There is a growing awareness that AI usage is widespread in the student search journey, and a developing knowledge of how these AI systems generate responses. But there has been less focus on what the student view is.  

Our recent study adds crucial detail to this nascent picture. Combining a survey with 200 university applicants for the 2026 September entry cycle, with focus groups, we gathered the thoughts, experiences, and insights of students on one of the key aspects of the September 2026 recruitment cycle: what does the applicant journey look like in an AI world? Addressing this question is critical, as what it looks like for students should inform the next steps for universities and their marketing teams. 

The first part of the answer is that students are drawn by the ease of use, and by the speed with which they can find well-organised information.  

But the second part of the answer is more complicated: compared to other information sources, AI is one of the most used and least trusted.  

The first part of the answer was to be expected. The second part is surprising. If universities understand the tension between these two truths, they’ll be better placed to give students what they’re looking for in the places that they’re looking. 

The change: AI is now central to the prospective applicant’s journey 

Why? In a word: for the same reason everyone else has. It saves time and makes information easier to understand.  

This might already have been anecdote, but we now have the data to back it up: AI is a common part of discovery for prospective undergraduate students in their university search journey. Responses showed that it’s mostly used in the early research stage to cast the net wide, but then often used again later to compare universities and courses and narrow down choices. 

Applicants are using AI platforms to bring together information from various sources and summarise it into clear, bite-sized bullets. But the appeal of AI in search and discovery is not only to do with convenience; it is also to do with the personalised format. Our previous research into prospective undergraduates’ customer service expectations showed us that students value timely and personalised communications, which AI delivers on. 

The nuance: students are still using other sources  

For the applicants we spoke to, AI was seen as complementing, rather than replacing, key information sources such as UCAS and university websites.  

Moreover, our survey showed that, though AI-generated answers were broadly seen by applicants as comprehensive and reasonably accurate, they were also seen as limited in terms of lived experience. 

For this reason, the value of in-person experiences – explored in our qualitative study Role and Value of Open Days (March 2023) – remain pivotal in decision-making. Many applicants would still be reluctant to firmly choose a university without attending one. Open Days are not just informational. Crucially, they provide reassurance and offer a feel for whether a university is for them.  

The surprise finding: AI is one of the most used but least trusted sources  

Compared to other information sources, AI was among the least trusted, with most of our survey participants verifying AI answers. 

Another surprising part of the discussion was that, when initially presented with a list of information sources, relatively few participants said they used AI as part of their research. Other sources, at first, came out higher. And yet, when directly asked if they used AI tools and shown a specific list, the reported usage tripled. 

This raises some interesting possibilities. First, it may reflect a subconscious level of uncertainty about how AI use is perceived in the application process. Ofqual have stated that using AI to generate coursework without proper disclosure is cheating, with consequences that can include losing a qualification entirely. If prospective students have taken this message on board at school-level, it would understandably inform a level of anxiety about using it. Second, applicants may not be as certain about the line between AI and non-AI sources as they would be distinguishing between traditional information channels like UCAS, websites and open days. In fact, it might be so deeply embedded into search that students may not even consider themselves to be using it.  

The takeaway: Be visible to AI. Be trusted by people. 

From AI overviews to Google’s signals toward future AI-powered conversational and agentic search, optimising towards AI-led discovery – and building the infrastructure and brand differentiation that supports this – should be a priority.  

Visibility is the increasingly important part of the equation; and, as the rules of the game have changed, tactical agility is required, and fast. As applicants turn to AI during their research and comparison stages, universities need to consider how well their information can be surfaced and represented in AI-generated responses.  

Applicants could have formed an opinion of your university before even getting to your homepage. Having agency over this digital touchpoint is fast becoming one of the most difficult and important challenges in student recruitment. 

At the same time, our research highlights the importance of the human connection that applicants continue to value. AI helps students navigate the available information to get to a practical shortlist. Human interaction and authentic engagement then help to grow trust and connection when the student then begins to dig deeper. Furthermore, if the student has a positive, trust-building in-person experience, they will be more likely to talk about this digitally and these digital references in turn will inform AI responses to prompts, making it a win-win. This is why universities should not lose sight of the role that open days, campus visits and real-world touchpoints continue to play.  
 

For universities, the challenge is, therefore, not choosing between AI and human engagement but succeeding across both in mutually beneficial ways. Those who will thrive will be those who move quickly to ensure they are visible in AI-powered search while continuing to deliver the authentic experiences that help applicants make confident decisions. Some of the solutions will be familiar, whilst others will require new tools.  

If you’d like to find out more about how we can help you with AI visibility strategy or your Open Day strategy, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with Emily Bennett at ebennett@educationcubed.com