Survey provides a snapshot of agency commission practices of US institutions
- Most US institutions and schools pay either a fixed-rate commission or a commission based on net tuition; some also utilise tiered models where commission rates will scale as enrolments increase
- Just over half pay commissions for the first two semesters of study
- Beyond commissions, US institutions are investing in agency relationships via training, expanded communications, application support, in-country visits, and participation in recruitment events
A new report finds that the US institutions and schools have "entered a period of operational sophistication" when it comes to management of education agency partnerships. The survey was conducted over March and April 2026 by AIRC: The Association of International Enrollment Management, and it gathered responses from 61 secondary schools, colleges, universities, and intensive English language programmes.
The "AIRC Institutional Survey on Agency Commission Models 2026" is interesting in part because it is the fourth such effort to build a picture of industry practices around managing education agency partnerships, following earlier survey cycles in 2018, 2023, and 2025.
AIRC reports that, across all four surveys, US educators' engagement with agencies has increased (from 62% in 2018 to 75% this year). The survey also found that US institutions and schools are moving away from commissions based on gross tuitions in favour of agreements based on net tuitions or fixed referral fees.
More specifically, the most common commission structure among this year's respondents is a fixed post-enrolment fee (48%), whereas nearly four in ten responding institutions (39%) said they relied on a commission calculated as a percentage of net tuition. (In such cases, net tuition reflects the gross tuition adjusted for scholarships and grants.) As of this year's survey, only 6% of responding institutions said that they still base commissions on gross tuition.
In terms of the actual commissions paid:
- For institutions that pay based on gross tuition, the most frequently reported commission rate was 15%;
- For institutions relying on net tuition, most reported commission rates of 10%–15%;
- For those that pay a fixed-rate commission, most reported per-capita payments of $2,000–$3,500.
AIRC adds: "Several institutions utilise tiered models, where the percentage changes based on volume, student type, or year of enrollment. For example, one institution pays 15% for the first 30 students and 20% for students 31+, with two agencies starting at 20% and escalating to 25%. Several institutions pay a higher rate for the first year (e.g., 10% or 12% for year 1) and a reduced rate for subsequent years (e.g., 5% for year 2 and beyond, or 8% for year 2, 4% for year 3, and 2% for year 4)."
The survey also highlights that two-thirds of respondents (67%) do not issue commission payments until all tuition and other fees have been received. Another 21% will process commissions once all tuition fees have been received (excluding housing or any other fees).
Just over half (51%) indicated that they provide commissions for the first two semesters of enrolment. Nearly one in five (18%) pay commissions on the first semester only; and another 13% said that they pay commissions on the first three or four semesters. The remaining 18% said that they pay for more than four semesters.
Beyond commissions
"Institutions are investing more in agency relationships through webinars/training (72%), application support (66%), in-country visits (64%), and recruitment event participation (62%)," adds AIRC.
"When asked about new and creative initiatives that institutions have implemented to effectively work with their agency partners, the majority of institutions focus on enhanced communication and engagement, incentives and structure, and operational streamlining. Efforts include frequent, direct communication with agency partners, regular in-country visits, tiered commission structures, or granting agents limited access to the institution's CRM."
The survey findings otherwise make it clear that most institutions are actively exploring ways to strengthen their agency partnerships, including more frequent communication, and plans to add staff to build and support agent relationships.
For additional background, please see:
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