Association of International Educators and ICEF have partnered to launch an updated edition of the US Agent Training Course, building on ICEF’s long-running programme and incorporating new content developed in collaboration with NAFSA. The online certification is designed for education agents and counsellors advising students who plan to study in the United States. Since its introduction in 2015, the programme has certified more than 800 agents and counsellors from over 70 countries.

The updated course responds to a recruitment environment in which US institutions are simultaneously seeking sustainable international enrolment and facing heightened expectations around transparency, oversight, and the quality of third-party recruitment relationships. Agents and counsellors, meanwhile, are expected to provide accurate guidance to families navigating visa uncertainty, affordability questions, campus safety considerations, and study-to-work pathways.

Bringing together ICEF Academy’s practitioner-led training expertise and NAFSA’s policy leadership, the revised course provides up-to-date training aligned with sector best practice. Across nine modules, it covers the US education landscape and admissions pathways (including K–12 and post-secondary options), credit systems and transfer routes, programme and major selection, English language and academic pathway programmes, student visa fundamentals, Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT), and preparing students for life in the United States.

“Agents play an integral role in helping students and families navigate the complexity of US higher education,” said Dr. Fanta Aw, Executive Director and CEO of NAFSA. “In a climate where policies evolve, and expectations are rising, professional training helps ensure advice is accurate, transparent, and centred on student success.” Participants who complete the course and pass the formal examination receive recognised certification that signals both sector knowledge and a commitment to responsible recruitment practice.

The course is CPD-accredited and concludes with a formal certification exam. ICEF and NAFSA have decided to make the certification available free of charge in order to remove barriers to participation and reach the widest possible global audience. “In today’s environment, institutions are looking for trusted, well-informed recruitment partners,” said Markus Badde, CEO of ICEF. “Structured training helps ensure agents are equipped to represent the US accurately and responsibly, strengthening confidence across the entire recruitment ecosystem.”

The course is available online through ICEF Academy. Institutions and associations are encouraged to share the course with their partner networks and to reference the certification as one element within a broader agent engagement and quality-assurance approach.