Email marketing for higher education is a valuable tool for connecting with prospective students, current students, alumni, and stakeholders.
A well-crafted email marketing strategy builds long-term relationships, strengthens engagement, and enhances communication across the academic community.
From a business perspective, email marketing can influence enrollment rates, improve student retention, and increase alumni donations by delivering tailored content that resonates with each audience. Unlike other marketing channels, email marketing is direct and measurable, making it easy to analyze how your audience interacts with your business.
In this guide, you’ll discover the benefits of email marketing for educational institutions and examples of successful campaigns. You’ll also learn the steps and best practices of launching your own campaigns.
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The importance of email marketing in higher education
The importance of higher education email marketing lies in its ability to deliver personalized messages at scale. Whether for admissions, campus events, or alumni outreach, it ensures institutions stay connected with their community.
Here’s how email marketing is helpful for universities:
Personalized communication with prospective and current students: Email marketing allows you to communicate with prospective or current students, their families, and alumni on a personal level. This advantage of email marketing helps build meaningful relationships over time.
Cost-effective compared to other marketing channels:Like every business, higher educational institutions continually look for ways to reduce costs. Fortunately, email marketing can help. In fact, according to multiple studies, the average ROI for email marketing ranges from $36 to $40 ($68 for Omnisend) for each dollar spent — the highest of any digital marketing channel.
Build and maintain long-term relationships with alumni: Institutions can keep alumni engaged and involved in the school community through regular updates, newsletters, and event invitations. This ongoing connection often leads to increased donations, mentorship opportunities, and stronger networking possibilities for current students.
Enhance admission campaigns and event promotions: Email marketing for educational institutions improves enrollment and admission rates. It allows them to show what makes them unique, offer virtual tours, answer frequently asked questions, or simply ask for admission and more. This can build a positive brand image with prospective students.
The admission email by The Woods Academy details the simple next steps in the admission process. It also allows the users to submit an online application form or to schedule a tour:
The best college marketing campaigns showcase creativity, strategy, and a deep understanding of their target audience. Below are three higher education email marketing campaigns you can use as inspiration:
Arizona State University: Admission/enrollment
The admission email is often the first contact prospective students have with your school or university. So, it needs to be informative, friendly, and inviting.
That’s exactly what Arizona State University (ASU) did in this email below. It starts with an upbeat tone and connects summertime with the start of senior year. Then, the email proceeds to inform the reader about what they can do to apply for ASU. This encourages the reader to sign up for the program and eventually increases the chances of enrolling in the university.
ASU signs off the email by including a university contact person so prospective students know who to reach out to for follow-ups or questions:
Financial aid statistics show that 87.3% of first-time, first-year undergraduate students receive some level of financial aid. If your institution offers financial programs, you must provide accurate information on how prospective students can apply.
When writing financial aid information emails, you must maintain a high level of professionalism while creating a warm, friendly tone to make the reader feel supported.
The email marketing team at Oregon College shows a strong example of this strategy. It keeps the subject matter serious while playing to a Halloween theme:
Image via Really Good Emails
Case Western Reserve University: Alumni outreach
Higher educational institutions need alumni for financial help, mentorship, or industry connections. That said, creating the right message is key to encouraging them to take time out of their busy lives and get involved.
With a well-planned higher education email marketing campaign, you can create compelling emails that inspire alumni to stay connected and contribute in meaningful ways.
This is evident in this outreach email from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU):
What makes it so effective is that right from the email subject line, it comes across as a suggestion rather than a request. However, it contains enough powerful words and phrases to convince the reader.
Additionally, it gives the reader enough information to help them quickly decide.
Alumni emails should inform your reader rather than just requesting support. A carefully nurtured relationship will increase the chances of a positive response.
How to create effective email marketing campaigns for higher education
Crafting an effective email marketing campaign for higher education doesn’t differ much from business email marketing campaigns. However, it does have a deeper focus on building a community and sharing valuable information rather than just acquiring leads.
Follow these steps to design an education email marketing campaign:
1. Define your campaign goals
Like any other marketing campaign, higher education email marketing campaigns need to be geared toward a goal. It might be to increase the enrollment rate, encourage student participation in college events, or cultivate alumni relationships.
Setting goals also helps you determine the KPIs (key performance indicators) to measure progress.
For example, if your goal is to increase the enrollment rate, track KPIs like application completion rates, student conversion metrics, and year-over-year enrollment growth percentages.
2. Establish your target audience
Determining your target audience is easy when it comes to email marketing for higher education. They can be prospective students and their parents, current students, or alumni.
After identifying your target group, you must understand their needs and challenges. This can help you create emails that resonate with them and, in turn, increase the likelihood that they will engage with your content.
3. Build your email list
Campus tours, college fairs, signup forms, and your website are traditional ways to collect emails for your list.
A modern approach is to offer downloadable content as a lead magnet. For instance, the latest edition of the university’s magazine or a detailed academic brochure — in exchange for the prospect’s email address.
Whichever method you choose, ensure you gain permission to add their name to your mailing list. This not only prevents legal issues but also ensures you’re sending emails to people who want to hear from you.
This step is important because some email marketing software for universities charges per email sent.
4. Segment your audience
Email marketing segmentation involves dividing your email list into targeted groups of personas. This enables you to send emails to different audiences based on their interests, behaviors, or other criteria.
Segmentation also improves open rates. According to Omnisend research, segmented campaigns can earn you a 34.7% higher open rate than bulk email campaigns.
You can segment your education email marketing list based on the following:
Academic area of interest
Extracurricular activities
Age
Location
Behavior
Where they are in the enrollment journey
An email marketing solution like Omnisend streamlines the segmentation. Its segmentation feature is easy to use and gives you plenty of options to zero in on your target audience.
You can mix and match different rules to define broad audience groups and then refine them further with filters based on behavior, demographics, or engagement history. This ensures your message reaches the right people — those most likely to find it relevant and take action.
A classic example of behavioral segmentation is this one by Audible. It will only be sent to the clients who have added this book to their wish list:
The next step in the email marketing for higher education process is to start writing your emails. This will include welcome emails, nurture sequences, promotional content, and event-driven communications.
Keep your email copy short and to the point. In the case of alumni emails, avoid pitching too early. Warm them up with relevant content and valuable insights before making direct requests.
For instance, you can send them emails about university updates, campus events, and student success stories to maintain engagement. Over time, this builds familiarity and trust, making it easier to request their support when needed.
Here are more tips for creating email content that increases engagement:
Crafting eye-catching subject lines: The best email subject lines are clear, concise, and relevant to the recipient. For example, if your email is about admission deadlines, something like “Last chance to apply: Fall semester closes Friday” works.
Using visual content and videos to resonate with younger audiences: Use images, videos, or infographics to complement your message. For example, include images when showcasing the university campus and academic facilities.
Leveraging personalization strategies using student data: Go beyond addressing recipients by their first name. Tailor the content based on interest or past interactions. For example, if a student is into sports, send them: “Hey, (Name), we thought you’d love the upcoming basketball tournament — our team’s looking stronger than ever this year!”
Best email marketing practices for schools and universities
Follow these tips to ensure the success of your higher education email marketing campaign:
Get the timing right: The best time to send emails for college marketing campaigns isn’t set in stone. However, according to Omnisend’s research, the best days to send emails are Tuesday and Friday around 2 PM, 5 PM, or 8 PM. Testing and analyzing your audience’s engagement patterns will help you determine optimal sending windows.
Ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations: Ensure your emails comply with all relevant privacy laws and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the CAN-SPAM Act. This means getting explicit consent before adding anyone to your mailing list, providing clear opt-out options, and being transparent about how you handle personal data.
Test before sending: Run A/B tests on different elements of your emails, from subject lines to call to action buttons. This will help you understand what resonates best with your audience. For example, test which CTA, “Apply Now” or “Start Your Journey,” generates more clicks.
Use a mobile-friendly email design: For a responsive email design, use a single-column layout that adapts smoothly across all screen sizes. For images, use a 16:9 ratio and keep your text concise and scannable for mobile screens.
Here’s how a responsive email design looks on a phone. No text is cropped, and the images are visible:
Marketing automation is the use of software to streamline repetitive marketing work. It makes marketing departments more efficient by automating monotonous tasks like email sending, social media posting, and ad campaigns.
Through marketing automation, brands can also provide a more personalized experience for subscribers.
Universities and colleges can leverage this technology for higher education email campaigns in the following ways:
Welcome email for new applicants: Email automation can trigger a personalized welcome message when a student submits their application. This immediate response helps create a positive first impression and keeps applicants engaged.
Reminder emails for upcoming deadlines: Automatically send timely reminders about application deadlines, document submissions, and payment due dates. This ensures students stay on track and reduces the administrative burden on staff.
Follow-up emails for event attendees: Another good use of automation in email marketing for universities is sending automated follow-up messages after campus events or virtual tours. These emails can include event highlights, additional resources, and next steps for interested students.
Omnisend makes email marketing effortless. As a leading email marketing automation tool for universities, it helps education marketers streamline campaigns through smart automation, precise audience targeting, and data-driven insights.
Its user-friendly platform handles everything from welcome emails and newsletters to personalized student outreach and alumni engagement campaigns.
HubSpot is another email marketing software for universities. It’s an all-in-one platform that combines CRM capabilities with marketing tools, making it great for managing student relationships throughout their journey.
From tracking initial inquiries to monitoring application progress, HubSpot helps universities maintain meaningful connections with prospective students.
Built with simplicity in mind, Constant Contact provides educational institutions with easy-to-use email tools and excellent customer support. Its event management features are useful for universities organizing open houses, orientation sessions, or alumni gatherings.
Why Omnisend is the best choice for higher education email marketing
Below are some reasons why Omnisend is the best email marketing automation tool for higher education:
Streamlined user experience for creating education-specific campaigns: Omnisend’s platform is built for businesses of all sizes. You don’t need to be a tech expert to create stunning email campaigns, as the drag-and-drop editor and pre-built template designs allow you to design professional-looking emails that match your institution’s branding.
Advanced automation for nurturing leads and engaging students: The platform excels at creating automated email sequences. You can set up workflows that guide prospective students from their first inquiry to enrollment. Omnisend can automatically send a personalized welcome series with course details, testimonials, and the next steps for exploring your programs.
Analytics and reporting for data-driven decision-making: Omnisend provides detailed analytics that help you understand what’s working in your email campaigns. You can track key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates for different student segments.
Try Omnisend today and see why it’s the best email marketing service for higher education
How to legally send marketing emails in higher education
Email marketing for schools requires you to follow specific rules to maintain compliance. They include:
GDPR: The General Data Protection Regulation is a European Union law that gives individuals control over their personal data. Companies need explicit consent before collecting data. They must also protect user information. Any violation results in heavy fines.
CAN-SPAM Act: This is a US law that regulates commercial emails. It requires senders to include their physical address, honor opt-out requests within 10 days, and use accurate subject lines. The act also prohibits deceptive email practices and false headers.
FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is a US federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It gives parents and eligible students the right to access their education records and control who can access their information. Schools are also required to gain permission before sharing student data.
Tips to ensure ethical and legal email practices
Gaining explicit consent: Always get permission before adding anyone to your email list. This means having clear opt-in forms where students actively choose to receive communications from your institution. To confirm interest, you can also enable double opt-in.
Providing clear unsubscribe options: Subscribers should be able to opt out easily. Every email should include a visible unsubscribe link in the footer, and you should process these requests promptly. Make the process straightforward — no multiple clicks or login requirements.
Transparent use of data: It’s good email marketing practice to inform subscribers about how you’ll use their data. Include a privacy policy explaining what information you collect, how that data will be stored, and how you’ll use it to enhance a student’s learning experience.
Conclusion
Email marketing is a powerful channel that helps higher education institutions connect with their relevant stakeholders. It helps them stand out from the crowd during enrollment exercises and attract prospective students.
Email marketing for higher education is cost-effective and can deliver impressive returns on investment when done strategically. Tools like Omnisend can help you create a successful campaign. With this platform, you automate campaigns, segment your audience, and easily track performance metrics.
Ready to elevate your higher education email campaign? Try Omnisend today
To promote a school, showcase unique programs, student success stories, and campus culture through a channel like email.
2. How to get a free education email?
There are several ways to get a free education email, such as:
— Enroll in a school or university: Most institutions automatically provide students with a .edu email address upon enrollment — Work at an educational institution: Faculty and staff members typically receive education email addresses
3. Which email domains are sponsored by educational institutions?
Educational institutions use the .edu, .k12, or .college domain extension in their email addresses.
4. How to legally send marketing emails?
Sending emails legally helps you avoid hefty fines. Here are a few tips:
— Get clear permission before sending an email — Make your identity clear — Keep your unsubscribe button visible — Write honest subject lines — Follow data protection laws
5. How do you create a marketing plan for education?
Creating a marketing plan in an educational setting isn’t entirely different from a business one. Here are the steps to follow:
— Determine your audience — Research marketing strategies — Set clear goals — Pick the right channels — Test and measure the results
6. What is the best email platform for marketing?
Omnisend is the best email marketing platform. It’s perfect for educational institutions because it offers a variety of templates, smart segmentation, powerful automation, detailed analytics, and reasonable pricing.
Richard is a Content Marketing Manager at Omnisend. An avid writer, he's said to have been born holding a pencil. Fascinated by all things handmade, if he's not reading or writing he can often be found practicing leathercraft.
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