How the University of Oulu is Closing the Gap Before Enrollment

The Challenge: Bridging the Information Gap

At the University of Oulu, the period between when international students receive their admission letters and when they officially choose to enroll has always been a critical phase. Yet, it’s also a time where many institutions struggle to keep students engaged and informed.

“The most important thing we wanted to solve was the information or communication gap between the time students receive their admissions letters from us to the time they actually make their decision to choose us,” says Ulla from the University of Oulu.

Previously, Oulu had been using a self-built system to stay in touch with incoming students. But it quickly became clear that the effort required to maintain it was far too demanding for the team.

“We found that it was way too time-demanding for our staff members,” Ulla explains.

The Solution: An Easy Launch, Zero Extra Work

In search of a more efficient, scalable way to engage students early, the university turned to Goin’. The implementation process turned out to be refreshingly simple.

“With Goin’, it was super easy. We just provided Goin’ with all the information [to get started] and their team did the rest. We just enjoyed the results,” says Ulla.

Even though they launched the community later in the cycle, just one month before the semester began, the team was impressed with how quickly students joined and engaged with one another.

“We launched quite late in the process, only in early August, and our term starts in September, so I was a bit hesitant how many students would actually join. But I was positively surprised by the numbers.”

At Goin’, our goal is to make launching a student community completely effortless for university staff. Every partner university is supported by a dedicated Customer Success Manager who ensures a smooth and efficient onboarding process. From there, we take care of the launch, spark engagement on the platform, and actively maintain a safe, positive, and exciting space. So university staff like at Oulu can focus less on community management and more on student success.

The Results: Meaningful Connections That Drive Confidence

Despite the short runway, the impact was immediate after launching:

• 88% activation rate, showing excitement and curiosity is still prevalent, even in the later stages.
  
  
• Students formed an average of 17 friendships each before even arriving on campus. 17 friends they wouldn’t have known otherwise.
  
  
• 93% of study programs listed on the platform had students actively engaging in the community

It’s a strong signal of student confidence, excitement, and emotional investment in their upcoming experience at Oulu.

“We saw our connections among the students and they were actually surprisingly nice. We’re quite happy with the initiative,” Ulla adds.

The community also became a source of support, allowing students to prepare, find answers to questions or even housing:

• 77% of students said Goin’ helped them prepare practically for their move. Whether it was packing, planning, or just knowing what to expect.
  
  
• 76% of students felt they could get answers to their questions directly through the community. Teducing pressure on university staff and creating a more student-led support system.
  
  
• Among those searching for housing, nearly 60% said Goin’ made the process easier by connecting them to peers and shared advice.

While data can show results, the real impact comes from the experiences shared by the students on the platform. Those who benefit the most from having access to a community:

Toluwalase from Nigeria: “I’ve made good connections with course mates and others with similar interests. The group feature has especially helped with accommodation. Many people were able to sort that out or at least have a plan in place.”

Asmara from Pakistan: “Connecting with other students before arriving in Oulu helped us form study groups, share tips on accommodation, and even plan meetups before classes begin. It made the move abroad smoother and helped us build a supportive network from day one.”

Obianuju from Nigeria: “It helps give a familiar feeling. Makes it easier seeing different people from different countries all moving to Oulu.”

Arnab from, Bangladesh: “Connecting before arriving makes the move so much easier and more exciting. It’s a great way to build a community before even starting the journey.”

Iniyan from India: “Goin is great to connect with fellow incoming students. It helps in academics too, like finding internships, projects, and also having fun while studying by joining groups.”

Filza from Pakistan: “It’s a great initiative and platform to connect with like-minded people. I’ve been able to learn from students with different cultural and academic backgrounds, which helps prepare me for life as a foreign student.”

Final Thoughts

For the University of Oulu, closing the gap didn’t mean reinventing the wheel or overloading staff with more responsibilities. It meant finding the right solution that ensures student excitement remains high, keeping students informed and with almost no additional workload.

By turning a once-demanding task into an easy, effective solution, Oulu is showing how early engagement and connection can be a game changer, not just for enrollment numbers, but for student wellbeing and success.

If you're looking to add an impactful new layer to the student journey and support your recruitment efforts effortlessly, reach out to us today. Goin’ helps transform both prospective and current student experiences by connecting students with each other and helping them form real friendships before they even arrive. The result? Higher engagement, stronger sense of belonging, and memories that last a lifetime.