Student Recruitment Overview
At the heart of Student Recruitment is a simple, powerful idea: transform yourself, transform the world.
It speaks to a dual promise of personal growth and global impact and reflects the kind of change students are looking for when they choose a university.
This positioning gives us a clear, flexible message that can speak across audience groups, through different journey stages and across formats and channels.
It should act as a unified call to action: bold, optimistic, and adaptable, that puts the University of Glasgow at the centre of real, meaningful change.
Before you can change the world, you have to change your own.
What you want. What you believe. Where you’re going.
With 575 years of history behind us, we know change is never instant.
It’s a process – one idea, one decision, one bold step at a time.
At Glasgow, you’re not just learning - you’re re-imagining the world around you.
Building a space to imagine, to experiment, to begin.
One part of a vibrant global community, where every voice is heard, and every story matters.
To be at the centre of something bigger, you have to shape your future first.
Change your world. Become world-changing.
Join us.
Brand Message
Audience overview
Understanding who we’re speaking to is critical for delivering messaging that resonates and motivates.
Student Recruitment speaks to four key segments which are all united by a desire for academic excellence and future opportunity, but each bring different motivations, concerns, and contexts to their decision.
Our key audience groups are:
Domestic UG
Primary motivation
- Finding independence
- Discovering purpose
- Gaining life experience
Decision drivers
- Course quality
- Campus culture
- Support systems
- Location appeal
Key concerns
- Fitting in
- Financial costs
- Distance from home
International UG
Primary motivation
- Global opportunity
- Prestige
- World-class education experience
Decision drivers
- University ranking
- International reputation
- Career prospects
Key concerns
- Cultural adaptation
- Visa requirements
- Investment value
Domestic PG
Primary motivation
- Career advancement
- Deeper expertise
- Professional development
Decision drivers
- Research quality
- employability outcomes
- industry connections
Key concerns
- Work-life balance
- Financial return on investment
- Time commitment
International PG
Primary motivation
- Global leadership development
- Advanced knowledge
- Career transformation
Decision drivers
- Research excellence,
- Global network access,
- Visa pathways
Key concerns
- Immigration policies
- Cultural integration,
- Career ROI
Journey mapping
Our messaging should inspire, differentiate and activate. In early stages, it has to connect emotionally, then deliver tangible reasons to choose Glasgow.
As audiences move down the funnel, messaging becomes more personalised and actionable.
Each audience group will engage at different stages of their journey, requiring different types of messaging.
Awareness Stage
Goal
Inspiration. Create emotional connection and capture attention.
Messaging approach
Connect with identity, possibility, and future impact. Make audiences feel seen and understood through aspirational, values-driven content.
Consideration Stage
Goal
Relevance. Demonstrate clear value and differentiation.
Messaging approach
Articulate why Glasgow over other options. Highlight academic strengths, campus culture, reputation, and community. Align offerings with specific audience goals.
Conversion Stage
Goal
Action. Drive application and enrolment decisions.
Messaging approach
Provide specific, benefit-led messaging with clear next steps. Remove barriers and build confidence in the decision. Emphasise course-level detail.
Messaging framework
This framework demonstrates how our core recruitment message adapts across different audience segments while maintaining thematic consistency.
The central theme of ‘change’ remains constant but is flexed in meaning and tone depending on the audience’s motivations.
Each audience interprets and connects with the concept of ‘change’ differently based on their life stage, goals, and aspirations. By understanding these nuanced differences, we can craft messages that feel personally relevant while staying true to our overarching target audience identity.
Audience
Domestic UG
Change means...
- Finding yourself
- Gaining independence
- Discovering purpose
Messaging angle
- Personal transformation
- Self-exploration
- First steps toward adulthood
Awareness
Inspiration & emotional resonance
- Change begins when you take the first step.
Consideration
Differentiation & relevance
- Discover a world-class education with real support, in a city that feels like home.
Conversion
Course-level detail & next steps
- Sign up for our next Open Day and find your place at Glasgow.
International UG
Change means...
- Ambition
- Global opportunity
- Prestige & recognition
Messaging angle
- Big, bold leap into the world’s top tier
Awareness
Inspiration & emotional resonance
- Shape the world by starting with yours.
Consideration
Differentiation & relevance
- Join a top 100 university with centuries of academic excellence and a vibrant international community.
Conversion
Course-level detail & next steps
- Change the code.
- Build the tech that shapes society.
- Apply today.
Domestic PG
Change means...
- Career shift
- Deeper expertise
- Next-level growth
Messaging angle
- Professional growth
- Future-proof
- Elevate your impact
Awareness
Inspiration & emotional resonance
- World-changing starts with you.
Consideration
Differentiation & relevance
- Advance your career with research-led teaching and one of the UK’s most employable graduate networks.
Conversion
Course-level detail & next steps
- Change the system.
- Challenge inequality, reimagine markets, and shape smarter, fairer economies.
- Apply now.
International PG
Change means...
- Global leadership
- Advanced knowledge
- ROI
Messaging angle
- Transformation & impact on a global scale
Awareness
Inspiration & emotional resonance
- From Glasgow to anywhere - lead the change.
Consideration
Differentiation & relevance
- Boost your global potential with a postgraduate degree designed for impact - in a city known for it.
Conversion
Course-level detail & next steps
- Take the next step with UofG – explore funding, visa support, and how to apply.
For guidance on using our student recruitment brand, please contact: