Global Education | International Student Advisors | Est. 2006

What Global Education | International Student Advisors | Est. 2006 does

Global Education is a private, founder-led international student advisory firm established in 2006 in Johannesburg, South Africa. It assists self-funded students from Southern Africa — primarily in South Africa and Zimbabwe — with end-to-end study-abroad processes, including university identification and matching, application guidance and submission, visa support, accommodation arrangement, and career counselling. The firm also runs a niche UK Ancestry Visa service and an Athlete Support Program targeting high-achieving student athletes from Africa.

The firm's core product is a consultative, professional-services engagement rather than a technology platform. Service delivery is anchored by five physical offices (Johannesburg HQ, Cape Town, Durban, Harare, and Athens, Greece) and supplemented by an annual multi-location Study Abroad Expo. Distribution runs through direct in-person consultations, the firm's website, active social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok), and partnerships with 450+ universities across the UK, Australia, USA, Europe, Canada, New Zealand, Mauritius, the UAE, and parts of Asia and the Caribbean. Pathway providers such as Navitas and INTO, and named partners including Durham, University of Melbourne, ANU, University of Edinburgh, St. George's University, and EU Business School, anchor the supply side. The firm is certified under the British Council's UK Agent Quality Framework.

Global Education's revenue model is professional-services based: students pay consultation and application fees on a quote-by-quote basis with free initial consultations offered, and the firm earns through university placement and ancillary services (visa, accommodation, financial-aid referral via OMBA, and UK Ancestry Visa). The firm is privately held, with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or investor base; ownership commentary identifies Liza Manoussis (Founder/Senior Education Consultant), Nico Eleftheriades (Managing Director), and Panos Manoussis (General Manager) as the leadership team. Reported scale markers include 5,000+ students placed worldwide over 20 years, a stated 98% visa approval rate, and ~19 staff.

Name

Global Education | International Student Advisors | Est. 2006

Legal name

Global Education

Website

https://global-education.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Global Education is a Johannesburg-founded, privately held international student advisory firm that helps self-funded students from Southern Africa apply to universities abroad, operating from offices in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Greece.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Education Consulting

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Study Abroad Program Management & Administration (for Institutions) (EDAIAAAJ), Thematic & Discipline-Specific Study Abroad Programs (e.g., STEM, Business, Arts) (EDAIAAAC)

Keywords

• Study abroad consulting
• International education advisory
• University application assistance
• Visa processing services
• Overseas education guidance

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg (Randburg)

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Education Consulting Services: Global Education generates revenue through consultation fees and service charges for assisting students with university applications, visa processing, and related services for studying abroad. The company acts as an intermediary between students and partner universities, facilitating the admission process.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Global Education is an international education consulting service that guides self-funded students from Southern Africa through the complete study abroad journey, from identifying suitable partner universities across 450+ global institutions to application submission, visa processing, accommodation arrangement, and career counseling. The firm also offers specialized UK Ancestry Visa expertise and supports student-athletes seeking top-tier international programs.

Product overview

Global Education is a study abroad consulting service that provides comprehensive university application assistance. The core offering consists of services including Application Guidance & Submission, Visa Support, Accommodation Support, Career Counseling, and Athlete Support Program. These services are complemented by specialized offerings such as UK Ancestry Visa Expertise and Global Education Financial Aid (partnered with OMBA). The company organizes Study Abroad Expo events as a key channel for connecting students with university partners. The service portfolio is unified around guiding students through the complete study abroad journey from university selection through visa approval and accommodation arrangements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Application Guidance & Submission
• Visa Support
• Accommodation Support
• Career Counseling
• Athlete Support Program
• UK Ancestry Visa Expertise Specialized end-to-end guidance through the UK Ancestry Visa application process, from document checks to confident submissions, with a stated 98% success rate.
• Global Education Study Abroad Expo

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% visa approval rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

32 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NavitascoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNavitas is a prominent international education provider that partners with Global Education to offer pathway programs and university placement services for students seeking to study abroad.
• Durham UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDurham University, a prestigious UK Russell Group institution, partners with Global Education for student recruitment from Southern Africa.
• University of YorkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe University of York, a leading UK research university, works with Global Education for international student recruitment.
• University of MelbournecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe University of Melbourne, Australia's second-oldest university and Group of Eight member, partners with Global Education for student placement.
• University of QueenslandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe University of Queensland (UQ), a founding member of Australia's Group of Eight, partners with Global Education for international student recruitment.
• Australian National University (ANU)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorANU, Australia's national university and Group of Eight member, works with Global Education for student placement services.
• Edith Cowan UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEdith Cowan University in Western Australia partners with Global Education for international student recruitment.
• Griffith UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGriffith University, ranked in the top 2% globally with campuses across Australia, partners with Global Education for student placement.
• Curtin UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCurtin University, Western Australia's largest university and top 1% global institution, partners with Global Education for international student recruitment.
• Adelaide UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdelaide University, formed through merger of University of Adelaide and University of South Australia, is a Group of Eight member partnered with Global Education.
• Deakin UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDeakin University, known for specialty learning spaces and cutting-edge facilities, partners with Global Education for student placement.
• University of Technology SydneycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUTS, Australia's #1 Young university focused on leading research, partners with Global Education for international student recruitment.
• Oregon State UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOregon State University, an international public research university, partners with Global Education for student recruitment from Southern Africa.
• Arizona State UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArizona State University, founded in 1885 as a leading public research university, partners with Global Education for international student placement.
• George Mason UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGeorge Mason University, a leading public research university founded in 1972, works with Global Education for student recruitment.
• St. George's University (School of Medicine)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSt. George's University in Grenada offers medical education with access to 75+ clinical locations, partnering with Global Education for student placement.
• University of EdinburghcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe University of Edinburgh, a leading public university founded in 1583, partners with Global Education for international student recruitment.
• University of ExetercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUniversity of Exeter, ranked #1 for graduate prospects in UK, partners with Global Education for student placement from Southern Africa.
• University of BristolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe University of Bristol, offering over 600 degree courses across 28 academic schools, partners with Global Education for international recruitment.
• Solent UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSolent University in the UK, recipient of three Gold ratings in Teaching Excellence Framework, partners with Global Education for student recruitment.
• Keele UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKeele University offers world-class programs and research opportunities with a supportive campus community, partnering with Global Education.
• Queen's University BelfastcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorQueen's University Belfast, recognised for impressive rankings and research commitment, partners with Global Education for student recruitment.
• Cardiff UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCardiff University, an ambitious and innovative institution, partners with Global Education for international student placement.
• University of GlasgowcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe University of Glasgow, a prestigious top-100 global university with 550 years of history, partners with Global Education for recruitment.
• INTO PathwayscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorINTO Pathways specializes in helping students who may not qualify out of school to get into top universities in UK, US and Australia.
• American College of GreececoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe American College of Greece, celebrating 150 years in 2025, offers US-accredited education in Athens with NECHE accreditation and degree validation by Open University UK.
• EU Business SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEU Business School, a private business school with campuses in Geneva, Montreux, Barcelona, and Munich, partners with Global Education.
• University of NicosiacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe University of Nicosia, established in 1980 in Cyprus's capital, partners with Global Education for student recruitment.
• Leipzig Lancaster UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeipzig Lancaster University offers UK degrees while studying in Europe, partnering with Global Education for student placement.
• OMBAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOMBA partnership provides families with accessible offshore funding solutions for educational investments from South Africa, complementing Global Education's financial advisory services.
• Curtin MauritiuscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCurtin Mauritius, an international campus in Moka providing Australian-standard degrees and global transfer opportunities, partners with Global Education.
• Middlesex University MauritiuscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMiddlesex University Mauritius offers British education with an affordable island lifestyle, partnering with Global Education for student recruitment.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ApplyBoard: Canada-based digital marketplace for international student recruitment connecting students with universities and colleges globally. Most direct comparable in business model — intermediating students and partner institutions across multiple destination countries — though scaled via proprietary technology rather than consulting.
• Leverage Edu: India-based study abroad consulting and admissions platform with a similar full-service model (applications, visas, loans, test prep) targeting self-funded students from an emerging market. Closely comparable in service breadth and customer profile.
• QS Global Education Group: Operates the QS Global Education Expo circuit and student recruitment services for universities globally. Directly comparable in running large-scale study abroad expo events and connecting partner institutions with prospective students in source markets including Africa.

Emerging players

• Hotcourses Abroad: Online study abroad search and comparison platform operating globally as part of IDP Education. Overlaps with Global Education as a discovery and information resource feeding the international student recruitment funnel.
• Cialfo: Digital college counseling and application platform serving international students and counselors. Represents the technology-led, scaling entrant that competes with traditional consultancies like Global Education on international university applications.
• Studyportals: Global study choice platform aggregating international program listings for prospective students. Functions as an upstream information and lead-generation layer competing for student attention before they engage consultancies like Global Education.
• Educatly: MENA-based digital platform connecting prospective international students with universities. While regionally focused, it represents the emerging digital-first competitor category pressuring traditional African-focused consultancies like Global Education.

Broad incumbents

• IDP Education: Global publicly-listed international education services company that places students into universities across multiple destinations and operates IELTS testing. Overlaps directly with Global Education on study abroad placement, but at vastly larger scale and with proprietary testing as a moat.
• Navitas: Global education provider specializing in pathway programs and university partnerships for international students. Listed as a Global Education channel partner; serves as both collaborator and broader incumbent competitor in the same student-placement funnel.
• INTO University Partnerships: Large pathway and study abroad program provider working directly with universities. Already a strategic partner of Global Education for INTO Pathways, and operates in an overlapping niche of international student recruitment and admissions management.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/globaled_sa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/GlobalEducationStudyOverseas
• Facebookfacebook.com/GlobaleducationSAZIM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/globaleducation-studyabroad
• Instagraminstagram.com/globaleducationsazimeu
• TikToktiktok.com/@globaleducationsazimeu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Global Education | International Student Advisors | Est. 2006