This is The Guardian.

Welcome to The Guardian long read, showcasing the best long-form journalism covering culture, politics and new thinking.

For the text version of this and all our long reads, go to the Guardian.com forward slash long read.

I see it as trafficking.

The brutal reality of life as a foreign student in the UK by Samira Shackle, read by Danita Gohill. When Sam started looking into studying abroad, it didn't take long for his phone to start ringing.

At 24, he was living with his parents in a small city in the eastern Indian state of Odisha

and he'd been stuck in an entry-level job for four years.

He hoped a master's degree in the UK might lead to a high-flying finance job in London

or at least give him an edge when he came back home.

After filling in a few forms on study abroad websites,

Sam soon started receiving calls from

unknown numbers. Eventually, he answered one. The person on the phone was an education agent,

a recruiter who helped students apply to foreign universities, pitching his services. The offer

sounded appealing. The agency would help Sam decide which universities to apply to, advising on the

most suitable courses and where he had the best chance of admission. They would help draft

his application and if he got in, assist with immigration. They would do all of this for free.

I was sceptical, said Sam.Like, why would you do that?' "'The agent explained that they didn't need to charge students

"'because the universities paid a commission.

"'Other agencies kept calling to.

"'Sam, not his real name,

"'spoke to half a dozen, all eager to handle his application.

Sam immediately gave him a bad vibe. It was all just for money. They wanted to get me admitted

...