With the strategic acquisition of Uni-Life, the Studyportals group said is it taking “another step in offering a holistic solution to support students throughout their entire journey” while elevating universities’ ability to digitally recruit diverse students.
For universities, this partnership offers a comprehensive engagement tool that supports students starting from the offer stage, maximising yield to enrolment, and their landing, connectedness and retention after that, a joint statement from the companies explained
Uni-Life was founded in 2019 as a solution to enable students to connect with each other and improve their social experience on campus and was created in response to the challenges many students face in forming connections with their university.
Since, it has evolved to support both pre- and post-enrolment engagement, helping students build strong social connections from the moment they get accepted until they graduate, while keeping a unique focus on welfare.
By joining the Studyportals group, Uni-Life will “expand its reach and impact, enhancing the authentic student-first approach on a global scale,” its statement read.
“For years, we have recognised the growing demand communities in the study choice process,” said Edwin van Rest, CEO of Studyportals.
“Uni-Life stands out for having student welfare and retention at its core, while also driving strong economical gains for the university. This aligns perfectly with the broader vision of our offerings: best-fit, best for students, great ROI,” he continued.
“This acquisition allows us to support students not only in selecting the right study program but also in building connections and feeling at home even before they arrive. Our university partners will enhance both enrolment ratio and student success/retention with minimal effort. Acquiring Uni-Life is a natural extension of our mission to empower students and elevate global, digital, direct-to-student recruitment.”
Acquiring Uni-Life is a natural extension of our mission to empower students and elevate global, digital, direct-to-student recruitment
Edwin van Rest, CEO of Studyportals
Uni-Life’s platform aims to help universities improve enrolment conversion rates, reduce pre-arrival dropouts, and enrich the student experience through features like personalised invitations, discussion threads, and peer-to-peer student groups.
The company’s CEO, Joep Annega, said its mission “has always been purpose-driven”, in pursuit of providing every student with the best possible university experience.
“Within the Studyportals ecosystem, students are in control, allowing them to make well-informed choices that lead to higher retention rates compared to other channels,” said Annega.
“Uni-Life aligns perfectly with this vision, as we have always believed that engaging with other students early on fosters confidence and independence. With Studyportals’ global reach, resources and partner network, we can expand our mission of building authentic, meaningful and vibrant student communities for even more students worldwide.”
