Flying Chalks

Flying Chalks is a Singapore-based EduTech company aiming to streamline the process of studying abroad for students globally. The company was founded in May 2015 by Melvin Lee, a Singapore Management University graduate. The inspiration for the company stemmed from Lee's own challenging and stressful experience when planning his overseas studies, where he faced difficulties with everything from the VISA application to finding accommodation without a clear support system. This personal struggle fueled his ambition to create a solution for the millions of students facing similar issues. The venture received early support through incubation at the Singapore Management University's Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in November 2015 and launched its minimum viable product in January 2016.

The company operates a tech-driven, one-stop platform that digitizes a significant portion of the study abroad journey. Its business model is centered on providing free services to students, which includes consultations, school applications, VISA assistance, and accommodation placement. Revenue is generated through referral fees from partner academic institutions when a student they referred is accepted. This model allows the company to offer a comprehensive service package to students at no charge. Over 100 academic institutions across 18 countries have appointed Flying Chalks as an official representative. The platform employs an AI-driven algorithm to evaluate a student's academic and non-academic profile to provide customized university recommendations.

Beyond the application process, the platform is a community hub. It offers comprehensive guides, school reviews, and articles curated by the Flying Chalks team and supplemented with user-generated content from a community of over 16,000 students. This allows prospective students to connect with peers, seek advice from seniors, and interact with local students in their destination country. Initially a purely digital platform, the company expanded its services to include offline support for accommodation and VISA applications in response to student needs. Headquartered in Singapore, Flying Chalks has expanded its physical presence with offices in Vietnam, South Korea, and Indonesia, growing its community to encompass students from over 600 universities worldwide.

Keywords: study abroad platform, international student services, education technology, university application, student visa assistance, overseas education consultant, student community, AI school recommendation, education referral model, Singapore EduTech, Melvin Lee, university placement, student accommodation, global education, academic consulting, international student support, peer-to-peer student advice, study abroad scholarships, Asia education market, digital student recruitment