Complaints Procedure
How to Raise a Concern
We take every complaint seriously and aim to resolve issues quickly and fairly.
Our Commitment
Academy Education Network Ltd is committed to providing a high-quality service to every student we work with. If something has gone wrong, or if you are unhappy with any aspect of the service you have received, we want to hear about it — and we want to put it right.
This procedure explains how to raise a complaint, what we will do, and how long it will take.
What You Can Complain About
You can raise a complaint about any aspect of our service, including:
- The quality of advice you received from an AEN advisor
- How long it took us to respond to your enquiry or application
- Incorrect or misleading information we provided
- The conduct of an AEN staff member
- How we handled your personal data
- Anything else that has fallen short of the standard you expected
How to Make a Complaint
Stage 1 — Informal Resolution
Most concerns can be resolved quickly by speaking directly with the advisor or staff member you have been working with. If you are comfortable doing so, raise your concern with them first. Many issues are the result of a misunderstanding and can be fixed on the spot.
Stage 2 — Formal Complaint
If you cannot resolve your concern informally, or if you would prefer to escalate it directly, please submit a formal complaint by email or post:
- Email: complaints@academyeducationnetwork.co.uk
- Post: Complaints Officer, Academy Education Network Ltd, 124 City Road, Islington, London, EC1V 2NX, United Kingdom
To help us investigate, please include:
- Your full name and contact details
- A clear description of what happened, including dates and the names of any AEN staff involved
- Copies of any relevant correspondence or documents
- What outcome you would like us to consider
What Happens Next — Our Response Times
| Stage | What We Do | Response Time |
|---|---|---|
| Acknowledgement | We confirm receipt of your complaint and give you a reference number. | Within 3 working days |
| Investigation | A senior member of staff (not involved in the issue) reviews the complaint, gathers facts, and considers your requested outcome. | Within 20 working days |
| Final Response | You receive a written response setting out our findings, any action we will take, and how to escalate further if you remain dissatisfied. | Within 20 working days of acknowledgement |
| Complex Cases | If your complaint involves multiple parties (e.g. a partner university), the investigation may take longer. We will tell you why and give you an updated timescale. | Up to 8 weeks |
Stage 3 — If You Are Still Not Satisfied
If you are not satisfied with our final response, you can request an internal review by the Co-CEOs of Academy Education Network. The review is independent of the original investigation and is the final stage of our internal procedure.
- Email: ceo@academyeducationnetwork.co.uk
- Response time: Within 15 working days of receiving your escalation request
External Escalation Routes
If you have exhausted our internal complaints procedure and remain unsatisfied, you may escalate to an independent body depending on the nature of your complaint:
Complaints About Data Protection
If your complaint relates to how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):
- Website: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
- Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Complaints About a Partner University or College
If your complaint relates to the conduct of a UK university or college you have applied to or enrolled at (rather than AEN's recruitment service), you can contact the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA):
- Website: oiahe.org.uk
Complaints About Recruitment Practices
The British Council operates a UK Agent and Counsellor training and standards framework. If you believe an AEN advisor has acted contrary to British Council standards, you can raise it via the British Council Agent and Counsellor Hub.
Confidentiality and Non-Retaliation
We treat all complaints in confidence and only share information with the people who need it to investigate. Making a complaint will never affect the service you receive from us, your ongoing application, or your relationship with our partner institutions. Anonymous complaints are also accepted, although they limit how thoroughly we can investigate.
What We Do With Your Complaint
Every complaint is logged in our internal records and reviewed quarterly by the Co-CEOs. We use complaint data to identify patterns, train our advisors, and improve our service. Aggregated, anonymised complaint statistics are reviewed annually and inform our quality improvements.
Accessibility
If you need this complaints procedure in another format (large print, a different language, or with the help of an interpreter) please contact us at info@academyeducationnetwork.co.uk and we will arrange it free of charge.
Last reviewed: May 2026 · Next review: May 2027