Frequently Asked Questions
AIRC CERTIFICATION
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF AIRC CERTIFICATION?
AIRC Certification provides a "Seal of Approval” recognized by U.S. Institutions and state agencies. AIRC Certified Agencies may display both the AIRC Certificate and the AIRC Certified Logo. AIRC Certification provides continuous improvement feedback on agency operations and is the U.S. Quality Standard for recruitment agencies.
AIRC Certified Agencies are listed in the AIRC Certified Agency page (https://www.airc-education.org/airc-certified-agencies) where they can be identified by students, parents, and institutions.
AIRC Certified Agencies become members of AIRC and gain a voice in a rapidly growing community concerned with professionalism in international student recruitment. AIRC Certified agency member representatives sit on the AIRC Board of Directors
AIRC Agency and Institutional Members share a password-protected Directory of Contacts and online Forums through which they can exchange information and ideas.
AIRC Agencies have access to AIRC Institutional members and other global educators and may attend the AIRC Conference, exhibit at the conference and also participate in the AIRC booth at the NAFSA national conference.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS OF CERTIFICATION?
Effective in February 2025:
Application Fee Stage 1 for all agencies: $2,000
Stage 2 Certification Fee
Priority: $2,000* Standard: $6,000*
Agencies holding ICEF Agency Status or StudyTravel Reference Checked Status receive a $300 discount on the Stage 2 Certification Fee.
Membership fee upon successful certification and annually thereafter: $2,500
* Priority Rate: $2000:
For agencies in source market countries that make up fewer than 20% of current AIRC certified agency members. Currently all countries other than India fall into this category.
*Standard Rate: $6000:
For agencies in source market countries that make up more than 20% of current AIRC certified agency members. Currently only India falls into this category.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR CERTIFICATION?
AIRC Certification is intended for agencies (including organizations and companies), located both inside and outside of the U.S., which recruit international students to colleges, universities and other post secondary educational institutions, located both inside and outside the U.S., which are accredited by institutional accreditors recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
For the purposes of AIRC membership and certification, an education agency is a contracted representative that provides student counseling, recruitment, and/or enrollment services; and receives incentive compensation or commission from institutions for the successful placement of international students. Education agency businesses can include individuals, organizations, companies, or associations.
Individuals that provide placement services but have not established a company or individuals within an agency, including but not limited to shareholders, owners, directors, counselors and other staff are not eligible for AIRC certification or membership. New agency businesses that have not yet met eligibility may apply for the Certification Applicant Assessment Program, which allows more time for the agency to complete the process.
At the time of application for AIRC Certification, agencies are required to demonstrate activity in the field of student recruitment for at least two years as a registered business entity and agencies must have placed at least 25 students in total before applying for AIRC Certification.
An applicant agency is ineligible for certification if it or any principal or material owner thereof has been convicted of fraud or has pleaded no contest or guilty in a criminal proceeding or has been adjudged to have committed fraud in a civil proceeding within the last seven (7) years.
IS MY INFORMATION KEPT CONFIDENTIAL DURING THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS?
All information provided to AIRC remains confidential within the Certification process. All External reviewers, staff, and members of the Board of Directors and Certification Board are required to sign non disclosure agreements prohibiting the sharing of any information about an agency applicant, correspondence, or deliberations regarding Certification.
HOW DO I FIND A QUALITY AGENCY?
AIRC MEMBERSHIP
WHAT TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP DO YOU OFFER?
AIRC offers Institutional Memberships, AIRC Certified Agency Memberships, Service Provider and Individual Memberships. AIRC individual membership is limited to those who are self-employed or retired, or international education consultant sole proprietors who do not recruit students directly and do not have staff or a consulting team.
HOW MANY COLLEAGUES CAN I ADD TO MY INSTITUTIONAL RECORD?
Everyone on your school’s campus/at your business can benefit from your AIRC membership. AIRC encourages members to add as many colleagues as they’d like to their AIRC membership account to ensure everyone is up-to-date on AIRC events and resources.
WHAT IS THE COST OF MEMBERSHIP?
AIRC membership fees vary by member type and size.
Small institutions (10k student or less) pay $600 per year. Large institutions (over 10k students) pay $1,100 per year.
Service Provider Affiliate fees are determined by their annual revenue.
Level I: if annual revenue is > $1 million, pay $2,000 USD per year.
Level II: if annual revenue is < $1 million, pay $1,000 USD per year.
Level III: if you are a Sole Proprietor, pay $500 USD per year.
Individual members pay $400 per year.
Scroll up to the Certification section for Agency membership fees.
I CAN’T REMEMBER MY USERNAME/PASSWORD WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Reset your password using the “Forgot Password” link or contact memberservices@airc-education.org for assistance.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
WHEN IS THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE?
The AIRC Annual Conference is held every year in December. For more information on the Annual Conference, visit our Conference page.
CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE ELIGIBILITY
Eligible Attendees:
AIRC members (Certified agencies, institutions, global institutions, service provider affiliates, individual members)
Sponsors (service providers that support student mobility). Contact Staff to learn about conference or annual sponsorship opportunities
Representatives of non-member accredited academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and government agencies
Service providers that support student mobility, and that are a Conference Sponsor, Annual Sponsor, or an AIRC Service Provider Affiliate. Contact Staff to learn about conference or annual sponsorship opportunities
If your organization or company is not one of the above categories, you may not be eligible to attend the conference. Please contact member services to verify eligibility. AIRC reserves the right to decline registrations that do not fall within eligibility rules. Only AIRC Certified Agencies and agencies approved for Certification may attend.
Note: Registration fees are per attendee.
WHAT ARE THE PRICES? ARE THERE ANY DISCOUNTS?
Registration for the AIRC Conference is per person and varies depending on your type of membership. If you are a non-member and meet the eligibility criteria to attend the conference, you can register at the non-member rate. We offer early bird pricing from June to October and regular pricing options after October. For more information visit our conference page.
ARE AIRC CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIA IN-PERSON EVENTS?
Unless otherwise indicated in the event description, AIRC anticipates holding events in person. If an emergency warrants, AIRC reserves the right at its sole discretion to hold the event virtually. By registering for an in-person event, registrants agree to participate either in-person or virtually, unless the registrant notifies AIRC in writing by the refund request deadline for the virtual event. If AIRC determines that the event will be held virtually, it will refund participants
a prorated share of any costs AIRC is able to recover in connection with the change of venue.
Throughout the year, AIRC offers dozens of exclusively online events such as webinars and workshops that deliver timely data, information, and training.
WHAT IF I NEED TO CANCEL MY REGISTRATION?
A small number of registrants may find they are unable to attend the conference for any number of reasons. Cancellation notices must be received in writing via email: membersupport@airc-education.org.
All refunds or patial refunds are granted at the discretion of AIRC. Please refer to the Conference page for details. Pre-conference workshops are non-refundable.
WHAT HAPPENS IF AIRC CANCELS AN EVENT?
AIRC reserves the right to modify, cancel or reschedule any event for any reason, and will provide registrants with as much notice as is reasonably possible. If an event is cancelled, AIRC will refund registration fees or apply the registration fee to a future event. If AIRC reschedules an event to a date when the registrant is unable to attend, it will refund 100% of the registrant’s registration fee, provided that the registrant requests the refund within 30 (thirty) days of AIRC communicating the new date; otherwise, the refund schedule on the events page applies. AIRC does not reimburse registrants for travel and lodging expenses incurred in connection with any cancelled or rescheduled events.
CAN I EXHIBIT AT THE CONFERENCE?
AIRC welcomes sponsorship inquiries. Please see the brochure on Sponsorship Opportunities for details.
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Please take a look at AIRC’s 2025 Sponsorship brochure. If you cannot find the answers to your questions below contact either Rachael Lamson or for more details.
HOW DOES THE EXHIBITOR TABLE SELECTION PROCESS WORK?
To request an exhibit table, please fill out the sponsor form here. Once approved, a member of our team will set you up with an exhibitor portal where you can complete your tasks to become an exhibitor. All tasks must be complete before you can select a table. Table selection is based on the order of payments received.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN MY PURCHASE OF AN EXHIBIT TABLE?
Exhibitors receive one complimentary registration with the purchase of an exhibit table. Exhibit tables include one 6ft table with two chairs, a tablecloth and table drape.
CAN I SHIP MY EXHIBIT TABLE MATERIALS?
Yes. Please be aware you are responsible for any additional fees associated with shipping and handling of materials.
ARE THERE ANY DISPLAY RESTRICTIONS I SHOULD BE AWARD OF?
Yes. Banners cannot be wider than your exhibit table (6ft). They cannot be taller than 10ft.
CAN I HAVE ELECTRICITY AT MY TABLE?
AIRC does not provide electricity to exhibitors. If you’d like electricity, you must inform AIRC to make arrangements with the hotel. There will be an additional cost for electricity to the table.
HOW DO THE CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WORK?
There are several sponsorship opportunities. You can refer to the Sponsorship brochure to see them all. The guide on the website is periodically updated when sponsorship options are no longer available.
CAN I CUSTOMIZE MY SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE?
AIRC is committed to delivering value and quality to all attendees and members, and to being consistent, transparent, and fair in its sponsorships and pricing. For this reason, the sponsorship packages are fixed and cannot be altered.
ARE THERE SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SHIPPING MY SPONSORED ITEMS?
Yes. AIRC will provide shipping details and deadlines to sponsors through our event coordinator.
WHAT IS INCLUDED WITH MY SPONSORSHIP ITEM?
Certain sponsorship opportunities may include complimentary registrations, a complimentary exhibit table, or other extras. Please refer to the Sponsorship brochure to see what is included with each sponsorship item.
ARE THERE EXTRA FEES ASSOCIATED WITH SHIPPING MY SPONSORED ITEMS?
AIRC charges a flat fee for sponsored items plus the purchase price of the items. These fees include hotel- handling charges. You will be responsible for any shipping costs. If you are also shipping materials for your exhibit table then you will be responsible for any additional fees associated with hotel handling of those materials.
DO ANY OF THE SPONSORSHIP ITEMS INCLUDE A SPEAKING OPPORTUNITY?
In general, the Thursday Lunch sponsor receives a 5-minute speaking opportunity. Reception sponsors may also request a speaking opportunity during their sponsored reception.
ARE THERE OTHER SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES BESIDES THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONFERENCE?
Yes, AIRC also has Annual Sponsorship opportunities, available each year starting in January. Please refer to the Annual Sponsorships brochure for details.
QUICK LINKS
CONTACT INFO
Phone:
240-547-6400
Address:
PO Box 7522
Falls Church, VA 22040
Email: