How 94% of Students at Centrale Nantes Build a Sense of Belonging Early

Belonging forms earlier than arrival

The combined effect of early connection, ongoing engagement, and peer support is reflected in how students feel about joining the university. 94% of students say that using the community improves their sense of belonging to Centrale Nantes, even before arriving on campus.

This sense of belonging forms during the pre-arrival phase and directly shapes how confident and prepared students feel when they begin their studies.

Why early peer connection changes the experience

For students coming from abroad, starting university is not just an academic decision. It is a personal transition.

New systems, a new country, unfamiliar administrative processes, and the absence of an immediate social network all come into play long before students ever arrive. This uncertainty begins in the gap between receiving an offer and starting their studies.

At Centrale Nantes, this pre-arrival phase has become a deliberate focus.

To understand how this works in practice, we spoke with Christine Réveillaud, International Communications at Centrale Nantes, who works closely with international students, about why early community matters—and how peer connection supports integration, confidence, and decision-making before arrival and well beyond orientation.

Seeing the gap before it becomes a problem

Christine’s motivation for working in international education is rooted in personal experience.

“I was an international student myself. It’s a life-changing experience, and I wanted to give something back.”

That perspective shaped how Centrale Nantes reflected on its onboarding approach. Despite strong academic programmes, the university recognised a familiar challenge.

“We didn’t have a lot of solutions out there for integrating our international students. And we felt there was an issue there.”

International students often receive offers six to twelve months before arrival. During that period, uncertainty builds—about moving to France, navigating administrative processes, and whether they will find their place socially.

“They have offers to join us six to twelve months ahead of time. We needed something that allowed them to get together, feel reassured about coming to France, and start making friends.”

Connecting across studies and countries

Rather than waiting until students arrive on campus, Centrale Nantes enables peer connection during the pre-arrival phase. Students are given space to find each other, ask questions, and share experiences—before uncertainty escalates.

According to Centrale Nantes’ 2025 community data, incoming students build an average of 11 connections before arrival, meaning most arrive with a broader peer network already forming.

These connections cut across borders. Students from over 70 countries participate in the community, with 69% of connections forming between students of different nationalities, supporting international integration before arrival rather than after.

One of the strengths of the community is that it also connects students who rarely meet through formal academic structures. Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD students are able to interact, exchange advice, and organise activities beyond their programmes.

“There are bachelor students, master students, and PhD students who don’t normally cross paths every day on campus. Having a platform means they can meet and find each other.”

In practice, 62% of connections at Centrale Nantes are between students from different study programmes, creating opportunities for peer learning and integration that would not typically happen in classrooms alone.

Community becomes a shared layer of student life—rather than something confined to cohorts or timetables.

Listening to students before issues escalate

For Centrale Nantes, community is not only social—it also enables a more proactive approach to student support.

Christine is candid about how well universities listen to what students are really asking for.

“We want to know the pain points—the difficulties students are having or are scared about—so we can anticipate those things and help them out. If there’s something we can help with, and step in, then we’ll do that.”

These signals are aggregated through the Goin’ Score, which reflects overall student sentiment and confidence across the community. This allows the university to identify hesitation, stress, or uncertainty early—and respond before issues escalate into formal problems.

By observing recurring themes and engagement patterns, Centrale Nantes gains early insight into emerging concerns around accommodation, visas, and administrative processes.

Early community and the decision to join

Early peer connection also plays a role in how students make their final decision.

By inviting students into the community shortly after receiving an offer, Centrale Nantes provides reassurance during a period when uncertainty could otherwise lead to hesitation or drop-off.

Community data shows that 88% of students say early peer connection reassures them in their decision, and 88% report a higher likelihood to enrol after engaging with the community.

Seeing peers prepare together, ask questions, and support one another helps students validate their choice through shared experience.

Supporting students—without increasing staff burden

As students increasingly support each other, the flow of questions begins to shift.

At Centrale Nantes, 85% of students say they find answers through the community that they would otherwise have asked university staff. This reduces pressure on admissions and international offices while ensuring students still receive timely, relevant support.

Staff remain involved—but more strategically. Students handle lived-experience questions, while teams step in where expertise or intervention is needed.

Integration doesn’t start on campus

Centrale Nantes’ experience highlights a simple but often overlooked truth: student integration starts long before arrival.

When students are given space to connect early:

• uncertainty reduces
  
  
• confidence builds
  
  
• belonging forms sooner
  
  
• and support becomes more sustainable for staff
  
  

Community, when designed intentionally, doesn’t just help students arrive.
It helps them integrate—and stay.