Recruitment Agents-draft
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🤝 Become an Authorised Representative
Beacon International College is interested in working with professional and trustworthy Recruitment Agents (RA) from around the world. We here at Beacon pride ourselves on the service quality and guidance given to our students by us and our authorised agents.
Authorised agents are the face of Beacon to our international community. We seek to partner with professional, trustworthy organisations dedicated to providing transparent and ethical guidance to students
If you meet the following requirements below and are interested in becoming an authorised agent for Beacon do contact us.
đź“‹Identification & Selection Criteria
- Referrals*
- RA has a legal and valid business / identity.*
- At least 2 years of experience in student recruitment
- Country of recruitment currently safe to travel to (need not be the country of which the new RA is a citizen)
- Country of recruitment provides environment for e-Learning studies (need not be the country of which the new RA is a citizen)
*Compulsory Requirements
- RA is willing to work with Beacon.
- RA has track record in student recruitment or has recruitment contacts.
- RA recruits students from markets that are in line with target markets from strategic planning.
All RAs who are interested in becoming a representative of Beacon will be required to attend an interview session. Once the RA meets the Identification and Selection Criteria, and have submitted required documents to Beacon for approval, the marketing staff will start the appointment process with the RA.
Appointment is only confirmed after all required documents have been submitted, the Recruitment Agent Agreement has been executed by both parties and the appointment has been approved by Beacon.
The appointment process starts with the training of the potential RA conducted by the Marketing Staff. Both RAs and the Marketing Staff signs on the training form and acknowledge that the information covered in the training is clear.
After which, the Marketing Staff will ensure that the required documents are complete before the Agent Agreement is signed. The appointed RA is given a copy of the Agent Agreement. The RA should sign and return the signed copy to Beacon for filing either in person or via email within 1 month (which may be extended by the HOD from the date of the agreement, failure to do so will render the agreement void.
When a RA fails to meet the Selection Criteria, the RA is advised to provide reason(s) why the RA is unable to meet the Selection Criteria. Approval of exception cases will be granted by the HOD on case by case basis.
Commission is only payable in accordance with the Recruitment Agent Agreement and after the applicable eligibility conditions have been fulfilled.
Commission is payable to the agent for every student who is successfully recruited and makes full payment for a course with Beacon. Commission rates vary and are dependent on the number of students recruited in the current and previous years by the RA/agent. The commission rate and payment terms are stated in the RA/agent agreement.
Beacon reserves the right to terminate the RA’s/agent’s agreement if the RA/agent is found to have taken actions contrary to Singapore laws or its code of conduct. The termination of the Recruitment Agent Agreement will be announced on Beacon’s official website for at least 3 months.
Renewal of appointment is subject to Beacon’s review and approval and is not automatic.
An annual review will be conducted which is based on the performance of the RA/agent in student numbers recruited, obeying the code of conduct, students’ feedback, etc. The RA/agent must agree to the clauses and code of conduct stated in the RA’s/agent’s agreement. Once the RA meets the evaluation criteria, the RA goes through the re-appointment process. Upon completion of the re-appointment process, the RA’s re-appointment is complete.
Recruitment Agents (RA) Roles and Responsibilities
Recruitment Agents are expected to represent Beacon International College professionally and accurately at all times. The following responsibilities apply throughout the duration of the appointment.
- Recruit students only from the countries or territories approved by Beacon.
- Recruit students only for programmes authorised by Beacon.
- Submit complete student applications together with all required supporting documents and ensure that all submitted information is accurate and verified.
- Maintain proper records of all student applications submitted to Beacon and provide such records upon request.
Recruitment Agents are expected to provide accurate, impartial and responsible pre-course counselling to enable prospective students to make informed decisions before enrolment.
Before a student enrols, the Recruitment Agent must ensure that the student is informed of, where applicable:
- admission requirements;
- programme structure and duration;
- the Student Contract;
- tuition fees and other applicable charges;
- Beacon’s refund, transfer and withdrawal policies;
- Student Pass requirements and immigration obligations (where applicable);
- studying and living in Singapore; and
- any other material information, policies or requirements communicated by Beacon from time to time.
Recruitment Agents must not provide inaccurate, misleading or exaggerated information, or make promises regarding admission, Student Pass approval, visa outcomes, academic progression, qualification recognition or employment opportunities.
Recruitment Agents are expected to continue providing reasonable support to students whom they have recruited throughout their studies at Beacon and to refer students to Beacon promptly where further clarification or assistance is required.
During pre-course counselling, Recruitment Agents must also advise students that all tuition fees are payable directly to Beacon International College. Recruitment Agents must not collect tuition fees on Beacon’s behalf or represent any private fee arrangement as being endorsed by Beacon.
Represent Beacon honestly, fairly and accurately.
Do not:
- misrepresent Beacon
- misrepresent programmes
- misrepresent course fees
- misrepresent facilities
- misrepresent graduate outcomes
- misrepresent progression opportunities
- misrepresent the relationship between the Agent and Beacon
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Do not present yourself as:
- Beacon’s employee
- Beacon’s admission office
- an authorised representative of any awarding body
- a partner of any awarding body
unless expressly authorised in writing.
Recruitment Agents must use only marketing and promotional materials approved by Beacon when representing Beacon or promoting Beacon programmes.
Where a Recruitment Agent wishes to prepare its own promotional materials, advertisements or translations:
- all promotional materials must be submitted to Beacon for vetting and written approval before publication, printing or distribution;
- where requested by Beacon, an English translation must also be provided;
- only the final version approved by Beacon may be published, distributed or otherwise used.
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Recruitment Agents must comply with:
- Beacon’s branding, marketing and communication requirements;
- Singapore advertising laws and regulations applicable to Private Education Institutions;
- the branding, marketing and promotional requirements of Beacon’s awarding bodies and partner institutions, where applicable; and
- any other marketing, advertising or communication requirements notified by Beacon from time to time.
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Recruitment Agents must not:
- publish, amend or distribute unapproved promotional materials relating to Beacon;
- misuse Beacon’s name, logo or intellectual property;
- represent themselves as an authorised representative, partner or admissions office of any awarding body or partner institution; or
- make any false, misleading or unauthorised claims in advertisements, promotional materials or public communications.
Comply with all applicable:
- Singapore laws and regulations;
- Private Education Act and subsidiary legislation;
- advertising requirements;
- UK consumer protection requirements (where applicable);
- UK immigration requirements (where applicable);
- awarding body requirements;
- recruitment, admissions and marketing policies communicated by Beacon.
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Where applicable, Recruitment Agents recruiting for UK programmes must also comply with the:
- BUILA / UKCISA National Code of Ethical Practice; and
- other requirements communicated by Beacon or the awarding body.
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Agents must also inform Beacon of any market developments, government policy or regulatory changes within their territory that may affect student recruitment.
Recruitment Agents must ensure that all tuition fees are paid directly to Beacon International College through Beacon’s official payment channels.
Recruitment Agents must not:
- collect tuition fees or any other payments on behalf of Beacon;
- request, direct or permit students to make payment into any personal or company bank account other than Beacon’s official payment channels;
- collect, receive or acknowledge any payment in Beacon’s name;
- collect consultation or service fees under Beacon’s name.
Where a Recruitment Agent charges consultation or service fees in its own name for assisting a student with an application to Beacon, the total amount charged must not exceed SGD 2,000 per student.
Recruitment Agents must clearly distinguish any fees charged in their own name from fees payable to Beacon and must not represent such fees as being required by, or payable to, Beacon.
Agents are expected to:
- exercise due care, skill and professionalism;
- maintain all required licences and registrations;
- perform services competently;
- comply with Beacon’s instructions;
- cooperate with Beacon in all recruitment matters.
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Agents should also keep Beacon informed of:
- market developments;
- competitor activities;
- recruitment opportunities; and
- recruitment challenges.
Agents shall cooperate fully with Beacon, including:
- recruitment reviews;
- compliance reviews;
- marketing audits;
- partner institution audits;
- requests for documentation;
- investigations where necessary.
Agents must not appoint:
- sub-agents;
- contractors;
- representatives;
- employees;
- third parties
to perform recruitment or pre-course counselling activities for Beacon unless Beacon has provided prior written approval.
Agents must not engage in any conduct that may:
- damage Beacon’s reputation;
- damage the reputation of Beacon’s awarding bodies or partner institutions;
- affect Beacon’s regulatory standing;
- affect Beacon’s licences or approvals.
The RA shall provide Beacon with the following recruitment and student support services (collective, the “Services”):
- Student Recruitment
The RA shall assist to recruit and/or refer students from the “Territory” to enroll in any of the English, GCE O-Level Preparatory Course, Beacon’s Diploma, Pearson Edexcel iProgress, BTEC Higher National Diploma, Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree courses offered by Beacon. The RA agrees that it should not recruit and/or refer any students from any country other than the Territory. - Application Processing
For each prospective student recruited or referred by the RA to Beacon, the RA shall forward to Beacon completed sets of the relevant application forms and other documents (as may be provided to it by Beacon from time to time) and duly verified copies of supporting documents with the RA’s name thereon, to Beacon as evidence of the RA’s referral or recruitment of such student to Beacon. - Regular Liaison
The RA shall liaise regularly with Beacon for the purpose of confirming receipt of applications for enrolment by prospective students, arranging payment schedules and informing Beacon of potential opportunities, problems, and competitor activity which the RA is aware of. - The RA shall advise Beacon of any government initiatives or laws in the Territory having a direct bearing upon this Agreement and the recruitment by Beacon of international students generally.
- Publicity Material
The RA shall act as a point of contact for Beacon in the formulation and distribution of Beacon’s publicity materials relevant to the recruitment of students from the Territory. - Marketing Material Approval
The RA shall ensure all marketing materials in respect of Beacon are signed off and approved by Beacon before printing and distributing the same in the Territory. The RA shall send to Beacon for vetting and approval any promotional materials and advertisements in respect of Beacon to be used within the Territory. - Compliance
The RA shall advise Beacon of any government initiatives or laws in the Territory having a direct bearing upon this Agreement and the recruitment by Beacon of international students generally. - Record-Keeping
The RA shall keep records of all applications submitted to Beacon in respect of the students which it has referred to or recruited for Beacon and make such records available to Beacon on request. - Representation
The RA shall fairly and accurately represent Beacon at all times and acknowledges that Beacon shall have the right to terminate this Agreement immediately if the RA falsely represents false the relationship between the RA and Beacon, or misrepresents the course fees, course content, facilities, aims and corporate objectives of Beacon. - Integrity
The RA shall refrain from engaging in any activities that may, by association, be detrimental to the reputation or integrity of Beacon. - Pre-Course Counselling
The RA shall provide adequate pre-course counselling for recruited students at the RA’s own cost and to service the students recruited until completion of the course(s) which they enrolled for in Beacon. - Refund Policy
The RA shall ensure that all students whom it has recruited for Beacon are aware of Beacon’s refund policy during Pre-Course Counselling. - Fee Handling
The RA shall not collect any course fees from students on behalf of Beacon but instruct prospective students to make payment directly to Beacon’s bank account, details of which shall be notified by Beacon of the RA from time to time, only after the students have signed their student contracts. - Consultation Fee
The RA shall not collect any consultation fees under the name of Beacon from prospective or existing students of Beacon. Any fee charged by the RA in its own name for assisting prospective students with their application to Beacon shall not exceed S$2000.00 in aggregate per student.
- The RA acknowledges that its appointment under this Agreement is non-exclusive, and that Beacon may at any time perform any part of the Services itself or procure them from a third party.
- The RA must observe strict adherence to the code of conduct set out below.
The Consultant shall:
- not appoint, engage, delegate, subcontract, assign or otherwise permit any third party, representative, contractor, employee or agent to perform any recruitment or pre-course counselling activities under this Agreement without Beacon’s prior written approval.
- exercise all due care, skill and attention in providing the Services
- do all things necessary to ensure that the Services are provided to the reasonable satisfaction of Beacon
- ensure that the Services are performed in compliance with the applicable laws and regulations and the relevant codes and standards which Beacon is subject to, including but not limited to the advertising requirements and restrictions under the Private Education Act 2009 of Singapore and its subsidiary legislation
- ensure that the Services are carried out in a proficient manner and, where applicable, that the Consultant is competently recognized and registered under the relevant laws and regulations
- obtain and maintain during the Term all necessary licences and consents and comply with all applicable laws and regulatory requirements in performing its obligations under this Agreement
- comply with the relevant Singapore laws and regulations and shall not provide inaccurate information to any prospective student of Beacon; and
- not do or omit to do anything which may cause Beacon to lose any licence, authority, consent or permission on which it relies for the purpose of conducting its business.
- not sub-contract, assign, or novate any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of Beacon.
Where the Consultant recruits students for programmes delivered under franchise, validation or awarding body arrangements (including but not limited to programmes awarded by external institutions), the Consultant shall:
- comply with all applicable marketing, branding, representation and recruitment requirements as may be amended from time to time, including, where applicable, the British Universities’ International Liaison Association (BUILA) / UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) National Code of Ethical Practice (as amended from time to time) and UK’s immigration requirements, and any recruitment, admissions, branding or consumer protection requirements imposed by the relevant awarding body.
- not represent itself as an authorised representative, partner or admission office of any awarding body.
- conduct recruitment activities in a manner consistent with applicable UK consumer protection principles and guidance as communicated by Beacon.
- comply with all relevant recruitment, admissions and marketing policies of the awarding body as notified by Beacon from time to time.
Beacon may audit the RA’s recruitment practices, marketing materials and records relating to Beacon programmes for compliance purposes.
The RA shall cooperate fully with such audit, including where required for partner institution review.
Recruitment Agents (RA) Code of Conduct
Recruitment Agents must maintain high standards of professionalism, integrity and ethical conduct.
Agents must:
- act honestly and ethically;
- comply with this Agreement;
- provide accurate information;
- avoid misleading or deceptive conduct.
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Agents must not make false, ambiguous, exaggerated or fraudulent statements.
Agents must comply with:
- Singapore laws;
- applicable UK laws (where relevant);
- Beacon policies;
- awarding body requirements;
- BUILA / UKCISA National Code of Ethical Practice (where applicable);
- UK immigration requirements (where applicable).
Agents must recruit students fairly.
Agents must not:
- apply high-pressure sales techniques;
- use bait-and-switch advertising;
- mislead students;
- exploit vulnerable students.
Agents must:
- perform services carefully and competently;
- seek clarification from Beacon whenever uncertain;
- cooperate with Beacon professionally.
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Negligent, careless or incompetent conduct is unacceptable.
Agents must not:
- collect tuition fees on behalf of Beacon;
- provide unofficial refund promises;
- provide private financial guarantees;
- offer unauthorised rebates, discounts or financial incentives.
Agents must not guarantee:
- Student Pass approval;
- visa approval;
- admission;
- academic success;
- graduation;
- employment outcomes;
- qualification recognition.
Agents must maintain professional boundaries with students.
Agents and their staff must:
- comply with Beacon’s Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy;
- avoid any romantic or intimate relationship with prospective or current Beacon students;
- treat all students respectfully.
Agents must not:
- offer;
- request;
- solicit; or
- accept
cash, gifts, favours or services intended to improperly influence admissions, recruitment or academic integrity.
Agents must not engage in conduct that may compromise:
- Beacon’s reputation;
- Beacon’s integrity;
- Beacon’s awarding bodies;
- partner institutions;
- Singapore’s reputation as an education destination.
The code of conduct will also be applicable to the RAs engaged by the PEI to recruit students on its behalf. The code of conduct covers the following basic areas:
- the RA must not contravene any expectation stated in this Agreement
- the RA must not be engaged in any unethical practice such as making claims, warranties, representations or statements which may be false, untrue, ambiguous, misleading, inaccurate or fraudulent
- the RA must be aware of the relevant Singapore laws and regulations and guidelines issued by the relevant authorities and not go against these laws and regulations and guidelines
- the RA must be aware of the relevant UK laws and regulations and guidelines issued by the relevant authorities, including but not limited to British Universities’ International Liaison Association (BUILA) / UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) National Code of Ethical Practice or relevant requirements by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)
- the RA must apply principles of fair trading when recruiting students and must not engage in high-pressure sales, “bait and switch” advertising or similar unfair practices
- the RA must not be negligent, careless or incompetent such that they compromise the integrity of Beacon, its awarding bodies / partner institutions and Singapore’s reputation
- the RA must contact Beacon to clarify any doubts on the provision of the Services which it may have from time to time; and
- the RA shall not collect payment from prospective or existing students on behalf of Beacon.
- Beacon takes a serious view of compliance with the applicable laws and regulations and the relevant codes and standards under the Private Education Act 2009 of Singapore and its subsidiary legislation. In the event of a breach, Beacon reserves the right to impose a penalty amounting to S$500 per student arising from a breach of Clause 2.1.l) or Clause 2.1.m) or S$500 per event (for other types of breaches) which shall be deducted from the commission due to the Consultant.
- The Consultant shall not guarantee approval of any visa, student pass or immigration outcome;
- The RA shall not guarantee academic performance, progression or completion;
- The RA shall not guarantee recognition of qualifications in any jurisdiction;
- The RA shall not provide any private refund undertaking or financial guarantee inconsistent with Beacon’s official policies;
- The RA shall not offer rebates, inducement or financial incentives linked to enrolment without Beacon’s written approval;
- The RA shall strictly adhere to Beacon’s zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and sexual misconduct as outline in the Single Comprehensive Source of Information (SCSI) on Harassment and Sexual Misconduct. The Consultant and its staff are prohibited from entering into romantic or intimate personal relationships with any prospective or current Beacon student;
- The RA shall not offer, solicit, accept any gifts, cash or services intended to influence admissions or academic integrity.
Recruitment Agent Performance
Beacon regularly evaluates the performance of its appointed Recruitment Agents to ensure high standards of professionalism, ethical conduct and compliance with Singapore regulations and, where applicable, awarding body requirements.
Performance may be assessed through:
- Student Satisfaction Surveys
- Recruitment Performance
- Compliance with the Agent Agreement and Beacon’s policies
- Marketing Compliance Reviews
- Complaint Monitoring
- Mystery Shopper Exercises (where appropriate)
Where performance concerns or non-compliance are identified, Beacon may require corrective actions, provide further training, issue warnings, decline renewal of the appointment or terminate the Agent Agreement in accordance with its terms.
Failure to Comply
Failure to comply with the Agent Agreement, Beacon’s policies or applicable regulatory requirements may result in one or more of the following actions, depending on the nature and severity of the breach:
- Advice or clarification;
- Corrective action;
- Remedial training;
- Written warning;
- Enhanced monitoring or compliance review;
- Suspension of recruitment activities pending investigation;
- Financial penalties (where provided for under the Agent Agreement);
- Non-renewal of the Agent Agreement;
- Immediate termination of the Recruitment Agent Agreement; and
- Publication of a non-representation notice on Beacon’s official website, where applicable.
🛡️ Whistle-Blowing / Report an Agent Concern
Beacon International College is committed to maintaining high standards of integrity, professionalism and ethical recruitment practices.
Students, parents, members of the public, Recruitment Agents and other stakeholders who become aware of any suspected misconduct, unethical behaviour or non-compliance involving a Recruitment Agent are encouraged to report the matter to Beacon.
Reports may relate to, but are not limited to:
- false or misleading information provided to prospective students;
- unauthorised collection of tuition fees or payments;
- misrepresentation of Beacon’s programmes, policies or services;
- misuse of Beacon’s name, logo or marketing materials;
- unethical recruitment practices;
- breach of Singapore laws or regulatory requirements;
- breach of the Recruitment Agent Agreement or Beacon’s Code of Conduct; or
- any conduct that may adversely affect Beacon’s reputation or the interests of students.
Reports may be submitted through any of the following channels:
- Email: feedback@beacon.edu.sg
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Where possible, reports should include:
- the name of the Recruitment Agent;
- a description of the incident;
- supporting documents or evidence (if available); and
- contact details of the person making the report (optional where permitted).
Beacon will assess all reports in accordance with its Feedback and Complaints Management procedures. Appropriate corrective or disciplinary actions may be taken where a report is substantiated.
