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As a recruiting partner of 51�Թ���, we want to develop a relationship with you that is long-lasting and beneficial for all parties. Students form the foundation of that relationship, and it is our desire to make sure that their needs are met, first and foremost.

What Agent Partners can expect from 51�Թ���

• We promise to communicate regularly with you about our policies, processes, programs, scholarship opportunities, and general goals for recruitment in your country
• We commit to responding in a timely manner to your inquiries regarding students, applications, invoices, procedures, and policies
• We will give you initial training at the beginning of each new contract term, to ensure that you have the knowledge and tools you need to successfully promote KSU to your students
• We will continue to provide you updated video-conference training upon request, as well as in-person training when we are doing recruitment travel in your city
• We will send you electronic recruitment newsletters on a monthly basis, to ensure that you stay abreast of the latest information relevant to 51�Թ��� recruitment

What we expect of Agent Partners

• To promote 51�Թ��� in a truthful manner
• To consider the students’ needs first
• To abide by all terms and conditions of our contract at all times
• To notify us immediately of any changes to your agency’s name, address, point of contact details, banking account, or other company changes as they relate to recruitment to KSU
• To keep up to date with information on 51�Թ���’s website and the Office of Global Education's website. 
• To communicate with KSU representatives, International Admissions and Partnerships teams, regarding recruitment activities, and when you have questions about policies or processes
• To inform students who come to the United States on a student visa that they must have the primary purpose of studying, and must study on a full-time basis

A truly global campus

Nearly 1,800 international students attend 51�Թ���, from 95 different countries.

Quality and affordability

As one of the top public research universities in the United States, 51�Թ��� offers a high-quality education at an affordable price to international students. A 2024 Best Colleges analysis by Money.com ranked 51�Թ��� as the most affordable university in Ohio.

The Golden Location

The City of Kent, where the 51�Թ��� main campus is located, was recognized by Ohio Magazine as a 2022-2023 Best Hometown. The selection considered six categories — Community Spirit, Education, Entertainment, Health and Safety, Business Environment, and Culture and Heritage — to declare Kent as a great place to live, work and visit. Kent’s charming downtown, with its many restaurants, shops, music venues, and galleries, is walking distance from campus. Nearby shopping centers and area attractions are accessible by local bus service, which is free for KSU students.

Scholarships for international students

Scholarships are free aid that can help a student pay for their degree, especially if they have a strong academic background. The Global Scholarship, our tiered undergraduate international scholarship, is based on the student’s high school GPA. Find the most current scholarship details here.

Rankings

51�Թ��� is ranked on the first-tier list among Best National Universities in rankings by U.S. News & World Report and is the only university in northeast Ohio included in the Top Public Schools list with a rank of 126 among public universities nationwide. It received R1 designation by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education in December of 2021, which was renewed in 2025.  This designation is reserved for doctoral universities with very high research activity, and only 187 U.S. institutions hold this designation.

51�Թ���’s Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship is ranked among the top business schools in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report 's 2025 Best Undergraduate Business Programs.  It was also ranked by The Princeton Review as one of the nation’s most outstanding business schools in 2025. It is among less than 1% of business schools worldwide to receive dual AACSB accreditation in both business and accounting. 

51�Թ���’s Fashion School is ranked in the Top 25 in the world by Fashionista and top 4 in the U.S. The Fashion Merchandising and Fashion Design programs are ranked #2 among public universities in U.S., per Fashion-Schools.org. Fashion students often complete a semester at KSU’s studio in New York City.

Our on-site Master’s program in Translation ranks in the top 3 in the U.S.  It is one of the oldest and largest in the U.S., offering concentrations in Arabic, French German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish.

51�Թ��� has the #2 Flight program in Ohio, and is nationally recognized in Flight Training, Air Traffic Control and Airport Management; we have our own airport for instruction with the largest college aircraft fleet in the state.

Our Liquid Crystal Institute is world-renowned – the LCD technology was invented at 51�Թ���, and this center remains at the cutting edge in this field of research.

ESL School on campus

51�Թ��� has an on-campus English as a Second Language (ESL) Center that is committed to academic excellence through flexibility in program design. All courses are available at various proficiency levels to ensure that students receive the best English training possible and a smooth transition into their academic program if they choose to pursue a degree. All classes are taught by experienced instructors holding a master’s or doctorate degree in English, Applied Linguistics or Teaching of English as a Second Language. All undergraduate and many graduate programs allow conditional admission for ESL to qualified students who do not yet meet the English requirements for full admission.

On-campus work opportunities

51�Թ��� international students may work on campus up to 20 hours per week during the academic terms, and 28 hours per week during the breaks. 51�Թ��� has over 8,000 on-campus jobs.

Study abroad opportunities outside the U.S.

51�Թ��� boasts more than 200 Education Abroad options, including a KSU Center in Florence, Italy, which allows for a seamless study abroad opportunity for all students.  Our architecture and fashion programs include a required semester abroad, usually at the Florence Center. 

Application deadlines

Undergraduate: October 1 for Spring semester, June 1 for Fall semester

• To be eligible for for the Global Scholarship, students must be admitted by the following dates:
  • July 1 for Fall semester (August start)
  • November 1 for Spring semester (January start)
  • March 1 for Summer semester (May start)

Graduate: varies by program – see them here.

Submitting the application

Online applications for undergraduate, graduate, and ESL programs are on our International Admissions website, along with instructions and requirements. The non-refundable application fee is $70. Upload supporting documents directly into the online application for both undergraduate and graduate level applications as scanned PDF files.

Tracking your students’ applications

Please follow the below protocol when emailing the International Admissions  team to inquire about the status of an application:

• Email intladm@kent.edu, citing the student’s full name, date of birth, and/or KSU student ID number. This email address is monitored daily, and our Admissions staff travel frequently, so it is important that you direct all status queries here rather than to an individual’s email address.
• The intended response time for enquiries is 2 working days. If you do not receive a response within 5 working days, please email International Admissions Director, Salma Benhaida, at sbenhaida@kent.edu, with copies of the previous emails, and she will ensure that you receive an immediate response.

English test score requirements

Undergraduate:

• TOEFL iBT: 71;
• Revised PBT: 18;
• IELTS: 6.0;
• Duolingo English Test: 100;
• PTE Academic: 48; or
• Complete ELS Level 112 Intensive Program. 

Those prospective students who do not meet the minimum score for admission may be admitted conditionally if they meet academic requirements. Conditional Admission means students will take English language classes at our ESL Center before entering their programs.  Completion of the 51�Թ��� ESL Center Level 8 Intensive English program with a minimum of 3.75 out of 4.0 GPA will also satisfy the 51�Թ��� English requirement.

Graduate: varies by program – here is the link to check the requirements by program.

Tips to expedite the application

To assist with the assessment of applications please ensure that

• Application forms are complete and accurate
• The application fee has been paid
• The required supporting documents are uploaded – these are checked off in the student’s application as received
• Documents are correctly certified (where required)
• Documents are translated (where required)
• The student provides their own permanent address and email in their country of origin (this may not be the agent’s address)
• You provide your agent name and email address on the application, to ensure you are credited for the recruitment of the student. For both undergraduate and graduate-level applications, please choose agent name from the drop-down menu.  If the agency name is not included, please email intladm@kent.edu and partnerships@kent.edu to ensure that the name is added.

The processing of applications may be delayed if

• The application is incomplete
• Insufficient documentation is provided
• The application fee is not included
• A student changes program mid-assessment, or has selected a program which is not available for their chosen semester
• A student applies in a peak period (6-8 weeks prior to the start of the semester).

It is important to send individual applications as you receive them. Please do not collect applications and submit them at the same time. This is especially important in peak periods just before a semester starts.

Basis of Commission

• Commission amounts are paid based on the terms of our contract.  See Article 8 and Schedule 1 of our contract for specific information regarding the payment amounts.
• Commission is paid on a per student basis, as determined by:

1. Whether the student is enrolled
2. Whether the enrollment status is “full-time”
3. Whether the contract is valid during the time of enrollment
4. The program of study: undergraduate, graduate, ESL, or non-degree
5. A valid invoice has been sent to the Office of Global Education (OGE) Fiscal Manager within the required deadline for the semester being invoiced.

Processing Commission Payments

For faster processing, please follow these steps:

1. As soon as possible after the 15^th day following the start of the semester, email a list of students for whom you are requesting commission to the OGE Fiscal Manager at ogefinance@kent.edu. To determine eligibility, please include in the email the following information:

1. The OGE Fiscal Manager will respond with confirmation of eligibility and commission due for each student.
2. Create an invoice with the updated information, and send a completed, valid invoice to the Fiscal Manager at ogefinance@kent.edu.

Valid Invoice

In order to be processed for payment, your invoice must be submitted within the following date window – invoiced submitted outside this date range will not be paid:

No sooner than 15 days after the start of the semester being invoiced

No later than the invoice deadline for the semester of enrollment

Fall and Summer intakes: December 31^st deadline

Spring intake: May 31^st deadline

Your invoice should include all the following

Prepared on company letterhead, with complete contact and address information

Invoice number and date

Correct information, including eligible student’s name, date of birth, KSU student ID number, student’s level and program of study, and the correct commission amount

One of the following mandatory statements (whichever applies to your location):

“I certify that all of the services were rendered outside the United States.”  OR:

“I certify that ___% of the services were rendered in the United States.”

The mandatory statement regarding the students’ location: “I certify that recruitment services occurred while all students listed above were outside the United States.”

Your complete current banking information, which must match the banking information in our online vendor payment system. If you change bank accounts, please notify us immediately so we can send you instructions on how to change the information in the online system. The banking information on your invoice should include the following:

Bank Name

Bank Address

BIC/ Swift Code, for accounts outside the U.S. (or Routing Number, if a U.S. account)

IBAN / Account Number

Account Name (the name on the corporate account, not an individual’s name)

Account Type: checking or savings, if a U.S. account

A template invoice is available with your agent agreement. Any invoice that does not have the complete and correct information will be returned to the agency for correction and result in payment delays.

Payment

KSU uses a third-party vendor management system called PaymentWorks. You must register through PaymentWorks in order for us to process and pay invoices. This system also allows you to view the payment status of invoices and the date payment was made. If you are not already registered, you will be invited by email to register at the time of your next invoice. Questions about registration must be submitted directly to PaymentWorks at support@paymentworks.com.

Our goal is to process all correct, complete invoices as soon as they are received; however, staffing and workflow do not always allow that to happen; please allow up to 30 days for payments to be processed.

Payment to bank accounts outside the United States will be paid via wire transfer or other payment method you select in PaymentWorks. Your agency must have a valid W-8 on file.  The W-8 is required by U.S. tax authorities and is valid for 3 years; if yours is not current at the time you submit your invoice to us, we will notify you and send you a new TINC form and instructions for completion.

Payments to bank accounts in the United States can be paid via check or ACH electronic funds transfer.  If your bank is in the U.S., please specify which method you prefer.

We view our relationship with you as a long-term commitment with the understanding that building institutional branding and marketing can take time.  We understand that the nature of recruiting markets can vary greatly by country and region. One of the factors we evaluate in assessing our Agent Partners’ success is the number of students recruited, but that is certainly not the only factor.

We appreciate the value you bring in evaluating students to determine who will be the best fit for KSU, and we know numbers do not tell the full story. Factors we use in assessing performance are:

• Overall number of enrollments
• Conversion rate from applicants to enrollments
• Quality of your student applicants
• Communication
• Responsiveness
• Professionalism
• Reliability
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Compliance with KSU’s and students’ requests

We assess agents’ performance throughout the life of the contract. All decisions regarding new or renewal contracts are made by our Agent Review Committee (ARC), which meets monthly.  Our standard contract term is 3 years, and if the ARC decides to renew your contract for a further three-year term, we will contact you prior to the expiration and send you a new contract for the renewal term.

Please let us know how we are doing, as well—we know that your success depends in large part on the support we provide to you, so we always welcome your feedback about how we could be doing better.

Questions about contract management, invoice processing and general policy and procedure issues should be directed to Natasha Heinz, International Partnerships Coordinator, at partnerships@kent.edu.

As noted above, invoices and payment questions should be submitted to OGEFinance@kent.edu.  Communication regarding the application or admissions process should be sent to intladm@kent.edu.

If you would like to speak to us, we can arrange an online meeting.  If you plan to be traveling in or near Ohio, we will be happy to see you and arrange faculty meetings and a tour of our campus. Reach out to partnerships@kent.edu and we will facilitate your communication with staff and faculty members.

Video Links

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Other Useful Links

• Office of Global Education page
• International Admissions FAQs
• Tuition & Fees
• Scholarships
• ISSS
• KSU Academic Calendar
• On-Campus Housing
• Off-Campus Housing
• Meal Plans
• Student Organizations