What changed in the graduate lead gen landscape in 2025

As I look back on 2025, one thing feels unmistakably true: this was a year defined by disruption. From the rise of AI-driven search experiences to the surge in bot-generated web traffic, graduate and adult lead generation was reshaped in ways we couldn’t anticipate. These quick shifts forced enrollment leaders to adapt just as fast.

At EAB, we’ve spent the year closely tracking these changes and developing resources to help institutions navigate an increasingly unpredictable landscape. Below are five disruptions that altered how prospective students searched, engaged, and converted this year. Each is paired with a resource designed to help you not just respond to these changes now, but also build a more resilient lead generation strategy for 2026.

1. With the rise of Google’s AI Overviews, click-through rates are down 60%+.

AI’s influence on traditional SEO intensified this year. AI Overviews now appear on 55% of web searches, and 34% of Gen Z (now grad and adult-serving programs’ target audience) uses AI chatbots to search. This shift means that even when your program ranks in the top three on a search engine, fewer prospects click through to your site, because they’ve already seen the answers they need on the results page. 

With lower visibility, your SEO strategy may be at risk unless you’re ready to embrace this age of AI. Diversify your lead generation strategy and optimize for AI search to stay ahead of competitors.

2. International enrollment is down 10-15% annually, intensifying competition for domestic leads.

The international student market is now unrecognizable compared to this time last year. In 2025, the current presidential administration cracked down on visa issuances and enacted travel bans on certain countries. Between these laws and fear around potential discrimination, international student interest in studying in the United States  plummeted by 40% in 2025.

The necessary but complex fix to this issue is to recruit more domestic students to make up the gap. It may sound simple, but domestic graduate and adult students have become more skeptical in recent years, questioning the value of a college degree in today’s evolving job market. And at the same time, the competition for their attention has intensified as more institutions pursue the same limited pool of students. To navigate these obstacles, institutions should familiarize themselves with their competitor set and create messaging that resonates with domestic students. 

3. Bot traffic is rising sharply and expected to cause $170B in lost ad spend in 2028 alone.

Fraudulent web activity caused by bots was already a prevalent issue in higher education marketing. But the widespread use of AI is now making the situation worse, allowing bot deployment to be done at a larger scale and a lower cost. 24% of internet traffic in the higher education industry is made up of malicious bot activity as it is, and this increase in fraud will continue to drive up ad costs and distort your funnel data.

The task of detecting and removing bot leads is complex and time-consuming, but there are a few straightforward steps you and your team can take to identify and mitigate bot activity.

4. Domestic graduate students now apply to only 3.64 schools on average (compared to 6 for international students).

Domestic graduate and adult students have historically applied to fewer schools than international students. The gap is widening—our latest Adult Learner Survey finds that international students apply to about 2.5 more schools on average than domestic students—and international leads are now dwindling. To meet your enrollment goals, you have to stand out from your competitors and make domestic students’ (very) short lists.

One key to attracting domestic students is to develop outreach messaging that resonates with them. This helps you cut through the noise and become a trusted resource as they conduct their program search. Make sure you educate students on your program’s flexibility, affordability, ROI, and quality to address their specific concerns.

5. Budgets are tighter than ever, with over $3B in federal funding being targeted in 2025 by the current administration.

Although managing a tight budget is not a new issue to higher education professionals, some 2025 headwinds are worsening schools’ financial outlooks. In addition to the international student population shrinking, the current presidential administration has also been freezing or rescinding federal funding from institutions across the country. The extreme squeeze on enrollment marketers’ wallets means that every dollar put toward lead generation needs to be spent on tactics you’re sure will help fill your next class. 

To make the most of your lead gen budget, prioritize sources that will provide high-intent leads: names of prospective students actively seeking educational opportunities and seriously considering enrollment. Leveraging tools like Appily Advance—a cost-effective student search platform that delivers leads with verified intent—can boost your lead volume and provide reliable access to students who are actively researching programs like yours.

Morgan Belcher

Associate Director, Product Marketing

Read Bio

• Morgan Belcher's LinkedIn page