A student recruitment consultant is paid only after a referred student has enrolled and the university has paid Omega Partners for that student. Payment comes in three stages as the student progresses: the end of term 1, the end of term 2, and re-enrolment or progression. The first payment usually arrives three to four months after classes begin. The rates are on the vacancy page.
Why does payment follow the university paying Omega?
Omega Partners helps adults apply to university and to Student Finance England, at no cost to the student. It can do that because partner universities pay Omega when a student it has supported enrols. Consultants are paid out of that arrangement, so Omega pays a consultant once the university has paid Omega for the student concerned.
That sequence is built into the role. Nothing is due simply for making an introduction, or for an application, or for an offer. Payment depends on a genuine student enrolling and staying on their course.
Why does the first payment take three to four months?
Several things have to happen first. The person applies, is accepted, enrols and starts classes. The university then has to confirm that the student is registered and attending. For eligible students, Student Finance England pays the Tuition Fee Loan directly to the university, in instalments across the year, and only once the university has confirmed attendance. The university then pays Omega.
With those steps in sequence, your first payment usually arrives three to four months after the student starts classes, not soon after your conversation with them. Later stages follow the same route. It is worth planning on that basis from the start.
What are the three stages?
Each stage pays an equal share of your per-student rate, released as the student progresses and subject to the university confirming it:
- End of term 1: the student is attending and has submitted their first assignments.
- End of term 2: the student is still attending and doing their coursework, with no funding or compliance issues.
- Re-enrolment or progression: the university confirms the student has re-enrolled or moved on to the next year.
The stages reflect how a course runs. A student who gets through the first two terms and comes back for the next year has usually settled in.
Does the rate depend on how many students you refer?
The rate per student depends on how many of your referrals are confirmed in one intake, across all partner institutions. There are three intakes a year: autumn, new year and Easter. The vacancy page sets out the tiers and how each rate splits across the three stages.
What happens if a student withdraws?
If a student leaves the course, the stages they haven’t reached aren’t paid. A student who leaves during their first term, for example, means the term 2 and progression stages don’t apply.
That is why a good referral matters more than a quick one. Consultants must never offer money, gifts or any other incentive to a student to apply or enrol, and must never refer someone who doesn’t genuinely intend to study and attend. A student who starts for the wrong reasons is more likely to leave, which is bad for them first of all. Our checklist on who makes a good referral covers the questions to ask beforehand.
Is the income guaranteed?
No. An introduction may not lead to an application, an application may not lead to an enrolment, and a student may leave. Treat any payment as something that arrives later and is never certain. There is no fee to join and nothing to buy, so your main investment is your time and your reputation with the people you know.
How should you keep track?
Because the stages stretch over most of a year, keep a simple record of each referral and each payment, including the date each stage arrives. It helps you spot anything missing and gives you what you need at tax time. Our guide to keeping simple records of your referral income suggests a layout, and our article on whether you pay tax on side hustle income explains when you may need to tell HMRC.
Frequently asked questions
Can I be paid earlier if my student has started classes?
No. Each stage depends on the student’s progress being confirmed and the university having paid Omega for that period, so the timing can’t be brought forward.
What if my student starts in the new year or at Easter instead of the autumn?
The stages follow the student’s own progress, so a later start means later payments. Each intake has its own timeline.
Am I paid if a student I referred changes course?
Ask before you rely on it. The safe assumption is that the stages apply while the student stays on the course they enrolled on.
Where are the rates?
On the vacancy page, which sets out the rates, the tiers and how payments split across the three stages.
