Dan Thomas

International education payments firm PeerTransfer has raised US$6.4 million in new funding to help it grow its client base outside the USA. The firm, which halves the exchange rate for international students making tuition and other payments, is used by 350 education institutions worldwide, but 335 are based in the USA spelling room for growth.

Australian educators say they are outraged by government plans to increase the cost of student visas at a time when the country is fighting to regain its position in the global education market. They object to an AUS$700 surcharge for anyone transitioning to a new visa once in the country. It comes as Brazil complains the cost of Australian study permits is too high for its students.

Language schools and business schools say they are losing thousands of pounds in fees due to restrictions on business visas which disallow holders to study short courses during visits to the UK. However, the Home Office has told The PIE News it is "considering" their concerns.

The number of US private high schools using the iTEP’s SLATE exam for admissions has increased by 300% in a year, its owners claim with the test apparently filling a “vacuum” left by the now retired ETS SLEP exam. 135 schools now recognise the SLATE, which is used to assess how international students will integrate in their classes.

Asia’s best universities have seen a surge in international students since 2008 as they upscale and gain ground on their Western rivals, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) says. The firm's Asian university rankings 2013, released last week, show fast rising Asian economies have made "unprecedented investment" in HE enabling them to "attract the world’s best faculty and students".

Australia is to invest an additional AUS$15.2 million in Asian language learning in its schools in the hope of dramatically increasing uptake in the next decade. The government says it will spend the money on new language curricula and improving teacher training among other measures.

International student satisfaction in the UK has improved by eight to ten percentage points in the last five years with the country ahead of many of its rivals, new research shows. i-graduate's latest International Student Barometer (ISB) found high levels of satisfaction with the arrivals experience, learning experience and student support in the UK.

US schools have been given a cautious go-ahead to use commission-based agents to recruit international students, after a report commissioned by the National Association of College Admissions Counsellors (NACAC) proposed that its members could, but should not use them. However, it also calls for new rules to ensure agents are used ethically.

Payment transfer firm peerTransfer has launched six new payment methods from China and India that make it easier for international students to pay for tuition fees and other expenses. The firm says that it expects business from both markets to increase through the channels.

Education New Zealand is piloting an e-learning training programme for approved education agents ahead of an expected rollout this summer. The course will give New Zealand Specialist Agents greater flexibility in how they train, and ENZ better data.