Study Abroad Consultant Fees: Our Transparent Pricing

Below: the full three-tier table, exactly what each tier includes, why “free” is genuinely free, and our honest stance on refunds and visa guarantees.

How much do study abroad consultants charge?

Across the industry, fees range from “free” (commission-funded agents) to €2,000–€5,000+ for full packages, and some agents quietly stack registration fees, processing fees and per-application charges on top. The problem is rarely the price — it’s that you don’t see it until you’re locked in.

We do the opposite. Every figure on this page is published before you commit, quoted in writing, and explained. You decide what you pay for after you know the cost.

Our three tiers — the full price table

Prices are in euros (EUR). We’ll always quote the exact figure for your case in writing, and convert it to your local currency (₦ Naira, ₵ Cedi, KSh Shilling) before you decide.

Tier 1 — Free Core (what’s included)

Tier 1 is the work that gets most students to an offer letter, and it costs you nothing:

• University selection & shortlisting — 4–6 programs you can actually get into and afford, matched to your grades and budget (not the ones that pay us most).
• University applications — we prepare and submit them, including the uni-assist credential check for Germany.
• Scholarship shortlisting — the funded options you genuinely qualify for, flagged early.
• Basic document review — a first-pass check of your transcripts, certificates and bank statements, because weak documents are the number-one cause of refusals.

You can complete your entire university application with us on Tier 1 alone and never pay a cent. Many students do.

Tier 2 — Premium Placement (€945–€2,100)

Premium Placement is the optional paid tier for the hardest, highest-stakes stage: the visa. It includes:

• A complete visa file, built and checked document by document.
• Interview / credibility-test coaching for the student visa interview.
• Proof-of-funds guidance — the blocked account for Germany, maintenance funds for the UK, the two-stage funds for Malta.
• Relocation and arrival support through to enrolment.

The price varies by destination and complexity (a German blocked-account file differs from a UK CAS-and-IHS file), which is why it’s a band, not a single number. See the full scope on our Premium Placement page.

Tier 3 — Scholarship Application add-on (optional flat fee)

If you’re chasing a competitive funded scholarship, the application itself — essays, references, a coherent study-and-return plan — is what wins or loses it. Tier 3 is a flat add-on for hands-on help building one strong scholarship application. It’s optional, and we’ll tell you honestly whether your profile is competitive before you pay. Details on our scholarship application service page.

Why “free” is genuinely free — the commission model, explained

The free core is funded the same way most of the industry works — we just tell you about it.

When you enrol at a partner university, that university pays us a commission of 15–25% of your first-year tuition. This is a standard, regulated arrangement used by the largest agencies in the world (IDP, ApplyBoard and most others operate this way). It costs you nothing extra — the university’s published tuition is the same whether you apply through us or alone.

Two things matter about this model, and they’re in your favour:

1. We’re only paid when you actually enrol and start your course. So we have no incentive to send you somewhere you can’t get a visa, or onto a course you’ll drop. Our payday depends on your real success.
2. We lead with affordable, often tuition-free European options — including Germany, where public universities charge no tuition and the commission is modest. We could earn more by pushing expensive courses. We don’t. (More on how this shapes our advice on our study abroad consultants page.)

Our no-hidden-fees pledge

This is the part other agencies bury. Here it is in plain text:

• No registration fee. You never pay to start working with us.
• No processing fee. We don’t charge to submit your applications.
• No per-application charge. Applying to six universities costs the same as applying to one: nothing, on Tier 1.
• No surprise commission from you. Our commission comes from universities, never from you.
• Every paid fee is quoted in writing first. You see the exact Tier 2 or Tier 3 price — in EUR and your local currency — before you agree to anything.

The only money that ever leaves your pocket is for Tier 2 (Premium Placement) or Tier 3 (the scholarship add-on), and only if you choose them.

Refunds and our honest stance on guarantees

We need to be direct about this, because it’s where dishonest agents make their worst promises.

We do not, and cannot, guarantee a visa. No agent can. The decision belongs entirely to the embassy or consulate. Any agency promising a “guaranteed visa” or “98% success” is either lying or about to take your money for a refusal they can’t control. We quote real approval odds and improve them the only honest way: strong documents, a genuine study plan and a clean funding story.

What we do stand behind:

• Tier 1 is free, so there’s nothing to refund — you risk no money to get your offer.
• Tier 2 / Tier 3 refund terms are set out in writing in your service agreement before you pay. We don’t charge for work we haven’t done.
• A refused visa is not an automatic refund of work already completed — but we’ll tell you, before you pay, exactly what your fee covers and what it doesn’t. No fine-print surprises.

Honesty about what we can’t promise is the whole point of this page. See how we work, end to end, on our how we work page.

Ready to start? It costs nothing to ask

Tier 1 is free and there’s no obligation. Tell us your grades, budget and where you want to study, and we’ll give you an honest read — including the price of any paid support, quoted upfront, before you commit.

Talk to a World Study advisor on WhatsApp or take the free 2-minute eligibility check → to see which universities and scholarships you qualify for.