Designing the Student Journey: How Graphic Design Shapes Higher Education

Turning Complexity Into Clarity

Design isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about making information intuitive. Admission requirements, deadlines, program offerings, financial aid—all of which can overwhelm prospective students—play a huge role in whether students stay engaged or abandon the process.

• Over60% of U.S. students rely on university websites when making their enrollment decisions.²
• Nearly63% of prospective students use the university’s website as their first channel to gather information about applications and programs.³
• In a survey of what students find frustrating about college websites, the top issues are “hard to find information,” “confusing directions,” and “hard to navigate.”⁴

Good information architecture, intuitive navigation, thoughtful layout, and responsive design aren’t just nice-to-haves, they are musts.

Design as a Driver of Enrollment

Now, where it really counts: turning interest into applications, and applications into enrollments. Design plays a direct role here.

• From the Modern Campus report: institutions that improved their website experience saw growth in enrollments by about 14%, and “annual revenue” or institutional yield increased by about 19%.¹
• Among adult and graduate applicants,84% say a bad website negatively affects their opinion of a school, and 72% of those learners will abandon a website if it is not user-friendly.⁵

A well-designed site is one of the most effective “silent salespeople” an institution has.

Beyond Admissions

Design’s impact doesn’t stop once a student has applied or enrolled. Every touchpoint through their student lifecycle—orientation materials, campus signage, digital platforms, learning management systems, student portals, virtual tours—matters.

For example, virtual tours are especially powerful. Per the 2021 Modern Campus trend report, 62% of prospective students said they were more likely to enroll after watching a virtual tour.¹

Also, in the realm of online or hybrid learning, poor navigation in LMSs (Learning Management Systems) has been cited by a large portion of students as a reason for frustration or drop off. Streamlining those experiences helps with both retention and satisfaction.⁶

Design as Communication

At its core, graphic design in higher education is about telling a story—who the institution is, what students can expect, and how they’ll be supported. It creates trust, sets expectations, and builds belonging.

For many students, especially first-generation or nontraditional students, visuals, layout, clear iconography, and welcoming imagery can communicate more than text alone. Branding consistency, design elements that feel modern and inclusive, and accessible design (for all devices, for people with disabilities, etc.) support that sense of belonging.

Ready to Reimagine Your Student Experience?

If your institution wants to strengthen its connection with students, here are some actionable steps:

1. Audit your touchpoints– Map out all the places where prospective (and current) students interact with your design: website, brochures, emails, virtual tours, social media. Identify friction points.
2. Invest in usability and clarity– Make navigation simple, ensure information is easy to find, and responsive across devices. Use visuals and multimedia (infographics, virtual tours) wisely to assist, not distract.
3. Use personalization and segmentation– Tailor content for different student personas: first-generation, international, non-traditional, etc.
4. Measure and iterate– Use analytics, heatmaps, A/B testing, surveys to see where students drop off or get confused. Make refinements regularly.
5. Think beyond deadlines– It’s not just about getting them to apply; good design supports retention, satisfaction, and even alumni engagement.

Design isn’t just how things look—it’s how they work. By designing with clarity, empathy, and purpose, higher education institutions can not only help students through critical decisions, but also strengthen enrollment, trust, and long-term success.

Sources

1. Modern Campus & Ruffalo Noel Levitz.2023 Student Expectations Report. Retrieved from colin.edu
2. Survey: Over 60% of U.S. Students Rely on University Websites for Enrollment Decisions. Retrieved from erudera.com
3. Majority of Students Use College Websites for Enrollment Decisions. Retrieved from mypossibilit.com
4. Modern Campus.2023 Student Expectations Report – Key Findings. Retrieved from com
5. Four Critical but Often Missing Components of High-Performing University Websites. Retrieved from eab.com
6. How UX Design Principles in LMS Can Reduce Dropout Rates. Retrieved from vorecol.com