By Ed Hall, Qualification Check CEO, 08 April 2025
International student recruitment in the UK is undergoing a seismic shift.
It’s what many of our clients believe, and it’s certainly backed up by recent industry news, highlighting how institutions are scaling back spending on agent aggregators and digital recruitment platforms, mirroring a wider trend driven by budget constraints on international recruitment.
For those who act now, this presents an opportunity to lead.
And with macroeconomic factors in flux, driven in part by rising protectionist policies and growing uncertainty about its effects on global immigration patterns, universities are facing heightened challenges in international student recruitment and financial planning.
So what can universities do to be resourceful, plan ahead and drive things in a new direction?
At Qualification Check, we think that this can be achieved by ensuring institutions are attracting the highest quality students who are already set up for success.
How? With a long-term recruitment strategy overhaul focussed on improving the student experience and capturing the best talent.
The result? Higher conversion rates as applicants progress through the admissions funnel.
By making this change, university leaders can make better use of the resources at their disposal and create a more sustainable, long-term recruitment strategy.
The Quality Test: What Universities Are Saying
Many institutions that have already prioritised quality over quantity in recruitment are seeing significant benefits.
Fiona Guernaoui, Director of Visa Compliance, at the University of Law, said recently, ‘Partnering with Qualification Check in early 2024 has boosted our confidence in applicant quality while saving time and resources. We’ve seen tremendous value in their academic verification services, which can be customised to target the markets where fraud risk is highest.’
Indeed, driving up applicant quality as well as guaranteeing compliance is a big part of what makes Qualification Check powerful – giving a smooth and consistent experience to genuine applicants, while deterring and detecting fraudulent applicants in the process.
For universities, top quality student talent means higher retention rates, better academic performance and a smoother integration into university life.
The Agent Surprise: Why Quality Wins
Our clients have also found that introducing more stringent academic verification methods into their international admissions processes has helped, rather than hindered, their recruitment efforts.
Sometimes we have to overcome an assumption that agents, applicants and recruitment teams will respond negatively to additional steps and further checks in international admissions. However, our partners have discovered that a more streamlined and transparent process fosters trust and confidence among all parties involved.
And with a global turnaround town of less than 5 days, our verification solutions are generally much quicker than existing manual verification methods
Samantha Matthews, Head of Admissions at the University of Westminster, said, ‘We actually saw really good feedback from our international team and agents, which we were quite surprised about initially.’
John Fairhurst, CEO and Principal at Bloomsbury Institute London, added, ‘I met with one of our biggest agents recently, who recruits to other universities. We put on the CAS application that we do the qualification and the English language verification, and we’ve not had a single visa refusal or call to interview for our most recent intake, unlike the other universities the agent recruits to.
‘The feedback was that although it’s an additional step, the end result is a very smooth journey for the applicant in terms of getting the visa approved.’
Keeping It Real: Verification as a Fraud Deterrent
Just like CCTV and car alarms, completing checks through Qualification Check is a natural deterrent for non-genuine applicants. This is the most commonly overlooked benefit of being crystal clear that all applicants must undergo compulsory credential checks as a standard part of enrolment.
On this topic, John Fairhurst, said, ‘When we started working with QC, we were looking for a product where the applicant knew we were going to do a verification of the qualification. Part of it was for this deterrent effect, as well as a verification.’
This proactive approach reduces time and resources spent processing fraudulent applications, allowing teams to focus on serious candidates who are committed to studying. In an era where visa integrity and compliance are under intense scrutiny, institutions that adopt strong verification processes position themselves as trusted, responsible educators in the global landscape.
Experience Matters: Putting Applicants First
Recruitment budgets are often poured into attracting overseas cohorts, sometimes without a clear strategy and with high attrition further down the funnel. For universities cutting back on spending, the applicant experience should be just as much of a priority for recruitment as the outreach itself. Our university clients, some of whom were initially skeptical, tell us time and time again that they could never go back to laboriously checking qualifications manually.
With industry-leading turnaround times, a structured, standardised approach to verification from QC can remove the guesswork and anxiety from the process, for both the team handling the verifications and the high volume of applicants awaiting their outcomes.
It also ensures applicants gain control over their documentation and have clear visibility into the next steps, cutting out unnecessary delays and providing a smoother route to kickstarting the next chapter of their education journeys.
As recent Qualification Check applicant Saleem Mahilla put it, ‘The process of verifying my qualifications was incredibly straightforward and user-friendly. What truly impressed me was the speed—everything was completed within 24 hours! This level of efficiency and reliability is rare.’
The Secret Sauce? Going Back to the Source
One area where universities cannot afford to cut corners is compliance. At QC, primary source verification is the failsafe method we always use to ensure our institution’s partners only admit students whose qualifications are genuine and valid. This is particularly crucial for adherence to UKVI regulations and maintaining an institution’s trusted status, backed up by a full audit trail.
Beyond risk mitigation, this approach also brings efficiency to admissions teams, helping them process applications faster, at a lower cost and with greater confidence.
Better alignment with Admissions: the future of recruitment?
As the landscape of international recruitment evolves, universities need solutions that not only address immediate challenges but also create long-term value. Verification should be seen as more than just a compliance measure, it’s an investment in students, institutional reputation, and operational efficiency.
The I’m Verified Wallet is one such innovation that empowers students by giving them control over their verified academic records throughout their careers. Universities that adopt this approach enhance their appeal to students and alumni, offering a lifelong benefit that extends beyond enrolment.
At the same time, institutions need deeper insights to make informed strategic decisions. QC Insights, a new analytics tool in development, will equip admissions and recruitment teams with industry benchmarking and data intelligence. By leveraging real-time verification data, universities can allocate resources more effectively, focus on high-quality recruitment channels, and improve overall enrolment strategies. Smarter verification leads to smarter recruitment, ensuring universities remain competitive and resilient in a shifting global landscape.
Final Thoughts: Quality Over Quantity
The days of high-volume recruitment without sufficient quality control are coming to an end. Universities that prioritise applicant quality, compliance, and experience will see the long-term benefits, in student success, institutional reputation, and financial sustainability.
By embedding robust verification into the recruitment and admissions process, universities can future-proof their international recruitment strategies, ensuring they attract the right students while maintaining efficiency, compliance, and trust across the entire process. Especially in these financially trying times.
At Qualification Check, we’re proud to help universities lead the shift from volume to value. To find out more about how we can support your strategy, get in touch to find out more.
