Application deadlines are super important during the university application process. Ensuring that prospective students know when to apply is crucial, because missing a deadline can mean losing out on incredibly talented students who have excellent potential.
Communicating these deadlines clearly and frequently will help students plan their applications and will ensure your university receives quality applications on time.
If you’re unsure of how to communicate your application deadline clearly, we’ve produced some tips and tricks on how to keep your messaging obvious and consistent.
The key to keeping your prospective students informed of any deadlines is to communicate them early and often. Don’t leave it a week before the deadline to let people know. Set a plan of when to send emails and social media posts, then communicate the deadline much more frequently the closer it gets. For example, communicate your deadline:
Ensure your messaging always contains the deadline date (and double check every email and post to make sure the date is accurate!). There’s no need to be fancy with catchy captions and invigorating content, the sole purpose of the communication is to make sure your prospective students know the deadline date – so concentrate on getting that right first.
An excellent way to ensure your prospective students open emails from you is to personalise the subject line. Giving your communications a personal touch will increase the likelihood they open the email and read the information inside containing the application deadline. Try adding their first name to the subject line to increase your open rate.
You should let your applicants know that missing the deadline can have serious consequences for their choices. Let them know that missing the deadline can result in:
The best way to stop applicants panicking and rushing their applications is to offer support and resources on the application process. You could arrange application workshops and webinars to walk through the university application process, create an FAQ or blog page that goes through step-by-step what a university is looking for in an application, or even set up a dedicated helpline or live chat tool where applicants can ask you questions directly.
Once a student has sent you their application, you should send a confirmation email to let them know you have received it and will process it. You should also communicate timeframes for when they should expect to hear back from you.
If you receive any late applications, you should encourage the applicant to apply for other similar courses too so that their chances of being accepted are increased.
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