An Italian recipe for smarter international admissions? The University of Pavia has one. In just five years, they scaled applications by 1,000%, transforming their admissions management and international student recruitment strategy. But success isn’t just about attracting more applicants, it’s about efficiency, student experience, and making the right admissions decisions at scale.
In this episode of the EdTech & Pancakes podcast, we take a deep dive into the University of Pavia’s transformative journey, where they increased applications by 1,000% in just 5 years. Daria Milone, Head of Admissions at Pavia, shares not only how they achieved this but also how universities can optimize their admissions management, maximize DreamApply’s impact, with focus on creating a seamless experience for international applicants.
Beyond growth, we explore how DreamApply supports Italian universities specifically, including its PagoPA integration and other localized features that help institutions navigate the unique challenges of admissions in Italy. This episode is for anyone involved in admissions management, whether you’re a DreamApply user looking to get more out of the platform or an institution seeking to improve international student recruitment.
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10 takeaways from Daria Milone and Pavia University’s success
1. Diversify content formats and write more concisely to engage Gen Z and Gen Alpha
Attention spans are shrinking, and today’s students expect clarity and engaging content. Universities that rely solely on long texts risk losing prospective applicants before they even finish reading. Daria emphasizes the need to adapt communication styles to match the habits of younger generations.
“We realized that Gen Z and Gen Alpha process information differently: they don’t engage with long texts. So, we refined our communication strategy: we shortened texts, emphasized key points in bold, and created step-by-step video tutorials. The response was incredible, our application how-to videos got far more views than expected!”
2. Choose your tools carefully – alignment with your unique needs is key
The right admissions software isn’t just about features; it’s about how well it fits your institution’s workflows. Daria highlights that universities should evaluate tools based on usability, flexibility, and alignment with their admissions structure.
“The right admissions software should be flexible enough to meet your institution’s unique needs while staying user-friendly for both applicants and staff. If a system makes things more complicated rather than simplifying them, it’s not the right fit.”
3. Actively anticipate student needs when designing your international admissions architecture
Understanding student expectations and challenges ahead of time is essential for a seamless admissions experience. Daria points out that universities need to think beyond just application forms and create a structured, student-friendly admissions journey.
“International students navigate a system that’s completely unfamiliar to them. The key is anticipating their needs before they even ask. This proactive approach makes a world of difference in their admissions experience.”
4. Use an integrated admissions system for efficiency
Manually handling thousands of applications is no longer sustainable. A fully integrated admissions system streamlines operations, reduces errors, and improves applicant experience. Daria highlights how DreamApply’s features transformed their process.
“An integrated admissions system transforms efficiency. Before DreamApply, we handled applications via email, drowning in attachments and lost files. Now, everything is centralized, and faculty can evaluate applications without dealing with spreadsheets or unnecessary downloads.”
5. DreamApply offers unique benefits for Italian universities
For Italian universities, managing payments through PagoPA integration is crucial for compliance and efficiency.
“For Italian universities, integrating DreamApply with PagoPA and student records systems ensures a smooth transition from applicant to enrolled student, eliminating redundant steps and administrative headaches.”
6. Use DreamApply’s video interview feature to combat AI-generated motivation letters
As AI-generated motivation letters become more common, universities must find new ways to assess genuine student intent, including DreamApply’s video interview feature.
“We have noticed that motivation letters have been written by AI. Most of the time, they look the same. Some professors decided for some courses not to request them anymore because, at the end of the day, it was a waste of time—for the student, for the committee. Instead, they now interview the student and ask them about their motivations directly.”
7. Put yourself in the student’s shoes – patience and empathy matter
Handling thousands of applications means encountering repetitive questions, but every applicant deserves a thoughtful response.
“Sometimes, you’ll get the same question 30 times. It’s frustrating, but I always remind my team: answer with the same patience you’d want if you were in their shoes.”
8. Maximize DreamApply’s impact by using it beyond admissions and recruitment
DreamApply is more than just an application platform, it’s a comprehensive admissions management system that supports universities well beyond the initial recruitment phase. At Pavia, it has become an essential tool for handling student data, streamlining internal processes, and ensuring a smooth transition from applicant to enrolled student.
“The feature that we honestly love the most is that once the applicant has been admitted, they go into the student management system database. From there, they’re an enrolled student, and they don’t have to register again, upload documents again, all the things they’ve already done at the beginning.”
“This is fundamental. The more universities use DreamApply, the more we can improve it and create a better experience, not just for students but for the staff as well.”
“We don’t have to download Excel files or send application documents manually. Professors, advisors, and admissions committees can enter the system directly, leave notes, rank students, and complete evaluations all in one place.”
9. Understand and respect the uniqueness of international student recruitment
International student recruitment is often misunderstood. It’s not just about attracting numbers, it’s about meeting students where they are, understanding their needs, and guiding them through a complex and often unfamiliar process. At the University of Pavia, Daria and her team approach international admissions with a level of care and anticipation that ensures applicants feel supported, informed, and valued throughout the journey.
“Prospective students are not leads in the sense that they’re not just numbers. There is a great effort to have leads and numbers, but if you really want to recruit those numbers and transform them into applicants, you need to really work on what you offer and what your communication to them is.”
“I know that when I talk to an international student, I must try to foresee their next question because I know that at some point, or maybe just later, they will ask it. Anticipation is key.”
“Sometimes I’ve had to fight a little within the university to ensure that we provide more information, more clarity, more reassurance because what is obvious to an Italian student is not obvious to an international one.” “It’s not enough to just put information on a website. It’s not enough to just send a document. You have to actively guide them and make sure they really understand what they need to do.”
10. May the student in you live forever
At the heart of international admissions is a simple but powerful mindset: “May the student in you live forever.”
Daria’s closing words remind us that admissions isn’t just about numbers or efficiency, it’s about people. A seamless process should make students feel welcomed, valued, and supported.
“Put yourself in the students’ shoes and make them feel home far away from home.”
Success in international recruitment comes from anticipating needs, using the right tools, and keeping the student experience at the core. Whether through DreamApply’s streamlined processes or clearer communication for Gen Z, institutions that focus on students, not just applications, will thrive.
About DreamApply
Founded in 2011 in Estonia, DreamApply is an innovation-driven EdTech organization that improves access to education around the globe. DreamApply’s application management software helps more than 300 educational institutions across 40 countries improve admissions, marketing, financial and other internal processes.
DreamApply’s easy-to-use and customizable software increases student enrollment by 30% and reduces application processing time by 40%. With features designed with and for educational institutions, and integrations with commonly used systems, DreamApply empowers teams to get more done with less effort.
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