Most research universities bring international graduate students to campus as part of the research effort and recruitment and engagement is typically through those programs.
Undergraduate international students bring cultural diversity to campus, but they are also a source of full-pay tuition. Some universities have very successful programs built on years of international engagement by faculty (Michigan State is one example) or international prominence (Ivy Leagues, Stanford). How can a moderately resourced university recruit international students?
I suggest two ways to consider boosting international enrollment for schools that cannot invest heavily in a broad-based international recruitment program. First, seek unique and impactful interactions that can be specific draws. These may center around a particular world-class program or a faculty member with strong ties to a university in another country. Second, consider a long term partnership with a pathways provider such as InToo or Navitas.
The University of Idaho investigated both possibilities and ultimately settled on Navitas. Navitas provides two related services as part of the partnership. The University of Idaho has benefitted from both.
First, they have a network of 300 recruitment agents in 20 worldwide offices that serve 120 countries. These agents represent many different universities; don’t expect exclusive access. But, you can expect a stream of students whom Navitas directs to your best programs or students who are a good fit for your university. This is just a zero-cost means of extending our reach with a recruitment arm that we could not possibly afford. Of course, effort is required every year on the part of the University and Navitas to ensure that your program is visible to the agents. And, there is a fuzzy line between how these agents recruit students and other agents that students may be working with in their home country.
Second, Navitas provides an on-campus pathways program for students whose English is not yet sufficient for direct study. Once these students are ready to study in the US, they may leave, but many will remain at your institution, having made ties and become familiar with it, perhaps even having taken a few classes already. The University of Idaho receives a small share of the tuition from the pathways program, but all tuition from students enrolled in our own courses.
Since engaging with Navitas, we have seen roughly a doubling of the undergraduate international students entering as freshmen with excellent diversity in terms of countries represented (an all-eggs-in-one-basket approach can be ruinous if reputational or immigration problems arise). Additionally, about ½ of the pathways students matriculate into the University.
Of course, getting the students into your university is just the first step. Ensuring that they are supported personally and culturally is important to sustained success. A good deal of that support will come from an international student office, which must be established and resourced. Without pandering to the students, a concierge model is quite important. Among the personal steps we have taken are engaging with student clubs and events like Africa night, Nepali night, etc. Our experience is that international students are very appreciative of presidential engagement with their culture. We have also participated in a friendship families program in which students are “fostered” by community members. Of course, none of these engagements can substitute for academic excellence and genuine support and value.