Consultancy charges and refund questions before you apply

Separate who receives each payment

Build a simple payment record with the amount, currency, recipient, purpose, deadline and original policy link. Label a consultancy service charge separately from university tuition, English tests, document services or other expenses. Do not combine them into one unexplained processing amount.

If the provider says its service is free, ask which work that covers and which external costs you still pay. Request written confirmation of any conditions. These are comparison questions, not a statement that a particular provider charges a particular amount.

Agree the service before the first payment

Ask for a dated description of the work: course research, application submission, offer follow-up and any later support. Identify exclusions and circumstances in which another charge would arise. Save the version you accepted.

Discuss how the provider is paid, including whether institution commission affects the available shortlist. The British Council recommends using its student and parent guide when choosing an agent. Use that guide alongside your own written comparison rather than judging a service by a promotional price alone.

• What happens if I change university or intake?
• Who is responsible for checking the final application with me?
• What happens if the provider stops supporting the application?
• How do I raise a complaint and receive a written response?

Check the source: British Council: choosing an education agent ↗

Read refund triggers, exclusions and deadlines

A refund question needs a specific scenario: withdrawal, an unmet offer condition, a deferral, a visa refusal or a missed start date. Ask which policy governs that scenario, what evidence is needed, who decides and when a request must be sent.

University policies differ. York’s postgraduate deposit guidance, for example, distinguishes visa refusal from being unable to obtain a visa in time. Do not apply one institution’s policy to another, or assume that a consultancy’s verbal assurance changes the university’s terms.

Check the source: University of York: postgraduate tuition deposits ↗

Keep evidence that identifies the payment

Use the university’s approved payment instructions for university fees and confirm the student reference. Portsmouth specifically directs students to approved routes. For another institution, find its own current instructions rather than borrowing Portsmouth’s details.

Save the offer, invoice, payment confirmation, transaction reference and dated policy together. Record whether a payment was made by you, a parent or another payer. Ask how a refund would be returned and which bank or transfer charges could affect the amount received.

Check the source: University of Portsmouth: international tuition and payment guidance ↗

Create a record when your plans change

Tell the responsible organisation what changed, when it changed and what you are requesting. Distinguish a request to defer an offer from a request for a refund; they are not the same instruction. Keep the response and any revised terms before making another payment.

If there is a disagreement, use the organisation’s published complaint route and provide the relevant documents. This checklist helps you organise the question; it does not determine your legal entitlement or promise a refund. Confirm the terms applicable to your own contract and payment.