How Universities Are Using Chatbots to Improve the Student Admissions Process

Artificial intelligence continues to transform the way universities engage with prospective students — and chatbots are a big part of that story.

As expectations for immediate, always-on communication grow, more institutions are turning to chatbot technology to support their admissions teams, streamline processes, and deliver a better applicant experience.

But how do chatbots really work in a higher education context? And how can they help you increase efficiency while maintaining a human connection?

Let’s take a closer look.

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What Is a Chatbot?

A chatbot is a computer programme that simulates conversation with users — typically via a messaging interface like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or a university website. It can answer questions, guide users through processes, and provide timely reminders or updates.

The beauty of a chatbot is that it never sleeps. It can field queries at any time of day or night, supporting prospective students in different time zones or those juggling applications around work or study commitments.

But while chatbots can’t (and shouldn’t) replace human interaction, they can ease the burden on admissions teams by handling repetitive queries and freeing up time for more meaningful one-to-one conversations.

Why Are Chatbots Gaining Popularity in Admissions?

We live in a world of instant answers — and higher education is no exception.

In the lead-up to application deadlines, prospective students have questions. Lots of them. From tuition fees and visa requirements to application portals and accommodation, the volume of enquiries can be overwhelming.

A chatbot can help by:

• Providing instant responses to frequently asked questions.
• Reducing wait times for prospective applicants.
• Offering support 24/7, regardless of location.
• Capturing useful data about applicant behaviours and challenges.
• Supporting multilingual queries with tailored responses.

And the result? A smoother experience for students — and a more manageable workload for your team.

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Real-World Impact: Georgia State University

A great example comes from Georgia State University (GSU), which faced a common challenge: ‘summer melt’ — when accepted students fail to enrol before the academic year begins.

To address this, GSU launched a chatbot named Pounce as part of a trial. The bot provided friendly, conversational support via text message, offering information and answering common queries like:

• “When is my tuition fee due?”
• “How do I upload my ACT scores?”
• “Which parent should I list on my FAFSA?”

The results were remarkable. Over the trial period, Pounce exchanged nearly 200,000 messages with students — and fewer than 1% of those required staff follow-up. The impact was so positive that GSU not only kept the chatbot in place but expanded its use across other stages of the student lifecycle.

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Beyond Admissions: A Broader Role on Campus

While chatbots are a powerful tool for admissions, their potential doesn’t end there.

At Staffordshire University, for instance, the chatbot Beacon acts as a digital coach — helping students stay on track with personalised updates on timetables, reminders, and answers to more than 400 FAQs. It even flags when a student might need extra support.

As Sue Reece, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience), puts it:

“The new app helps us build positive relationships with students and better cater to their needs. Ultimately, we want Beacon to help us provide the best possible experience.”

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What About the Human Touch?

It’s important to acknowledge that technology can’t do everything. Many student conversations need empathy, nuance and context — things that no chatbot, no matter how advanced, can truly replicate.

That’s why the most effective universities take a blended approach — combining automation where it adds value, and prioritising human connection when it matters most.

In practice, that might look like:

• Using chatbots to handle routine queries.
• Routing complex or sensitive questions to a human advisor.
• Offering live chat alongside automated responses.
• Integrating chatbot insights into personalised communications via your CRM.

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The Full Fabric Advantage

At Full Fabric, we help institutions integrate chatbot tools like Intercom and Zendesk with their admissions platform — so that every conversation, automated or not, contributes to a seamless, student-centred experience.

By combining automation with personalisation, you can support applicants more effectively, accelerate enrolment, and build stronger relationships from the very first click.

Ready to explore what chatbot integration could look like for your university? Get in touch with our team — we’d love to chat (in real life or virtually!).