An agent can be an advisor to you and a liaison between you and UFV. You can apply to UFV without an agent, but if you decide to work with one, you should expect good service and ethical behaviour.
Working for you
UFV does not require that you have an agent or consultant help you apply. However, your family may want to work with an agent to:
- Help you find an educational institution to meet your needs.
- Ensure that all your application paperwork is filled in correctly and delivered on time.
- Ensure that all your fees and additional documentation are delivered on time.
Note: If you want a list of agents in your area or if you want to confirm that an agent you met works for us, email us at international.agents@ufv.ca.
Questions to ask your agent before agreeing to work with them
It is important to determine that your agent is reputable and trustworthy. Before you agree to work with one, ask:
- Do they have a business licence in the city/country that you are in? What is the number?
- What qualifications do they have to work as an agent for Canadian educational institutions (see below)?
- Which Canadian institutions do they work with?
- Do they work with UFV?
- How many students have they sent to Canada?
- How long have they been doing this work?
- What fees do they charge for visa and study permit applications?
- Do they charge any other fees?
Note: Most agents do not charge students and families for this work as the universities pay commissions to them.
UFV educational agent qualifications
Among other things, UFV requires its agents to be certified in at least one of the following ways:
- They are an ICEF-approved educational agent.
- They have completed the Canada Course for Education Agents.
- They are a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC).
What can you expect from a qualified agent?
Agents are paid by educational institutions to help you. Your agent should:
- Review your unofficial transcripts and English test scores.
- Advise you about the best program and institution based on your goals and unofficial transcripts.
- Advise you about any English upgrading you should do.
- Tell you right away what documents you need to collect for your application.
- Know each institution's deadlines and advise you on them.
- Correspond regularly with you and encourage you to get your documents in and fees paid early, to give you the best chance at being accepted to your program.
- Ask you for your personal information and email address. We address all our correspondence directly to you but we can copy your agent on everything we send.