What our members and partners say about us

“Beijing Overseas Study Service Association (BOSSA) has worked as a platform which offers shared information, resources and better communication for members. It also helps members to recognize and follow common rules that provide better service for customers. BOSSA also acts rapidly in emergency issues and takes the lead of members to respond and offer solutions. BOSSA provides professional training and a channel of communication for members that can help us share the successful experiences and excellent resources. Thanks a lot to BOSSA for assisting in improvement of service and competence of business.”

New Oriental, Vision Overseas Consulting Co., Ltd. China

“BOSSA did not only provide a platform for us to connect with other professionals in the international education sector, but also assisted us in forming strategies to expand our business in China. The team is friendly and professional and it has been a pleasure working with them.”

NIB International Student Services, Health Funds, Australia

“Beijing Overseas Study Service Association (BOSSA) is the only association of studying abroad in China that integrates resources in China and introduces educational resources internationally, as well as purifies the market and prevents unhealthy competition. After joining the BOSSA, we can obtain the industry information and understand the policy in time; develop the network and raise our reputation and customer recognition.”

Gansu Wonder Education, China

BOSSA is a valuable and professional organization in the study abroad industry which organizes individual companies into a big family. We can learn the newest information and policies, interpretation of trends and policies as well as shared success experience from different agencies; in the same time, BOSSA puts the efforts in supervision of health development for whole industry; BOSSA also provides a huge information and resources exchange platform to help us establishing cooperation with other agencies. Generally speaking, BOSSA helped us to develop a better service and operation, provided us with various excellent services and supports and development opportunities in studying industry abroad.”

Beijing Space Study Service, China

“Beijing Overseas Study Service Association (BOSSA) has provided us opportunities to meet various agencies and international educators which helped us to establish more cooperation and promote our programmes. We promote our Italian programmes and make the market know Italian programmes better through the BOSSA. Thanks a lot to BOSSA for its efforts.”

Zhong Yikun School, China

 “We completely recognized Beijing Overseas Study Service Association (BOSSA) as the largest association and its influence in China studying the abroad market. We joined the BOSSA right after we founded in order to improve our service and be guided. In 2017, all our counsellors have participated in the CEAC training and obtained the certificate of passing the test which means we can offer better and reliable services to our customers. During the outbreak of COVID-19, BOSSA has conducted a survey of more than a hundred agencies in China to understand the situation, difficulties, needs and confidence of China's study abroad market. We responded to the calls of BOSSA immediately and reached our students overseas to post face masks and protective counselling. After joining BOSSA, we met various peers, learned from each other, cooperated with each other to improve our skills and management. We can also obtain the policies and information for the first time. BOSSA also helps us to interpret policies and trends as well as give our individual suggestions that results in an excellent and healthy development in China studying the abroad market.”

Belwin Education, China

“Heritage Student Foundation has obtained a lot of help and support after joining the Beijing Overseas Study Service Association (BOSSA). It means a lot to us for the following reasons. At the first, BOSSA is a weathervane in China studying abroad, used to involve in making standards and supervision in behaviours which ensures the right of customers. HSF has been following the rules and earned the trusts of our customers. The second, BOSSA works as a bridge between international educators and Chinese agencies that encourage cooperation establishments. After joining BOSSA, HSF has been introduced and established cooperation with many organizations. Generally speaking, BOSSA makes members more valuable with more social responsibilities, and at the same time, we can have opportunities to discuss the issues and share the experiences which all these matters result in a better development in the China study abroad market.”

Heritage Student Foundation, US

“As the leading enterprise in the overseas study industry, JJL Overseas Education Consulting and Services has been dedicating itself into a greater role in the industry. Hence, Beijing Overseas Study Service Association (BOSSA), under such circumstances, was founded to satisfy the demand of enterprise and market. By joining the Association, its members can share good experience and resources, as well as provide students with high-quality service.”

JJL Overseas Education Consulting and Service Co., Ltd. China

ICEF-BOSSA qualification primed as China’s international education advising standard

12 Feb 2016

Surpassing 100 qualified agents in its first year of existence, CEAC exemplifies China’s shift to a new industry standard in the world’s largest student market. In a market where providing professional counselling is critical, the China Education Agent Course (CEAC) is gaining traction as the most sought-after credential for Chinese study abroad professionals.

Launched last year in Beijing by ICEF, the Beijing Overseas Study Service Association (BOSSA) and the Chinese Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS), the programme was set up as an ambitious public-private, multinational training programme, aiming to standardise student recruitment practices in China.

Exclusive in its design, CEAC is recognised internationally through ICEF, managed by BOSSA, and accredited by the Chinese Government. Additionally, candidates who successfully complete the programme are granted membership into the Overseas Study Senior Expert Association, a subdivision of BOSSA. There are presently 114 individual agents who have passed the CEAC exam and are recognised as China ICEF Trained Agent Counsellors (CITAC).

“Thousands of agents and so-called agents exist in China, and many ambitiously want some form of Chinese Government approval to boost their image and credibility, equalling more potential sales” said BOSSA’s spokesman, Jon Santangelo. Therefore, CEAC applicants must be employed by member agencies of BOSSA or its subdivision, COSSA. “Though BOSSA cannot enforce against unprofessional or fraudulent advising practices, it can promote higher standards by distinguishing and awarding the professionals” added Santangelo.

Yannick Yang, CEO of Flake Elite Study Abroad Club, recently completed the CEAC. “The course is comprehensive and highlights various study destinations”, said Yannick. Prior to enrolment, Yannick said his expertise of English speaking countries was proficient. “But I was also able to learn about European and Asian study destinations and how comparable they are to North America or Great Britain. This helps me to satisfy parents’ inquiries about non-English speaking countries.”

The CEAC is an adaptation of the ICEF Agent Training Course (IATC). Introduced by ICEF in 2010, the IATC now boasts 912 qualified agents in 100 countries and has also paved the way for other market specific qualifications such as the Canada Course for Education Agents (CCEA) and the US Agent Training Course (USATC). These courses seek to set and ensure the highest industry standards in terms of professionalism and knowledge of study destinations. “We are all extremely committed to supporting Chinese education agents to professionally represent both the interests of international students and their educator partners. We are confident that like our other qualifications, the CITAC status will quickly become a recognised distinction of quality and professionalism in China and abroad” said ICEF CEO Markus Badde.

The CEAC programme was officially launched by BOSSA President Sang Peng and ICEF CEO Markus Badde at the ICEF Beijing Workshop in October 2014, and began operations in January 2015.

About CEAC

The CEAC Online Exam is a proficiency exam designed to assess the level of study abroad consultants. The main purpose of the exam is to train knowledgeable and responsible consultants and further standardize and regulate the study abroad industry.

This test targets those consultants already working in the industry and those wishing to increase their study abroad consulting skills base.

Those working in the industry include certified study abroad agents and a wide range of consultants.

This course has been endorsed by the National Human Resources and Social Services Department and The International Consultants for education and fairs (ICEF).

The content of the course is divided into five main parts: “International education”, “Participants in international education”, “Promoting international education”, “Associated legal knowledge” and “Regulation of study abroad consultants.”

The content specializes in internationalization, standardization and diversification within the industry.

CEAC covers the education systems, education policies and local culture of study abroad hot spots such as North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Consumer Protection Law and Contractual Law are also within the scope of the course. Participants are also given a chance to solve problems that may be encountered during the course of consultation with students wishing to study abroad.

Within a short period course participants can get a basic grasp on required service skills, associated legal and policy information.

Beijing Overseas Study Association (BOSSA) and associated student training groups attended the China Education Agent Certificate (CEAC) Online System Upgrade official signing ceremony. 

Written by Linda Sun (Career Standard Development Department Director of BOSSA)

(Chinese: Sun Wen Fei) 2015-08-28 BOSSA Window

 Group photo of all parties in attendance

The Beijing Overseas Study Service Association (Acronym BOSSA) held an official signing of the China Education Agent Certificate (CEAC) Online System Upgrade Version 3.0 contract on the 28th of August, 2015. The new 3.0 version will be launched on the Virtual University Enterprise (VUE) system. Ceremony attendees included; BOSSA President Mr Sang Peng, BOSSA Vice President Mr Wen Le Qun, BOSSA Secretary General Miss Cao Hong, BOSSA Career Standard Development Director Miss Sun Wen Fei, VUE Vice General Director Mr Zhao Bo and VUE Market Expansion Manager Miss Liu Jing.

A warm welcome was also extended to The Chinese Consumer Association Editors in Chief Mr Lv Jin Bo and Mr Wang Ting to witness the signing and deliver a speech.

BOSSA Overseas Study Service Senior Consultants Committee members pose for an intimate photo with BOSSA President Mr Sang Peng.

There were five members from the BOSSA Overseas Study Service Senior Consultants Committee in attendance at the signing. Those five members were; Meiji International General Manager Miss Chen Hua, Overseas Study Inspector General Miss Chang Xiu Min, Da Li Tong Beijing Overseas Study Company Manager Miss Xu Yong Li, Shun Shun Overseas Study Chief Consultant Miss Liu Yun Xia and Li Cai Education Group General Manager Mr Song Feng Liang.

Since 2012, BOSSA began planning for the promotion of the standardization of the Overseas Study industry. After three years of hard work and the help of the most experienced consultants in the industry, BOSSA established the China Education Agent Certificate (CEAC).

With the support of the Chinese Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS), The German ICEF Education Group, The Chinese Consumer Association, The China Association of Staff and Workers Education and Vocational Training (CASWEVT) and other organizations, the CEAC exam has already become recognized as a well-respected, standardized and personalized certification for consultants. 

Attendees engaging in matters relating to the industry

BOSSA and associated student training groups undertook 6 months of research and discussion to finally reach a formal agreement of cooperation. From this platform of cooperation the CEAC exam has a greater capacity to promote the standardization of the industry.

With the combined input and knowledge of members of the BOSSA Overseas Study Service Senior Consultants Committee, and a state of the art online student training exam system, this test is recognized as a standard for Overseas Study Consultant assessment.

President of BOSSA Mr Sang Peng and Vice General Director of VUE Mr Zhao Bo, sign the exam system upgrade contract.

Improvements made on Version 2 include; expansion of the scope of the question bank, topics in closer cohesion with current policies, assessment on a larger number of overseas study destinations, stricter exam supervision and increase in level of difficulty.

This measure will further increase industry standards of conduct and provide a stricter assessment of consultants overall ability. It is also gives consumers piece of mind and a more convenient way to help them apply for overseas study.

This is a picture of the contract agreement between BOSSA and associated student training groups.

The members of the BOSSA Overseas Study Service Senior Consultants Committee have thrown their full support behind the new system, pledging fairness, impartiality, openness, commitment to increasing the question bank, updating the topics, assessing marking, and revising teaching materials, plans and outlines.  

The BOSSA Overseas Study Service Senior Consultants Committee was established in July 2015. At the press conference marking this occasion, members were issued with certificates recognizing their contribution to the industry. Only consultants with over 10 years work experience in the industry can be admitted to the committee.

This new cooperation between training groups and BOSSA is an announcement to the overseas study industry of the commencement of the ongoing upgrading of the exam system.

President of BOSSA Mr Sang Peng and Vice General Director of VUE Mr Zhao Bo, pose for a cordial picture during the signing of the agreement.

This group of educational professionals has joined together to combat the problems that have come with the excessively fast development of the overseas study industry. Those problems have included; the emergence of underqualified agents and consultants, low level of professionalism, non-standard procedures and a high level of staff turnover within the industry. It is hoped now with this new beginning, the standardization of the industry can develop, become more unified and quicken the process of international integration.