Both arrangements are possible. Study Australia says some education agents are paid by education providers to recommend them. In its guidance on onshore student transfers, it also says that an agent may charge students a direct fee for its services.
These statements do not mean that every agent does both, or that the same payment arrangement applies to every student, education provider, or application. The source uses the broader term “education providers”; it does not limit the payment relationship to schools alone.
What payment arrangements are possible?
- Payment from an education provider: Some agents receive payment from education providers for recommending them.
- A direct student fee: An agent may charge students a fee for its services.
- Both: Provider payment and a student fee are each described as possible, but the cited material does not establish that both apply in the same case.
How to check the arrangement
Before relying on an agent, the reader should ask:
- Does the agent charge the student a direct fee?
- If so, what amount is charged, what services are covered, and when is payment due?
- Does the education provider pay the agent for recommending it?
- Could both a provider payment and a student fee apply to the same application?
- Will the agent provide a written explanation of who pays what?
If the agent's answer is unclear, the reader can ask the education provider to confirm whether it pays the agent for a recommendation. These are questions to ask, not guarantees that a particular payment or disclosure practice exists.
What still needs confirmation
The two cited statements do not specify whether a particular agent charges students, whether a particular provider pays that agent, or whether both payments apply together. They also do not provide a particular amount, payment deadline, service scope, cancellation term, or refund promise. Those details must be confirmed for the individual arrangement.
The onshore-transfer statement concerns that specific guidance context and should not be treated as a universal rule for every application.