How to Start Texting College Students – SMS Marketing for Universities

The need for SMS marketing for universities stems from a behavioral change in the student population. As they transition from school to college, they gain newfound independence from their parents. 

This independence is glaringly evident in how these adolescents expect communication. They expect communication directly from their university instead of going via their parents.

Students also want quick and nonintrusive communication. Texting college students is the perfect way, and universities worldwide are scrambling to adopt it.

In this post, we will look at how your university can use SMS marketing to engage and interact with students meaningfully.

Why opt for texting college students?

Texting college students can seem redundant when you are already using emails to communicate and have notices on your university website.

However, that is not the case. Here is why your university should adopt SMS marketing as soon as possible.

Texts are immediate

90% of all texts are read within 15 minutes. That means you waste no time getting information to students.

Texts are better accessible

Text messaging can reach anyone with access to a mobile phone, And 91% of Americans have a mobile phone at hand at all hours of the day.

Texts are more effective

Text messages have a 98% open rate, while emails range from 15-22%. Since most modern college students are used to texting each other, they will be acquainted with using text messages as a communication medium.

How can universities start texting college students?

Here are some ways you can universities can use text messages to communicate with students:

Send them reminders for appointments

Students often have a lot on their plates. For older students, coursework takes up a lot of mental space. For newer students, getting used to a new lifestyle takes time, mainly if they relocate to attend college from out of town.

Sending updates through SMS to remind them of simple appointments, such as a meeting with an admissions counselor, can ensure that they take time for it in their busy schedule.

Student recruitment

University admissions officers can start texting college students interested in joining their university and leave their contact details through the channels the university has set up to find new admissions.

Communicate deadlines

Since text messages have such a high open rate, you can ensure that students are notified of important deadlines by sending them a text message. For example, you could set up a mass texting campaign informing students of the last date to register for an event.

Fee reminders

Remind busy students and parents to pay their tuition fees for the year through text messages. Text messages are not as intimidating as phone calls and can be a more friendly way to help you collect the funds necessary to keep your institution running. 

Link to more information

A text message is brief by nature. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use it to send much information. One of the best ways to do this is to include a link in your text message and tell students briefly what they will find when they follow the link. You can even consider Shortening the URL to 

For example, send them a link to the college library’s website with a list of newly added titles.

Advertise extracurricular activities

Extracurricular activities allow you to revitalize your student body’s enthusiasm. They enable students to make new friends by connecting with others with similar interests and building their real-world communication and teamwork skills. Send the word out through a far-reaching communication medium like text messaging.

Send helpful tips

While texting college students, it is important to remember that most of them are still adjusting to a new life. So, they will appreciate helpful tips and trivia about student life sent straight to their phones. These messages will help them adjust and feel like a part of the larger student community.

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Sample SMS messages for admission

The great thing about sending students updates via SMS is that there isn’t much setup required. 

You need only your message, your contacts, and the help of a text messaging service to connect it all.

Here are some sample SMS messages universities can use:

Admission SMS

Tuition reminder SMS

Event follow up

Event/Extracurricular notice

Texting college students using CallHub (it’s easy!)

Setting up and using a university SMS system is simple with CallHub. The first thing you need to do is get students to subscribe to your SMS system through an opt-in keyword:

1. Set up an opt-in keyword and shortcode

Choose the SMS Opt-in campaign on the CallHub dashboard.

To set a text alert system for universities, you need to have just two elements:

1) A keyword

2) A shortcode or long code (to act as Caller ID)

For example, ‘Text “JOIN” to 562498 for property updates and reminders.’

Here, the keyword is “JOIN,” and the number is “562498”.

You can set a keyword while setting up your university SMS system and rent a shortcode or long code from your text messaging service. If not, you can use a cell phone number as the caller ID.

Once you finish setting it up, promote your keyword and shortcode. When people text your keyword to the number, they will automatically be added to your database.

2. Let students know about your keyword and shortcode

Let students know about the SMS system by advertising it wherever you can:

• Ask students and parents to sign up for your text message communications at the beginning of the admissions process.
• Promote your shortcode and keyword on our college or university website.
• Send it out in your email communications with students.

Now you’re all set to start sending updates straight to student’s mobile phones.

3. Send your first message

You can send messages through the SMS broadcast campaign on the dashboard.

Type out the message you want to send, for example, alerting students about an event:

“Hey, Mark. The Tennis tournament starts in 2 hours! Come on down and cheer for your favorite players. See you there.”

Choose the list with the numbers of the student or parents to whom you want to send the message.

Now schedule a time for when you want the message to go out and hit DONE.

Sending out a group text to your students is as simple as that.