Sri Lankan entrepreneurs launch Newcastle startup for 'smoother' university applications process

A startup business is planning its global expansion by launching its online platform hoping to ‘revolutionise’ the process of university applications and placement for international students.

StudyAtlas has created a ‘one stop shop’ for students around the world to search, compare and apply for university courses through one single website - currently, international students apply for courses via an agent, where fees can be up to £2,000.

Now, the business - founded by husband and wife team Asanka Jayaweera and Buddhika Herath, who moved to Newcastle from Sri Lanka to launch StudyAtlas - has been described as a means to simplify and improve the application process for the student and the university.

StudyAtlas will initially offer university courses in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, with partnerships in Nigeria, India and China planned for the near future.

Global expansion into the likes of the United States and Canada will be the next phase of development.

StudyAtlas, based in TusPark Newcastle, is a hub for startup tech businesses with high growth potential and goes live this week.

Asanka said: “We are disrupting this inefficient and outdated system for international student recruitment by fully automating the admissions process for students and universities.

“StudyAtlas aims to become a complete one-stop source for prospective international students to explore, compare and apply to courses around the world.

“Students can go through the entire user journey themselves. We guide each stage of the process and operate in a completely transparent manner in a market that can be open to corruption.

“For universities, the process is more efficient and they have direct contact with the student too. We have worked closely with universities in creating StudyAtlas to establish what the issues are they face and what they feel needs to work better.”

StudyAtlas is being supported in its growth and development by Newcastle-based law firm, Sintons.

Luke Philpott, solicitor in Sintons’ corporate and commercial team, who works closely with TusPark and its tenants, added: “StudyAtlas is a hugely exciting business, which has created a platform that can truly revolutionise the process of degree course applications for students and universities around the world.

“Asanka and Buddhika are dynamic entrepreneurs with ambitious growth plans, but without question have the ambition and determination to drive the business to where they want it to be.”