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From enquiry to enrolment: Why the student experience matters more than ever
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29 October 2026
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From enquiry to enrolment: Why the student experience matters more than ever
For universities competing to attract and enrol students, generating enquiries is only the beginning. How institutions engage with prospective students throughout their decision-making journey can be just as important as attracting their initial interest.
Today's students expect timely answers, personalised guidance and consistent communication. With more universities competing for their attention, meeting these expectations is becoming increasingly important for successful student recruitment.
So, how can universities improve enquiry-to-enrolment conversion while delivering the individual support students expect?
Why student engagement matters for university recruitment
Prospective students have more choices than ever, and universities cannot assume that an initial enquiry will translate into an application or enrolment.
According to the QS International Student Survey (ISS) 2026, 63% of prospective students are choosing between three or more higher education institutions. Universities must maintain meaningful relationships with prospective students throughout a decision-making process that can span several months.
The quality of communication also shapes how students perceive an institution, as the QS ISS 2026 reveals that 40% of prospective students consider quick responses to enquiries an indicator of high-quality teaching. This suggests that student engagement is more than an administrative function, and can influence perceptions of institutional quality before a student has even submitted an application.
Improving conversion therefore requires more than increasing enquiry volumes, but additionally ensuring prospective students receive the information, reassurance and support they need to make confident decisions.
What do prospective students expect from universities?
Speed and personalisation are important components of the student recruitment experience. The QS ISS 2026 highlights several expectations shaping how prospective students engage with universities:
- 61% expect a complete, personalised response within three days.
- 27% expect a response within 24 hours.
- 81% prefer communicating with universities by email.
- 44% want to communicate through WhatsApp.
- 71% rely on official university websites when researching institutions.
These findings highlight the importance of delivering responsive, accessible and reliable communication across multiple channels, but responding quickly is only one part of the challenge.
A student exploring course options may need different information from someone who has already received an offer. Similarly, international applicants may require guidance on accommodation, visas or financial considerations before committing to a university.
Effective student enquiry management must therefore recognise where each student is in their journey and provide relevant support accordingly.
How can universities improve enquiry-to-enrolment conversion?
Improving student conversion requires consistent engagement throughout the recruitment journey, rather than focusing solely on generating enquiries.
Universities can strengthen their approach by:
- Responding promptly to enquiries: Providing timely, accurate information to address uncertainty and maintain student interest.
- Personalising follow-up communications: Sharing relevant guidance based on students' interests, needs and application stages.
- Using student engagement data: Identifying where additional support is needed and prioritising meaningful interactions.
- Combining technology with human expertise: Managing routine enquiries efficiently while allowing recruitment teams to focus on more complex student needs.
How QS helps universities deliver personalised student engagement at scale
Meeting growing student expectations while managing high enquiry volumes can place significant pressure on university recruitment teams.
Through our Conversion and Enquiry Management services, QS helps universities deliver timely, personalised support throughout the student journey, combining recruitment expertise, human interaction and intelligent technology.
Behind these services is QS Horizon, the AI-enabled technology stack powering QS University Services, including Conversion and Enquiry Management, Admissions and Compliance, and Digital Outreach.
Horizon supports faster, more accurate responses through intelligent enquiry handling, while personalised follow-up helps universities maintain meaningful engagement from initial enquiry to enrolment. Around-the-clock, multilingual support also enables institutions to connect with prospective students across different channels and time zones, providing consistent, university-approved information in their own brand and voice.
Technology plays an important role in supporting recruitment teams, managing routine enquiries and providing insights that allow specialists to focus on more personalised guidance. By combining AI with human expertise, universities can deliver responsive student experiences at scale while maintaining meaningful connections throughout the recruitment journey.
Turning better student experiences into recruitment outcomes
The value of effective student engagement extends beyond faster response times – it can also support stronger recruitment performance.
QS University Services supported 75,000 student enrolments in 2025, demonstrating the scale of its recruitment operations. Its global team of more than 230 University Services specialists combines recruitment knowledge with technology-enabled support to help institutions engage prospective students across markets.
For the University of Exeter, working with QS has helped complement its international student conversion activities, providing greater flexibility and responsiveness across different recruitment markets.
As Victoria Isherwood, Director for Global Recruitment, Admissions and Marketing at the University of Exeter, explains:
"The response time because you've got those global teams for inquiries is extremely fast and as we all know that's what students want nowadays."
As student expectations evolve, universities have an opportunity to rethink how they manage the journey from initial interest to enrolment. The priority is to make every interaction more useful, relevant and reassuring.
