If you are looking for a recognised institution for your higher and tertiary education or if you are not sure if your qualification will be recognised in Bhutan, you are at the right place.

The Education Consultancy and Placement Firms (ECPFs) in Bhutan are established in order to help students aspiring to pursue higher studies and make informed decisions on the choice of programmes and colleges/institutes/universities (herein after referred to as ‘institutions’) outside Bhutan. They provide guidance and assist the students in getting enrolled in suitable courses in recognised institutions across the globe.

They have been entrusted with the important responsibility to facilitate students in choosing the appropriate programmes and institutions for higher studies as well as placing them in recognised based on aptitude, economic reasons and others, based on the clientele’s request.

The ECPFs undertake the responsibility to process admission of students for various tertiary education programmes outside Bhutan to institutions that are fully accredited by the accrediting agency of the host country. They enroll students to those institutions where the medium of instruction is English. The ECPF do not place students for ‘distance education’ or to ‘study centers’.

The Department of Adult & Higher Education (DAHE), Ministry of Education (MoE) shall oversee and regulate all services originating from the above needs of the students. Therefore, to protect the interests of the students and to ensure the standard of services rendered, the ECPFs are established based on the guidelines for ECPFs. They are, therefore, required to abide by the terms as specified in the guidelines and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The guidelines provide not only the terms of reference for the ECPFs but also the responsibilities of the DAHE, MoE. This has been done in order to protect all parties involved in the higher and tertiary education of Bhutanese citizens. Therefore, it is important that all involved adhere to the provisions of the guidelines.

The Quality Assurance and Accreditation Division, DAHE facilitates the establishment of ECPFs and monitors their activities. Some of the activities that the ECPFs carry out are:

• Provide accurate information of the institutions
• Counsel on the employable programs and fee structure
• Sign the memorandum of agreement with the clients
• Enrol and make arrangements to reach the students to the institutions
• Monitor the progress of the students and provide the information to parents
• Participate in student support activities
• Arrange for alternative institutes if required
• Facilitate in obtaining graduate certificate and mark sheets
• Ensure to collaborate only with recognised institutions
• Organise activities for clients to experience first-hand information sharing in the form of consultations, seminars, education fair, etc.
• Work in close collaboration with the QAAD, DAHE, MoE for approvals, visa requirement, etc.

The following ECPFs are registered with the QAAD, DAHE, MoE as on 12 July, 2023: