Reaching International Students: Why Two-Way Conversations Matter More Than Ever

At US-based colleges and universities, another busy academic year is drawing to a close. But far from taking a breather in advance of the languid pace of a recuperative summer vacation, these institutions—and the international student populations they serve—are finding themselves unwittingly in the crosshairs of complex geopolitical dynamics.

Friction between the US government and elite institutions has put foreign students’ continued attendance at many schools, both high-profile and lesser-known, in limbo, creating a host of challenges both for the imperiled students and the institutions themselves.

The reality is that, for many US colleges and universities, a decline in international student enrollment presents an outright existential threat. Universities are heavily reliant on international students’ financial contributions to ensure their fiscal stability, particularly as these students often pay tuition in full (as they are ineligible for federal or state aid or grants reserved for US citizens). 

But in addition to their tuition payments, the presence of international students benefits their schools’ constituent communities at large: Last year alone, 1.1 million international students in the US contributed nearly $44 billion to the US economy, creating some 378,000 jobs.

Beyond the loss of their academic or research contributions, which are themselves considerable, a precipitous decline in international student enrollment would be a massive economic blow for host institutions and their communities at large.

Students Thrown into Limbo

All this is to say nothing of the turmoil faced by international students. Visa delays or cancellations, rapidly shifting enrollment policies, and—broadly—geopolitical tensions have created an environment of anxiety and upheaval for international students in the US, many of whom are now reeling from the uncertainty of being unsure where they will be able to study this fall. 

Ever-present competition from Canadian and UK-based schools, as well as those in Asia-Pacific, has now translated into peer schools in other nations rushing to fill the vacuum for the US’s embattled international students, many of whom still fervently hope to return to their US schools.

So, what can universities do in this confusing time? At the geopolitical level, admittedly, not much—but for students upended by the storm, clear and consistent communication can offer a beacon of stability.

Meeting Students Where They Are

While once university students expected to receive communication from their schools by email or, even further back, by voice messages, today’s students expect to hear important university updates and information the same way they talk with everyone else—through messaging apps.

Inarguably, the most popular of these is WhatsApp, with 2 billion monthly active users (and 2.95 billion users globally). WhatsApp is system agnostic (usable on Apple, Android, or any other smartphones) and allows users to communicate via wifi, without data or coverage fees. Messages are encrypted for security and privacy.

Consequently, WhatsApp is the dominant messaging channel in some 63 countries, many of which are sending their students to study in the US. Now, colleges and universities are strategically leveraging WhatsApp as a communication platform to share critical information with their students, irrespective of where they may be in the world.

One example of this trend: Mongoose WhatsApp (part of our Conversation Hub) allows institutions to send timely, secure, two-way messages to prospective and current international students.

Studies show that 80% of these messages are seen within 5 minutes, with 58% receiving a reply in one minute, allowing students to receive the information they need the moment they need it and act accordingly.

Best Practices for Student Messaging

Colleges and universities can leverage Mongoose WhatsApp at every stage of international students’ academic journeys:

Before Arrival

Admissions personnel can use WhatsApp to ensure that prospective students understand application requirements and steps, submit materials on time, navigate visa processes, and above all, feel supported from afar, with someone to easily reach out to whenever there are questions or concerns.

After Arrival

Universities’ student success and student engagement personnel can communicate with international students via WhatsApp to offer orientation reminders, mental health check-ins, academic support, deadline notifications, and news about everything from school events to policy changes—driving student engagement and retention by giving international students the information they need, the moment it is available.

Crucially, emotionally positive conversations punch well above the weight of neutral ones, yielding 86% re-engagement and high rates of resolution; conversely, neutral conversations often result in drop-off and unresolved issues. Two-way messaging is most powerful when messages feature empathetic, supportive, positive tones, encouraging real connection and engagement.

Using Mongoose for International Student Support

Mongoose’s platform is unique due to its multi-channel capabilities, combining text, chat, and WhatsApp—in doing so, allowing teams to meet students where they are and route conversations intelligently.

Key benefits include Smart Messages, shared inboxes, scheduled messages, templates in multiple languages, performance tracking, and integration with CRMs.

With Mongoose’s platform, students are able to receive clear, timely communication in multiple languages, while university personnel are able to stay organized and on top of student messaging in one consolidated stack.

The Case for Action

International students are a vital force within many colleges and universities. Maintaining clear, personal, consistent two-way communication with them is not only a crucial lever in maintaining enrollment throughout a complex, evolving situation; it is also the welcoming, reassuring, and empathetic posture these talented and hard-working students deserve from their chosen schools.

With Mongoose, higher education institutions can find a trusted, student-centered communication partner for navigating global enrollment headwinds. It offers a broad menu of tools for global student outreach and international student support, facilitating proven gains in enrollment, engagement, and student retention.

Mongoose is the only Conversation Intelligence Platform purpose-built for higher ed that helps institutions personalize outreach, detect sentiment, and adapt messaging at scale.

Even in a climate of greater stability, communication with international students must remain a priority, and universities that address the challenge strategically, with state-of-the-art tools and a personal touch, will be better positioned to recruit and retain talented students from all over the world.

To learn more about how Mongoose can help connect with and support your students—internationally, and at home— book a demo with us today.

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