Who IDP Education are
IDP Education is one of the largest international student placement organisations in the world. As an education agent it offers free student counselling, course and university selection, application processing, IELTS testing and student-visa support, placing students mainly in Australia, Canada, the UK, the USA, New Zealand and Ireland. It is a publicly listed Australian company (ASX: IEL), which makes it unusually transparent for this industry — its financials, student volumes and commission income are all in public filings. Around 25% of IDP is held directly by 38 Australian universities, following a 2021 restructure of the stake previously held through Education Australia.
Head office
Melbourne, Australia
Offices listed
98 in 35 countries
Student reviews
17 of 98 offices
ICEF accredited
51 offices
Frequently asked questions about IDP Education
What is IDP Education? +
IDP Education is one of the world's largest international student placement organisations. Founded in Melbourne in 1969 and now publicly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: IEL), it helps students choose a course and university abroad, prepare and submit applications, sit the IELTS test, and apply for a student visa. It runs a large network of offices across South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, placing students mainly in Australia, Canada, the UK, the USA, New Zealand and Ireland.
Is IDP an education consultancy or an education agent? +
Both terms get used for IDP, but technically it is an education agent: partner universities pay it a commission when you enrol, rather than you paying a consulting fee. People often call it a “consultancy” because you sit down with a counsellor for course advice — but the commercial model is the agent model. The practical takeaway is to ask any IDP counsellor which universities they represent and whether your shortlist is among them, since an agent has more financial reason to recommend a partner institution.
What study abroad services does IDP offer? +
A typical IDP office helps with course and university selection, application preparation and submission, IELTS test registration (IDP co-owns IELTS), scholarship guidance and student-visa support. The service is free to students because universities pay IDP a commission. Quality varies noticeably by office, so read the verified reviews for the specific branch you plan to use — the office list on this page breaks IDP down branch by branch.
Does IDP Education have offices in Sri Lanka? +
Yes. IDP runs several offices in Sri Lanka, including Colombo and Kandy, and Sri Lanka is one of its more active markets. Because service differs between branches, use the office list on this page to open the specific Sri Lankan office you plan to visit and read its verified student reviews rather than judging IDP as a whole.
Is IDP Education free for students? +
IDP does not charge a placement fee. It earns a commission from partner universities when you enrol, which is the standard model for large education agents. The practical implication is that IDP has more financial reason to recommend a partner university than a non-partner one, so ask which institutions it represents and whether your shortlist is among them. IELTS test registration is charged separately and is not free.
Why does it matter that IDP co-owns IELTS? +
IDP co-owns the IELTS test alongside the British Council and Cambridge University Press & Assessment, and runs test centres in many of its offices. So the same organisation may advise you on which English test to take and then sell you that test. Plenty of students find this convenient. It is simply worth knowing that IDP sits on both sides, and checking whether your target universities accept an alternative.
Are all IDP offices the same? +
No, and this is the most useful thing to know before booking. IDP operates a large network of offices rather than a single team, and service quality varies noticeably between them. Read the reviews for the specific branch you plan to visit rather than judging the brand as a whole — that is what the office list on this page is for.
Which countries does IDP place students in? +
IDP focuses on the major English-speaking destinations: Australia, Canada, the UK, the USA, New Zealand and Ireland. If you are considering somewhere outside that list, a consultancy with a different specialisation may serve you better.
Is IDP a good consultancy? +
IDP is one of the largest and most established education consultancies in the world, and being publicly listed makes it unusually transparent. But “good” depends on the office you deal with, not the brand — service quality varies noticeably between branches. The most reliable way to judge is to read the verified student reviews for the specific IDP branch you plan to visit, which is what the office list on this page is for.
What does an IDP counsellor do? +
An IDP counsellor is the adviser at an IDP office who helps you shortlist courses and universities, prepare your application and documents, and guide you through the visa process. Because they are paid through university commissions, it is worth asking which universities they represent and whether your shortlist is among them. Counsellor quality differs between offices, so check that branch’s reviews before booking.
Does IDP help with student visas? +
Yes — IDP counsellors typically help you prepare and lodge your student visa application as part of the placement service. Keep in mind that visa decisions are made solely by government immigration authorities, and for formal, regulated immigration advice you may want a registered migration agent (such as a MARA agent for Australia) in addition to your education counsellor.
How do I find reviews for a specific IDP office, like IDP Colombo? +
Use the office list on this page — it breaks IDP down branch by branch so you can open the exact office you plan to visit, such as IDP Colombo, and read its verified student ratings. Because service varies between offices, a branch-level review tells you far more than an overall brand rating.
