Higher education is creeping closer to the edge of the enrollment cliff. With the number of incoming college freshmen expected to peak in 2025 and 2026, and drop off in the years following, institutions are preparing for lingering budget impacts including limited funding allocated to study abroad or downsizing study abroad offerings.

While a widespread issue, the enrollment cliff will likely disproportionately affect small liberal arts colleges that have fewer opportunities to offset costs and already face stiff competition for admissions. Many small liberal arts schools are working on year-to-year budget cycles, and their study abroad offices haven’t fully recovered from COVID-related reductions in staff and budget.

Did you know that 73% of students hope or plan to study abroad and half factored a school’s study abroad options into their selection decision? As larger schools offer a variety of global education opportunities, here are six ways small liberal arts colleges can lean into study abroad to remain competitive with large universities amidst the enrollment cliff:

1. They can integrate study abroad into core curriculum
   Positioning study abroad as an essential component of the academic experience encourages students to participate in available programs. Small liberal arts colleges can tie study abroad programs to core or in-major requirements to attract prospective students who value global learning experiences.
2. They can create unique study abroad opportunities
   Small liberal arts colleges can develop exclusive study abroad opportunities that align with their strengths to engage students seeking distinctive experiences. Washington University in St. Louis offers specific programs for a student’s major or minor and requires their students to study in a program approved by their major if they choose to study abroad for a semester or longer.
3. They can expand financial support for study abroad
   Financial assistance such as scholarships, grants, or alternative sources of funding, can make study abroad more accessible to students. Small liberal arts colleges should highlight these options as the expanded financial support makes them more attractive to students interested in studying abroad.
4. They can utilize data to improve outcomes
   Reviewing student data is critical to understanding what students need and want in a study abroad program. Through the digital transformation of its study abroad program management, Creighton University was able to use data to better meet student needs and doubled its study abroad participation in three years.
5. They can promote the career benefits of study abroad
   Study abroad programs offer unique career benefits including language skills, global networking and cultural awareness. Schools can promote these benefits to appeal to current and prospective students and families focused on post-graduation opportunities.
6. They can build stronger alumni networks
   Involving study abroad alumni in the recruitment process can interest prospective students in the college’s global community, potentially leading to improved enrollment statistics. Small colleges can tap into study abroad alumni to share their success stories.

Each of the above approaches are easier to achieve with the assistance of technology, which can help schools better manage and promote their study abroad programs, save staff time and money, and collect and leverage data to improve study abroad participation and outcomes for students. In an increasingly global world in which students will continue to seek and require access to international education, maintaining and growing study abroad is key to helping universities stay competitive and mitigate the enrollment cliff.