Remember when responding to a student enquiry within 48 hours was considered excellent service? Those days are gone.
Today's prospective students aren't just browsing websites and waiting patiently for email responses. They're messaging universities on WhatsApp at 11 PM, expecting video consultations, and perhaps, most surprisingly, they actually want to talk to university representatives on the phone.
The data tells a story that should concern every enrolment and marketing team: student communication preferences are shifting faster than most universities can adapt.
Email remains the most popular communication channel for prospective students, with 70% citing it as their preferred method. But here's the wake-up call: that's down 8% year-on-year, according to recent Keystone Enrolment Services data from Australia and New Zealand markets.
Meanwhile, video conferencing preferences have surged by 33%, and in-person meeting requests are climbing. Students want face-to-face connection, whether virtual or physical, and they want it now.
In 2023, just 9% of all inbound student communications came through WhatsApp. Fast forward to 2025, and that figure has more than doubled to 20%.
But it's not just about volume. When universities implemented WhatsApp effectively, students returned to conversations an average of five times, demonstrating genuine engagement rather than one-off enquiries. They're responding positively to proactive outreach when it's managed thoughtfully and personally.
"It is important however, for institutions not to focus solely on the one channel and to maintain an omnichannel approach with student communications. Through our partner universities, we see conversion more than doubles when multiple channels are used to engage with students."
- Jenni Parsons, Chief Market & Partnerships Officer at Keystone Enrolment services
Here's a stat that might be surprising: adding just one additional phone call to the recruitment funnel increases the likelihood of a student firmly accepting their offer by 9%.
Yes, phone calls. The channel many institutions have been quietly phasing out is making a comeback, and for good reason. In an era of chatbots and automated responses, the human voice carries unprecedented weight. Students crave authentic connection, especially when making life-changing decisions about their education.
Perhaps the most critical finding: conversion rates more than double when multiple channels are used to engage students.
This isn't about being everywhere at once, it's about strategic omnichannel engagement. A student might start a conversation with a university via email, ask quick questions on WhatsApp, attend a virtual session, and ultimately convert after a phone conversation. Each touchpoint builds trust and moves them closer to enrolment.
Universities that cling to email-only strategies aren't just missing opportunities; they're actively losing students to institutions that offer more responsive, personalised engagement.
"The real key is being available on the tools students want."
- Jenni Parsons, Chief Market & Partnerships Officer at Keystone Enrolment services
The 2025 Enquiry Experience Tracker (EET) results revealed something remarkable: Australian and New Zealand universities are outpacing peers in the UK and North America when it comes to student engagement quality.
These institutions understand something fundamental: in international student recruitment, speed and personalisation aren't luxuries, they're baseline expectations. When a student in India, China, or Vietnam reaches out at 2 AM your time, they're not thinking about your office hours. They're comparing your response to competitors who might reply instantly via WhatsApp.
Speed matters. Students expect near-instant responses on messaging platforms. A 24-hour email turnaround isn't impressive anymore, it's simply too slow.
Human connection wins. Automation has its place, but students can spot and resent purely robotic interactions. The phone call data proves that personal touch drives conversions.
Channel diversity is non-negotiable. Students aren't on just one platform, and so institutions can't afford to be either. Email, WhatsApp, video, phone, and in-person interactions all play crucial roles.
Proactive outreach works. When done thoughtfully, reaching out to students before they ask shows the universities are invested in their journey. WhatsApp's engagement metrics prove students respond positively to this approach.
Student expectations have fundamentally changed. They've grown up in a world of instant messaging, video calls, and 24/7 connectivity. When they're making decisions about their education and often investing hundreds of thousands of dollars and relocating across continents, they expect universities to meet them with the same level of responsiveness they get from, everything else in their digital lives.
The question isn't whether to adapt. It's whether the institutions will lead this shift or try and catch up while watching enrolment numbers decline.
The universities that thrive will be those that view communication as something to automate, but as the frontline of student experience. Every ignored WhatsApp message, every delayed email response, every unanswered phone call is a student choosing another institution.
The future of university communications isn't about technology alone, it's about being genuinely present and responsive when students reach out, however they choose to reach out.
If you want more insights like these, download our 2025 State of Student Recruitment Report here.