Trust and safety
How we choose and train our advisers
Our advisers are current university students. Here's how we check and train them, and the rules they follow with students.
Who our advisers are
- They're current students at Canadian universities. They applied recently, so they know how it works now.
- Each profile shows their university, program and year. You can judge whether their experience fits your plans.
- They aren't school counsellors, and they don't speak for their university.
How we verify them
They apply
University students apply through our contact form with their school, program and year.
We confirm they're a current student
We only call an adviser verified after we've confirmed they study at the university on their profile.
The founder decides
Only Stellar's founder can mark an adviser as verified, or take the label away.
Verified means we've confirmed the student status. It isn't an endorsement from their university. Become an adviser
How we train them
Our adviser training has eight parts.
- 01What an adviser can explain, and what only a school or government can confirm
- 02Checking the right program page, applicant group and intake
- 03College and university routes, and course prerequisites
- 04Transfer agreements, without promising credit
- 05Honest scholarship writing: nothing added that you didn't do
- 06Listening, plain language and checking you understood
- 07Privacy, minors and when to get help
- 08A practice session before working with students
Written scenarios
Advisers answer real situations, like a student asking if a minimum average guarantees an offer. The founder scores every answer. One serious mistake fails it, whatever the score.
A supervised practice session
A reviewer plays the student. We score listening, plain language, checking sources, boundaries, privacy, honest writing help and knowing when to escalate.
Approval that runs out
The founder approves an adviser only after both checks pass. Every approval has an end date, so advisers train again to keep it.
Working safely with students
Many of the students we help are under 18. These rules protect them.
Conversations stay on Stellar
Messages go through your Stellar account into one shared team inbox. The founder and senior advisers can see every conversation.
Calls use links we send
Consultation calls start from a link posted in your Messages, so there's a record of when you met.
You only pay Stellar
Quotes appear in your Messages and you pay through Stellar's secure checkout. An adviser should never ask you to pay them directly.
Your notes stay yours
We don't share a student's notes or messages with a parent without the student's say-so. Students can share a read-only family view themselves.
Safety comes first
If a student says they're being hurt or might hurt themselves, advisers are trained to stop and get help from the right people, like a children's aid society or 911.
What advisers do and don't do
They do
- Share what applying was like for them
- Help you read requirements and find the official page
- Give feedback on your essays and application answers
- Help you plan courses, a shortlist and your deadlines
They don't
- Guarantee an offer or predict your chances
- Write your essays or answers for you
- Speak for their university
- Give immigration or legal advice
- Replace your school counsellor or a mental health professional
Report a concern
If something an adviser said or did felt wrong, tell us. We look into every report, and you don't need an account.
- Call or text 9889-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline, any time
- Kids Help Phone1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868
- Call 911If someone is in danger right now