Home / Consultancies / IDP Education

IDP Education logo

IDP Education Reviews

Publicly listed · co-owns the IELTS test

4.5★
79 verified reviews
🏢 98 offices listed in 35 countries18 of them reviewed by students

Who IDP Education are

IDP Education — often searched as the “IDP consultancy”, “IDP study abroad” or simply “IDP” — is one of the largest international student placement organisations in the world. Strictly it is an education agent rather than a fee-charging consultancy: an IDP counsellor gives 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. Because service and IDP counsellor quality vary noticeably between IDP offices, the verified reviews below are broken down branch by branch.

Founded
1969
Head office
Melbourne, Australia
Listed
ASX: IEL
Offices listed
98 in 35 countries
Student reviews
18 of 98 offices
ICEF accredited
51 offices

What students say about IDP Education

79 verified reviews across 18 offices we list. Every review here is from a student we have verified by email.

4.5★★★★★

Average across the 18 reviewed offices — not a single rating for the brand.

5★40
4★34
3★5
2★0
1★0
18 offices with student reviews
77 with a Google rating only
3 not yet rated anywhere
★★★★★

I’m delighted to share that my UK student visa has been granted successfully, and I’ll soon be heading to the UK to pursue my Bachelor of Laws (LLB). I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my counselor, Joynab apu, for her outstanding support and guidance throughout my entire study abroad journey. She was incredibly patient, professional, and always willing to answer my questions and clarify any doubts I had. Her guidance made the whole process much smoother, more organized, and far less stressful. From choosing the right university and course to preparing the necessary documents, completing the university application, and navigating the visa process, Joynab apu was there to guide me at every step. Her attention to detail, dedication, and willingness to support me whenever I needed assistance made a huge difference throughout this journey. She made what initially seemed like a complicated process feel much more manageable and gave me confidence at every stage. I’m also truly thankful to IDP Education Bangladesh for their excellent service and support throughout my university application and visa process. I’m grateful to have had such a professional and supportive team behind me during this important step toward my future. Thanks to the guidance and support I received, I’m now ready to begin a new chapter in the UK and pursue my dream of studying Law. 🇬🇧🎓 I wholeheartedly recommend **Joynab Bibi** and IDP Education Bangladesh to anyone planning to study abroad and looking for reliable, professional, and supportive guidance. I’m genuinely grateful for everything they have done to help me achieve this milestone.

Verified student · Dhaka
★★★★★

I had a very positive experience with IDP Education Dubai, especially with Praneeth Katakamsetty. He was extremely helpful and supportive throughout the entire process. He took the time to understand our requirements, explained everything clearly, and guided us at every step. Praneeth was always approachable and quick to respond to our questions, which made the whole university application process much easier and less stressful. His knowledge and genuine willingness to help were greatly appreciated. Thank you, Praneeth, for your excellent support and guidance. I would highly recommend Praneeth and the IDP team to anyone looking for reliable and professional guidance with their education and university applications.

Verified student · Dubai
★★★★★

IDP Lagos is a cut above every other study abroad agency I visited in Nigeria. Three other Lagos offices gave me vague advice and the same five universities. IDP was completely different — my counsellor asked detailed questions about my career goals, reviewed my transcript carefully, and built a shortlist that matched my profile. Three offers from four Canadian universities. Study permit approved without issue. The zero placement fee made the value extraordinary. IDP being a global organisation operating since 1969 shows in the quality of every interaction.

Verified student · Lagos · applied to Canada
★★★★★

My experience with IDP Education Malaysia was largely positive. They provide a structured service — initial consultation, university shortlisting, application support, and visa guidance are all included. The team in Kuala Lumpur was responsive during office hours. The main limitation was that they work with a specific list of partner universities, so options felt slightly limited. Within that constraint though, the service was professional and effective.

18 student reviews77 Google rating only3 not yet rated
South Asia26Southeast Asia19East Asia8Middle East7Africa10Oceania8Europe3Latin America6

South Asia26 branches

Ratings marked ★ come from verified student reviews on ConsultancyCheck. Ratings marked G are IDP Education's public Google rating, shown for reference — they are not ConsultancyCheck reviews and we do not verify them.

Worth knowing

  • ✓Co-owns the IELTS test with the British Council and Cambridge University Press & Assessment (roughly a third each), and operates IELTS test centres in many of its offices.
  • ✓Publicly listed, so its commission income and student placement volumes are disclosed in annual reports — rare in this sector.
  • ✓Placement focus is the major English-speaking destinations: Australia, Canada, the UK, the USA, New Zealand and Ireland.

Where IDP Education place students

Destinations served by the IDP Education offices listed on ConsultancyCheck.

AustraliaCanadaFranceGermanyIrelandMalaysiaNew ZealandSingaporeUSAUnited Kingdom

Five questions to ask before you sign anything

These apply to IDP Education and to every other agent. A good counsellor will answer all five without hesitating.

1
Which universities do you actually represent?
Agents earn commission from partner institutions. If your shortlist is not on their partner list, they have no financial reason to help you apply there — and may steer you elsewhere.
2
What do you charge me, in writing?
Most large agents are free to students. If anyone asks for a placement fee, get it itemised in writing before paying anything, and be clear what happens to it if your visa is refused.
3
Who prepares my visa application, and who signs it?
You are legally responsible for what is submitted in your name. Never let anyone submit documents you have not read, and never sign a blank form.
4
What is your refusal rate for students like me?
A good agent will answer honestly or tell you they do not track it. Anyone promising a guaranteed visa is not being straight with you — no agent can guarantee a government decision.
5
Can I speak to a student you placed on my course last year?
Reluctance here is a signal. Genuine references are the cheapest due diligence you can do.

Sources: IDP Education investor centre (ASX: IEL) · IELTS — test partners. Office counts, partner numbers and student totals published by consultancies are self-reported and are presented here as company claims, not verified facts.

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.

Used IDP Education?

Add your experience so the next student has more to go on.

Write a review