How postgraduate students choose a University
Currently there are over half a million postgraduate students in the UK. But what do postgraduate students specifically look for when choosing a university? Many prioritise academic reputation and research opportunities, as these factors significantly impact their future career prospects. Additionally, students’ university selection criteria often include access to resources, such as libraries and laboratories, as well as the availability of funding for their studies. Finally, the location and cost of living can also play a crucial role in their decision-making process.
In a recent blog post, we focussed on what prospective undergraduates look for in a university, finding that employability came out on top as the most important deciding factor – ahead of student experience, teaching, research and cost (cost, incidentally, was placed last).
For postgraduates, the prioritisation of these elements varies somewhat, and this is fuelled by differing motivations for postgraduates. That’s why before we consider what graduates look for from a University, it’s important to reflect on why people choose to embark on postgraduate study:
- Seeking to further their knowledge, professional expertise and skills
- Potential Masters students may look to develop research skills initially through a Masters with a view to embark on a PhD afterward
- To boost their chances of employment in a chosen field and separate themselves from the competition
- To experience a life at a different university (abroad for overseas students).
You’ll notice above that we’ve highlighted some keywords that give away some insight into cues that will resonate with students across all marketing platforms (social media, website, printed marketing materials, open days, testimonials, presentations, video, advertising, paid search – to name just a few).
From this, we can draw some conclusions about what postgraduate students might look for in a university (and add other relevant decision-making criteria that make their way into all consumer decisions, such as price). Factors such as academic reputation, available resources, and networking opportunities often figure prominently in their decision-making process. Additionally, what students prioritise in universities may include support services, such as mental health resources or career counseling, which can significantly impact their overall experience. Understanding these preferences helps institutions tailor their offerings to attract and retain postgraduate students.
- Knowledge: Course content, quality / reputation, innovative facilities to enhance learning experience
With the furthering of knowledge a driver for all postgraduates – whether for those intending to remain in academia and do another Masters or PhD or for those intending to return to work – it is vital to emphasise how your course and institution will best prepare this student for the future through both the course and university environment.
For example, what innovative facilities or unique partnerships does your university have that will help your prospective student build their knowledge while on your course? What is unique about the course itself? How does your teaching stand out? How does this relate to their future?
Ensure your communications answer these points.
- Research: Research facilities, research investment, research-relevant partnerships and academic reputation
Prospective postgraduates will undoubtedly pay attention to your university’s research reputation. If you’re not at the top of the league tables when it comes to research investment, be sure to highlight course-relevant research partnerships, achievements and facilities that make your institution stand out (for example partnerships or research facilities only accessible to postgraduate students).
This information is sure to pique the interest of prospective postgraduate students – whether they are looking to boost their employment prospects or continue their research at your institution.
- Employment: Employment prospects and industry partnerships
For those looking to further their education in the hope of improving their employment prospects, be sure to highlight the employability of your institution as a whole as well as the employability of your postgraduates once they complete their study. Again, highlighting partnerships that could provide employment experience and opportunities in addition to testimonials from postgraduate alumni who have found employment will all help tick the boxes of prospective students.
- Experience: Location, campus setting, campus facilities (general and academic), student satisfaction ratings, diversity
Particularly for international students (or for students seeking postgraduate study at an institution which was not their chosen undergraduate university), highlighting the USPs of the local area, city and campus is key in order to educate prospective students about the type of lifestyle they can expect to have while studying at your institution. This is particularly important to communicate to international students or to those seeking to undertake a PhD, as even full-time this will take many years to complete.
- Cost: Fees, bursaries and grants
As with all purchase decisions, cost plays a factor in postgraduate decisions. In fact, perhaps much more so than with undergraduates.
Fees and opportunities for grants and bursaries should clearly be communicated to those searching for postgraduate study.
A personal approach that communicates the decision-making criteria:
If your postgraduate recruitment numbers are lagging behind projections, then a miss-match between your ranking priorities and what’s actually important to prospective postgraduate students might be why.
Rather than treat your prospective students the same and thrusting the same marketing messages under their noses, it’s important to tailor the messaging to ensure you are highlighting the aspects of your institution that will resonate most and set it apart from others that the student may be considering.
According to Which?, when asked whether prospective students could easily find the information they were looking for to inform their decision-making, 58% of students said they could (but this means an alarming 42% could not!). Of those who could not, the areas where they needed more information were employment prospects (35%), extra-curricular activities (32%), course structure (30%) and accommodation (27%).
Be found!
Many universities might think that their location is known to prospective applicants (the clue is often in the name after all!), but what’s common knowledge to your institution and its marketing team, might not be to your applicants, as these Google search terms show:
Additionally, make sure that your institution appears for relevant search results online.
Most initial research into postgraduate studies starts online so consider which search terms you would like your institution or course to appear for. For example, targeting audiences by bidding on search terms and locations, or for terms that include date ranges (particularly if you are trying to fill last-minute places on courses that start at a particular time of year such as January) can boost applications at key times of the year and on particular courses.
In addition, you can also combine location information with search term queries. Appearing first for those within 30 miles of your institution that are searching for ‘postgraduate courses in mental health nursing’ would be one example of this:
If students don’t know about your institution or course options, they cannot apply for your course. Make sure that students can find your institution and that you appear for keyword searches like the above search example.
At AlphaGraphics, we specialise in helping higher education institutions deliver data-driven, automated marketing campaigns to improve student recruitment. To find out more, visit: https://education.alphagraphics.co.uk/about-us/
