Beating the Summer Melt: Study Group's Innovative Strategies for International Student Success
Universities across North America are increasingly concerned about international student transfer-out rates. Up to one-third of admitted international students transfer out, often to institutions with more favorable work policies, such as day-one Curricular Practical Training (CPT). This trend impacts enrollment stability, resource allocation, and institutional planning.
Understanding Transfer-Outs
Transfer-outs refer to students who initially enroll at an institution but leave before their program begins, negatively impacting universities' completion rates and reducing campus diversity. More critically, when institutions invest heavily in international student recruitment only to lose out on much-needed tuition fees, they face financial difficulties. A Times Higher Education article mentions that anecdotally, universities are reporting that while this isn’t a new problem, it is one that is getting notably worse, with one example of a university having accepted 46 Indian and Bangladeshi students, for only three to eventually enroll.
This time of year poses the greatest risk: the "summer melt" refers to the period where students make last-minute decisions not to enroll in their September programs, or, as THE suggests, to choose one university out of several they have applied to. A recent eCampus News article by Travis Ulrich highlights this trend in North America and globally, offering strategies for universities to address this issue early in the process.
Strategy 1: Work with agents in good faith
The agent channel offers institutions a sophisticated approach to managing source market risks and diversifying recruitment efforts. However, as Ulrich and Dotta emphasize, it's crucial for institutions to "do their due diligence to ensure that any agent they work with is acting in good faith." This involves comprehensive agent management, training, and enablement. Study Group plays a vital role in this process by delivering training to globally distributed agents and facilitating direct connections between them and our partner institutions. In some cases, we arrange in-country visits, fostering a deeper mutual understanding.
Our Agent Development team, based in Singapore, operates a compulsory agent onboarding programme which requires agents to complete a training module and review and sign Terms and Conditions, with regular reviews of agent compliance. The focus is on working together to find the right quality students across the world capable of succeeding in global education and well-matched to their institution of choice — this reduces the risk for both students and universities.
Strategy 2: Establish an application process that accounts for interest and notes red flags
As highlighted in the eCampus article, unusual spikes or patterns in application rates can serve as warning signs during the admissions process. However, many universities lack the resources to thoroughly investigate individual applications, a step recommended by eCampus to identify potential enrollment barriers. Study Group addresses this challenge through our specialized admissions team.
We conduct early and comprehensive evaluations, including gathering detailed biographical information, performing rigorous document verification, and collecting English proficiency test results at the outset of the application process. This proactive approach significantly mitigates risks associated with international student recruitment and enrollment. By meticulously screening applications, we help universities identify genuine, qualified candidates and reduce the likelihood of enrollment issues later in the process.
Strategy 3: Follow students along their enrollment journey
There is also value in Ulrich’s recommendation of universities being present throughout the enrollment journey for students. By working together with a high degree of confidence, each of the interested parties can be more sure that their aspirations are recognized.
Our goal is to support international students on behalf of our partner universities from the moment they lodge their application right through to arrival on campus, and throughout the journey, Study Group, agents and the partner university themselves have multiple contact points with each student. Providing this level of reassurance empowers students to feel more confident that they are making a positive choice in applying to a partner university and means they are less likely to transfer out.
Crucially, too, we prioritize compliance and alignment with the partner university’s existing processes, as well as connecting regularly with partners to provide progress updates on applications. Our processes mean we can be confident that we only provide “Admit Ready” students to our partners.
Student experience comes first
A successful partnership ensures that both student and institutional needs are met, and at Study Group, we prioritize the student voice and experience to enable that to truly happen. That means listening and learning at every step of the journey. To reduce the institutional impact of transfer-outs, we focus on addressing root causes rather than dealing with consequences when it's too late.
The strategies identified in the eCampus article can support universities in mitigating the challenges posed by international student transfer-outs, ensuring a more stable and diverse student population while maintaining financial and academic integrity. If you’d like to understand more about how Study Group can support your university to reduce the summer melt, reach out to our team to have a brief conversation.