Are Study Abroad Agents Helping You — or Just Selling to You? | Industry Insiders Tell All

A student discovered the parents listed on her visa application weren't hers. Her agent had filled in everything. She'd never even seen it. 😳 If you're planning to study abroad — in the UK or anywhere else — this episode could save you your money, your visa, and your future. In Episode 1 of the Global Education Roadmap Podcast by Study Now, host [Adebola — VERIFY SURNAME] sits down with [Alima Lawan — VERIFY], Head of Business Development Africa at Study Now, and [Destiny Aka — VERIFY], In-Country Representative (Sub-Saharan Africa) for the University of East London, for an unfiltered conversation about the consultancy industry: the agents who genuinely guide students, the ones who've gone rogue — and how to tell the difference before it's too late. You'll learn: ▸ Why legitimate agents DON'T charge you (universities already pay them) ▸ The red flags: paying for SOPs/CVs, applications filed under the agent's email, "doctored" documents ▸ Why a doctored CV becomes an integrity problem that follows you to the UK ▸ The social media myths misleading thousands of students every intake ▸ Fact or Myth: visa guarantees, expensive = best, paying tuition from part-time work ▸ The Study Now student who had NINE visa rejections — and still made it ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 – "There are agents who have gone rogue" 1:36 – Welcome to the Global Education Roadmap Podcast 2:13 – Meet the guests (Study Now × University of East London) 2:47 – Why students don't trust agents 3:16 – What value do agents actually bring? 6:36 – Guidance vs selling: where's the line? 12:33 – Red flags every student should watch for 16:15 – How to verify an agent is legit 18:45 – Social media myths vs reality 25:27 – FACT OR MYTH: "Agents can guarantee your visa" 27:17 – FACT OR MYTH: "The most expensive university is the best" 30:10 – FACT OR MYTH: "Part-time work will cover my tuition" 31:48 – FACT OR MYTH: "A good consultant should say no" 35:25 – FACT OR MYTH: "A visa refusal ends the journey" 37:39 – The student with 9 visa rejections 39:39 – What "putting students first" really means 41:45 – Outro 🎓 Ready to study abroad with guidance that's actually free — because that's how it should be? Book a free consultation with Study Now: https://studynow.org.uk/apply?utm_sou... 🔔 Subscribe for honest conversations about international education — new episodes every Month. 📲 Follow Study Now: Instagram [@studynowuk] · TikTok [@studynow.uk] · #StudyAbroad #InternationalStudents #StudyInTheUK #GlobalEducationRoadmap