Navigating a perfect storm in international student marketing

Simon Rust and Alexandra Shufflebottom, student recruitment marketing experts at Prospects, unpack fresh insights, practical advice and emerging opportunities from their latest interactions with international marketing teams

The UK's world-class higher education system has ensured its consistent ranking as the second most popular destination for international students, just after the US. Yet visa restrictions, anti-immigration rhetoric and increased global competition have put this at risk, creating a perfect storm for international recruitment teams.

Developing effective strategies to engage, attract and recruit international students have climbed to the top of the agenda for many universities as they look to recoup numbers that have tumbled from previously prosperous markets.

One size doesn't fit all

The 2025 Prospects Early Careers Survey of more than 4,000 students and graduates highlights that the cost of living is the primary concern for UK students (62%) when deciding whether to continue their studies. In contrast, tuition fees for international students can be two to three times higher than those paid by UK students, so it's perhaps no surprise that these costs are their biggest worry (70%).

The day-to-day reality of life in another country - from managing energy bills to the cost of everyday essentials - often only becomes clear once you're living there. Without that firsthand experience, it's clear to see why prospective international students tend to focus on the most visible cost: tuition fees.

This underscores why a one-size-fits-all approach to student marketing falls short, particularly for international audiences. Differences between countries in decision-making, challenges, needs and motivations can be substantial.

Data and insight are therefore essential to effective media planning and message development. We are engaging more frequently on this area with international teams and central marketing, whose remit now increasingly includes international recruitment.

Social media disparity

Our survey revealed that international students are much more likely than their UK counterparts to use social media, forums and blogs to research universities.

Each platform attracts different users so knowing where and how your target audience engages is key to success. Three quarters of international students look to Instagram for information, compared to 56% of UK students. Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube were also popular among around half of international students.

We can see even greater nuance in more localised data. India overtook China as the top source of international students in 2022/23 and it has retained its status, making it a key market for international student marketing. The country makes up 17% of international traffic to Prospects.ac.uk, averaging two million users a year, and postgraduate course content is among the most viewed.

YouGov reported nearly half (47%) of consumers in India spend at least an hour a week listening to podcasts, compared with just a quarter in Great Britain. As we saw with a campaign for a Russell Group institution, this format presents a valuable opportunity for universities to connect with Indian students in a more engaging format than text heavy content.

We often see high engagement from international students to our Future You podcast especially to those that focus on subjects popular with overseas students such as the international business law podcast with the University of Liverpool.

Furthermore, a third of the entire population in India is on social media, averaging nearly 2.5 hours a day (an hour longer than in the UK), illustrating the size of the opportunity. India is also reasonably cost effective to advertise - the world's marketers spend an average of $2.99 per user to reach social audiences in India, compared to $207 in the UK.

Southeast Asia is the third-largest region globally for outbound student mobility, making it a hotbed for recruitment for universities looking to diversify. The region has 10% of the global share of social media identities. Social media makes up nearly half of the time Indonesians spend online and marketers spend an average of $8.67 per user to reach them. Along with Malaysians, they are also avid followers of TikTok, spending close to two days a month on the platform.

Effective campaigns aren't just about understanding where potential students are - tone and cultural disparity also need to be considered. While you could be overt in your messaging about the social culture with a US or Spanish student, certain aspects may not align with the norms prevalent among those from China or Saudi Arabia.

Providing guidance around imagery and wording is something we have specialised in for years and it makes a huge difference to campaign performance.

Generic imagery should reflect the diversity of the people who are looking at it. Don't underestimate the draw of a Hogwarts-style campus building - the romance and heritage associated with the UK's long history are among the biggest attractions for some students. On the other hand, such imagery may not resonate so well with students looking for a practical science course, so better to showcase cutting-edge facilities and people equipped for research and lab-based work.

Students will have varying affordability criteria, so targeted messaging around things like funding and scholarships is always a smart move.

Celebrate difference

Our Early Careers Survey shows that institution and course reputation is often of higher importance to international students than those from the UK. 

However, not every single student is looking at rankings. Perhaps that red brick institution is just not attainable, perhaps a student is looking for more affordable routes into HE, or accessible employment opportunities through an institution's industry partnerships.  

If you aren't a top-ranking institution, you need to be creative and consider other ways to stand out and highlight your unique offering. What's really great about your university? Perhaps it's the particular programmes you offer, high student satisfaction, or the scholarships and funding support available.

Location is another important factor. Are you a major destination or an hour away from London, do you have a rich local heritage and culture, is cost-of-living relatively low? Safety is also a key concern for some students and their families who could be funding study, so think about how you can emphasise safety and security factors in your messaging.

Messaging around return on investment is also key with career prospects particularly important to international students and the vast majority (92%) continue their studies for this reason, compared to three quarters of their UK counterparts. They are also more likely to have difficulty finding information on the best course to progress their career.

In the light of the changes to visas that have made it more difficult for international students to stay and work long-term, any dedicated careers support and post-study work options should be made obvious.

For example, institutions such as Loughborough University London and the University of Brighton do an exceptional job supporting international student employability, particularly with work placements. Similarly, Cranfield University works with leading aerospace organisations and the University of Warwick has excellent links to industry, particularly around manufacturing.

Decision making is not a linear process and multiple factors will come into play. Really tap into what you've got available and apply that to your marketing.

Financial implications

We can't explore international student marketing without considering finance. In our earlier article - How to recruit postgraduates in a cost-conscious market - we highlighted the importance of recognising the significance of this obstacle.

Respondents domiciled outside of the UK were significantly more likely to say that low tuition fees were important to their university choice. Furthermore, significant proportions of international students struggled to find visa (48%) and funding information (67%).

Considering the higher tuition fees for international students, and that financial support can be more difficult to find, it is more likely that they will be paying for courses out of their own pocket and may consequently be more cognisant of the cost of courses than others.

By highlighting funding information in campaigns and ensuring it is easily accessible as well as your point of difference, universities can help students navigate the complexity of studying in the UK with greater ease and confidence.  

If you are interested in finding out what 2026 and beyond may look like for international student enrolments get in touch to book a free insight session with Alex, Simon or another member of the team.