Hyderabad-Based One Window Helping Students Find Their Dream Colleges Abroad

At present, more than 13 lakh Indian students are studying abroad, wherein their preferred choice of countries are United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Driven by global exposure, cutting-edge facilities, and international networking, these numbers are growing yearly by about eight to 10 per cent. Facilitating students’ dream to study abroad is Anurag Jain, Founder and Director of Hyderabad-based One Window Overseas Education. With more than 15 years of experience, Jain, an ICEF-certified International Career Advisor, and member of NAFSA, AIRC, and USA Commercial Services, has counseled over 8,500 students over the period. With an extensive network of over 500 global colleges, Jain has helped over 2,000 students secure $58 million in scholarships. In conversation with Bizz Buzz, Jain speaks about the Artificial Intelligence platform that has been launched recently, after undergoing three years of innovation

How is the AI-powered platform going to streamline the process of finding the right college abroad?

While we have always provided personalised counseling, we recognised that the process could be made more accessible and efficient for today’s tech-savvy students. About three years ago, we began investing heavily in innovation to make student counseling more streamlined and easily accessible. This led to the launch of our AI-enabled app and web platform. The vision was to create a safer, unbiased platform that helps students find the best-fit universities based on their individual profiles, ensuring transparency without any external influence.

Does that mean AI has replaced a human counselor?

While human counselors can only assist a limited number of students, our platform integrates years of knowledge, allowing us to reach thousands of students simultaneously. We built this platform for two reasons: to ensure anytime, anywhere access to expert advice and to help students navigate the overwhelming choices with data-backed insights. This combination of AI and human expertise is the future of student counseling, offering smarter, more efficient support for students as they plan their educational journeys abroad.

How are you leveraging Artificial Intelligence?

In today’s world, AI has become a game-changer for industries, and we have utilized its power to help students make data-driven decisions about studying abroad. Our AI-enabled tool provides accurate, unbiased advice, ensuring students do not waste time, money, or opportunities. With the ability to support thousands of students simultaneously and analyse over 4.50 lakh profiles, the tool offers precise guidance for choosing the right institutions and programmes.

What is the support a student can look forward to receive from One Window?

Our platform offers a comprehensive solution for students pursuing higher education abroad. It uses predictive analysis to assess admission chances for various programmes, including Bachelor’s, Master’s, Diplomas, and Certificates. It also provides insights into available scholarships and guidance on securing them. A standout feature is the ability to apply to multiple universities with a single application, streamlining the process and minimizing errors. The platform ensures students meet deadlines and manage documents efficiently, significantly reducing mistakes. As students advance, our platform aids with visa applications, offering detailed guidance and interview practice. Looking ahead, we plan to add profile-building tools and job search features to help students find opportunities based on their skills. Our goal is to provide a seamless, all-in-one solution from application to employment.

Till date, how many students have benefited from One Window’s service?

Over the past three years, in our testing phase we have been using this AI-enabled platform internally to support over 1100 students in making informed decisions about their higher education abroad. The tool provides personalised recommendations, helping students select the right universities and programs, secure scholarships, and navigate the visa process—all based on data-driven insights. By streamlining the counseling process, this platform has allowed us to assist far more students than traditional methods, especially during peak seasons. It ensures that each student receives expert guidance with greater precision and efficiency, enhancing their overall experience and increasing their chances of success.

What is the trend in studying abroad right now?

While postgraduate studies used to be the main focus, there is a noticeable shift towards pursuing undergraduate degrees overseas, reflecting a growing trend of starting higher education abroad earlier. There is also rise in interest in European countries like Germany, France, and the Netherlands, thanks to their high-quality education, lower tuition fees, and promising career opportunities.

Do you have any partnerships with colleges and universities from different countries, in place?

We have established strong partnerships with numerous institutions globally to support students effectively. These collaborations allow universities to provide tailored support and data, helping us deliver accurate results. Students using our platform may also qualify for additional scholarships, based on their academic achievements. To simplify the transition from India to studying abroad, we work with service providers offering education loans with low interest rates and minimal paperwork. We also partner with currency exchange, ticketing, and accommodation providers to ensure a smooth arrival and stay at their chosen institutions. Additionally, we are collaborating with internship and job providers to assist students in finding opportunities that match their skills, both near their institutions and in India.

How do expert adviser’s onboarded on One Window help students?

Our team of advisors brings substantial experience in student counseling and study abroad guidance, backed by certifications from leading global organisations. Each advisor is highly trained and specialises in a specific area to provide comprehensive support. Students will interact with three key types of advisors: Academic Advisors, who assist with choosing the right programmes and institutions; Financial Advisors, who guide students through funding options and scholarships; and Visa Advisors, who help with visa applications and requirements. Our team of 12 advisors, each with over eight years of experience, is dedicated to ensuring a smooth and informed study abroad journey.

Which is the service that students demand for on One Window?

One Window offers a wide range of services, from personalised one-on-one counseling with our expert advisors to guiding students through the visa process, scholarships, education loans, and ensuring they reach their overseas destination smoothly. We also help with crafting strong SOPs and essays, along with profile building to make their applications stand out. Among our most in-demand services is our personalised counseling, where we work closely with students to understand their unique goals and help them shortlist the right universities for them.

What are the queries, challenge or myths students approach you with?

Students often face a major challenge: sifting through the vast amount of information available online. It is hard to determine what is reliable and what is not, especially after consulting various so-called agencies. Many students end up with unsuitable advice and choices that do not fit their needs, leading to frustration and a continued search for the right guidance. At One Window, we understand these struggles. We have met numerous students who wished they had found us sooner, as they believe it would have saved them from many of their current challenges. Unlike many agencies that simply move students from one place to another without considering their individual profiles and goals, our whole aim is to provide affordable and accessible education. That is the reason why our platform is affordable and accessible for students. We want to make quality guidance available to everyone, helping them make informed decisions without the added financial burden.

The growth you are expecting to achieve with the commercial launch…

We are expecting a huge growth with the commercial launch of our AI-driven platform. We are aiming for more student engagement, new partnerships with universities, and a growing user base. In the next few years, we hope to help thousands of students achieve their dream of studying abroad.

Going ahead, will you be adding any new feature to the platform/mobile app?

As we keep growing, we are always on the lookout for new ways to make One Window platform even better and enhance the student experience. Very soon, we will be rolling out some exciting features! One big addition is a real-time, AI-powered chatbot that can give instant answers to student’s questions at any step of the process. We are also building a virtual mentorship network, connecting students with alumni and experts for real-time guidance throughout their study abroad journey. Plus, we are planning to introduce a community feature where students can connect, share experiences, and support each other.