How to Check a Study Abroad Consultancy in Nepal Before You Pay

Choosing a study-abroad consultancy in Nepal usually happens under time pressure — an intake deadline, a friend's referral, a walk-in visit that turns into a payment conversation the same day. Slowing down for even one evening to check a few things can save you money and stress later. This guide walks through what is actually checkable before you pay, in a sensible order.

1. Look for official, public information first

Before looking at anything else, search for whatever official or public information exists about the consultancy — business registration, any relevant government listing, and the consultancy's own public presence (website, social media, physical office address). Treat this as basic due diligence, not proof of quality.

Sachho keeps a consultancy records page that separates official information from student-submitted evidence, so you can see both side by side rather than mixing them together.

2. Being listed somewhere does not mean an endorsement

This point is easy to miss under deadline pressure: a consultancy appearing in a directory, on a government list, on Sachho, or anywhere else does not mean that platform is vouching for it. A listing is a record of existence or registration, not a stamp of approval.

Sachho specifically does not rank, rate, or endorse any consultancy. Presence on Sachho means Sachho has a record for that consultancy. Some records have published student experiences and some do not. Read how Sachho student reports work for the full explanation.

3. Ask exactly what services are included

"Full service" and "complete package" are common phrases that mean different things at different consultancies. Before paying anything, ask for a specific, written list of what is included — for example: university shortlisting, application submission, statement-of-purpose review, visa document preparation, interview preparation, and post-arrival support.

If a service is not written down, do not assume it is included. Verbal promises are difficult to rely on later if something goes wrong.

4. Ask for the fee details in writing

Ask the consultancy to put the following in writing before you pay:

• The total consultancy fee, and whether it is one-time or has additional stages.
• Which parts, if any, are refundable and under what conditions.
• Whether university application fees, visa fees, and test fees are separate from the consultancy fee.
• Whether there are any conditions that could trigger extra charges later.

For a longer list of questions specifically about money, see 10 questions to ask before paying.

5. Keep every receipt, message, and document

Save payment receipts, WhatsApp or messaging app conversations, emails, and any signed documents from the very first conversation — not just after you decide to pay. If a dispute happens later, a complete record is far more useful than a partial one you assembled from memory.

This matters whether things go well or not. If you eventually want to share what happened, having a clear timeline and documents makes your account more useful to other students.

6. Search for student experiences, not just marketing

A consultancy's own website and social media will describe itself in the best possible light — that is normal marketing, not evidence. Before paying, search Sachho's consultancy records for student-submitted experiences about the specific consultancy and branch you are considering.

Read individual reports rather than looking for a summary score. Sachho intentionally does not show percentage or rate-based claims until a consultancy has at least five published reports, because small sample sizes can be misleading.

7. What to do when there are no student reports yet

Many smaller or newer consultancies will not yet have any published student reports. This is not proof of a problem — it simply means less evidence exists yet. In that situation, rely more heavily on the steps above: written fee details, a written service list, and your own documentation from the first conversation onward.

If you go ahead and later have an experience worth recording — good or bad — submitting it on Sachho helps build evidence for the next student who searches that consultancy's name.

A note on regulatory claims

This guide deliberately avoids stating specific licensing or regulatory requirements for consultancies in Nepal, because rules can change and the accurate, current answer should come from the relevant government body directly rather than from a secondhand summary. If a consultancy makes a claim about its own licensing status, ask to see the primary document rather than taking the claim at face value.