Eindhoven University of Technology Sees 35% of Unibuddy Users Apply or Enrol

Challenge 

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) began working with Unibuddy two years ago as they didn’t have dedicated tools that allowed prospective students to easily connect with current students. Interactions only happened when a prospect specifically reached out and asked to speak with a student, which made these conversations difficult to manage and this wasn’t a scalable approach. As expectations for authentic, peer-to-peer engagement continued to grow, the communications team recognised the need for a solution that would make it easier for prospects to ask questions and hear real experiences directly from the university community.

With no existing platform in place, TU/e began exploring options that could support these interactions. Unibuddy quickly stood out as Mirna van den Boomen, Communications Advisor at TU/e, explains, “we already knew that other universities were using Unibuddy, and we heard some great stories about it. And the fact that Unibuddy is also known by students made it an easy decision.” Today, TU/e has built a thriving ambassador community with more than 100 Unibuddy ambassadors, and has recently expanded the programme to include alumni as well.

Solution

TU/e implemented Unibuddy’s Chat and Community features, creating a dedicated place where prospective students could easily connect with current students. Chat quickly became a central part of their approach, enabling more direct peer-to-peer conversations and giving prospects the opportunity to ask questions and receive authentic answers from those already studying at the university. The team immediately saw the value of the platform, with questions from prospective students coming in almost immediately after launch.

Alongside one-to-one conversations, TU/e also began using Community features to share more content and keep admitted students engaged. The updates channel is regularly used to promote webinars and key events, while ambassadors contribute blogs and vlogs within the platform to give deeper insight into student life. Together, these features have helped TU/e create a more dynamic and interactive place where prospective students can explore the university and connect in a more meaningful way.

Impact

Since launching Unibuddy, TU/e has seen a significant improvement in engagement between prospective students and their community. Internal analysis conducted in October 2025 also showed that around 35% of Unibuddy users have submitted an application or enrolled at TU/e, demonstrating that Unibuddy is particularly effective at supporting students who are actively progressing through their decision-making journey.

The platform aligns closely with TU/e’s positioning as a smaller, more personal university, enabling meaningful peer-to-peer conversations that help students feel more confident in their choice. TU/e has also observed that current bachelor’s students use the platform to ask questions about master’s programmes and specific courses, providing a low-threshold way to connect with peers already enrolled in the programmes they are considering, which highlights how the platform not only supports recruitment but also contributes to student retention.

Beyond engagement and conversions, the platform has also become a valuable source of insight for the communications team. By analysing the questions prospective students ask, TU/e can identify information gaps and work with departments to improve website content and messaging. As Mirna van den Boomen explains, “Unibuddy is now permanent in our strategy. We won’t be deleting it as a tool because it’s so important, and we see that we also get more conversions and more leads in our CRM system through Unibuddy.”