23 Ways AI Will Transform the International Student Recruitment Market

How will the rise of Artificial intelligence affect the international student recruitment market?

As CEO of Global Admissions I have been working in international admissions for over 10 years. AI is seeing the biggest set of changes I’ve ever seen in my career, and is set to totally transform the industry.

In this article article I will explore how AI is reshaping international student recruitment across three key areas: recruitment flows, admissions processes, and the educational experience, but also identifying what remains constant

Recruitment Flows

International student recruitment flows is an important concern for universities worldwide. Many of them rely on international students for a large part of funding. 

1. The decline of Google and SEOGoogle was founded in 1998 and it looks increasingly old fashioned and dated when compared with conversational SEO.With the rise of AI tools, fewer and fewer students are using google as a search engine. A recent poll of international students told us that less than 25% of their searches are on Google. While Google search results plays a large part in AI discoverability, is likely to continue to decline as students favour more comprehensive, personalised and engaging conversational interactive experiences.
2. AI Chat is replacing google but also study abroad agentsAs I mentioned, this takes the place of google, but also away from traditional study abroad agents who are becoming less necessary.Universities will need to adapt to this new experience in a few ways. By doing AI SEO. Creating index pages for LLMs, creating AI chat experiences, and focusing more the community, brand and differentiation.
3. AI Chat makes students smarter and flattens the worldAI services continue the internets trend of giving students access to more information and making them smarter.This presents a great opportunity for less traditional study abroad destinations such as Malaysia, Poland, South America, and the Nordics, and presents a challenge for traditional destinations.Students are also smarter, more prepared and can use these AI tools during the admissions process, which brings us to the next point.

   Admissions Process
   

4. AI simplifies the admissions process 

   I remember a few times walking into an admissions office seeing piles upon piles of applications to be reviewed.Now with AI and automation, the whole process can be done with very few people. Instead of answering the same questions from thousands of students questions, an AI chat support can take the load.This potentially lowers costs, and makes the process much more efficient, if done right.

5. The recruitment process can have much higher conversions rate 

   AI can identify ‘the right fit students’ when students are stuck and contact students at just the right time with just right message to nudge them ever closer through the admissions process.This allows for a much more personalised and, counterintuitively, allows a more human experience.

6. Increased importance of interviews 

   Students now have tools to give them essay feedback and help them write their essays. An estimated 80% of students are using AI chat during the admissions process. This levels the playing field, whereas before in some markets, these were written with the help of advisors.However, it is increasingly important to conduct interviews to understand the motivations, outlook, attitude of each student.

7. Managing the review process 

   This presents a number of questions, such as how are things designed when nobody understands the algorithm?Now many of these changes are also having an impact on the education experience and unique value proposition of the university, so now I’m going to look at how it affects the educational experience.EducationThe recruitment and admissions process is only one part of it.

   The most important part, is what will the student experience be? What will they actually get?

8. Challenges and opportunities for universities to adapt 

   There are Significant Challenges for big institutions to adapt to the new world with training. 

9. Reduced Costs 

   Digitisation allows for massively reduces costs 

10. Personalisation at ScalePersonalisation at scale is now possible to provide a world class learning experience that was never before possible.
11. Increased competition from online alternativesWhen students can study and learn online with AI, how does that compare with a teacher? It raises expectations and forces
    
12. Is the curricula still relevant? 

    It’s now necessary to constantly review curricula to keep it relevant. 

13. Increased importance of oral assessment 

    Coursework needs to evolve to include more oral or practical tasks to assess the students understanding and skills without the use of AI.The Russian style assessment of testing through oral examinations can be a case in point, or it can focus on video content creation, or AI simulator assessments.

14. Importance of human values 

    While the rise of AI automates many tasks that humans would do, I would argue that it commoditises routine tasks, and so frees up, and increases the importance of the human touch.

15. Community & Experience Becomes More ImportantWith every trend there is a counter trend.People are yearning for connections, for experiences, for community.
16. Study Abroad becomes more important 

    Being in a new country and experiencing the culture is something that you can’t get from AI. It is becoming an increasingly essential part of education.

17. Memorisation is less valuableThe trend of declining importance of rote memorisation, while more common in some cultures than others, continues.What will take its place?Practical skills
18. Skills become more valuableThis might make a trend towards modular based learning, stacking skills in modules, rather than theory or abstract subjects.
19. Students have an increased focus on Careers and on ROIThis is becoming an increasingly important part of the student decision criteria. What are post study work opportunities? And is it worth studying this program? Which careers are going to pay better than others and guarantee a job? Which jobs and skills will even be necessary and in demand in 10 years?
20.  “Real” programs, eg., Medicine increase in demand 

    Programs that tick the above boxes become more and more valuable rather than abstract subjects that can be replaced by AI.But, what stays the same?After looking at some of the changes, it is interesting to ask, what will likely stay the same?
    

21. Parental InfluenceIt is likely that parents will still continue to play a key part in the decision and support process. They might even be able to play a more important part, as they have more access to information and AI.
22. Humans are humans 

    We might change in some ways, but our underlying motivations and emotions are driving decision making and outcomes.

23. Importance of national and institution brandThe national and institutional brands continue to play a key part in the application and student process.

So, here are some thoughts on how AI will affect the international student process.

Students are likely to become smarter, competition increases, it is likely to create a more student centric education system. Universities will face challenges to adapt and opportunities for those are able to.