Tips and tricks: how to recruit international students?

Why every year thousands of colleges and universities try to attract international students? Because all these students are crucial in raising the school’s academic profile. However, engaging and recruiting international students is a complex and also a very different process.

It also involves many more players, such as local independent agents, consultancies, etc. who play a significant role between the institutions and the students they are looking to enrol. It is also far more fragmented: you need certain people within your institution focusing not only on recruitment but on international services as well. Also, it involves additional steps and considerations that are not associated with domestic admissions process. These include navigating visas, ensuring a level of foreign language proficiency, as well as handling language and cultural barriers.
Of course these challenges are common with domestic recruitment but they are really magnified when it comes to international recruitment.

Colleges and universities are looking abroad to meet their recruitment goals. There is tremendous growth in this direction – around 25% increase in the last 2 years.
As an educator you are probably wondering how to overcome these challenges and attract international students. Here we have 4 tips to succeed in your mission.

Increase your international reach

International students value live chats and video webcasts more than contacts by phone or email. Conversations with current students, admissions counsellors and international student service professionals are extremely important and help students when they take decisions for college enrolment. Think about expanding your reach and keep players in your admissions and enrolment marketing departments to really strengthen your brand within the mind of potential students. 

Find and target the right international students

International students live online. Most of the international students are not likely to visit your campus since only 45% of international students are able to visit campuses in person before they choose which school to attend.
Think of ways to introduce your campus to students that are not able to physically visit it. One way coukd be to think on how to engage in a 1:1 chat with your prospective students

Improve your international students recruitment

Rethink student recruitment as being a long process. Many students claim that it is important for them to have conversations with universities throughout all stages of the enrolment and that they expect to be in constant communication with the school/university that they are applying to. So, do your best to ensure guidance on each step of the international student recruitment process.

Increase international student retention

How to raise low retention rates in international students? Outside the classroom students usually have some difficulties about their language skills and their limited knowledge about the local culture. The solution? Think about how to better prepare a student, so you are more likely to retain that student after they have come to campus. How? Think about how to help your prospective admitted students understand and be better prepared when they get to your campus.