New From Search Influence – AI Search in Higher Education: How Prospects Search in 2025
October 13th, 2025 by
Artificial intelligence isn’t on the horizon for higher ed — it’s here. Half of prospective students already use AI tools weekly to search for information in the same way they use Google.
To help institutions adapt, the Online and Professional Education Association (UPCEA), in partnership with Search Influence, has released the 2025 AI Search in Higher Education Research Study. This research sheds light on how prospective adult learners use AI, search engines, university websites, and other platforms to explore, trust, and select programs.
Download the full AI Search in Higher Education Research Study
About the AI Search in Higher Education Research Study
The AI Search in Higher Education report surveyed 760 qualified adult learners between 18 and 60, all interested in advancing their skills or knowledge through online and continuing education. These respondents represent today’s prospective adult learners, a growth market for universities and an early indicator of broader enrollment trends.
UPCEA led the research, bringing its deep expertise in online and continuing education, while Search Influence shaped the study with insights from our nearly 20 years as an SEO and AI search optimization agency.
Together, we uncovered how AI, traditional search, and institutional websites are reshaping the way prospective students find, trust, and ultimately choose programs.
Key Findings: How Prospects Search in 2025
The results illustrate a rapidly diversifying student journey. Here are the top takeaways:
- AI tools are an integral part of the enrollment funnel. 50% of prospective learners use AI platforms weekly, making them a standard part of the search process.
- University websites anchor trust. 77% of respondents rated institutional websites as their most reliable source when exploring programs.
- AI citations influence credibility. 79% of prospects read Google’s AI-generated overviews, and 56% say they are more likely to trust schools cited within them.
- Search visibility drives consideration. 82% of students report they are more likely to consider programs that appear on the first page of search results.
- Discovery spans multiple platforms. 84% of prospects use search engines, 61% use YouTube as a search engine, and 50% rely on AI tools in the same way they use Google.
These findings confirm that students are moving fluidly between AI platforms, search engines, and video-based resources. Institutions cannot rely on a single channel. They must create content that performs across all of them.
Why Online and Continuing Education Students?
Online and continuing education students are often early adopters of new search behaviors, and their choices ripple outward to the broader higher ed market. They are career-focused, typically employed full-time, and actively researching programs that fit their personal and professional goals.
By focusing this study on online and continuing education prospects, we’re able to capture a forward-looking snapshot of how AI search in higher education is shaping program discovery, trust, and enrollment decisions.
What This Means for Higher Ed Marketers
For higher ed leaders and enrollment teams, the implications are clear:
- Multi-channel visibility is non-negotiable. Students expect to find you on Google, university websites, AI-generated responses, and video platforms like YouTube.
- SEO is the connective tissue. Strong, authoritative SEO is the foundation that fuels visibility across both traditional and AI search engines. Without it, your programs won’t appear in the places students are looking.
- Early movers will win. Many institutions have not yet adapted their strategies for AI search. Schools that act now will gain a competitive advantage in enrollment visibility and trust.
Measuring Success in AI Search
Success in AI search isn’t just about rankings. Institutions should track citations in AI Overviews, visibility across AI platforms, and engagement from AI-driven traffic, alongside traditional metrics like cost per inquiry (CPI) and ROI. By adding these benchmarks, schools can better understand how AI contributes to the enrollment funnel and make smarter investments in visibility and trust.
Take Action: Be Visible in AI Search
AI search is a core part of how students find and evaluate higher ed programs.
The 2025 AI Search in Higher Education Research Study confirms what many institutions are beginning to notice: if you’re not visible in AI search, you’re not in the consideration set.
The good news? Acting now puts you ahead.
Download the full 2025 AI Search in Higher Education Research Study to explore the data and recommendations.
