How one-to-one storytelling turns information into enrollment
Students are saturated with content in their daily lives, and video is a huge part of what they see and consume. However, as the 2025 E-Expectations Report reveals, students are also no longer impressed by one-size-fits-all marketing. They want outreach that feels personal, relevant, and authentic (RNL, Halda, & Modern Campus, 2025). What resonates with them is personalization that shows colleges see them and not just another applicant.
And when a personalized video connects those dots, combining storytelling, emotion, and data, something powerful happens: curiosity turns into commitment.
Why personalization works
Personalization amplifies engagement with students.
This is clear. When students see themselves reflected in a story, they engage more deeply and feel a stronger sense of belonging.
Zhao and colleagues (2024) tested this through a creative experiment involving personalized animated films. Participants watched short stories where their moods and habits shaped the life of a little corgi trying to reach the moon. The results? Viewers not only enjoyed the video, but they also identified with it. Some even started calling the character “me.” That sense of recognition is exactly what colleges aim to spark when they send a personalized admit or financial aid video.
Banerjee et al. (2023) found similar effects in the education technology sector. When apps delivered recommendations based on individual interests, student engagement increased, especially among those who typically ignored recommendations. The message for higher education marketers is clear: those who ignore your emails or skip your events may simply be waiting for the right message at the right moment.
Finally, Deng et al. (2024) showed that personalization is not just about what content appears; it is also about how it appears. TikTok’s algorithm, for example, predicts which segments you will watch and preloads them for a frictionless experience. When it comes to personalized video for students, the same principle applies. A message that loads quickly, feels smooth, and speaks directly to their needs earns attention and trust.
Real results from personalized video campaigns
You can see the full potential of personalization when colleges put it into practice, especially with the channel students use the most: video. Institutions across the country are using personalized video to make complex information clear, emotional moments unforgettable, and online discovery truly interactive. We work with our partners Allied Pixel, the pioneer in personalized video technology, to help campuses make that personalized connection that drives enrollment.
Personalized financial aid videos: Turning confusion into clarity
At Coastal Carolina University, affordability became an opportunity for connection. Through Personalized Financial Aid Videos (PFAVs), the university walked students and families through their aid packages in plain English and Spanish, helping them understand what college would actually cost. The outcome was remarkable:
Students who viewed their PFAV were nearly twice as likely to enroll as those who did not
More than 75% of students who clicked an action button after watching enrolled.
Coastal Carolina credits the videos as a major factor in enrolling a record-breaking incoming class.
What could have been a confusing moment became one of clarity and confidence.
Admit hype videos: Building emotional momentum
Once affordability is clear, emotion takes center stage. The University of Cincinnati used Personalized Admit Hype Videos as part of its “Moments That Matter” campaign, designed to celebrate admitted students in a way that felt deeply personal.
The results spoke for themselves: over 1,200 students confirmed their enrollment after watching their personalized video. One student shared, “It made me feel like I’ve found a new home. Thank you for putting this together!” A parent commented, “This is the absolute coolest thing I’ve seen in college recruiting, and this is my third child. Well done!!!”
It is hard to imagine a clearer example of how belonging drives yield.
Real-time web videos: Personalization in 30 seconds or less
Before a student ever inquires, colleges like Aquinas College are using Personalized Real-Time Web Videos to create immediate engagement. Visitors to the Aquinas website can build their own video in under 30 seconds, featuring content relevant to their interests.
Over 70% of visitors choose to create their own personalized clip, an extraordinary engagement rate. Even better, the form captures names, emails, and optional phone numbers, providing the admissions team with high-quality leads while offering students a memorable first touchpoint.
These examples show that personalization is not just a creative flourish. It is a measurable driver of engagement, confidence, and enrollment.
What personalized video means for enrollment leaders
For enrollment and marketing teams, personalized video has shifted from a novelty to a necessity. The results are too compelling to ignore. Here is what to focus on next:
Start with data. Use CRM or application data to personalize content around major, aid status, or next steps.
Make it one-to-one. Include each student’s name, major, and relevant details so it feels like their story.
Keep it short. The sweet spot is 30–60 seconds, enough to inform without overwhelming.
Guide with purpose. End every video with one clear call to action: confirm, apply, schedule, or log in.
Measure and refine. Track engagement and conversion metrics to keep improving.
Build belonging. Blend data with empathy, because personalization is about people, not just platforms.
When done right, personalized video meets both emotional and practical needs. It answers questions and builds confidence, but it also sparks joy, pride, and a sense of belonging. That is the sweet spot where conversion happens.
So, if you want students not just to watch, but to feel seen, do not just write it, film it. Keep it short, real, and personal. Because when a few seconds can change a student’s decision, the most powerful word in recruitment might just be their name.
Want to see the full picture?
Find out how personalized video can create powerful engagement at every stage of the enrollment journey. Watch our webinar, How to Ramp Up Student Engagement Through Personalized Videos, to learn how you can add personalized videos to your marketing and recruitment efforts.
You can also download the 2025 E-Expectations Trend Report to see the full findings on how today’s high-school students explore, evaluate, and choose colleges, plus what they expect from every click, video, and message.
References:
Banerjee, R., Ghosh, A., Nanda, R., & Shah, M. (2023). Personalized Recommendations In Edtech: Evidence From A Randomized Controlled Trial. Proceedings of the 14th ACM Conference on Learning at Scale. ACM.
Deng, W., Fan, Z., Fu, D., Gong, Y., Huang, S., Li, X., Li, Z., Liao, Y., Liu, H., Qiao, C., Wang, B., Wang, Z., & Xiong, Z. (2024). Personalized Playback Technology: How Short Video Services Create Excellent User Experience. IEEE Transactions on Multimedia. Advance online publication.
RNL, Halda, & Modern Campus. (2025). 2025 E-Expectations Report. Ruffalo Noel Levitz.
Zhao, X., Lee, J., Maes, P., & Picard, R. (2024). A Trip To The Moon: Personalized Animated Movies For Self-Reflection. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 8(CSCW2), 1–27.
College recruitment is a bit like hosting a dinner party. You might set the table beautifully, prep your best dish, and send out invitations. But if you forget dessert or serve something your guests did not actually want, you will still leave people hungry.
Email is king, but do not ignore texts and portals
Email is still king, and on this, families and colleges are totally in sync. Nearly all institutions rely on it to connect with prospective students and their families (98–100%), and approximately 90% of families consider it their top way to receive college updates (RNL, 2025; RNL et al., 2025). But that is not the end of the story: lower-income and first-generation families are more likely to prefer text messages, with about 30% say getting updates on their phones suits them best. And when it comes to college portals? Most families are not shy about their feelings. Seventy-seven percent call these hubs “invaluable” for keeping track of deadlines and details.
Here is the practical takeaway. If your family portal is still in beta, you are late. The portal is the digital front porch. Families want to step in. They do not want to just peer through a window.
However, this is where institutions often fall short.
Lower-income families:They may not have unlimited data plans or reliable Wi-Fi. For them, text updates are not just convenient. They are a lifeline. Use SMS for deadlines, aid reminders, and quick check-ins.
Multilingual families: A portal that exists only in English is a locked door. Translation tools, multilingual FAQs, or videos with subtitles are not extras. They are necessities.
Busy working families: They may read email at odd hours. Keep messages concise. Make them mobile-friendly. Pack them with links that get families directly to what they need. No scavenger hunt.
Email may be the king, but texts and portals are the court. Together, they make families feel included, informed, and respected. Income, language, and schedule should not become barriers to access.
Cost clarity: The non-negotiable
Families shout this from the rooftops. Show me the money.
Ninety-nine percent say tuition and cost details are essential. Seventy-two percent have already ruled out institutions based on the sticker shock (RNL et al., 2025).
Meanwhile, many institutions are still burying their net price calculators three clicks deep or waiting until after application to share the real numbers (RNL, 2025). That delay does not just frustrate. It eliminates your campus from consideration.
Here is the practical takeaway. Put cost and aid at the forefront. Homepage, emails, campus events. If families cannot find your numbers, they will assume they are bad.
Widen the lens for a moment.
Lower-income families:They do not just compare sticker prices. They seek reassurance that aid is real, accessible, and does not come with hidden strings.
First-generation families: Jargon like “COA” and “EFC” confuses them. Use plain explanations, visuals, or short videos to demystify the process.
Multilingual families: Cost info in English-only PDFs will not cut it. Translations, bilingual webinars, and multiple-language calculators build trust.
Busy working families:Parents reading on a break or late at night do not want to hunt. Make your cost breakdowns mobile-friendly. Spell it out: “Here is the average monthly payment after aid.” No guesswork.
Clarity is equity. Make costs easy to find, easy to understand, and easy to compare. If you do, you keep your institution in the game.
Portals: High demand, low supply
Only 45% of private and 38% of public institutions offer family portals (RNL, 2025). Seventy-seven percent of families consider portals “invaluable” during the planning process (RNL et al., 2025). That is not a gap. It is a canyon.
Here is the practical takeaway. Stop debating whether you need a portal. You do. Build one. Promote it. Keep it fresh. A portal is not just another login. It is a family’s command center.
Here is why the design matters:
Lower-income families: If they juggle multiple jobs or devices, the portal must be mobile-first. No exceptions.
First-generation families: Use the portal as a step-by-step guide through the admissions maze. Clear checklists and “what comes next” nudges make all the difference.
Multilingual families: A portal only in English is a locked gate. Multilingual menus, downloadable resources, and translated FAQs turn it into a real access point.
Busy working families: On-demand matters. Record sessions, post how-to videos, and archive key communications. Parents can catch up after a late shift.
Think of your family portal as the ultimate cheat sheet. If it answers questions before families even think to ask them, you have built trust.
Campus visits still rule the court
Institutions know visits are powerful. Families confirm it. Ninety-seven percent say seeing campus in person shapes their decision (RNL, 2025; RNL et al., 2025). First-generation families value them even more.
Here is the practical takeaway. Do not just host cookie-cutter tours. Offer tailored experiences for first-generation families, local students, or academic interest groups. If your best tour story is still “this is the library,” you are missing the emotional connection.
And do not forget the families outside the “traditional tour” box.
Commuter students:Show them where they will spend their days. Lounges, commuter lockers, meal plan hacks, parking solutions. These matter.
Students working 20 hours a week to pay tuition: Highlight flexible scheduling, evening classes, and campus jobs.
Busy working families: Are you offering evening and weekend options? Can families join virtual sessions during a lunch break? If not, you are leaving them out.
The real question: Are your campus experiences built for everyone, or just for the students who can spend a sunny Thursday afternoon strolling through your quad?
Families want in, not just students
Three out of four families want at least weekly updates or timely news when it matters (RNL et al., 2025). Institutions are trying, but too often, communication still feels like a one-size-fits-all t-shirt. Technically wearable. Not flattering.
Here is the practical takeaway. Treat families as partners, not sidekicks. Share updates in plain language. Offer Spanish-language options. Spotlight ways families can support their students. Yield is not just about students. It is about family buy-in.
And remember:
Lower-income families:They may not have time to comb through long emails. Keep communication concise. Highlight financial deadlines.
First-generation families:Spell out key milestones. Provide clear “what comes next” instructions.
Multilingual families: Translate emails, texts, and portal content.
Busy working families:Send reminders multiple times of day. Record webinars. Make resources on demand.
When communication feels clear, inclusive, and personal, families lean in. When it does not, they check out. Sometimes, they cross your institution off the list.
Mind the gaps: Equity and information access
Families across the board say cost, aid, program details, and outcomes are critical. Lower-income and first-generation families face significantly larger “information deserts” when searching for them (RNL et al., 2025). Yet institutions often double down on generic email campaigns or broad digital ads. They assume everyone is starting from the same place (RNL, 2025).
Here is the practical takeaway. Equity in outreach is not just a value statement. It is a recruitment strategy. Translate materials. Send proactive aid guides. Partner with community groups to get info where it is needed most.
And remember:
Lower-income families:Scholarships and payment plan info should not be three clicks deep. Put them front and center.
First-generation families:A one-page roadmap with plain-language admissions and aid steps can level the field.
Multilingual families: One brochure in Spanish is not enough. Provide translated FAQs, videos, and multilingual staff at info sessions.
Busy working families:Host virtual Q&As in the evenings. Record them. Make sure materials are mobile-friendly.
If families cannot find or understand what they need, they will assume you do not have it. Or worse, that you do not care.
Digital tools are only as good as the content behind them
Institutions love their toys. Chatbots, SEO, and retargeted ads. These tools can be powerful (RNL, 2025). But families are not impressed by bells and whistles if the basics are missing. They want clear, easily accessible information about costs, aid, programs, and outcomes. Too often, they click into a chatbot or portal and leave frustrated because the answers are not there (RNL et al., 2025).
Here is the practical takeaway. Do not let technology become window dressing. Audit your site from a family’s perspective. Can they find costs, aid, majors, and career outcomes in under two clicks? If not, no chatbot in the world can fix it. No amount of flash will.
Think beyond the default user.
Lower-income families: Spotty internet access means your site needs to be mobile-first, fast-loading, and crystal clear.
First-generation families: Chatbots must speak plain language, not acronym soup.
Multilingual families: Add multilingual chatbot capabilities or direct them quickly to translated resources.
Busy working families: On-demand support matters. Chatbots at midnight. Video explainers that can be paused and replayed. Not just a nine-to-five phone line.
Digital tools are not about looking modern. They are about making life easier. If your tech feels like another hoop to jump through, families will bounce. If it feels like a helpful hand, families will lean in.
The big picture
The alignment is clear on some fronts. Families want email, visits, and cost clarity, and institutions largely deliver. But the gaps, portals, aid communication, and equity in outreach are where recruitment wins or loses.
Families are not just support systems. They are decision-makers. Right now, they are asking colleges to meet them with transparency, respect, and practical tools that make a complicated journey a little simpler.
In other words, if institutions want families to stay at the table, they will need to stop serving what is easiest to cook and start serving what families ordered.
Talk with our marketing and recruitment experts
RNL works with colleges and universities across the country to ensure their marketing and recruitment efforts are optimized and aligned with how student search for colleges. Reach out today for a complimentary consultation to discuss:
The next wave of prospective students is already taking shape: Generation Alpha, born between 2010 and 2024. They’re poised to become the most digitally fluent, diverse, and tech-immersed generation in history, raised on smartphones, voice assistants, and AI from day one. By 2028, the first Gen Alpha freshmen will be setting foot on college campuses, bringing entirely new expectations for how learning happens and how schools communicate their value.
Here’s the thing: education marketers can’t afford to wait. Gen Alpha’s habits and motivations differ sharply from Millennials or even Gen Z. In this article, we’ll unpack who Gen Alpha is, what drives their choices, and why institutions must start adapting their recruitment strategies now.
Drawing on Higher Education Marketing (HEM)’s latest research and webinar insights, we’ll introduce our recommended “PAC” framework, Platform, Algorithm, Culture, a model designed to help schools reach Gen Alpha effectively. We’ll also explore strategies like dual-audience messaging (targeting both students and their Millennial parents), along with content tactics centered on authenticity, user-generated content (UGC), answer-first communication, and AI-ready web experiences.
These ideas will be grounded in real-world examples, from universities using Roblox campus tours to schools experimenting with Snapchat AR lenses, and illustrated through HEM client success stories across K–12, language, and higher education sectors.
By the end, you’ll have a clear roadmap to engage both Gen Alpha and their parents through an integrated approach that connects CRM lead nurturing, SEO, social media, and multilingual content into a cohesive next-gen recruitment strategy.
Let’s dig into what makes Generation Alpha unique and how your institution can get ready now.
Who Is Generation Alpha?
Generation Alpha refers to children born between 2010 and 2024. They are the first cohort raised entirely in the 21st century, often called the first true digital natives.
From iPads in the crib to AI assistants in the living room, Gen Alpha has never known life without touchscreens or high-speed internet. Many learned to navigate apps and streaming platforms before they could read, making technology an effortless part of everyday life.
Early experiences with remote and hybrid learning have also shaped them. Even in primary school, they joined online video classes, used learning apps, and explored online games, giving them a comfort with digital learning that feels natural.
Raised largely by Millennial parents, Gen Alpha is globally minded and culturally diverse. They are aware of issues like climate change and social justice, value inclusivity, and seek purpose in education.
Their aspirations are high, and so are their expectations. They and their parents will assess the return on investment of higher education carefully. College decisions will be shared within the family, meaning recruitment messages must appeal to both the student and the parent.
Gen Alpha’s Behavior, Media Use, and Decision Drivers
To connect with Generation Alpha, institutions need to meet them on their terms. Let’s look at how they interact with media, information, and the factors shaping their decisions.
Authenticity Over Polish
Gen Alpha can spot inauthenticity a mile away. Surrounded by social media from birth, they value honesty over gloss. Highly produced marketing materials feel distant to them; real voices earn trust. Peer content matters more than official content, and a student’s testimonial filmed on a phone will often outperform a polished promo video. Schools that feature current students or young alumni as micro-influencers tend to resonate most. A student-led TikTok dorm tour, for instance, can do more to inspire confidence than a scripted campus video.
Short-Form Video and Shared Screens
Raised on YouTube and TikTok, Gen Alpha consumes information in quick bursts. They use short-form videos to learn, discover, and be entertained. Yet, they also share viewing time with family, watching longer videos together on smart TVs. This dual habit creates an opportunity for schools to publish family-friendly content on YouTube while using TikTok or Instagram Reels for short, high-impact storytelling.
Social Means Conversational and Interactive
Gen Alpha doesn’t just scroll; they participate. They use Snapchat for authentic chats and AR filters for creative expression. Gaming worlds such as Roblox and Minecraft double as social spaces where they collaborate and build together. This generation expects to engage, not just observe. Recruitment content should invite participation through polls, challenges, or interactive Q&As rather than simply broadcasting messages.
Digital-Native, but Still Campus-Curious Although they are digital natives, Gen Alpha still craves real-world experiences. Campus visits remain important, but they expect them to be hands-on and immersive. They want to test a lab, attend a mini class, or pilot a drone. For them, visiting campus feels like trying on an experience to see if it fits. Schools should design events that blend physical and virtual engagement to appeal to this tactile curiosity.
Instant Answers and Micro-Decisions This generation grew up with instant search and voice assistants. They want quick, direct answers, not lengthy explanations. They prefer content structured as questions and answers, such as “What scholarships does this college offer?” followed by a concise response. This approach supports both their research style and the shift toward AI-driven search engines that prioritize clear, digestible information.
Values-Driven and Proof-Oriented Gen Alpha deeply cares about social impact. Issues such as sustainability, inclusion, and mental health influence their decisions. However, they don’t take claims at face value. They expect evidence through authentic stories, real programs, and visible results. Institutions that demonstrate genuine action, rather than marketing slogans, will earn their trust.
Bottom line: Gen Alpha lives online but thinks critically. They move fast, multitask across screens, consult their parents, and expect authenticity at every turn. To earn their attention and trust, institutions must create marketing that is honest, interactive, and evidence-based.
Why Institutions Must Start Preparing Now
Why should institutions start preparing now? It might seem like there’s still time before Generation Alpha reaches college. The oldest are only about 15 or 16 today, but the time to prepare is now.
The Oldest Are Already in High School
Those born in 2010 are entering the college research phase alongside their Millennial parents. By 2028, they’ll be enrolling in universities. For K–12 private schools, Gen Alpha isn’t the future; they’re your current students. Enrollment strategies, open houses, and outreach events already need to align with their digital-first expectations.
Strategy Shifts Take Time
Building authentic social channels, redesigning content ecosystems, and integrating CRM workflows can’t happen overnight. Starting now means time to test and refine. Schools experimenting with TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or AI-powered content today will lead the field when Gen Alpha applications surge.
Gen Z Is the Bridge
Current college students have already pushed institutions to modernize through video storytelling and social media. Those adaptations laid the groundwork. Now, Gen Alpha’s shorter attention spans and AI fluency require schools to go further. If you’ve successfully reached Gen Z, you’re ahead. If not, there’s catching up to do.
Early Adopters Will Stand Out
Institutions that embrace next-gen tactics, from interactive chat tools to UGC-driven campaigns and dynamic FAQ hubs, will gain a visible edge. These schools appear more innovative and student-centered to both teens and parents.
Parent Expectations Are Rising Too
Millennial parents expect quick, personalized communication. Text alerts, Instagram Live Q&As, and ROI-focused content all resonate. Preparing now allows you to fine-tune messaging for both audiences: students and parents.
In short, every admissions cycle will include more Gen Alpha students. The strategies that worked for Millennials and Gen Z must evolve now, and Higher Education Marketing (HEM) is ready to help institutions future-proof recruitment.
HEM’s Next-Gen Recruitment Strategies: The PAC Framework and Beyond
At Higher Education Marketing (HEM), our research into Generation Alpha’s habits has led to the development of the PAC Framework, short for Platform, Algorithm, Culture. This model helps institutions design content and campaigns that genuinely connect with Gen Alpha and get noticed in today’s media environment. Around PAC, we integrate complementary tactics such as dual-audience messaging, authenticity systems, answer-first content, immersive campus experiences, and AI search optimization.
1. Platform: Go Where Gen Alpha Is
It sounds simple, yet many institutions still miss this step. “Platform” means existing where Gen Alpha spends their time, on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, or even Roblox. Don’t just create accounts; learn how each ecosystem works. What’s trending? What humor or language feels native? Explore these platforms like a student would. Then decide how your institution should engage, through creator collaborations, banner placements, or sponsored events. The key is to meet students where they are, not where you’re comfortable.
Example: Florida International University (USA): FIU has adopted TikTok to connect with Gen Alpha, where they spend their time. FIU’s social team went viral by leveraging a trending audio challenge on TikTok aimed at students hoping to excel on their midterms. The result was a TikTok that garnered over 10 million views and 1.46 million engagements, demonstrating how being present on Gen Alpha’s favorite platforms can massively boost reach.
Algorithms decide who sees your content. Success depends on understanding how each platform’s system rewards engagement. On TikTok, videos with high watch time and early comments rise quickly. On Google, structured Q&A pages and strong metadata perform best. Research shows attention spans among younger audiences now average two to three seconds. Lead with a hook, such as a bold question, emotion, or relatable visual. Keep captions tight and content shareable. Treat the algorithm like a person you need to impress fast.
Example: Colorado State University (USA): CSU has strategically designed content to please each platform’s algorithm and grab attention within seconds. Seeing the rise of TikTok’s algorithm-driven “For You” feed, CSU shifted heavily to short-form vertical video and front-loaded content with hooks. The social team launched an official TikTok in 2022 with a “non-manicured” approach: four student creators post 4–5 raw, authentic videos per week. This consistency and emphasis on trending audios and quick, relatable hooks led to about 130,000 video views and 12,000 engagements per month on CSU’s TikTok. By tailoring content format (e.g., snappy cuts, engaging captions) to each platform’s algorithmic preferences, CSU ensures its posts get maximum distribution in Gen Alpha’s feeds.
Culture is where authentic connection happens. Gen Alpha responds to real voices, humor, and values. Collaborate with students to produce takeovers, TikToks, or short vlogs. Reflect diversity and align with current conversations. Join cultural moments carefully, whether that’s referencing a popular meme or spotlighting sustainability initiatives. Imperfection, such as a slightly unpolished student video, signals truth and authenticity.
As HEM puts it, algorithms get you seen, but culture gets you remembered. Using PAC as a creative checklist ensures your marketing is visible, relevant, and real.
Because Generation Alpha’s education decisions will be co-driven by their Millennial parents, Gen Alpha student recruitment messaging must speak to both audiences at once. HEM’s approach, dual-audience messaging, ensures every touchpoint, from websites to ads, connects with both teens and parents in harmony.
For Students
Gen Alpha students care about community, creativity, and experience. They’re asking, “Will I fit in? Will this be exciting?” Highlight student life, clubs, and hands-on learning opportunities through visuals and peer perspectives. Use quotes or short video clips from current students discussing campus life or real projects. Peer voice matters more than institutional formality; a student testimonial will always carry more weight than a dean’s welcome.
For Parents
Millennial parents want reassurance. Their questions are about safety, credibility, and ROI. Showcase graduation rates, career outcomes, accreditation, and alumni success stories. Include details on support services, mental health resources, and campus security. Demonstrating both value and care builds confidence.
How to Integrate Both
Every major recruitment asset should serve both audiences. You can segment sections (“For Students” vs. “For Parents”) or blend them seamlessly. For instance, a video might open with student testimonials, transition into outcomes and parental perspectives, and end with a message that resonates with both.
Action Step: Audit your current materials for balance. Ensure students feel inspired and parents feel assured.
Example: Queen Anne’s School (UK): This independent girls’ school in England structures every recruitment touchpoint to speak to both Gen Alpha students and their millennial parents in tandem. For example, Queen Anne’s hosts Open Mornings that explicitly cater to “you and your daughter.” During these events, girls sample classes and campus life (answering the student’s “Will I have fun and fit in?”), while parents tour facilities and hear the Head’s vision for the school (addressing the parents’ concerns about values and outcomes). The school offers a wide range of visit options – from personal family tours to student “taster days” where 11–13 year olds spend a day on campus – ensuring both audiences are engaged.
3. Establish an “Authenticity System” (UGC and Influencers)
For Generation Alpha, authenticity is the ultimate trust signal. To deliver it consistently, HEM recommends building an Authenticity System, a structured process that continuously produces genuine, student-driven content.
User-Generated Content (UGC) Cadence
Plan for a steady flow of unpolished, real moments. Repost student photos or short TikToks weekly to show campus life through their eyes. Campaigns like #MyCampusMondays, where students share everyday snapshots, keep your content authentic and current. The goal is to make sure that whenever a Gen Alpha prospect visits your social channels, they see real students, not PR gloss.
Student Ambassadors and Creators
Empower students to take part in marketing. Invite ambassadors or micro-influencers to run Instagram takeovers, film vlogs, or stream events. These voices carry credibility because they feel peer-to-peer, not top-down. As HEM research shows, student creators can dramatically increase engagement by making your institution feel accessible and alive.
Authentic Voice and Visuals
Encourage content that sounds natural and looks real. A video filmed on a phone, with casual language or inside jokes, often performs better than a polished shoot. Include candid photos or unscripted clips, authenticity over perfection every time.
Integrate Authentic Content Across Channels
Don’t let UGC live in isolation. Embed student testimonials, quote cards, or video clips directly on program or FAQ pages. Pairing factual info with real student stories creates a persuasive one-two punch.
In short, authenticity shouldn’t happen by accident, it should already be built into your system.
Example: Colorado State University (USA): CSU has built a systematic pipeline for authentic, student-driven content. After officially launching its TikTok, CSU deliberately adopted a “raw” content style – no slick ads, just students with smartphones. It set up a core group of student content creators who post unfiltered clips multiple times a week, giving a continuous stream of real campus moments. In addition, CSU regularly reposts user-generated content from students: from dorm room mini-blogs to everyday campus snapshots. Every week, prospective Gen Alpha students checking CSU’s socials will see new posts by their peers, not just the PR team. By baking student UGC into the content calendar, CSU continuously projects an honest, peer-to-peer voice that Gen Alpha trusts.
4. Embrace Answer-First Content and AI Search Readiness
Generation Alpha searches differently. They ask full questions and expect immediate, concise answers. To connect with them and perform well in AI-driven search, schools need an answer-first content strategy.
Build Q&A Hubs
Create web pages organized by questions and answers, not long paragraphs. For example:
What hands-on experiences will I get in the Nursing program?
What are the career outcomes for graduates? This structure helps both humans and AI bots find what they need quickly. HEM calls these “answer-first hubs,” expanded FAQ-style pages covering dozens of micro-questions. Use data from inquiries and chats to identify what prospects ask most often.
Add Video and Micro-Content
Gen Alpha prefers short, visual responses. Embed 30–60 second video answers from students or staff directly on your pages. A student selfie explaining “What’s the first-year experience like?” feels more authentic than text alone. For parents, include short clips addressing safety or support topics. Repurpose each Q&A across platforms like YouTube Shorts or Reddit for added reach.
Implement Structured Data
Make content machine-readable. Adding FAQ schema markup tells Google and AI assistants what each Q&A covers, improving visibility in featured snippets and AI chat results. HEM research shows this can increase AI-driven visibility by up to 30%.
Write for Voice and Natural Language
Use conversational phrasing such as “How do I apply for financial aid?” instead of standard titles. Ensure each answer short but complete, ideal for AI summaries or voice assistants. Schools already applying this approach have seen measurable boosts in organic traffic and “People Also Ask” placements.
Bottom line: think like an answer engine. Gen Alpha asks questions, so make sure your content answers first.
Example: Cumberland University (USA): Cumberland makes information instantly accessible by structuring its admissions content around questions and direct answers. Its website features a comprehensive Admission FAQs hub that compiles “our most frequently asked questions to help you find the answers you need quickly”. Prospective students and parents can click categories like Undergraduate, Graduate, International, etc., and find dozens of bite-sized Q&As (e.g., “What are the application requirements?”, “Is there housing for freshmen?”). Each answer is concise and written in plain language – perfect for Gen Alpha’s tendency to ask full questions in Google or AI assistants. By adopting this answer-first approach (instead of burying info in long paragraphs), Cumberland not only improves user experience but also boosts its visibility on search engines. Many of its FAQ entries use structured data markup, so they often appear as featured snippets or “People Also Ask” results on Google.
5. Treat Your Campus as a Product: Demos and Immersive Experiences
For Generation Alpha, choosing a school feels like choosing a lifestyle brand. They want to experience it before committing. That’s why HEM recommends marketing your campus like a product demo, through in-person and virtual experiences that let students and parents “test-drive” what you offer.
Creator-Hosted Events
Make campus events hybrid and interactive. Invite student creators to livestream open houses or campus days on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram Live. A student host with a GoPro or phone camera gives the experience authenticity and energy. Let online viewers ask questions in real time while seeing dorms, labs, or the dining hall rush. It’s immersive, engaging, and feels like hanging out with a trusted peer.
Hands-On Campus Trials
When prospects visit in person, let them participate. Replace passive tours with interactive demos, mini labs, culinary workshops, or creative challenges. Some schools have gamified tours, turning them into scavenger hunts or student-led challenges. Participation builds emotional connection and makes visits memorable.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Worlds
Add AR filters or lenses during events to blend play with information. Imagine scanning a building to reveal fun facts or seeing your mascot in AR. Schools like Kent State University have used Snapchat AR lenses to boost engagement while lowering recruitment costs.
Take it further by creating virtual campuses in platforms like Roblox or Minecraft. Students can explore, play, and imagine life at your school long before applying.
Use Existing Tools
360° tours and virtual events on platforms like YouVisit or CampusTours make immersion easy.
The goal is to let Gen Alpha see themselves on campus. When they can explore, touch, and interact, even virtually, they’re far more likely to enroll.
Examples: Kent State turned its campus into an interactive product demo via augmented reality on Snapchat. In a pioneering campaign (the first of its kind in higher ed), Kent State built a custom AR lens that let prospective students virtually “try on” a piece of the college experience – in this case, placing a Kent State graduation cap on their heads, tassel and all. Users could move and see the tassel shake, and with one tap, were prompted to “apply to the university” right from Snapchat. This immersive lens was deployed to Snapchatters aged 16–18 in Kent State’s key recruiting regions. The results were astounding: engagement soared, and the AR campaign achieved a cost-per-application 24% lower than the university’s goal.
University of Sussex (UK): At Sussex, students themselves have helped create a virtual campus that anyone can explore – effectively offering a perpetual, gamified open house. In 2024, a Sussex Computer Science student led a project to recreate the entire university campus in Minecraft, block by block. Using satellite data, the team imported ~1.4 km² of campus into the game (over 19 million blocks), achieving a 1:1 scale replica of Sussex’s buildings and grounds. Now, a group of 20+ students (and even alumni) is collaboratively adding interiors and details to bring it fully to life.
6. Integrate CRM, SEO, Social Campaigns, and Multilingual Content
Creating next-gen content for Generation Alpha is only half the battle. To convert attention into enrollment, schools need to align these tactics with the systems that power modern digital marketing. Here’s how HEM integrates CRM, SEO, social media, and multilingual strategy into a single recruitment engine.
CRM for Lead Nurturing
A robust education CRM is essential for tracking Gen Alpha inquiries and engaging them across multiple touchpoints—social DMs, event sign-ups, web forms, and more. Automated workflows can send personalized follow-ups instantly, such as a welcome video from a student ambassador or a link to a virtual Q&A. HEM often implements Mautic or HubSpot to manage this process. The result: faster responses, stronger engagement, and less manual work. Segment Gen Alpha students and their parents into complementary streams—student-life content for one, academic and ROI-focused messaging for the other.
Example: Michael Vincent Academy: Michael Vincent Academy, a private career school in Los Angeles, partnered with HEM to deploy a customized Mautic CRM for student recruitment. “It’s essential that we work smarter, not harder. The HEM Mautic CRM helps us do that,” said Tally B. Hajek, the academy’s CEO. HEM’s CRM solution automated key marketing workflows (such as follow-ups with prospective students) and provided reports to track lead progress and team activities. The system also included a lead-scoring mechanism to identify and prioritize high-value leads, ensuring staff focus on serious, good-fit applicants. As a result, core recruitment processes became automated, allowing the admissions team to spend more time building personal connections with prospects.
All that great content needs visibility. Use SEO to make it discoverable through optimized site structure, keyword strategy, and internal linking. Develop content clusters, interconnected pages and blogs built around key topics, to boost authority. HEM’s SEO overhauls have helped clients like Cumberland College achieve double-digit growth in organic traffic. Technical SEO, schema markup, and fast mobile performance are nonnegotiable for Gen Alpha’s on-demand expectations.
Social Media Campaigns
Meet Gen Alpha where they live: TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram. Blend organic storytelling with paid targeting. Use TikTok Spark Ads or Snapchat placements to amplify authentic student content that already performs well. Combine this with parent-focused Facebook and Google campaigns for a full-funnel strategy. HEM’s campaign for Queen Anne’s School used this dual approach, improving conversion rates from inquiry to enrollment.
Multilingual and International Reach
Gen Alpha is global. Translate or localize key pages and ads to reach families in multiple languages. Include subtitles, translated summaries, and multilingual SEO to capture diverse search traffic. HEM’s work with Wilfrid Laurier University demonstrated that localized messaging in Portuguese and Spanish drove stronger ROI in international markets.
Integrating these elements (CRM, SEO, social, and multilingual content) creates a seamless ecosystem that attracts, nurtures, and converts Gen Alpha prospects efficiently. It’s how institutions move from generating attention to generating results.
Actionable Takeaways for Reaching Gen Alpha
Generation Alpha may still be young, but the time to reach them is now. To connect authentically, schools must meet them where they are and communicate in ways that feel human, immediate, and real.
Be present on the platforms they love, such as YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and even gaming spaces, featuring student creators who speak their language. Empower current students and recent graduates to share their stories, building trust through authenticity.
Balance messaging for both students and parents, addressing excitement and reassurance in equal measure. Adopt an answer-first content model using structured FAQs and schema to increase visibility in AI and voice search. Treat campus tours like product demos, creating interactive, hands-on, or virtual experiences that bring your institution to life.
Finally, measure what matters by tracking engagement, conversions, and insights from data to refine continuously. Above all, stay authentic and adaptable. The institutions that start now will lead the next generation of recruitment success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Who is Generation Alpha?
Answer: Generation Alpha refers to children born between 2010 and 2024. They are the first cohort raised entirely in the 21st century, often called the first true digital natives.
Question: Why should institutions start preparing now?
Answer:Institutions must start preparing now because Generation Alpha is already entering the college decision phase, and adapting strategies early allows schools to refine digital, authentic, and parent-inclusive recruitment approaches before their enrollment surge.
This blog was kindly authored by Viggo Stacey, International Education & Policy Writer at QS Quacquarelli Symonds. It is the fourth blog in HEPI’s series responding to the post-16 education and skills white paper. You can find the first blog here, the second blog here, and the third here.
The post-16 education and skills white paper, released last week, outlines how the UK government aims to ensure that universities can attract high-quality international talent and maintain a welcoming environment for them.
New data in the QS Global Student Flows: UK Report projects that international student enrolments will grow 3.5% annually to 2030. While this is ahead of anticipated growth in the US, Australia and Canada, where projections are between 2% and –1%, the forecast for the UK is significantly slower than the double-digit surge of 11% between 2019 and 2022.
When the Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities, Bridget Phillipson, spoke about transformation in education in the UK on Monday, she may also have been speaking about the international education system worldwide. International education is changing, and the UK is facing unprecedented competition from international peers. Emerging study destinations are increasingly appealing to prospective international students. India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, and South Korea are just a handful of examples of places heavily investing in internationalisation, campus facilities, and English-language programmes. Additionally, unpredictable geopolitics, economic shifts and demographic changes are making the job of international student recruiters at universities in the UK extra challenging. In such an unstable global landscape, the QS Global Student Flows: UK Report urges universities to plan for a range of scenarios.
What can institutions and the sector do?
The latest HESA figures available are from the 2023/24 academic year. No other business would rely on such outdated figures. So why would a government make policy decisions based on them? And why would a university?
This new QS report identifies key areas where UK universities can expect to see heightened global student flows in the future and how they can best continue to attract international talent and skills.
Enrolments from South Asia are expected to rise from 245,000 in 2024 to 340,000 by the end of the decade, and Africa is projected to be the UK’s second-fastest-growing region, with an annual growth rate expected to reach 4-5%.
In Asia, growth is more mixed. Enrolments from Malaysia are expected to decline, Singapore is likely to remain stable, with places such as Thailand and Indonesia seeing upticks.
Student numbers from the Middle East to the UK are projected to slow to about 1% annually in the years to 2030, compared to the nearly 5% average growth recorded between 2018 and 2024.
However, enrolments from Europe, which have declined after Brexit on average by more than 8% annually between 2018 and 2024, are expected to grow modestly at around 2.5% through to 2030.
Leveraging their strong reputations, quality of provision, as well as the important Graduate Route visa (some 73% of international students are satisfied with the pathway), UK universities can drive growth, especially in Africa and South and Southeast Asia.
What can the government do?
The government has reiterated that it wants to maintain the UK’s position as one of the world’s top providers of higher education; attract the best global talent; and project the UK’s international standing through strong international links and research collaboration.
It rightly acknowledges that volatility in international student numbers is one factor driving financial pressures in higher education. But if it is to succeed in its ambitions, universities need the right support and policy landscape.
Shortening the length of the Graduate Route visa to 18 months from two years and the possibility of hiking fees for students through the proposed International Student Levy could deter international students from choosing the UK.
Yet UK government policy is not the only factor limiting the potential of the UK.
Universities are grappling with heightened investment in higher education in key student source countries, with domestic provisions increasingly competing for quality students.
Prospective students are weighing up their options in unpredictable economic landscapes and governments are increasingly seeking to retain talent rather than encourage them to study overseas.
Examples of this include the UAE making criteria for joining its outbound mobility scholarship programme tougher; Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambition to create an “education system in India that youngsters do not need to go abroad to study”; China, traditionally the top source for international students, is gradually transforming into a study destination in its own right.
The pressure is on higher education providers in the UK – they are already diversifying income streams. But this report shows that there are opportunities for growth. UK universities just need to identify what is possible for them.
The QS Global Student Flows: UK report is available here.
There’s a storm brewing in UK higher education and, if we’re honest, it’s been brewing for a while.
We all know the pattern. Predicted grades continuing to be, well, predicted. Students stacking their UCAS applications with at least one high-tariff choice. Those same high-tariff universities making more offers, at lower grades, and confirming more students than ever before.
Confirmation charts that had us saying “wow” in 2024 are jaw-dropping in 2025 and by 2026 we’ll need new numbers on the Y axis just to keep up.
On their own, you could shrug and rationalise these shifts: post-pandemic turbulence, demographic rises and dips depending on where you regionally look, financial pressures. But together? Here’s your perfect storm.
Grades remain overpredicted because schools and colleges know universities will flex at offer stage and, in all likelihood, at confirmation. Universities flex because grades are overpredicted, and because half-empty halls of residence don’t pay the bills. Students expect both to continue, because so far, they have.
This is not harmless drift. It’s a cycle. And it’s reshaping the market in ways that don’t serve students, teachers, or institutions well.
What’s really at stake
Sure, more students in their first-choice university sounds like a win. But scratch beneath the surface and the consequences are real.
For students, it’s about mismatched expectations. That ABB prediction might have got you a BCC place confirmed, but the reality of lectures and labs can feel a whole lot tougher. The thrill of “getting in” can be followed quickly by the grind of “catching up” and not everyone has the support infrastructure available to bridge the gap.
For schools and teachers, it’s a lose–lose. Predict realistically and you risk disadvantaging your pupils against those down the road with a more generous hand. Predict optimistically and you fuel the cycle, while the workload and stress keep piling up.
For universities, tariffs are being squeezed like never before. If ABB, BBB, and BCC are all getting the same outcome, what does “high-tariff” even mean anymore? And what happens to long-term planning if your recruitment strategy rests on quietly bending standards just a little more each year?
And for the sector as a whole, there’s the reputational hit. “Falling standards” is a headline waiting to be written, at a time when the very value of HE is under political scrutiny, that’s not the story we want to hand over. It doesn’t matter how nuanced the reality is, because nuance rarely makes the cut
How long can we keep this up?
The uncomfortable truth is the longer we let this run, the harder it’ll be to unravel. Predictions that don’t predict. Offers that don’t mean what they say. A confirmation system that looks more like a safety net than a filter. Right now, students get good news, schools celebrate, universities fill places. everyone’s happy…until they’re not.
We all know the ideas that surface. Post-qualification admissions. Post-qualification offers. The radical stuff. I’m not convinced they’re coming back, that ship feels well and truly sailed after multiple crossings.
Sector-wide restraint sounds great in theory. But let’s be real, who’s going to blink first at a time when most of the sector is unlikely to welcome a restraint on numbers of entrants.
And then there’s regulation. Hard rules on entry standards, offers, or tariffs. Politically tempting, practically messy, and likely to create more problems than it solves. Do we really want government second-guessing how universities admit students? I’m not sure we do.
None of this is easy. But pretending nothing’s wrong is also a choice and, in both the short and long-term, not a very good one.
Time for a proper conversation
Please don’t take this as a “booo, high-tariff unis” article. These are some of the best institutions in the world, staffed by incredible people doing incredible work. But we can’t ignore the loop we’re stuck in.
Universities want stability. Teachers want credibility. Students want fairness. Right now, we’re not giving any of them what they need. Because if offers don’t mean what they say, and predictions don’t accurately predict, what exactly are we asking applicants to believe in?
Unless we start having the grown-up conversation about how predictions, offers, student decision making and confirmation intertwine and interact, the storm will keep building.
We often see and hear about specific mission groups having their own conversations about admissions, recruitment-type topics but, very rarely, do you see or hear anything cross-cutting in the sector which I think is a missed opportunity. Anyone want to make an offer?
Despite frequent headlines warning of large declines in graduate jobs, the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) Student Recruitment Survey 2025 shows a less severe and more nuanced reality of the entry-level recruitment market.
Our survey captures recruitment trends from 155 ISE employer members who received over 1.8m job applications for over 31,000 early careers roles. For these employers, graduate hiring has fallen by eight per cent this year, marking the weakest year for graduate hiring since the 12 per cent decline during the pandemic in 2020.
Although the ISE represents larger employers who recruit graduates onto formal training programmes, broader labour market data also shows reduced hiring which may impact students who take jobs that may not be part of a formal training programme. For example, data from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation shows a 13 per cent drop in all job adverts from July 2024 to July 2025.
However, this trend varies from sector to sector and employer to employer. ISE’s survey found that while 42 per cent of employers reduced graduate hiring levels, 25 per cent of employers maintained hiring levels – and 33 per cent reported an increase.
Looking ahead to 2025–26, we expect graduate recruitment to remain challenging as employers forecast an overall seven per cent reduction in graduate hiring, driven by sharp declines for a small number of large employers.
Rebalancing early talent programmes
Graduate programmes aren’t the only route into the UK’s top employers and investment in apprenticeships has been growing since the levy was introduced. ISE found employers are rebalancing early careers programmes with more focus on apprenticeships to meet skills demands.
While graduate hiring declined this year, school and college leaver hiring increased by eight per cent. Graduates still outnumber apprentices and therefore the overall entry-level job market is down five per cent.
This increase reflects the role of large levy-paying employers with greater resources to develop and manage apprenticeship schemes, bucking the wider market trend. Government data reports only a 0.6 per cent rise in apprenticeship starts among 19- to 24-year-olds over the past year.
The ratio of graduates to school or college leaver hiring (which is mostly apprenticeships) among ISE members who recruit students onto both pathways is 1.8 graduates for every school/college leaver hire, down from 2.3 last year. This trend looks set to continue into 2025–26 with the ratio is forecast to decline further to 1.6:1.
Despite this rebalancing, graduate hires still outnumber school and college leaver hires, and although the jobs market remains challenging, graduates remain a core element of early talent strategies.
AI impact
AI is undoubtedly reshaping the early careers recruitment sector. However, no one is telling us that AI is replacing entry level jobs (yet).
As students increasingly use AI to craft job applications, they also submit a greater number of applications, driving up competition for each role. The application to vacancy ratio remains at a historic high of 140 applications per vacancy.
The authenticity of applications from “AI-enabled candidates” has also emerged as a key employer concern. In fact, an arms race appears to be underway: only 15 per cent of employers said they never suspected or identified candidates cheating in assessments, and 79 per cent of employers are redesigning or reviewing their recruitment processes in response to AI developments.
Currently around half of employers allow candidates to use AI tools during the recruitment process, primarily for drafting covering letters and CVs and completing online application questions. Only a small proportion of employers (10 per cent) have banned the use of AI or introduced technical measures to prevent its use.
Our data also shows that 45 per cent of employers had not provided applicants with any guidance on when it was or was not appropriate to use AI. This guidance may support students in navigating their transition into a graduate role and help employers manage their application volumes.
But while students are embracing AI in their job search, the use of AI by recruiters is currently limited, but likely to grow. While over half of employers use automated systems to fully manage some aspects of testing, AI use is very rare. Employers are most likely to use AI in gamified assessments, but even here the adoption rate is only 15 per cent. Looking ahead to the next five years, more than half of employers expect to use AI in their recruitment processes, and 70 per cent anticipate increasing their use of automation.
Getting ahead
The graduate job market is challenging, reflecting the broader economic climate – but it is not without opportunity.
Students looking to get ahead should remain cautious about their prospects in their chosen career, but the graduate job market is always competitive. A job search should be treated just like a job. Applications should be authentic, considered and tailored, with a focus on quality not quantity. And work experience remains key, with employers reporting former interns better equipped with the skills that they need.
For universities, these findings highlight the importance of preparing students for a more complex and competitive graduate market through close collaboration with employers.
As employers rebalance early talent programmes and adapt to the rise of AI, institutions have a key role to play in equipping students with practical experience, adaptability, and digital literacy.
Strengthening partnerships with employers, embedding employability across the curriculum, and helping students navigate responsible AI use will be critical to ensuring graduates continue to thrive in a shifting recruitment market.
The UK’s international higher education sector is at yet another crossroads.
The positioning of international students as not only economic contributors to universities, but also cultural and intellectual assets to our campuses and communities is a well-told tale. But with ever-increasing government scrutiny of international recruitment practice, it is essential that the sector can unequivocally demonstrate that it operates with integrity and transparency.
It is not just the government institutions must convince of the UK’s commitment to high quality opportunities, but students themselves to ensure the UK remains a destination of choice.
Last month, IDP published its global commitment to quality and, as part of this, announced we are fully compliant with the British Council’s Agent Quality Framework (AQF). I imagine some might read that and ask “so what? Were you not already working in a compliant way already?”
To be clear, we were (and always have been) committed to being ethical and responsible in our approach to recruitment, and it is what our partners know and trust us for. But our public commitment to the AQF in January 2024 and more latterly basic compliance assessment (BCA) requirements changes inspired us to have a wholesale review of our processes to ensure all our processes and practices drive quality. Transparency matters more now than ever – the more reassurance we can give our partners that we take our role in their student recruitment seriously sends the right signal to the government that we are committed to sustainable growth focused on right metrics.
We are in this for the right reasons, that is, the right students, with the right standards and intentions, going to the right universities to complete their studies while living and thriving in our towns and cities. But it’s our hope that by being public about our official compliance, we can encourage others to do the same.
The fact it has taken us, a well-established world-leading recruitment partner, months to feel confident the checks and balances are in place and that we have full adherence to the framework, demonstrates the complexity behind compliance. As we go along, we’ll no doubt learn more about how we can improve and strengthen those assurances to our partners (and therefore to the government) that international education is not full of ‘bad actors’.
This is about more than compliance with external standards. It is a need for the international education community to be loud and proud about our work at a time when quality assurance in recruitment is under a brighter spotlight than ever.
Regulation, regulation, regulation
The UK government has made clear that international student recruitment cannot be divorced from broader debates around immigration, compliance and the sustainability of the sector. Parliamentary inquiries. Home Office interventions. The MAC review. The Immigration White Paper. The Home Office English Language Test. Freedom of Information requests. Intensified media focus. All this has raised questions about whether recruitment practice is always consistent with the standards expected of a world-leading education system. And this isn’t just about immigration rhetoric – this is about how those practices impact students and the enormous financial and emotional investment they make in choosing the UK for higher education, and make them feel their investment is worth it.
In this environment, questions may be asked as to whether self-regulation is sufficient. The AQF, developed by the British Council in partnership with BUILA, UKCISA and Universities UK International, provides the only recognised, sector-wide framework for professionalism, ethical practice, and student-centred advice. To ignore or sidestep it is to invite greater external regulation and risk undermining already-precarious confidence in the sector.
International students deserve more than transactional recruitment processes; they deserve ethical, transparent, and student-first guidance that empowers them to make the right choices for their future. Likewise, the UK needs to demonstrate to policymakers that the sector is capable of regulating itself to the highest standard.
Quality is a shared responsibility
The AQF sets out clear principles in five areas; organisational behaviour, ethical business practice, objective advice and guidance, student-centred practice and organisational competence
Compliance across all these standards is not the endpoint. Instead, it is a baseline for our work. Compliance establishes credibility, but the leadership requires continuous improvement and a proactive commitment to go beyond minimum requirements.
The onus is now on all organisations involved in international student recruitment – universities, agents, sub-agents, aggregators and service providers – to align with the AQF and evidence their compliance. AQF compliance is a collective responsibility. The question is no longer whether institutions and agents should adopt the AQF, but instead how quickly they can demonstrate alignment and ensure that these standards are consistently embedded in practice. Anything less risks weakening trust in the UK’s international education offer.
The message to the sector is clear – quality must take precedence over volume until we are confident we’re in a position to grow sustainably and deliver on student expectations. Only by embedding AQF standards across all recruitment channels can the UK demonstrate to government, students and the wider international community that it is serious about maintaining excellence.
The UK has an opportunity to lead globally on quality standards. Let’s do it together.
For international universities and colleges, South Asia – and particularly India – represents one of the largest and fastest-growing student recruitment markets in the world. The potential is undeniable, but the reality is complex.
Navigating multiple languages, diverse cultures, varied academic systems, and rapidly shifting student trends requires more than just an occasional visit or a handful of agent agreements.
Finding the right partner in this environment is not just important – it’s essential.
The challenge: a crowded and complex market
South Asia’s education recruitment ecosystem is vast. Students are spread across metropolitan hubs and smaller regional cities, each with different aspirations, financial capabilities, and destination preferences. The agent network is equally varied – from well-established consultancies to smaller, informal setups.
For many institutions, this creates two critical challenges:
Transparency – Ensuring that the institution’s brand is represented accurately and ethically across the market.
Visibility – Reaching the right students, in the right regions, with the right message.
Without an in-market presence and strong, vetted networks, institutions often struggle to build trust and sustain engagement at scale.
Why a local strategic partner is essential
Working with a dedicated South Asia marketing partner bridges this gap. The right partner acts as the institution’s eyes, ears, and voice on the ground – maintaining brand integrity while expanding outreach.
A strong local partner can:
Streamline agent management – Recruiting, training, and monitoring a reliable network of student recruitment agents.
Strengthen market visibility – Ensuring the institution’s programs are consistently promoted to the right audience across multiple regions.
Provide real-time market intelligence – Sharing insights on policy changes, student preferences, and competitor activity.
Enhance conversion rates – By ensuring that marketing efforts and agent networks are well-aligned with institutional goals.
Navigating multiple languages, diverse cultures, varied academic systems, and rapidly shifting student trends requires more than just an occasional visit or a handful of agent agreements
Landmark Global Learning — one roof, complete solutions
With over 18 years of experience, Landmark Global Learning offers international universities and colleges a single-window solution for the South Asia market. Our approach is built on:
Established networks – A trusted, long-standing network of trained recruitment agents across India and other South Asian countries.
Transparent operations – Clear reporting, ethical representation, and measurable results to ensure partner confidence.
Regional expertise – Deep understanding of both Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities, allowing institutions to tap into emerging student segments.
Targeted outreach – Combining on-ground events, digital campaigns, and institutional tie-ups to maximise visibility.
Whether a university is entering the South Asia market for the first time or looking to strengthen its footprint, Landmark provides the infrastructure, relationships, and market knowledge to make it happen efficiently.
Maximising visibility in the right way
One of the biggest pain points for international institutions is getting noticed by the right students. Many spend time and resources on generic campaigns that fail to reach high-intent applicants.
At Landmark, we focus on:
Localised marketing strategies tailored to different student demographics.
Partnerships with schools, colleges, and education fairs that bring direct engagement opportunities.
Digital targeting that aligns with student search behaviour in the region.
The result?Increased brand presence, better-qualified leads, and stronger enrolments.
A partnership for long-term growth
In an increasingly competitive global education market, institutions cannot afford to be invisible in a region as critical as South Asia. The right partner ensures not only market entry but also sustained growth, brand protection, and student success.
With its proven track record, extensive network, and commitment to transparency, Landmark Global Learning stands ready to be that partner – delivering all the solutions international universities need, under one roof.
A journey of impact and vision
From a small consultancy in Punjab to being the first student recruitment company listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange, Landmark Global Learning’s journey is a testament to resilience, vision, and a relentless focus on student success.
With over 35,000 successful admissions and partnerships across 200+ global institutions, our mission remains clear: to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity. What started 18 years ago with a single office is today a network of 15+ branches across India, making international education accessible even in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
For me personally, education has never been just a business – it’s a passion to transform lives. I began this journey as a young professional balancing multiple jobs, driven by a belief that ‘education is not just about admissions – it’s about creating futures.’ That belief continues to guide us as we embrace innovation, whether through AI-driven counseling tools, school partnerships from Grade 9 onwards, or full-spectrum student support covering admissions, accommodation, education loans, and career guidance.
At Landmark, we don’t just send students abroad; we shape futures — with integrity, innovation, and care.
About the author: Jasmeet Singh Bhatia is the founder and director of Landmark Immigration, with over 18 years of experience in international education and immigration consulting. A study visa expert and PR strategist, he has mentored thousands of students in achieving academic and career goals abroad. Known for his principle-based approach and strong industry partnerships, he continues to shape global futures through personalised guidance and strategic insight.
Taking place on 16 September 2025 at Torrens University’s Surry Hills Campus in Sydney (17 Foveaux Street), this event brings together key stakeholders – education agents, government officials, providers across higher education, VET, ELICOS, plus service partners – for a critical industry reset.
Amidst two years of sweeping reform in visa policies, compliance and accountability frameworks, and shifting global student demand, SYMPLED 2025 offers education recruiters a place for dialogue and strategy. Drawing from its reputation as one of Australia’s most practical events for admissions, compliance, and student-support experts, the symposium promises actionable insights and collaboration on the issues at hand
The program features a rich array of speakers, including:
Hon Julian Hill, assistant minister for international education
Michal Sestak, founder and migration agent of SIS Consulting Pty Ltd and AustraliaOnline, moderating a panel on “The Dilemma of the Genuine Student” amid a surge in visa refusal appeals—from 2,400 in 2023 to 40,000 in 2025
International student panel onthe future of international student representative bodies
Ian Aird, CEO of English Australia, in a “Call to Action” panel exploring the role of ELICOS in bridging tourism, working holiday, and long-term education sectors
Additional speakers include leaders from tuition protection, international education bodies, compliance, and provider networks:
Melinda Hatton, director of the Tuition Protection Service
Carmen Basilicata, executive director, Integrity, ASQA
Toshi Kawaguchi, director, international education, StudyNSW
Dirk Mulder, founder and CEO of The Koala News
Mark Lucas, senior vice president, HUATONG International (HTI)
Melanie Macfarlane, board member, ISEAA
SYMPLED 2025 is where the international education community can recalibrate and collaborate, unlocking “value” in recruitment and practice for a more resilient future.
For the full lineup, program updates, and registration, visit the official SYMPLED website.
