NAFSA’s Guide to International Student Recruitment, Fourth Edition
This newly updated edition of NAFSA’s Guide to International Student Recruitment offers timely strategies and practical insights for recruiting international students in today's rapidly evolving global landscape. Reflecting the latest trends, challenges, and best practices, this essential resource helps institutions build a strong foundation for international student recruitment success. Whether you're launching a new recruitment initiative or refining a long-standing program, this edition equips professionals at every level with the tools and knowledge they need to attract and support international students effectively.
Table of Contents:
- International Student Recruitment in U.S. Higher Education: The Last 50 Years 1975–2024
- Ethics in International Student Recruitment
- Assessing Your Institution's Readiness to Recruit International Students
- Creating and Monitoring an International Recruitment Plan
- Building International Credential Evaluation Expertise
- Effective Marketing Practices for International Student Recruitment: Simple Practices for Pivotal Global Academic Branding
- Improving Recruitment Through Purposeful Partnerships
- Navigating Stakeholders
- Maximizing International Alumni Engagement for Student Recruitment
- International Recruitment for Undergraduate Programs
- Recruitment Strategies for Intensive English Programs
- International Recruitment for Graduate Programs
- Reducing the Financial Barriers to Higher Education: Alternative Funding Models for International Students and Refugees
- Technology
- Recruitment Markets
- Domestic and Armchair Strategies for Recruiting International Students
- What Happens After Recruitment?
About the editors:
David L. Di Maria has more than 20 years of experience as an international education scholar and practitioner. He currently serves as vice provost for global engagement at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Di Maria is the editor of two other NAFSA books: Managing a Successful International Admissions Office: NAFSA’s Guide to International Admissions and Senior International Officers: Essential Roles and Responsibilities, as well as the sole author of Achieving More with Less: Lean Management in the International Student Office. He earned a doctorate from the University of Minnesota, where he studied internationalization from a prekindergarten through college perspective.
Rachel M. Scholten has held international educator roles at four universities across three states and has worked at Loyola University Maryland since 2019 as the institution’s inaugural director of international admission. Prior to co-editing this book, she contributed to three other NAFSA publications and has served in many NAFSA volunteer leadership roles, including as a coach for NAFSA’s Academy for International Education and an international enrollment management liaison. She is the former vice president and current president of the Maryland International Education Consortium. Scholten earned her MA in international development studies from Ohio University and is a third-year PhD student in comparative international development education at the University of Minnesota.

NAFSA’s Guide to International Student Recruitment, Fourth Edition
This newly updated edition of NAFSA’s Guide to International Student Recruitment offers timely strategies and practical insights for recruiting international students in today's rapidly evolving global landscape. Reflecting the latest trends, challenges, and best practices, this essential resource helps institutions build a strong foundation for international student recruitment success. Whether you're launching a new recruitment initiative or refining a long-standing program, this edition equips professionals at every level with the tools and knowledge they need to attract and support international students effectively.
Table of Contents:
- International Student Recruitment in U.S. Higher Education: The Last 50 Years 1975–2024
- Ethics in International Student Recruitment
- Assessing Your Institution's Readiness to Recruit International Students
- Creating and Monitoring an International Recruitment Plan
- Building International Credential Evaluation Expertise
- Effective Marketing Practices for International Student Recruitment: Simple Practices for Pivotal Global Academic Branding
- Improving Recruitment Through Purposeful Partnerships
- Navigating Stakeholders
- Maximizing International Alumni Engagement for Student Recruitment
- International Recruitment for Undergraduate Programs
- Recruitment Strategies for Intensive English Programs
- International Recruitment for Graduate Programs
- Reducing the Financial Barriers to Higher Education: Alternative Funding Models for International Students and Refugees
- Technology
- Recruitment Markets
- Domestic and Armchair Strategies for Recruiting International Students
- What Happens After Recruitment?
About the editors:
David L. Di Maria has more than 20 years of experience as an international education scholar and practitioner. He currently serves as vice provost for global engagement at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Di Maria is the editor of two other NAFSA books: Managing a Successful International Admissions Office: NAFSA’s Guide to International Admissions and Senior International Officers: Essential Roles and Responsibilities, as well as the sole author of Achieving More with Less: Lean Management in the International Student Office. He earned a doctorate from the University of Minnesota, where he studied internationalization from a prekindergarten through college perspective.
Rachel M. Scholten has held international educator roles at four universities across three states and has worked at Loyola University Maryland since 2019 as the institution’s inaugural director of international admission. Prior to co-editing this book, she contributed to three other NAFSA publications and has served in many NAFSA volunteer leadership roles, including as a coach for NAFSA’s Academy for International Education and an international enrollment management liaison. She is the former vice president and current president of the Maryland International Education Consortium. Scholten earned her MA in international development studies from Ohio University and is a third-year PhD student in comparative international development education at the University of Minnesota.
Reviews
“As the landscape of international student recruitment undergoes rapid changes on many fronts—driven by shifting political dynamics, increased global competition for student enrollment, and technological advancements such as AI—a refresh to this essential book for international enrollment managers has never been timelier. Building upon the enduring principles that have made previous editions so valuable, this latest iteration features some of the most trusted voices in the field. It reaffirms time-tested best practices to effectively recruit and retain international students while also offering crucial insights on how to adapt and modernize outreach strategies in the face of uncertainty and ongoing change. Consider this essential reading for those newly entering the field and for seasoned recruiters alike.” —Lisa A. Maroni, EducationUSA regional manager (REAC) for East and Southern Africa
“NAFSA’s Guide to International Student Recruitment, 4th edition is a critical resource for a time when recruitment must serve as a nexus between institutional mission, student aspiration, and global workforce needs. Far beyond outreach, this guide offers bold, actionable strategies to help institutions navigate disruption, build trust, and deliver on the promise of international education. It challenges us to rethink recruitment as a driver of transformation, aligning enrollment with student outcomes and market relevance. For leaders committed to global impact and institutional resilience, this edition is not just timely, it is essential.” —Christopher Connor, vice provost for enrollment management, University at Buffalo
“This fourth edition of NAFSA’s Guide to International Student Recruitment provides international enrollment professionals with a valuable resource on how best to position their institution in today’s fast-changing landscape. This guide delves into important topics including the use of data to make better informed decisions, the value of digital engagement, establishing and strengthening institutional partnerships globally, and evaluating existing admission and financial aid policies that pertain to international students. As institutions look to enrich their international student diversity, engage in academic dialogue that contributes to cultural exchange, and strengthen the global competencies of all students, this guide provides great examples of strategic international outreach and engagement as well as effective investment in robust support systems to ensure institutions thrive academically, socially, and professionally.” —Vern Granger, director, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of Connecticut
“The fourth edition of NAFSA’s Guide to International Student Recruitment is more than an update. It reflects a decade marked by disruption, transformation, and new global realities. The result is a sophisticated, globally relevant, and forward-looking handbook that meets the complexity of today’s international enrollment landscape. This edition provides tools for understanding the strategic dimensions of international enrollment: how to position and message it in your institution, evaluate its business impact through concepts like addressable markets, and support students beyond recruitment once they arrive on campus. New content also addresses affordability barriers, rapidly advancing technology, and the global and institutional differences that shape recruitment strategy. Written by experienced practitioners and experts, this book offers valuable advice for those seeking to build and execute a realistic, relevant and resilient international enrollment strategy.” —Jessica Sandberg, vice president of external affairs, USA, IDP Connect