Managing student enrolment has never been more demanding. In 2023/24, over 2.9 million students entered UK higher education, placing unprecedented pressure on admissions teams to deliver efficiency at scale.
Yet behind the numbers lies a daily struggle. Universities and higher education institutions juggle thousands of applications, eligibility checks and approvals, often across outdated, manual systems. The result? Bottlenecks, errors and students left frustrated by long waits or lost paperwork. In an increasingly competitive sector, those cracks don’t just damage reputation—they can cost institutions enrolments altogether.
This blog post explains what a student enrolment management system is and how leading process automation platforms like FlowForma streamline enrolment with speed, accuracy and a digital-first student experience.
Student enrolment management software is a digital tool that helps schools and universities streamline the enrolment process, including admitting and registering students. It centralises applications, documents and communications in one system, reducing manual errors and delays.
Institutions use it to track prospects, manage admissions decisions and support and engage prospective students from enquiry to enrolment. This makes the process faster, more accurate and easier for both staff and students.
Here’s what it typically covers:
Choosing the right student enrolment management software is not just about picking a tool with the most features. It’s about finding a solution that matches your institution’s size, goals and long-term strategy.
The right system should simplify processes for staff, create a smooth experience for students and support your institution’s growth. With that in mind, here are the key factors to consider when evaluating your options:
Seven factors to evaluate a student enrolment management system in 2025
Start by understanding your institution’s unique goals, challenges and student demographics. Larger schools may need advanced systems that handle high volumes of applications. Smaller institutions may benefit from simpler, more affordable solutions. Always consider scalability to support future growth and evolving programmes.
Look for systems with automated workflows, online application processing and communication tools. Strong reporting and analytics help track recruitment efforts and student performance. The software should also improve the student experience by offering a seamless and personalised journey.
Your system should integrate smoothly with existing platforms like Student Information Systems (SIS), Learning Management Systems (LMS) and financial tools. Good integration reduces manual work and ensures data flows freely across all systems.
Choose software with a clear and intuitive interface. It should be easy for staff to manage applications and simple for students to use. Mobile accessibility is essential so applicants can complete tasks on the go.
Protecting sensitive student data is non-negotiable. Ensure the system has strong security measures and complies with standards like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This protects your institution and builds trust with students.
Select a vendor that offers reliable customer support and ongoing updates. Check the availability of training resources to ensure staff can adapt quickly. Strong support reduces disruptions and helps you get the most out of the system.
Consider the total cost of ownership, including licences, setup, training and maintenance. Look for flexible pricing plans that fit your budget. Assess the potential return on investment by measuring efficiency gains and improvements in enrolment outcomes.
The following are the top 10 student enrolment management systems:
|
Platform |
Pricing transparency |
Automation capabilities |
Student journey and experience management |
|
FlowForma |
Clear and process-based |
Advanced AI (Copilot, Agentic AI, Discovery Agent), no-code |
Seamless enrolment, real-time updates, mobile app for on-the-go access and end-to-end student journey management |
|
ProcessMaker |
Enterprise-only, limited visibility |
Low-code workflows, AI credit evaluation |
Strong, but IT-dependent |
|
Blackbaud EMS |
Tiered, predictable |
Basic automation (forms, checklists) |
Smooth for K-12/private schools |
|
Bonitasoft BPM |
Open-source, cost-effective |
Flexible BPM engine, compliance-ready |
More admin-facing than student-facing |
|
Element451 |
Varies by subscription |
AI-driven workflows, CRM automation |
Personalised comms, predictive analytics |
|
Classe365 |
Affordable & transparent |
Automated forms, SIS mapping and payments |
Student-friendly enrolment + payments |
|
SchoolMint |
Size-based, less visible |
Configurable workflows, not deep |
Mobile-first, family-friendly |
|
Salesforce Education Cloud |
High, modular, complex |
CRM workflows, AI scoring |
Scalable portals, strong personalisation |
|
Nintex |
Expensive, complex |
Form/document automation, integrations |
Functional, not student-first |
|
Ellucian Student |
ERP-style high cost |
Full lifecycle automation |
Powerful but dated UX |
Let’s dive into a detailed analysis of each student enrolment management system
FlowForma’s education offering page
FlowForma is a no-code, all-in-one solution for student enrolment management. It is an AI-powered process automation platform that enables admissions teams to manage the entire enrolment lifecycle and student journey, from application submission to final enrolment confirmation.
In schools, colleges and universities, where transparency and compliance are essential, FlowForma streamlines the enrolment journey from application intake and eligibility checks to multi-stage reviews, approvals, document generation and reporting, driving efficiency, auditability and trust in admissions operations.
FlowForma’s AI suite transforms student enrolment by making applications faster for students and simpler for admissions teams. Applicants benefit from a smoother student journey, while staff reduce manual effort and gain confidence in data accuracy and compliance.
With FlowForma Copilot, admissions officers can generate forms instantly using plain prompts or uploaded diagrams, avoiding the need to build from scratch.
For instance, a new application form can be created in seconds, automatically including steps for student submission, document upload, approvals and confirmations. This not only shortens processing time but also gives students a seamless, digital-first experience.
FlowForma Copilot goes further by allowing staff to describe complete enrolment workflows in natural language, such as onboarding a new student, capturing applications, checking eligibility, automating approvals and notifying admissions staff.
FlowForma Copilot for education
The Copilot builds the process instantly, ensuring consistency and audit readiness without coding. Students benefit from quicker decisions, while teams save significant setup time.
Student onboarding flow created by FlowForma Copilot
Here’s a demo of FlowForma Copilot building a student onboarding process.
Meanwhile, the Process Discovery Agent observes how enrolment tasks are managed during meetings or planning sessions. It maps the required steps, identifies data points and assigns process owners, then produces a ready-to-test digital workflow within minutes.
This reduces delays for staff and ensures students move through each stage of enrolment without unnecessary bottlenecks.
Together, these AI tools create a more engaging enrolment journey for applicants and a more efficient, error-free system for staff.
Within a simple, no-code interface, admissions teams can manage the entire enrolment journey from applications and eligibility checks to approvals and reporting. The intuitive drag-and-drop design lets staff configure workflows to meet institutional policies and compliance standards, reducing bottlenecks, speeding decisions and creating a smoother experience for applicants.
You don’t need extensive technical knowledge or IT support to implement and manage the tool.
In this video, you'll hear from Morley College London on their experience of working with FlowForma's no code process automation tool.
With FlowForma Document Generation, admissions teams can instantly turn enrolment forms into polished, ready-to-use Word or PDF documents. Instead of manually creating offer letters, admission contracts, or confirmation packs, the platform automates the process, ensuring consistency, accuracy and valuable time savings—all at the click of a button.
Automated document generation merges student data into approved templates, applies consistent naming and version control and stores documents in SharePoint automatically. For example, once an application or even a student request form is approved, an offer letter and welcome pack can be generated instantly, removing manual effort and delivering a seamless experience for both staff and applicants.
Not all enrolment journeys are the same and FlowForma makes it easy to adapt. Admissions teams can design dynamic forms that adjust to each applicant, so students only see the fields relevant to them, creating a more precise and more personalised experience.
The platform also supports multi-stage reviews with built-in approval checkpoints, compliance checks and decision routing. This means streamlined course management without duplication, while students benefit from faster, more transparent decisions.
FlowForma enables applicants and external stakeholders to securely complete specific enrolment form steps through a unique web link, without needing complete system access.
For example, a student can upload supporting documents or a parent can provide consent directly through the form, while internal reviews and approvals remain protected. This reduces back-and-forth emails, speeds up the enrolment process and makes collaboration smoother for everyone.
FlowForma Analytics provides a clear picture of how enrolment workflows are performing, helping both applicants and admissions teams.
|
Students |
Staff and admission teams |
|
Faster decisions and fewer delays, as bottlenecks are identified and removed quickly |
Visibility into submission volumes, cycle times, overdue tasks, rejection reasons and rework loops |
For example, if a particular step is slowing down application approvals, it can be adjusted or rerouted to keep the process moving. These insights enable efficiency, reduce delays for applicants and make data-driven improvements to the enrolment journey.
FlowForma offers a cost-effective path to digital transformation, redefining how education works. Institutions can digitise enrolment processes, reducing operational costs such as printing, paper handling, storage and manual administration. Students benefit from faster, paper-free interactions, such as submitting applications or consent forms online, creating a smoother and more modern enrolment experience.
At the same time, admins save time and resources previously spent on manual processing, allowing them to focus on high-value tasks like reviewing applications and communicating with students. Institutions can follow a cost-effective path to digital transformation with clear, process-based pricing, no hidden fees and predictable ROI.
Abingdon & Witney College, a Further Education institution in Oxfordshire with three main campuses and six satellite sites serving 14,000 students, faced growing pressure to manage high-volume administrative processes efficiently.
The challenge: The college struggled with fragmented, paper-based workflows that slowed approvals and reporting, created errors and limited visibility across multiple campuses. High-volume activities like Trips and Visits, Accident Reporting and Expense Claims were particularly prone to delays and bottlenecks, making efficient resource management difficult.
The solution: FlowForma Process Automation was implemented to digitise and streamline key workflows. Using its intuitive no-code interface, the college created eight high-volume flows, enabling electronic submissions, automated approvals and real-time tracking. The solution integrated seamlessly with Office 365 and SharePoint, allowing staff to adopt it easily without specialist training.
The outcome:
The adoption of FlowForma significantly advanced the college’s goal of operating with the efficiency of a commercial organisation. Processes that once took days or weeks were completed in a fraction of the time, while reporting and visibility improved across all campuses. This translated into measurable efficiencies and a cultural shift toward professionalism and accountability. Key results included:
FlowForma uses a straightforward, process-based pricing model that aligns well with student enrolment management needs. Every tier includes access to FlowForma’s array of AI innovations, like Copilot and Agentic AI, helping institutions design and automate enrolment workflows with speed and accuracy.
With no hidden extras, universities and schools benefit from transparent budgeting, easier compliance and a predictable ROI while improving the student experience.
For more details on pricing, check here.
ProcessMaker is a low-code business process management platform that helps institutions automate enrolment workflows, application processing and student onboarding with strong integration capabilities.
Blackbaud EMS is a platform designed for private schools and higher education institutions, offering admissions, enrolment and integrated financial management.
Bonitasoft BPM is an open-source business process management platform that supports enrolment workflows, application processing and compliance automation.
Element451 is an AI-powered student engagement CRM built for higher education. It combines enrolment management, marketing automation and student success tools.
Classe365 is a global student management platform covering the learner journey from enrolment to alumni, with admissions, enrolment and LMS capabilities.
SchoolMint Enrol is designed for charter schools and districts, managing applications, lotteries and registration with strong configurability.
Salesforce Education Cloud’s homepage
Salesforce Education Cloud adapts Salesforce’s CRM for higher education, offering recruitment, admissions, student success and analytics on a global enterprise platform.
Nintex is a process automation platform that digitises forms, automates enrolment workflows and integrates with existing systems.
Ellucian is a leading higher education ERP system used globally, offering full student lifecycle management with academic, financial and administrative integration.
Student enrolment is more than processing applications. It’s about delivering a smooth, transparent experience for students while keeping administration efficient, accurate and compliant.
High volumes of forms, complex eligibility checks and changing deadlines can easily lead to errors and delays without a unified system. This is where FlowForma shines.
FlowForma streamlines enrolment by automating workflows, tracking every step and giving all stakeholders a single, reliable source of truth. Administrators can quickly verify documents, approve applications and manage course allocations, all with full audit trails.
Here’s how FlowForma streamlines the student enrolment management system:
With FlowForma, universities can handle high-volume enrolments efficiently, reduce errors and build trust with students and regulators alike. Ready to transform how you manage student enrolment? Book a demo with FlowForma today.