There is no doubt that a diverse student body in any college or university makes for a more enriching and stimulating learning environment. Additionally, in today’s interconnected world, it is vital to nurture students who can work and collaborate with people from different cultures.
There are so many other advantages to having a diverse student population, hence the need to recruit more international students. But with the many existing recruitment strategies that institutions have to juggle in the quest to recruit the best international students, where do you start?
Let us look at some of the top strategies that you can employ to increase the enrollment of international students at your university.
5 Best Strategies for Increasing International Student Enrollment at Your University
With the knowledge that having a diverse student body is beneficial not just to your institution but the community at large, let us look at some of the best ways you can leverage to increase international student enrollment at your university.
1. Use Incentives
One of the best strategies to attract international students to your institution is to have various incentives in place. These could range from financial assistance to opportunities for career growth. Since many international students are known to pay higher fees as compared to domestic students, an initiative aimed at alleviating some of the study costs is a welcome idea.
For example, offering scholarships, waiving admission fees, or helping with accommodation fees can make your institution more affordable and attractive for international students. Additionally, having growth opportunities in place like work-study programs and industrial attachments will go a long way not to just help cover study costs, but also to equip international students with the necessary skills needed in the job market.
Other ways to incentivize international students include setting up cultural immersion programs that expose them to their new surroundings and offering visa guidance. These demonstrate your university’s commitment to creating an environment where international students can thrive.
2. Respond to emails
While many institutions receive hundreds if not thousands of emails daily, replying to the emails promptly will not only demonstrate your responsiveness and reliability as an institution but you will also likely get good leads that you can convert to enrolled students at your university.
Additionally, responding to their emails will make them feel appreciated and imply that you care about their needs.
To ensure that you keep on top of your email responsiveness and improve your chances of converting leads into enrolled students, you can apply the following tips:
- Set aside time every day to check your emails so that you do not miss out on responding to urgent queries from the students.
- Set up automatic responses notifying students that you have received their email and will respond as soon as you can.
- Be friendly and courteous in your responses and ask the students how you can help them further.
- Ensure that you answer students’ questions thoroughly and let them know that your institution is available to offer any necessary help when required.
3. Get international students’ testimonials
Just like in business, testimonials are key to attracting prospective international students as they demonstrate the trust and credibility of your institution.
For example, you can leverage your university’s alumni network to share their positive experiences of the university, like international students who benefitted from the school’s scholarships. You can share these stories on the website and social media. It is easier for prospective students to believe in their peer’s experiences as opposed to using an outsider to market your university.
Testimonials are key in driving trust and credibility as they offer authentic perspectives of students’ experiences. This can in turn help prospective international what to expect if enrolled at the university, hence shaping their decision to join the school or not.
4. Conduct Targeted Digital Marketing Campaigns
Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are very popular with students worldwide. They are no longer used just for connecting with friends, but also for learning new things and exploring their interests. Hence, running targeted marketing campaigns on these platforms can prove to be very beneficial in attracting international students to your university.
Apart from having a website, ensure that your university is present on the top social media platforms where prospective international students are already hanging out. You could also run your campaigns on third-party education websites that many students are familiar with to give your message some credibility.
As you craft your campaign content, let it resonate with your target audience. For example, you could feature past and current international students sharing about their study experiences at your university, or the programs available for international students. Additionally, you could showcase accommodation facilities and other amenities that would make the life of international students at your university bearable.
5. Optimize your website and content to cater to international students
Your university website is the first point of contact that prospective international students interact with. Hence, making their experience worthwhile while navigating the site will play a role in whether they consider your university for their studies.
Ensure that your website is informative and user-friendly such that prospective international students can easily locate the information they are looking for. Be sure to include relevant information for international students like financial aid opportunities, admission process, deadlines, visa guidance, and international student programs and support services.
Additionally, ensure that the language or languages used on the website can cater to a wider audience. You can make it possible for prospective students by having different domains in different languages or creating brochures in different languages. By tailoring your content to the specific countries or regions that you are targeting, you can make your message more relevant and engaging to potential international students
Lastly, ensure that your content can be viewed on different devices with ease by making your website mobile-friendly. This is because many students access information on their platforms and tablets
Increasing the international student body at your university will no doubt enrich the academic experience of everyone and enhance collaboration from a global perspective. From using incentives to testimonials and targeted marketing, any or all of the strategies above may be the key to unlocking the door to a more diverse student body at your university. However, ensure that you consider factors like your budget, location, and who you are targeting to see which strategy best fits your objectives.
