirements and book your interview appointment, which is not easy for a student right after high school. Overall, you will become the master of google search as you search for everything from universities that match your requirements to visa requirements and interview questions and even accommodation and where to find it. Still,  it won’t be easy to gather the best choices through google alone, so you might miss a university that fits you more than any other. 

Overall, an agency can help you a lot with the application process because agents have all the experience and knowledge that would take you months to gather. All that knowledge is available to you for a certain amount of money. Whether you feel that alone is worth your money is, of course, your personal preference. If you have your mindset on a university and you are familiar with all the data you need about it, you might not need to consider an education agency. But if not, we suggest you choose a trustworthy agency and ask for help to save yourself the hustle.