Empowering non-traditional learners: How AI helps higher education recruit and retain a new generation

Back to school season is upon us, and people everywhere are excited to get started on a new academic year, but there’s another side to the academic landscape that demands our attention. For many colleges and universities, enrollment has been on a long-term decline, especially among traditional students. But here’s the good news: non-traditional learners are on the rise – and AI is helping institutions not just reach them, but champion them.

These learners bring diverse life experiences, unique motivations, and different expectations to the academic table. To thrive, institutions must meet them with equally flexible strategies. AI is emerging as the key to delivering the personal, timely, and scalable support they need. These learners include working adults, caregivers, and career changers who are seeking flexible, relevant education. Their needs differ significantly from those of recent high school graduates. Institutions that embrace AI recruitment tools for colleges and AI in higher education marketing can unlock new opportunities for growth and impact.

Non-traditional learners: A shift worth watching

Recent data tells a powerful story:

• Undergraduate enrollment in the U.S. fell 15% from 2010 to 2021.
• A promising reversal began in 2022, with a 4.5% increase in total enrollment this year.
• This increase was driven in large part by non-traditional learners – there was a 17% increase in first-time enrollment among 21- to 24-year-olds, and an 18% increase among those over 25.
• Learners over the age of 24 now comprise the majority of college students.

This is more than a trend – it’s a transformation. Non-traditional students are increasingly influential in reshaping the academic landscape. Schools that adapt their outreach, support, and experience to meet non-traditional learners where they are will define the next era of higher education. These students are not just enrolling—they're bringing new expectations for flexibility, relevance, and support. Institutions that fail to evolve risk falling behind in both enrollment and student satisfaction. Embracing this demographic shift is essential for long-term institutional resilience.

These shifts point to an urgent need for institutions to evolve beyond one-size-fits-all recruitment models. Understanding who these learners are and what barriers they face is the first step. AI provides a powerful lens to recognize patterns and build pathways that meet students where they are.

AI-driven strategies are indispensable in addressing the challenges faced by non-traditional students. These challenges can include:

• financial constraints
• scheduling conflicts
• staying motivated to finish a degree program in a distance learning format

Let’s discuss the challenges during recruitment, enrollment, and ongoing commitment to degree programs for non-traditional students and how AI tools can help with each.

Smarter outreach: AI recruitment tools for colleges for non-traditional students

Printed and mailed marketing materials, in-person fairs, and email outreach are often tailored, targeted, and timed for traditional students, meaning many institutions are leaving the opportunity to reach out to non-traditional learners on the table.

That’s where AI comes in, starting with identifying who to recruit. AI-powered predictive analytics can help institutions identify which prospective students are most likely to apply, be admitted, and ultimately enroll, regardless of their traditional or non-traditional status. This data-driven approach helps schools cut through the noise and engage high-potential learners early. It also removes unconscious bias by focusing on actual behaviors, not just demographics. When powered by AI, recruitment becomes more efficient, inclusive, and aligned with evolving student needs.

Beyond that, messaging to prospective non-traditional students needs to be personalized and arrive at an appropriate time to facilitate a positive response – especially considering many non-traditional learners work full-time and lead busy lives. Here, AI can assist as well.

Solutions such as NiCE’s CXone Mpower Proactive AI Agent engage with prospective learners at scale, ensuring that the right message is delivered at the right time. Proactive AI Agent analyzes data available within your recruitment systems to identify prospective students who need assistance with the enrollment process or financial aid application, then creates the optimal engagement strategy on a case-by-case basis. Proactive AI Agent then engages prospects in a dialogue using natural language understanding (NLU) via their preferred communication channel. This ensures that every message feels relevant, respectful of their time, and genuinely helpful. By anticipating questions or concerns before they arise, institutions can ease anxiety and spark momentum.

And when deeper support is needed, Proactive AI Agent seamlessly hands off to a human expert – with the full context in hand – ensuring students feel seen, supported, and set up for success.

Enrollment made easy: Why AI is essential to a modern application experience

Streamlined enrollment processes are also essential for attracting non-traditional students. Non-traditional students, strapped for time, need a fast and easy way to submit their application and complete the enrollment processes.

AI-powered chatbots such as NiCE’s CXone Mpower Autopilot provide 24/7 assistance, answering questions about programs, admissions, and financial aid. This immediate support simplifies the application journey, ensuring non-traditional learners have easy access to the information they need. Instead of waiting days for an email or phone reply, students can get answers in minutes – on their schedule.

By streamlining applications and reducing wait times, institutions send a clear message: we value your time. This kind of responsiveness can be the deciding factor for students juggling multiple responsibilities. It also reduces the burden on admissions staff, allowing them to focus on complex cases. Most importantly, it removes friction from a process that can otherwise feel overwhelming.

AI that sticks around: Keeping learners committed and connected

Non-traditional students often face a different kind of academic pressure – balancing coursework with jobs, caregiving, or other priorities. So how can institutions help them stay the course?

Non-traditional students often choose eLearning environments offering flexible scheduling and part-time options that fit better within the time they have available during the week. With competing priorities at play in their lives, it is no surprise that non-traditional students have historically shown lower persistence and completion rates than their traditional counterparts.

To help solve this, AI-enabled platforms can:

• Deliver reminders to register for courses, submit documents, or join advising sessions
• Create adaptive learning paths based on performance and behavior
• Support multilingual learners with built-in translation tools
• Offer in-platform coaching and self-service helpdesks
• Identify students who need extra support and reach out to connect them to resources

These touchpoints build consistency, ease, and motivation into daily academic life – just when it’s needed most.

The bottom line: AI can unlock a more inclusive, flexible higher education future

Non-traditional students aren’t a fringe group – they’re the new majority. And they deserve strategies built around their lives, not borrowed from outdated models.

With the help of AI, institutions can:

• Reach the right prospects
• Reduce friction at every step
• Personalize support for long-term success

AI isn’t replacing human connection – it’s making space for it. When automation handles complexity, people can focus on building trust, mentorship, and belonging. It’s time to meet the moment and reimagine a higher education experience that works for everyone. Ready to open doors for the learners shaping tomorrow? We’re here to help.

The future of higher education depends on our ability to adapt to the realities of today’s learners. AI is not a silver bullet, but it is a powerful enabler of equity, access, and success. Let’s use it to build a system that truly serves all students, wherever they are in life.