upgrade.education Reviews 50

I had an amazing experience with Upgrade Education while preparing my applications for universities in Europe. From the very beginning, my mentors were incredibly supportive and knowledgeable — they had real experience at the kind of programmes I was aiming for, which made everything feel authentic and trustworthy.
They guided me through every single step: strengthening my profile and CV, brainstorming and refining my personal statements, choosing the right universities, preparing for admission exams, and even the practical side after acceptance — like housing and fees. What I appreciated most was how personalised the advice was. It wasn’t generic at all; they truly listened to my goals and took my unique background into consideration, tailoring their guidance to me.
Their responses were always timely, and the feedback after every one-on-one session was surprisingly in-depth, encouraging, and practical. They always told me exactly what to focus on in the next sessions, which kept me motivated and improving.
Thanks to their support, I gained much more confidence — not just in my applications, but in my own abilities too. In the end, I received offers from my target programmes!
I would highly recommend Upgrade Education to any student who is serious about studying abroad and wants genuine, experienced mentorship rather than basic consulting. They truly care about helping you build your future. A big thank you to the whole team!

I had an amazing experience with my mentor, Levente. With his advice and expertise I was able to craft applications that helped me get into both universities I applied to. After my first mentor stepped down, Upgrade offered me two extra sessions with the new mentor as compensation. Overall I am very pleased with the entire process.

I had a really positive experience with Upgrade Education, and a big part of that was working with my mentor, Ina Ioan. She supported me throughout the entire application process with genuine care and attention, which made a huge difference.
From the start, she encouraged me to explore architecture in depth and helped me think more critically about my ideas. She created a space where I felt comfortable experimenting, while also giving me clear direction when I needed it. Whether it was developing my personal statement, preparing for interviews, or refining my portfolio, she was always patient, supportive, and incredibly thoughtful in her feedback.
What stood out most was how invested she was in my progress. She didn’t just focus on getting me through the application, but on helping me grow and gain confidence in my work and thinking.
I’m really grateful for her guidance and would highly recommend both her and Upgrade Education to anyone going through this process. It made everything feel much more manageable and meaningful.

I had a fantastic time working with my mentor, Mohazzab Abdullah. Beyond the extremely comprehensive essay prep and advice, throughout the application process he was always there to lend me a hand if I had any questions or issues regarding college research, rec letters, or any other aspects of the Common App. He was tremendously supportive and would always ask me at the start of every session how I was doing. For all these reasons, I wholeheartedly rate him five stars out of five.

I applied to IE with upgrade. Thanks to my mentor, Matisse Graf, I have not only been accepted, but also got a scholarship. Without them, I’m sure nothing would have been the same. I am forever grateful:)

This review replaces my initial comment to the review for accuracy and transparency.

UPDATE – 15 October 2025
In the spirit of transparency: after posting my initial review, I was contacted several times by the company, first by their Customer Experience Manager, Ms Gabriela Cristea, whose call I appreciated as it aimed to provide context. However, a subsequent call from the company’s CEO felt unexpected and unnecessarily forceful, which I perceived as an attempt to pressure me into removing my feedback.

Regarding my experience, the company did not follow through on what they had promised within the agreed timeframe. I’ve also heard from others who felt their concerns were not addressed after signing contracts. Based on my experience, I would personally be cautious when considering any financial commitment to this company.

I am sharing this to reflect my personal experience and interactions with the company to date.

Trustable and professional company. I definitely recommend them !

I have been an Upgrade Education student for a year now and my experience has been awesome. Mentors’ help, support, encouragement and insightful conversations made the experience even better. It is such a privilege to be part of this amazing community.

I had a great experience working with Matisse Graf. He was always there when I needed help, incredibly professional, and went above and beyond to support me throughout my IE Summer School application. His dedication made a huge difference. Highly recommend and I’m so thankful!

I have been working with Upgrade since last fall, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience so far. I am about to wrap up my first course, ECL, and the invaluable guidance, advice, and warmheartedness that I have received from my mentor Alexandra Ciorhan have made for a gratifying and delightsome experience!

It was a really productive session, it helped our group come up with a more specific plan for our project and it was overall a great experience =)

My mentor, Mohazzab Abdullah, has made the uni application process an unique opportunity for personal growth. Beyond the valuable aid & guidance he offered me when it comes to the crucial aspect of any US application - the essays - I constantly felt as though I was encouraged to think about and take into consideration very nuanced topics hitherto unknown to me (for example, the discussions we engaged in during our meetings deepened my understanding of the US political situation and he encouraged me to draw parallels between that and the current situation here in Romania). I was also pleasantly surprised to receive such incredible guidance given my specific applicant profile: I am raised by a single mother, have practically no financial assets, and intend to study film in the US. With Mohazzab's help (even if he had no film students before!), I managed to get five acceptance letters & two super good offers from top US film schools (not to mention Honors Programs admissions at every uni I've been accepted to). His advice and comments were so precise and precious that, honestly, If I ever write a book I won't be confident to put it out on the market without having Mohazzab skim through it first.
I also got some SAT math prep courses with Susmita Dave - I went from 540 to 710 in just fourteen lessons. Math has always been my insecurity when it comes to the SAT and Susmita helped me alleviate that tremendously.
At Upgrade, not only did I find all the support I need to succeed, but I also was encouraged every step of the way not to back up solely because I of financial shortcomings.

I liked how my mentor, Mohazzab, was explaining the process and helping me to improve my application and also myself as a person.

Great assistance from my mentors and a great opportunity for my future. A big thank you to Raluca Rusu, Teodor Grama and Matisse Graf, three amazing young people who’ve helped me make decisions regarding my university future, as well as always willing and able to help me in the process of application

My son collaborated 3 years ago with Upgrade. Unfortunately, his experience with the people from Upgrade was not favorable.
They did not check what qualifications they should have at each faculty to be admitted. My son was rejected at UCL, because in the forecast he had a grade of 9.80 in mathematics. Those not knowing what grade he should have to be admitted to UCL, when checking the file, did not draw attention to the fact that he would need a 10 in mathematics in order to be admitted. In conclusion, he was rejected at UCL only because of the incompetence of UPgrade/ My son did not check his admission score at UCL, it was based on the fact that Upgrade is paid to handle the file, these being secretarial matters. I do not recommend anyone to work with them. If they want to miss their career, yes they are suitable..

My mentor Ioana Barna is a very helpful and supportive person. She always adresses anything I ask her. She also makes lessons very enjoyable and they always pass by really quick. I wholeheartedly recommend her.

Jules Kyi mentor
Working with Jules was a wonderful experience! She was very helpful and an excellent guide during this stressful university application process. She has great skills and overall is a great mentor! Without her support I wouldn't have managed to get this far!

I have a really great experience with my mentor Jules. She is a profesional and clearly knows what she is doing. She is responsive to any message and helps me a lot with information providing. Besides this, I feel like I am understood because one thing that I love is that when I am not sure what to write or say in certain times, she put all the ideas that I have together, helping me clearing my perspective.

All of the mentors have your best interest in mind and they always ask for ways to improve your lessons. The insights provided are helpful
and the overall experience of applying to an university is a lot less stressful because of them.