Why standards matter
Clarify identity, authority and responsibility before work begins
- Determine whether organisations with similar names are the same legal entity.
- Identify who owns and manages an organisation and whether it operates through branches.
- Confirm who owns, teaches and awards a programme, and who is responsible for refunds.
- Define which countries, regions, channels and intakes a recruitment authority covers.
- Disclose whether Sub-agents or other representatives are involved.
- State tuition, commission, scholarship, refund and deferral rules clearly.
- Record which counsellors completed programme training, when they completed it and where the record can be checked.
- Assign responsibility for post-Offer communication, visas, accommodation and arrival support.
- Provide a process for complaints, misleading claims, brand misuse and channel disputes.
Core principles
Six rules for accountable partnerships
| Principle | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Truthful, not perfect | The priority is whether core information is true, not whether an organisation has never had a historical issue. |
| Clear, without unnecessary burden | Applications begin with essential records. Additional evidence may be added when a partnership or status upgrade requires it. |
| Traceable authority | Programme, brand, channel and downstream representative relationships must have an explainable source. |
| Responsibilities remain distinct | Recruitment, admission, contracting, payment, student service and refund responsibilities stay with the relevant member. |
| Information stays current | Members update changes to programmes, authority, contacts, fees and operating scope. |
| Standards are not government accreditation | EducationB2B Standards are platform membership rules, not government accreditation or a statutory professional qualification. |
Five-layer framework
Five areas of review
Identity & Entity
Record registered name, address and official contacts; application and business leads; ownership and management; branches, affiliates and offices; website and domain; and, when required, references or partnership records.
Offering & Authorisation
Confirm ownership or authority; teaching and awarding bodies; delivery location; regulatory status; recruitment scope; brand permissions; representative structures; and authority dates, intakes and expiry.
Recruitment Practice
Require accurate information; student-fit assessment; no false records or claims; clear service, fee, refund and commercial disclosures; authorised lead registration; and disclosure of Sub-agents, branches and delivery parties.
Service & Safeguarding
Privacy and access controls; safeguarding and guardianship; boundaries for accommodation, insurance, payment and technology services; SLAs, complaints, refunds and emergency contacts; subcontractors and data-processing dependencies; and escalation for security, safety and other serious incidents.
Training & Evidence
New-member onboarding; destination and programme training; compliance, privacy and safeguarding training; individual credentials and annual continuing education; records of course, date, organisation and branch; and verification of certificates, badges and training status.
Admission priorities
What we check for each member type
| Member type | Primary checks |
|---|---|
| Education providers, international schools and programme providers | Entity status, programme ownership, authority, fees and refunds, recruitment SLAs and student-service responsibility |
| Recruitment agencies and counsellor organisations | Entity status, target markets, channel coverage, counsellor capability, student fees and application authenticity |
| Third-party service providers | Entity status, service scope, licences or qualifications, data processing, SLAs, subcontractors and refund rules |
Under the standard network model, EducationB2B performs essential checks and records information. Partner selection, admission decisions, contracts, delivery and regulatory responsibility remain with members.
Code of conduct
Rules for recruitment organisations, counsellors and individual members
- Treat students fairly, professionally and responsibly.
- Use the student’s real circumstances to give suitable advice and do not direct a student towards an unsuitable programme.
- Provide accurate information on programmes, fees, scholarships, visas, employment and refunds.
- Ensure application records are authentic, complete and consistent.
- Disclose commercial relationships, service fees and potential conflicts of interest.
- Protect personal information and do not unlawfully buy, sell or resell student data.
- Do not sign on a student’s behalf or fabricate experience or supporting evidence.
- Confirm guardianship, authority and safeguarding arrangements when work involves a minor.
- Follow applicable laws and regulations in both source and destination markets.
- Complete required training, programme updates and annual knowledge refreshers.
Education Provider Standards
Clear, stable and verifiable information for recruitment partnerships
- Provide complete and accurate programme information, entry requirements, fees and deadlines.
- Identify the teaching body, awarding body, regulatory status and actual place of delivery.
- Define channel authority, market scope, brand use and Sub-agent rules.
- Publish workable commission, incentive, refund and deferral rules.
- Set SLAs for applications, Offers, deposits, visa documents and commission reconciliation.
- Name contacts for recruitment, admission, commission, student support and complaints.
- State who is responsible for student service after an Offer is issued.
- Protect registered leads and evidenced channel contribution within the authorised scope.
Service Partner Standards
Defined capability, delivery boundaries and client responsibilities
- Provide a valid licence or compliant delivery structure where the service is regulated.
- Define service territories, intended clients, deliverables and limitations.
- Explain data sources, processing, access controls and the security-incident process.
- Disclose subcontractors, third-party systems, SLAs, refunds and complaints rules.
- Do not overstate service performance, client outcomes or regulatory status.
- Disclose referral fees or revenue sharing clearly in the separate member contract.
Standards tools
Tools for checking status and evidence
Member Badge
Members may use the badge for their current status only while membership remains active. A badge cannot be purchased separately.
Verification Portal
Third parties can use a member badge, credential number or QR code to check current status. A lapsed, suspended or withdrawn record is updated accordingly.
Training Records
Records connect a counsellor with an organisation and branch, course, completion date and current certificate status.
Public Record Review
Where authorised or included in a service plan, public company, regulatory, sanctions, watch-list and adverse-information signals support human review; they do not make an automatic membership decision.
Appointed Representative Locator
Providers can embed an official representative lookup on their own website so students can search by country, city or organisation and avoid outdated static lists or unauthorised claims.
Review & maintenance
How admission and ongoing review work
Admission review
Members submit core records. EducationB2B checks entity, authority, contacts and business information, may request documents, interviews or demonstrations, and applies a 3–6 month review excluding time awaiting applicant action.
Membership maintenance
Members update material changes. EducationB2B may conduct annual or risk-based reviews, require remediation, change permissions or suspend services; serious fraud, safety, data-security or compliance issues may end membership.
Refunds and fee commencement
A final ineligibility decision triggers a full application-fee refund. Annual fees start only after formal approval, and payment cannot buy approval, Preferred status, rankings or partnership opportunities.
Governance boundary
What the Standards do not replace
EducationB2B Standards are platform membership-management rules. They do not replace government regulation, court decisions, statutory institutional accreditation or professional legal advice.
EducationB2B is not a party to agreements between members. It does not take over or own students, collect student fees, or receive or guarantee partnership payments.
Each member remains responsible for its choices, representations, contracts, delivery, invoicing, refunds and compliance.
Contact Standards & Membership