Commission and Contracts
Information and guidance regarding contract terms and submitting commission claims to the University of Edinburgh.
Commission
Representatives may only claim commission for students they have introduced, supported and counselled throughout the entire application cycle towards securing an offer and registered place of study at the University of Edinburgh. Such students are considered to be ‘referred students’.
Only in exceptional circumstances and when supported by clear evidence which shows that it is in the best interest of the student to change or add a Representative, will the University consider paying commission to a secondary Representative or one which has offered only a partial counselling service to a student. Such cases will be considered on an individual basis.
Verifying ‘Referred Students’
The University will primarily identify referred students from the information submitted by the student at the time of application. This will be in addition to the information provided by the Representative at the time of the commission claim. Depending on their intended level of study, a ‘referred student’ must either:
- Submit, at the time of application, a signed, University of Edinburgh Data Protection Form
- Agree, at the time of application, to the online Data Protection statement which appears in EUCLID (the University’s online application system) and identify their Representative from the list provided (PG Students)
What programmes are ineligible for commission?
As per our agreement, the following programmes are ineligible for commission:
Ineligible programmes
- Distance learning programmes
- Pre-sessional English language programmes
- MBChB (Undergraduate Medicine)
- All Master of Clinical Dentistry programmes
- All programmes delivered in collaboration with other institutions
- Courses for short-term visitors
If you are unsure whether a programme is commissionable, please contact us with the relevant details.
Timeline for Commission Claims
Representatives must submit their list of successful and registered students who they have referred to the University of Edinburgh no later than the deadline provided via email from the University of Edinburgh.
Claims must be completed using the Commission Claims Template provided and submitted by email to representatives@ed.ac.uk. Please note that claims submitted in any other format, or after this date cannot be considered.
The International Recruitment Team will then respond as follows:
- Representative to submit list of successful students to the International Representatives Team
- The International Representatives Team will check claims and return verified list to the Representative
- Representative to submit one single invoice to the International Representatives Team for payment
When Commission will not be paid
Commission will not be paid if there is evidence to suggest the Representative has not acted in the best interest of the student at all times.
Commission will not be paid for claims received after the commission claim deadline. Exceptions can be made for PhD students who commence studies within the same entry year, but after the September ‘start of teaching’ date.
Commission will not be paid on claims which are not submitted on the Commission Claims Template or on those which are only partially complete.
Part commission is not paid for visa counselling only, and we do not offer 50/50 commission to two different agents for one student enrolment.
What happens if a client changes agent?
Where an applicant has been referred to the University of Edinburgh by an agent (AGENT A), and wishes to change use to another agent (AGENT B), commission will be awarded to AGENT A.
Where there is significant evidence that AGENT A has breached their contractual terms in the referral of the applicant, or, if they did not provide an adequate service, commission will be awarded to AGENT B.
Such cases will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Contracts
Use of Sub-Agents
If you wish to use sub-agents, you will need to obtain written consent from the University of Edinburgh authorising you to do so and provide a list of all sub-agents in use.
Until authorisation is received, you should not share any applicants’ personal information with the sub-agent.
The University of Edinburgh will then conduct necessary checks and communicate if the sub-agent is approved.
Charging fees for services
Yes. You must ensure that you have provided the University of Edinburgh with a list of all services and their respective prices. If there are any changes to your fee structure then you must inform the University immediately.
Are there specific territories that I am able to conduct recruitment activity in?
Our contract clearly states the territories that you are permitted to engage in. Commission will not be paid where an agent is recruiting prospective students from outside of the stated territories.
Frequently Asked Questions
The University of Edinburgh will provide you with details of why a specific claim is not commissionable. The most common reason for disputes is that agents have not submitted data-protection forms at the time of application.
Each dispute will be investigated thoroughly and communicated directly with the named contact at the agency.
You should ensure that you have completed the commission claim form accurately and completely.
Upon confirmation of the final sum, you should produce an official invoice. You should not resubmit the commission spreadsheet with bank details attached.
Official invoices should be sent to Representatives@ed.ac.uk.
If you are submitting an application for a postgraduate programme, you can select your agency as the nominated representative from a drop-down menu.
If this is done by you or the applicant, then there is no need to submit a data-protection form.
Where the applicant has applied via UCAS, you will need to submit a completed data protection form.
Please send an email to Representatives@ed.ac.uk with your request. Please note that it can take up to five business days to collate this information.
Alternatively, you can log in to your agent portal and see all of the applications that have been linked to your agency.