Interstride Research Shows International Students Want More Information and Support During the Admissions Process

SAN FRANCISCO, September 28, 2022 (Newswire.com) - Many international students applying to study in the United States want more complete information from colleges and universities on financing, employment opportunities, and career outcomes. 

This fact was a key finding from research published by Interstride, a technology platform that helps universities and colleges attract and retain international students at over 150 U.S. higher-ed institutions. The survey received responses from 467 international students from 77 countries. 

International applicants face unique challenges during the admissions process, especially when choosing the right institution, financing their education, and navigating the immigration landscape. While applicants largely rely on university websites and rankings for support, many are unsatisfied with the information, which would have influenced their choice of institution. 

Most U.S. colleges reported increasing numbers of international student applicants for the coming academic year, recovering from COVID despite the overall decline in international enrollment. 

"We know that international students face unique challenges as students and new graduates," Interstride CEO Nitin Agrawal said. "We wanted to know what international students' admissions experience is like, what can be improved, and how we can help admissions teams better engage them during this crucial time." 

Agrawal said that admissions teams must focus on supporting and engaging prospective international students. Recommendations include: 

• Understand the challenges international students face and proactively offer guidance throughout the process.
• Leverage students' reliance on university websites by making them more interactive and informative.
• Better facilitate conversations and connections between students and the university's international community.

Interstride embarked on the research to learn more about international students' admissions experience, as it is launching a new portal for admissions teams to support international students. Interstride for Admissions will launch in the fall of 2022, which allows admissions teams to engage prospects by connecting them with existing students, offering personalized content, and showing metrics on student engagement.

Read the research here and learn more about Interstride for Admissions here. 

About Interstride

Interstride is one of the fastest-growing higher education technology platforms in the U.S. Interstride helps universities and colleges attract and retain international students. Interstride's end-to-end admissions and career platform for higher-ed institutions guides and empowers international students in their education, career, and immigration journey.

Source: Interstride