Student recruitment is an ongoing and constantly evolving process with stages that progressively narrow in scope and directly feed into one another, commonly depicted as a funnel.
Prospects
Prospective students who are exploring UAB through channels such as the website, social media, digital ads, or general search activity without having made direct contact. This group can also include individuals from purchased or curated name lists.
Inquiries
Prospects who signal interest in UAB or a specific program by submitting a request‑for‑information form, emailing, calling, attending an event, scheduling a campus tour, or engaging with recruitment communications. This may also include students who contact faculty or program staff directly.
Applicants
Inquiries who begin or submit an application to UAB or to a specific program.
Admits
Applicants who have been admitted to UAB or to a specific program.
Confirmed
Admitted first-time freshmen students (high school seniors) who have paid their Freshmen Enrollment Deposit. Non-first-time freshmen have other intent‑to‑enroll behaviors that include registering for new student orientation, completing the Canvas orientation module, or responding "yes" to the graduate school intent-to-enroll survey.
Enrolled
Students who have been admitted and have completed the onboarding steps and course registration.
Centralized Marketing & Communications
The initiatives below are developed by central marketing and communications departments to support undergraduate and graduate recruitment efforts.
Undergraduate
High-Level Campaigns
UAB’s high-level campaigns for undergraduate student recruitment run on a continuous cycle for each new academic year. These campaigns are developed and facilitated by the Office of Marketing and Communications and cover key areas of student recruitment that target students at various points in the recruitment funnel. Each campaign employs multiple layers of messaging, including dedicated UAB websites, Salesforce email journeys, postcards and other mailed materials, organic social media posts, and paid digital marketing. Our four high-level campaigns are Brand, Visit, Apply, and Yield.
- Brand: General awareness campaign promoting UAB’s programs, facilities, and campus to encourage prospects to consider UAB for their college journey.
- Visit: Campaign to both increase awareness of UAB’s campus and amenities and drive prospective students to sign up for a guided campus tour at uab.edu/visit opens a new website.
- Apply: Large-scale campaign targeting prospects and inquiries to submit an application to UAB at uab.edu/apply opens a new website for fall or spring entry terms.
- Yield: Targeted campaign for admitted students to complete the steps to enrollment to confirm their status as a UAB student.
UG Admissions Events
UAB Undergraduate Admissions hosts various interactive and informational events for prospective students to attend on campus, including preview days for first-time freshmen (UAB Day) and transfer students (Transfer Preview Day). Events are also occasionally hosted off-campus in various cities around the region to meet with prospective out-of-state students (UAB in Your Area). A complete list of events can be found at uab.edu/visit opens a new website.
Graduate
Graduate School Resource Fairs
UAB Graduate School hosts a resource fair for prospective graduate students in the spring, summer, and fall semesters. Resource Fairs are convenient, all-in-one opportunities for prospective students to engage directly with program representatives and learn about the graduate admissions process, student support services, research opportunities, and potential career pathways.
Automated Email Flows
UAB Graduate Admissions utilizes an automated email process via Salesforce to encourage students with incomplete applications to move forward in their application journey.