International by Design: How Hult Students Make 36 Friends Across 86% International Friendships Before Arrival

Internationality at the forefront of Hult

Hult’s model is inherently global. Students arrive from dozens of countries across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, often preparing to study and move across multiple international locations. This means diversity must translate into early belonging, meaningful connection, and confidence before students ever arrive on campus.

That requires more than information. It requires systems that allow students to find each other, support each other, and integrate naturally across cultural and national lines at scale. To support this, Hult uses Goin’ as its student community platform. Enabling early peer friendships across cohorts without fragmenting the experience or increasing staff workload.

What happens when early connection is designed deliberately

Looking at Hult’s most recent community data, the scale of early peer friendships stands out immediately.

On average, incoming Hult students make way over 30 friends before arrival. For Post Graduate students, thats goes to as high as even 36 friendships. Imagine knowing 36 people before ever arriving at your destination.

Just as importantly, these connections cut across nationality lines.

Across all UK and Ireland–based university communities using Goin’, Hult shows the highest level of nationality integration, with 86% of friendships forming between students of different nationalities.

This is the difference between being international in composition and international in practice.

Why this matters before students arrive: Internationality that compounds over time

When students connect with peers before arrival, uncertainty reduces. Practical questions get answered, cultural concerns are shared openly, and confidence builds earlier.

At Hult, this impact is clearly reflected in student feedback. 90% of students say that early peer connection improves their sense of belonging. Belonging, in this context, is not something students are left to discover after arrival.

What makes this approach particularly powerful is that it doesn’t reset every year.

As cohorts move from incoming to current students, they become part of the next intake’s experience. Welcoming new students, sharing lived insight, and strengthening the community organically over time.

At Hult, this dynamic is visible in how support now flows through the student body itself. Nearly 90% of questions are addressed within the Goin’ community, as students help each other by sharing experiences, advice, and reassurance in real time.

The result is a model that scales sustainably: pressure on admissions and onboarding teams is reduced, while students continue to receive timely, relevant support.

Recognition as a signal

These outcomes haven’t gone unnoticed.

Within the broader network of university communities on Goin’, Hult has been named a finalist for Best Connected Community in 2025, reflecting the depth and consistency of student connection within its student cohort.

Hult has also been recognised as a finalist for Most Active Champions, highlighting the role of engaged student voices, champions and ambassadors in welcoming, guiding, and supporting incoming students.

A benchmark for what “international by design” really means

Hult’s results show what happens when early connection is treated as core infrastructure:

• Students arrive with established networks
• Global integration happens naturally
• Belonging forms before day one
• International diversity becomes lived experience, not just cohort data
  
  

“I think it’s amazing because we get to meet our future classmates and build relationships with them before our initial start. That takes away from any awkwardness, especially if you struggle in new social settings.” Rafaela-Isabela from Romania

“I really love the idea of Goin’! Connecting with other students before arriving makes the move abroad so much easier and more fun!” Kana from Japan

“I’m very excited about this journey. I love the app and being able to connect with my classmates even before school starts. This community has made the experience easier and better!” Sofia from Mexico

“I’m doing the Online MBA, and I’ve seen that there are even groups we can join, so it’s a great way to get information from there. It’s also a nice way to break the ice with other students before actually starting your studies.” Jure from Slovenia

“It’s helped students find friends, roommates, and support even before classes begin, which can make the whole study experience more comfortable and exciting.” Neeta from India

In a global higher education landscape where many institutions claim to be international, Hult demonstrates what it looks like when internationality is designed, supported, and sustained in practice.