Universities Fail International Students on Loan Enquiries, Study Finds
Universities are grappling to meet student loan expectations in handling international enquiries, new findings reveal. Despite receiving thousands of questions each year, most institutions lack dedicated teams to manage them. The gap between what students expect and what universities deliver is growing wider.
A recent study shows that only one in four universities has a specialised team for international loan enquiries. Yet many institutions process over 25,000 questions annually. While exact global figures remain unclear, universities like Osnabrück, Braunschweig, Passau, and ASH Berlin confirm their international offices handle large volumes of requests.
Students face repeated frustrations when contacting universities about their student loans. Over 80% had to share the same details multiple times, and 69% reported feeling moderately to extremely frustrated. More than half—59%—even stopped engaging with a university because of slow or confusing responses.
Response times also fall short of expectations. Seven in ten students want a reply within a couple of days, but only about a third get one that quickly. Speed matters, too—66% say it influences their choice of university. Meanwhile, 47% spoke to staff who knew nothing about their previous conversations, and over 40% received conflicting answers from different channels.
Communication preferences add another layer of complexity. More than half of students—55%—would be more likely to pick a university if they could use their preferred messaging app for loan enquiries.
The mismatch between student needs and university performance is becoming more pronounced. Slow replies, inconsistent information, and a lack of dedicated support teams push many applicants away. With communication playing a key role in decision-making, institutions may need to rethink how they handle international loan enquiries.
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