8 Questions to Ask Before You Implement Agentic AI at Your Institution

Before your institution signs a contract with an international recruitment agency, there are a few hard (but necessary) questions you need to ask. 

This tactical checklist will help you assess your school’s readiness, from having the right data foundation in place to setting up ROI tracking. Whether you're dipping a toe into international markets or refining an existing strategy, this guide is your essential prep list. 

Think of it as your insurance policy against wasted spend and missed opportunities.

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Prep-Check: What You  Need to Know Before Hiring Agents

• Make sure your data foundation is solid—no CRM chaos allowed
  
  
• Assign internal ownership and accountability for agent management
  
  
• Have a clear ROI framework in place before onboarding
  
  
• Know your student personas and market priorities
  
  
• Set expectations for communication, reporting, and compliance
  
  
• Ensure your website and materials are optimized for global students
  
  
• Align agent goals with your student success strategy, not just headcount
  
  
• Understand how this fits into your overall marketing strategy for student recruitment
  
  

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Are You Ready to Work with International Student Recruitment Agents?

Hiring international agents isn’t a "set it and forget it" deal—it’s a relationship that needs strategy, support, and serious accountability. Here’s a checklist of what needs to be true before you move forward.

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1. Do You Have a Strong Data Foundation?

Before you even think about signing with an agency, take a hard look at your CRM and data systems. Do you know how leads currently flow through your funnel? Can you confidently track inquiry-to-enrollment conversion rates? If your data is fragmented, inconsistent, or housed across too many tools, your agency won’t stand a chance at delivering strong results.

You’ll also need to be able to segment international leads and attribute them properly. This means having data fields that capture source, country of origin, program interest, and more. If your internal team can’t currently track this, now’s the time to fix it—not after the agent contract is signed.

Finally, ask yourself: How often does your team actually use the data to make decisions? A functional CRM is just one piece; the other is ensuring you have internal processes to analyze and act on what the numbers are telling you.

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2. Who Will Own the Agent Relationship?

One of the biggest mistakes schools make is outsourcing agency success to... no one. Successful partnerships require a dedicated owner inside your institution—someone with the time and authority to manage the relationship, ensure brand alignment, and hold all parties accountable.

This “agent owner” should be responsible for onboarding, regular communication, and ensuring agents have access to updated marketing materials, training, and updates. They should also serve as the point of contact for any conflicts or performance concerns.

Without this person in place, the agency will flounder, communication will break down, and you’ll likely be disappointed with the results. Think of this role as a project manager, brand steward, and partnership leader all rolled into one.

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3. How Will You Measure ROI?

If your institution doesn’t currently have a clear definition of success for international student recruitment, stop now and build one. Before signing on the dotted line, get alignment on what success looks like—is it total enrollments? Is it the cost per enrolled student? Is it yielded by the country or the program?

Build an ROI framework that includes both leading and lagging indicators. Leading indicators might include the number of qualified leads, show rates for virtual events, or completed applications. Lagging indicators are your traditional metrics like deposits, enrollment yield, and year-over-year growth.

Don’t forget about the financial side. How much will you spend per student acquisition through agents, and how does that compare to your internal channels? Put the spreadsheet together before you launch, and revisit it quarterly.

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Tactical Questions to Ask Before You Sign

Sometimes it’s not about what you do—it’s about what you ask before you do it. Use this quick-hit list to pressure test your readiness.

Does your team…

• Know which regions and programs you want agents to focus on?
  
  
• Have a compliant and competitive commission structure?
  
  
• Have an internal comms plan to align marketing, admissions, and student services?
  
  
• Know how to audit agency performance and take action if goals aren’t met?
  
  
• Offer materials in local languages or country-specific messaging?
  
  

If you’re saying “not yet” to more than one or two of these, pause and plan before you proceed.

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Ready to Get Tactical?

Before hiring international recruitment agents, ensure your internal house is in order. That means clean data, defined goals, internal ownership, and a clear ROI playbook. When these pieces are in place, agency partnerships can scale your enrollment strategy in meaningful, measurable ways.

Ready to level up your recruitment game? You're in the right place.