A consultation cannot be assumed to match the written fee terms. They match only when the same fees and included services are clearly stated in both. Study Australia advises that written agent agreements should specify both the fees payable and the exact services included in those fees.
How to check the match
The current written agreement provides the relevant comparison point. A prospective student can check it as follows:
| Point to check | What to compare | Finding to note |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | What the agent said about fees against the fees stated in the agreement | Any difference between the consultation account and the written wording |
| Included services | What the agent said would be included against the exact services listed in the agreement | Any service discussed but not identified as included |
| Missing wording | A consultation statement for which the agreement provides no clear wording | The match cannot be verified from the written terms |
| Conflicting wording | Different statements in the consultation and the agreement | The difference requires clarification in writing |
If consultation statements are not reflected in the agreement, missing information should not be treated as a confirmed fee term. Likewise, a conflict should not be resolved by assuming that either the spoken or written version automatically takes priority.
What still requires confirmation
The two cited points from Study Australia do not establish whether consultation statements automatically become part of an agreement, which wording controls a conflict, or whether any refund entitlement applies. Those matters must be confirmed from the actual written documents rather than inferred from the fee or service descriptions.
The practical conclusion is therefore limited but clear: consultation statements and written fee terms can be compared for the stated fees and included services, but an apparent match does not resolve matters that the written documents leave unanswered.