High school college fairs have always been a crucial part of student recruitment strategies for universities. In-person and virtual college fairs help universities promote their programs, answer questions, and build relationships with high school students.
With the right approach, university recruitment advisors can leverage these fairs to attract prospective international students while strengthening their institution’s global presence.
This guide provides practical college fair tips for universities looking to recruit international students for undergraduate programs. We’ll show you how to approach college fairs strategically, optimize your university’s visibility, and convert leads into applications.
How to Leverage College Fairs in Your Undergraduate Recruitment Strategy
Key Takeaways
Successful participation in university fairs involves everything from pre-fair prep to post-fair engagement.
- Set Your University Apart: Highlight what distinguishes your institution—be it specialized courses, internship options, a lively campus, or robust alumni connections
- Emphasize Personalization: Students appreciate engagements that seem customized to their unique requirements instead of standard offers
- Utilize Data Effectively: Gather contact details at the fair and do focused follow-ups aligned with particular interests shown by students
Select the Most Suitable College Fairs
Not all high school college fairs are the same; ensure you pick the right ones to maximize your chances of reaching your student recruitment goals. Consider aspects like:
- The target region and student demographics
- Success stories and statistics of past attendees
- The curriculum followed by participating schools
- Whether it helps you meet new schools you haven’t engaged with before
- The resources required—is a local partner helping organize travel and other logistics, for instance, reducing the strain on you and your team
Decide Your Goals and Success Metrics for College Fairs
Clear success criteria for your high school recruitment campaign will help you evaluate outcomes more effectively. Here are some possible KPIs you could consider for the college fairs you’re attending:
- Number of students engaged
- Number of leads received
- Social media engagement achieved
- Conversion rates from lead to application submission
Did You Know: Participating in Cialfo’s International High School Tours can increase awareness for your institution by 300% or more!
Craft Your Pitch to Attract Prospective Students
Design a compelling narrative about your university that gains—and retains—interest from students and parents.
We’d recommend these, apart from the usual admissions information:
- Unique programs and offerings that make your institution stand out
- Career paths and opportunities
- Scholarships and financial aid options
- Success stories of alumni
- ‘Day in the life’ content from present students
Here’s a helpful tip from a member of Cialfo’s global student community.
“It would be really helpful for students if they can listen to the reviews and advice or any tips from the current students about things like residential life, the overall atmosphere of the school, the classes that they’re involved in and the life in the city.“
Cialfo Student, Grade 11, South Korea
Explore Tip: Create an elevator pitch of 3-4 sentences, covering your USPs and a couple of student success examples.
Customize Your Marketing Materials
Tailor your approach to the format of the university fair.
Got a virtual booth? Create interactive multimedia content to inform and engage your audience.
Attending an in-person fair? Carry along printed materials, but add QR codes that’ll help students access online resources even after the fair.
Plus, fun visual content like campus images and videos is always appreciated by students and parents looking to understand your offerings better.
Explore Tip: Students like to see more inclusive content featuring people they can identify with.
During the College Fair: Maximizing Student Engagement
Now, let’s come to the actual fair and how you can make the most of your attendance.
Get That First Impression Right
First things first: create a warm, welcoming environment for attending students and parents. A simple, “What’s your favorite subject?” can help break the ice.
Start the conversation with open-ended questions, and tailor your own responses to show how your university aligns with their aspirations.
Explore Tip: Focus on what students are looking for: the unique value beyond the basic program details. Talk about the USPs of your university or program, such as internships, scholarships, and career opportunities. Help them see how they will benefit from engaging with your university.
Keep your university on top of their minds using the power of storytelling. Videos and testimonials from students and alumni can work well here if they can’t join you in person.
“A successful high school fair isn’t just about sharing facts—it’s about helping students picture themselves at your university. First-time reps should focus on making students feel heard and connected. Ask them about their ambitions, share stories of current students with similar backgrounds, and highlight what makes your community welcoming. Finally, don’t let the conversation end at the fair—follow up with personalised emails or resources that help them take the next step.”
Ciara Newby, Senior Director, University Partnerships, Cialfo
Keep it Interactive
With a large pool of higher ed institutions vying for students’ attention, you need creative strategies to keep them interested.
Here are some tips you could consider—adapt them to the format of the college fair:
- Interactive and virtual campus tours
- Fun activities like scavenger hunts, games, and contests
- Cool giveaways and branded swag
- Photo booths or photo contests with event-specific hashtags
Collect Information Digitally
You’ll be speaking with a lot of students during the fair, and taking their details for further engagement. The last thing you want is a notebook full of details which you then have to transfer to your database.
Instead, make things easier for yourself (and avoid potential typos) by using digital solutions, such as online forms. You would also want to take WhatsApp and WeChat details in India and China, respectively.
During Cialfo’s International High School Fairs, university partners just scan students’ QR codes to receive each student’s information as a Connection (lead) in their Explore dashboard.
Post-Fair Strategies to Meet Enrollment Goals
Capitalize on your interaction with interested students after the fair and throughout the college application process.
Send Personalized Follow-Ups
After the college fair, send tailored thank you notes to attendees, offering specific information relevant to the program they showed interest in. Include links to extra resources and guides, invites to exclusive preview days, or virtual campus tours.
Here’s a helpful email template to get you started quickly.
You could also include a brief video greeting from current students or faculty inviting potential students to submit their university applications.
Explore Tip: Universities participating in Cialfo’s International High School Tours receive all leads directly in the Explore platform. Just download and engage!
Keep the Momentum Going
To sustain the interest generated, invite students to:
- Join online ask-me-anything sessions with faculty and students
- Attend live Q&As with admission teams to clarify doubts
- Follow your social media channels to stay updated
If you have a student applicants’ community or enrollment marketing newsletter, you can also encourage college fair attendees to sign up for them.
Explore Tip: Remember, you are competing with other universities and destinations for students’ attention. If you don’t engage promptly, other universities certainly will.
Use Feedback and Data to Adapt Your Approach
Analyzing data from student fairs can help you sharpen your student engagement strategies.
Besides measuring KPIs, you can also take qualitative inputs from schools and students. Ask them what they liked best and what you can do better, and use the insight to enhance your offering and message.
Reach Your Right-Fit Students Efficiently With Explore by Cialfo
College fairs are the perfect opportunity for university recruitment teams to engage with high school students in their college planning stage.
By adopting the approaches listed above, you can ensure that your university stands out in the minds of prospective undergraduate students long after the college fair concludes.
Platforms like Explore by Cialfo can be a strategic university marketing partner in this process, helping you reach qualified and engaged international students worldwide. Check out the highlights from our last India tour or see the feedback from our fall tour in China.
“We were really impressed that the Cialfo IHST wasn’t just brand offerings, but fantastic people I had the pleasure of meeting. Do keep up the good work“.
Nigel Lee, Staffordshire University
Looking to expand your university’s reach? Register your interest to learn more about our high school tours.
