Since it is important to provide students with the information that they desire, these findings are helpful to any institution that has a goal of enrolling more international students.

Although there were some differences, undergraduate and graduate students had many of the same concerns and motivations for studying abroad.

Key takeaways from research with Ruffalo Noel Levitz:

Although the main motivation for undergraduate and graduate students to study abroad is because of their interest in a particular college or university, over 70% will apply to at least 3 different institutions. Meaning prospective students still want to keep their options open.

Top concerns of potential students and information to include on your website:

• Financial requirements for study abroad and scholarships/financial aid available
• Visa requirements
• How your institution helps undergraduate students overcome the concern of not having family or friends nearby
• Virtual campus tour – Over 50% of prospective students had no plans to visit campus before applying
• Parent information – Over 60% of undergraduate students make their college decision with their parents, and the trend is only increasing

The most influential resource for both groups was a college website:

• The most viewed content area on the website is the academic program listing/majors and cost/financial aid

Make sure your website is mobile-friendly:

• 78% of undergraduate and 69% of graduate students view college websites on a mobile device

Communicate with prospective students throughout the entire recruitment process (before application to after the decision to enroll):

• The top preferred communication channel for both groups is email, followed by meeting reps at in-person college fairs and instant messaging (live chat)
• 80% of both groups are interested in virtual meetings with an institution of interest

Key takeaways from research with Eduventures:

Top reason for not enrolling in US university was for financial reasons.

Your website is the most important place to provide information:

• 23% of students didn’t know enough about the institution where they were accepted and did not enroll

Keep your social media channels up-to-date with relevant information:

• A prospective international student visited social media channels on average 7 times during the recruitment process

56% of students did not visit the institution they enrolled in.

Interested in gaining more student recruitment tactics? Register for Converge 2017 and save with our early bird discount!