Unlocking needed revenues
In today’s tough financial climate—budget cuts, shrinking government grants, tuition freezes, and international student visa caps—institutions need to think outside the box to generate additional revenue.

But here’s the good news: there are still two major revenue streams that institutions can tap into, and they’re hiding in plain sight:

1.  International tuition fees

Even with the new visa caps, there are still a host of opportunities when it comes to recruiting top international students.

Maximizing your international tuition revenue starts with understanding and capturing the full value of what your program offers. Too often in the post-secondary sector, programs are treated as interchangeable—“a program is a program.” This view misses the mark. Features like work-integrated learning (WIL) aren’t just add-ons; they fundamentally elevate the program’s value. It’s like comparing cars: one with air conditioning isn’t just a car—it’s a better experience, and buyers are willing to pay for that difference. The same applies to education. Enhancements like WIL and other standout features increase the perceived worth of your program—and leveraging that perceived value is key to growing revenues.

One institution did this and saw its international revenue jump from 14% to 27% of total student-generated revenue. This potential for revenue growth is as true for smaller schools as it is for the largest.

Over 60+ international tuition studies, CRI has provably helped clients bring their international fee revenue and enrolment goals into better alignment – and the results speak for themselves.

Below is just one example of how a few data-driven tweaks made all the difference.

You can read up on why now is an excellent time to consider tuition elasticity here.

2. Improving retention
Schools routinely allocate budgets to attract the right number and caliber of students, assuming that’s the hard part done. But is it?

Not quite. The real revenue opportunity—one many overlook—lies in retaining the students you’ve worked so hard to recruit. Every student who stays contributes not only additional tuition revenue but, in many regions, valuable government grant funding as well. And with restrictions like visa limits reducing the number of new international students you can admit, retention becomes even more critical. Reducing attrition can unlock millions in extra revenue—even for smaller institutions.

Consider the case of a major university using CRI’s HeadStart Proactive Retention System. They achieved an 80% reduction in attrition among their highest-risk students and a 50% drop in their second-highest risk group. By proactively engaging at-risk students from the moment they arrive on campus, you’re not just protecting revenue—you’re setting those students up for long-term success.

It’s a win-win: students thrive, your institution’s revenue grows, and the broader world of education benefits.

We’re happy to show you how.

“In the 13 years since the initial tuition elasticity STUDY, McGill increased their revenue from international students by at least 400 million dollars.” 

Want to know more about generating additional revenue?

Call us at (514)-250-4495 or let us reach out.