3 ways U.S. institutions can boost international student recruitment in 2025

Sharon Butler
Sharon Butler
is EVP, Global Education at Flywire.

As we enter the New Year, the enrollment cliff continues to increase the urgency for many U.S. higher education institutions to recruit international students, and by extension, increases competition for them.

Our work in the global higher education ecosystem gives us a front-row seat to shifts in international student enrollment and retention, whether they are due to policy changes or other factors. As a result, we also see how institutions are relentlessly innovating to attract students and meet their needs. What have we learned that can help drive student success in 2025 and beyond?

  • International students are critical to the health of the global higher education industry.
  • Casting a wide net will no longer suffice as competition for international students increases.
  • New partners are needed to help institutions recruit, and efforts will need to be extremely targeted to financial and emotional needs, across their entire education journey.

Best-in-class institutions and their partners globally are doing things now that can help U.S. institutions better recruit and retain international students both today and tomorrow. Some of these efforts and ideas were shared during a recent panel discussion I participated in during the PIE Live North America conference in Boston. The panel discussion, led by Flywire’s CMO and GM of US Education Allison MacLeod, included Christine Wach, SVP, Partnership, of IDP, a global education services leader, and Sherif Barsoum, Sr. Associate VP for Global Services at New York University (NYU). Three best practices follow:

1. To get ahead of increasing competition for international students, get to know the education agent ecosystem.

There is no doubt that policy changes in Canada have affected international student enrollment. Prospective international students are confused and concerned over their future in Canada that, as IDP’s Wach put it, caps placed on enrollment “are now irrelevant. Many institutions are not coming close to filling these caps.”

U.S. institutions may be tempted to think recruitment in that light is easier. But, because of the price point of a higher education in the U.S., schools need to do more than simply count on students defaulting to this location.

As Wach put it, “students need a sense of sturdiness.” Working with an education agent with deep ties to communities and knowledge of the ever-changing higher education industry is essential. They can help students navigate the market landscape to best address their unique needs.

For instance, IDP - a world-leading students placement provider operating in 50 countries - has worked with Canadian institutions to help clarify intimidating policy language and communicate it in terms students and families understand. By breaking it down in simple terms and viewing it through the lens of students and families, they are helping to advance the understanding that Canadian policies are not deal-breakers for international study.

In the U.S., we know that students, especially at smaller institutions, rely on international education services that IDP and education agents provide to help influence higher education decisions. Furthermore, many smaller and mid-sized institutions with limited resources find great value working with education agents to recruit and secure international students.

2. Start retention efforts before international students ever set foot on campus.

NYU boasts a 96% retention rate for its 20,000 international students – due in large part to the multi-faceted efforts of the enrollment management team, student success team and Barsoum’s team at Global Services office. Some of the efforts that work well include:

  • Easing the send-off. NYU hosts “send-off” parties for accepted and committed students and families in cities in their key recruitment markets, hosting a dozen across Asia over the summer. They are part celebration/part information session and go a long way toward assuaging concerns of studying abroad for both students and families.
  • Communicating on the students’ terms. NYU sends at least 10 short emails (three paragraphs max) before students arrive on a range of subjects, including health, safety, the weather, what to pack, work permissions and more that have an impressive 87% open rate as students prepare for their studies. They replicate these on video to respect the learning and communication styles of different types of students.

3. Consider international student payment plans to ease affordability concerns.

For most students, the number one factor in deciding where they will go to school is whether they can afford it, and whether that view overlaps with their perspective of it being a good investment.

On the education affordability side – interest-free payment plans can be a game changer, as both Wach and Barsoum pointed to their use and importance when attracting and retaining international students. Our own research and conversations support this view. 80% of 1,800+ international students asked in a Flywire-commissioned survey said the option to pay for education in installments would help them better afford their education expenses, but only 60% said their institution offers the option to flexibly pay that way.

Payment plans are a common thing for domestic students in the U.S., but it is not always an option for international students. There’s not only security for the institution in getting more money up front, but also a concern that the students and families don’t have a complete grasp of the total cost of attendance. But they’re not always aware that there are other options to be able to budget for the expense. Institutions need to have strategies for affordability. Payment plans really do help families afford education.

The ROI conversation includes a social component. Something that has worked particularly well at NYU is its “iHub” – its international student programming effort, led by Barsoum’s team and supported by international students. It puts on 400+ programs a year, offering something daily. The events mix social opportunities like shopping, ice skating, and life skills programming such as how to write a great resume, how to interview with a U.S.-based company or even etiquette for increasing comfort at an American dinner party. Barsoum requires that his own staff of 42 help plan and participate in the events, ensuring they are invested in the community.


Getting help from technology

In better serving international students, every finance and international enrollment office is trying to do more with less and this will continue in 2025. It is absolutely imperative that leaders look to automate more of their work so that people can focus on serving diverse student needs and keeping students enrolled.

With Flywire, you can:

  • Automate payment plans for international students and domestic students on the same platform
  • Collect past-due tuition payments faster and reduce spending on past-due collections processes
  • Protect partnerships that ensure you have the most up-to-date information on payment changes in different countries
  • Turn on new payment methods securely to attract and retain students

For more information on what Flywire is doing beyond payment processing, check out the resources below: