Top ten mistakes international admissions offices are making

International offices at institutions across Canada often face common challenges including short staffing, lack of resources, and organizational barriers, and these issues lead offices to make similar mistakes. Despite international education practitioners’ best intentions to support international students, all too often office structures, policies, and strategies are not set up in a way to best serve students.

In our latest report, we look at 10 of the most common mistakes international offices are making in the areas of admissions, recruitment and marketing, and strategy & operations. We examine the reasons why offices get caught up in making these mistakes, and offer solutions on how to avoid making them in the future.

Mistakes and proposed solutions discussed in the report include:

• Mistake #2: Complicated, expensive, and time-consuming admissions procedures

Proposed solutions: Reexamine fee policy and waiver process, simplify and streamline procedures, go digital

• Mistake #4: Using a one-size-fits-all marketing approach

Proposed solutions: Use country-specific social media channels, translate content, work with local partners

• Mistake #7: Relying on gut feelings and past experience instead of data to guide recruitment strategies

Proposed solutions: Use multiple data sources, seek assistance from other departments, dedicate adequate time for strategy planning

This report will help you to step back and examine your institution’s recruitment and admissions policies and procedures from the eyes of a student and identify practical ways to implement change.