How to Promote Summer, Fall and Academic Year Programs

Printer-friendly [pdf] version*

The time to begin marketing a study abroad program is at least one year in advance. For summer (US), fall (FS) and academic year (AY) programs, this means the August preceding the year for which you are trying to recruit. Your marketing efforts should continue through May.

14 Ways to Promote Your Study Abroad Program

1. Hold information meetings – especially before breaks (OSA can assist you with setting-up these meetings)
2. Go into appropriate classes and talk about your program
3. Create a display about your program that you can put up in academic advising offices, outside of your office, or use on college/departmental bulletin boards
4. Create a Web site for your program
5. Reserve a table and participate in Study Abroad Fairs
6. Educate academic advisers about your program so they can tell their advisees about it
7. Keep lists of students who are or may be interested in your program and e-mail them with important information about upcoming meetings or interesting details about your program – make sure to contact these students before breaks
8. Communicate with your colleagues, including T.A.’s, about your program so they can help you recruit
9. Attend special events on campus – especially events sponsored by your college or department (e.g. Welcome Week)
10. Get involved in your college’s/department’s Academic Orientation Program (AOP) planning to be sure your program is highlighted to incoming freshman
11. Sign-up to do a Parent Orientation Program (POP) presentation through OSA – introducing your program to parents
12. Contact The State News to see if they can write an article about your program
13. Make sure your program is featured in college’s/department’s publications (e.g. newsletters)
14. As much as possible, use former participants to help you recruit

Special dates and activities relevant to US, FS and AY promotion (in addition to the on-going activities listed above)

AUGUST

• Create/update program brochure (summer programs may want to begin earlier)
• Prepare for fall semester recruitment (e.g. design a display for the Fall Study Abroad Fair)
• Participate in Welcome Week events

SEPTEMBER

• Participate in the Fall Study Abroad Fair in the MSU Union

NOVEMBER

• Participate in the Global Festival
• Hold an info meeting before students leave for Thanksgiving

JANUARY

• Participate in the Spring Study Abroad Fair in the MSU Union

MARCH

• Hold an info meeting right before Spring Break

APRIL

• Hold an info meeting before the end of the semester (if your program is still accepting applications)
• Get involved in your college’s/department’s AOP planning

* Remember to monitor the OSA Boxscores on a regular basis as to stay abreast of students applying to your program. Long delays in the acceptance process can make students feel apprehensive.

*Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read PDF documents.