IDP Education
IDP Education is an ASX-listed international student placement company operating 210+ offices across 35+ countries and co-owning the IELTS English proficiency test, serving prospective students from emerging markets seeking university placements in Western destinations.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What IDP Education does
IDP Education is an Australian-founded (1969), ASX-listed (ASX:IEL) international education services company headquartered in Melbourne. It operates one of the world's largest international student placement networks, with 210+ offices across 35+ countries and 2,200+ education counsellors serving primarily students from South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa seeking higher education placements in Australia, Canada, the UK, the US, Ireland, and New Zealand. In 2024 IDP helped 113,000 students place abroad, and over 250,000 over the prior three years.
IDP's product portfolio combines a digital self-serve platform — the IDP Live mobile app for course search, applications, and tracking — with FastLane, an express university eligibility and instant-offer tool, and a network of physical counselling offices. The company is also a co-owner of the IELTS English proficiency test alongside British Council and Cambridge University Press & Assessment; IELTS operates across 2,000+ test locations in 60+ countries (including 260+ computer-delivered centres) and is being transitioned to fully computer-based delivery by mid-2026. A modular Student Essentials suite adds health insurance (Bupa), money transfer (Flywire), accommodation, banking, SIM, forex, and guardianship services to capture post-placement wallet share.
Revenue is generated primarily through two streams: commissions paid by 800+ partner universities when IDP places students, and IELTS test fees from individual test-takers. Counselling services are provided free to students, and many partner universities waive application fees for IDP-referred candidates. Reported FY25 revenue was A$882.2 million, a 14% year-over-year decline, reflecting headwinds in international student demand. Historical inorganic moves include the acquisitions of Hotcourses Group (2017) and Intake (2022).
IDP Education firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IDP Education
- Legal name
- IDP Education
- Website
- https://idp.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- IDP Education is an ASX-listed international student placement company operating 210+ offices across 35+ countries and co-owning the IELTS English proficiency test, serving prospective students from emerging markets seeking university placements in Western destinations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IDP Education industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Education Services
- NAICS
- Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Exam Preparation Language Programs (IELTS/TOEFL/DELE/DALF/HSK, etc.) (EDAIAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Language Proficiency Exam Prep (CEFR, TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, PTE) (EDANACAD), English Test Preparation (IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo English Test, etc.) (EDAAACAJ)
Keywords
Where IDP Education is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices7 records
Markets served
IDP Education business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Student Placement Services: IDP places students with partner universities and receives commission or fees from those institutions. The company helps students with course selection, applications, and visa support in exchange for referral fees from universities.
- IELTS Testing: IDP co-owns and administers the IELTS English proficiency test, generating revenue from test fees. The test is available at 2,000+ locations across 60+ countries with 260+ computer-delivered centers.
- Student Essentials Services: IDP offers ancillary services including health insurance (Bupa), money transfer (Flywire), accommodation, banking, SIM cards, and forex cards. These services generate additional transaction or referral revenue.
- Free Counselling (University Commission Model): IDP provides counselling services free to students while earning commissions from universities. Many universities waive application fees when students apply through IDP, suggesting a commission-based revenue model from educational institutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free counselling for students |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
IDP Education product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IDP Education places international students with partner universities through free counselling services delivered via 210+ offices in 35+ countries. The company co-owns and administers the IELTS English proficiency test, available at 2,000+ test locations across 60+ countries, and provides end-to-end services including course search, application support, visa assistance, and post-arrival support.
Product overview
IDP Education operates as a comprehensive study abroad services platform with a portfolio of integrated products. The core offering combines IDP Live App (mobile application for course search, applications, and tracking), IELTS (co-owned English proficiency test with 2,000+ global test centres), IDP FastLane (instant university eligibility checking and offers), and personalized counselling through 2,200+ expert counsellors across 190 offices in 35 countries. These are supported by Student Essentials (a modular add-on suite covering health insurance, money transfer, banking, accommodation, SIM cards, and forex services), scholarship discovery tools (5,100+ opportunities from 370+ institutions), visa assistance, and global events. The company also provides the IDP Community platform for peer connection and Arrive & Thrive post-arrival support services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- IELTS: International English Language Testing System - jointly owned English proficiency test administered by IDP, British Council, and Cambridge University Press & Assessment
- IDP Live
- FastLane
Products and services
- IDP Live App Mobile application enabling students to search and compare courses, start applications, upload documents, and track their progress with expert counsellor support at every step.
- IELTS English Proficiency Test International English Language Testing System co-owned by IDP Education, British Council, and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. The world's most trusted English proficiency test accepted by 12,500+ organisations worldwide, with 2,000+ test locations across 60+ countries and 260+ computer-delivered IELTS centres.
- IDP FastLane Express university application service that allows students to check their eligibility and receive instant offers from partner universities in minutes.
- Student Essentials Comprehensive suite of end-to-end services for international students including education loans, money transfer, health insurance (OSHC), student banking, accommodation, SIM cards, forex cards, guardianship services, and ISIC student ID cards.
- Course Search & Counselling Personalized course search and education counselling services with 2,200+ expert education counsellors across 190 offices in 35 countries, helping students find and apply to courses matching their interests and aptitude.
- Scholarship Search Scholarship discovery platform offering access to over 5,100 scholarship opportunities from 370+ institutions worldwide.
- Visa Application Assistance Visa application support services helping students navigate the visa process with accurate information for smoother applications.
- Global Education Events In-person and virtual events where students can meet university representatives, discuss study prospects, and explore opportunities across study destinations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 113,000 students helped in 2024
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use IDP Education
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
IDP Education technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
IDP Education partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- British CouncilcoreIDP co-owns the IELTS test with British Council and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. This is a foundational partnership enabling IDP to be a global leader in English language testing.
- Cambridge University Press & AssessmentcoreIDP co-owns the IELTS test with Cambridge University Press & Assessment, providing global reach and credibility for English proficiency testing services.
- BupaminorExclusive partnership offering discounted Bupa Student Health Cover for IDP students. Provides health insurance services as part of Student Essentials offering.
- FlywireminorMoney transfer service partner for IDP's Student Essentials. Part of the 'Fly Higher Awards' campaign offering $3,000 USD scholarships to students.
- 800+ Universities (Global)coreIDP has partnerships with over 800 universities in Australia, Canada, UK, USA, Ireland, and New Zealand, helping place students and receiving commission. Many waive application fees for IDP-referred students.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
IDP Education competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ETS (TOEFL): Owns and administers the TOEFL test, the principal global alternative to IELTS for English proficiency in international admissions.
- INTO University Partnerships: Operates pathway and study abroad programs with partner universities, competing for both placement volumes and student experience ownership.
- Pearson (PTE Academic): Administers PTE Academic, a computer-based English proficiency test that competes head-to-head with IELTS, including in key IDP markets.
- Navitas: Provides university pathway programs and student recruitment services, with overlapping placement and admissions support compared to IDP's university placement business.
- ApplyBoard: Digital-first international student recruitment platform competing directly with IDP for student placement commissions from partner universities across multiple destination markets.
- QS (Quacquarelli Symonds): Operates global education events, university rankings, and student recruitment services that overlap directly with IDP's event-led GTM and study abroad counselling offering.
Emerging players
- Leverage Edu: India-originated study abroad platform offering AI-driven counselling and university applications, directly competing with IDP for the high-volume South Asian student segment.
- Studyportals: Global course search and comparison platform that supports student discovery upstream of IDP's funnel and increasingly enables direct application.
- Crimson Education: Premium admissions advisory serving students applying to top universities globally, competing for the higher-LTV segment of IDP's counsellor-led offering.
Broad incumbents
- British Council: Co-owner of IELTS alongside IDP and Cambridge; competes with IDP in English language testing and offers broader cultural/educational services globally.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
IDP Education social profiles
Digital presenceIDP Education financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IDP Education leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
IDP Education subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
IDP Education funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IDP Education M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IDP Education
What does IDP Education do?
IDP Education places international students with partner universities through free counselling services delivered via 210+ offices in 35+ countries. The company co-owns and administers the IELTS English proficiency test, available at 2,000+ test locations across 60+ countries, and provides end-to-end services including course search, application support, visa assistance, and post-arrival support.
Is IDP Education a public or private company?
IDP Education is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was IDP Education founded?
IDP Education was founded in 1969. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is IDP Education based?
IDP Education is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does IDP Education make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Student Placement Services are the primary driver. The others are IELTS Testing, student Essentials Services and free Counselling (University Commission Model).
Who are IDP Education's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ETS (TOEFL), INTO University Partnerships, Pearson (PTE Academic), Navitas, ApplyBoard and QS (Quacquarelli Symonds). Emerging players are Leverage Edu, Studyportals and Crimson Education. British Council is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does IDP Education have an API?
No public API is recorded for IDP Education.
What industry is IDP Education in?
IDP Education's product category is International Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAEAD, Exam Preparation Language Programs (IELTS/TOEFL/DELE/DALF/HSK, etc.), with a secondary code of EDANACAD, Language Proficiency Exam Prep (CEFR, TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, PTE). Its NAICS code is 611691 and its SIC code is 8200.