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Citi Explains Role In Helping Families Plan International Education
Tom Burroughes
24 June 2026
Following the trend of wealth management intersecting with health and wellness, it seems that the same is happening with banks and educating clients’ children. While there have been changes to higher education in recent years, and some challenges, there are still strong benefits from Higher Ed, including the opportunity of being associated with future leaders in various fields, networking, alumni associations, as well as the core academic learning benefits, she said. Citigold Private Clients will receive a complimentary one-hour consultation, and special discounts on all academic programmes with Onwards Education Consultancy, the bank said. The struggle to get youngsters into sought-after college spots remains a major issue, as this article shows.
As reported in late April, Citi is partnering with education consultancies, and Onwards Education Consultancy, to provide Citigold Private Client customers with access to international education planning services for entry to international schools and universities.
Through these alliances, clients will have access to expert consultants who can guide families through the complexities of international education planning, including identifying the right schools and programmes and managing the competitive and complex admissions processes at institutions.
It is something of a new frontier, with banks and other institutions catering to affluent, high net worth and ultra-HNW people, deepening relationships and providing value-added services.
Inspiration for the service came from clients and the bank, Gourab Kundu, head of digital growth and wealth continuum for Asia South at Citi Wealth, told WealthBriefingAsia in a recent interview.
“Wealth management is no longer just about managing assets; it is about supporting the life decisions that matter most to our clients,” he said. “We’re seeing high net worth families look to their wealth managers for guidance beyond finances, particularly when it comes to securing their children’s future.”
Praise Tan, country manager at Crimson and based in Singapore, said in the same interview that Crimson works with families to help maximise students’ chances of gaining admissions to top universities.
Crimson Education, founded in New Zealand and established in Singapore in 2016, is a university admissions consultancy supporting students to gain admission to top universities across the US, the UK and the European Union. The organisation's “Crimson” name refers to the colour associated with Harvard University (see its emblem in the main picture), one of the elite institutions that affluent families want their children to attend.
The disruptive impact of AI means that the demand for academic learning will rise. “Families see this can provide a “holistic offering,” he added.
Selected Citigold Private Clients will enjoy a complimentary one-hour consultation, and special discounts on the full Crimson university admissions consulting programme. Onwards Education Consultancy offers a personalised profile assessment and academic guidance for international students planning to study in Singapore, including expert admissions support and tuition services.