Atlantic London Education

Atlantic London Education, student recruitment agency in the UK

Atlantic London Education presents itself as a student recruitment agency dedicated to supporting students who want to study in the United Kingdom. Its activity covers guidance on choosing a course and institution, processing university applications and advice on applying for student funding. The company states that it has more than fifteen years of experience and thousands of successful enrolments, and says it works with more than fifty institutions across the country.

Academic offering and qualification levels

The agency works with more than two hundred courses across more than fifty UK universities. It organises its offering into four qualification levels:

• HND (Higher National Diplomas): occupational qualifications aimed at the labour market that provide practical skills.
• Top-Up: a one-year course for those who already hold an HND and want to obtain the equivalent of a full undergraduate degree (Bachelor's).
• Bachelor: traditional BA (Bachelor of Arts) and BSc (Bachelor of Science) degrees in multiple fields.
• Master: postgraduate studies to specialise in a specific field.

Among the courses highlighted at the time of the analysis were a Top-Up in Business Management at Cecos College, a Master in Psychology at Regent College, a Bachelor in Health and Social Care at University of Central Lancashire, a Bachelor with Foundation Year in Construction Management at University of Higher Education and an HND in Public Services at David Game College.

Study modes and compatibility with work

The agency promotes funded courses with flexible schedules that allow students to keep their job. It notes that its programmes are taught on campuses across the UK, with a presence in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Luton, Leeds and Sheffield, among other cities, and that they include weekend and evening options. According to its presentation, the available government loans cover both course fees and daily expenses.

Application process and support

The process is described in four steps: fill in the application form, check eligibility and choose a course and institution with the agency's help, manage communication with the institution on the student's behalf and provide guidance on applying for student funding. Once eligibility is confirmed, the company details four enrolment phases: guidance on course and institution, processing and sending documents to the university, advice for the funding application and free consultancy until graduation day.

Student benefits and discounts

The agency lists a series of benefits associated with studying in the UK: student discounts and deals, free support and guidance, scholarships and funding, the possibility of studying and working at the same time, employability-oriented skills and internationally recognised qualifications. In the specific discounts section it mentions:

• TOTUM, UNiDAYS and Student Beans student discount cards, with usual discounts of between 10% and 30% on clothing, food, health and beauty, technology and mobile brands.
• Transport discounts: the 18+ Oyster card offers a 30% discount on public transport passes and tickets; the 16-25 Railcard, 30% off train fares; and the Young Persons Coachcard, 30% off National Express tickets.
• Council Tax discount: full-time students over 18 can get a 25% reduction, and those who live alone or in a household made up entirely of full-time students may be exempt.

Referral programme and resources

Atlantic London Education runs a recommend-a-friend programme: for each person referred who wants to study in the UK, it offers a £200 Amazon voucher, with a stated promotional limit of up to £300 in prizes. The company states that the voucher is delivered within a few days and that the application process for the referred person is free and complete. It also offers a free downloadable student eBook after registering with name, email address and acceptance of terms.

Profile and reviews

The company describes itself as the leading student recruitment agency in the UK area and states that it has exceeded 20,000 student enrolments. The material analysed includes student reviews published on Google and verified by Trustindex, which praise the staff's attention in tasks such as enrolment, student funding applications and guidance on choosing a course and university.