Copywriting for universities
Your marketing team is under more pressure than ever. More content to produce, tighter deadlines, more channels to feed. And always the challenge of turning complex, academic material into something engaging enough to actually recruit students.
As an experienced copywriter for universities, I’ve written content for some of the UK’s leading universities, including the University of Oxford, the London School of Economics and the Courtauld Institute of Art, so I understand the pressures you face and exactly what it takes to help you stand out.
Telling your unique story
Before I write a single word, I take the time to get to know your institution properly. Your values, your strengths, the audiences you’re trying to reach and the results you need to achieve.
That means understanding not just what you want to say, but what you’re trying to achieve: more applications, stronger engagement with alumni, better conversion on course pages, or simply a clearer, more consistent voice across your communications. That way, what I produce isn’t just well-written. It’s working directly towards your marketing goals.
Copywriting services for universities
With 20 years’ experience in higher education copywriting, I work with university marketing teams on everything from one-off projects to large-scale website programmes and ongoing copywriting support. That includes:
- Recruitment and admissions
Course and programme pages that give prospective students a real reason to apply, prospectuses, open day materials, student life and parent information guides. - Alumni and stakeholder communications
Alumni communications that keep graduates genuinely connected to your institution, email campaigns, case studies and annual reports. - Expert-led content
Blogs, research stories, news and ghostwriting for senior university leaders. - Strategic communications
Strategic messaging and tone of voice guidelines if you’re working on a brand refresh or you need to sharpen how you communicate across the board.
Recent results for my university clients
University course copywriting: before and after
Here’s a short sample of content I rewrote for a top UK university. The client asked me to create engaging new course descriptions that would be easy to digest and scan.
Original content from the client
Computer science is a wide-ranging discipline that offers entry into careers in many different areas. On this programme, you’ll explore both theory and practice of innovative and experimental computer science, equipping you with diverse technical skills for a career as a computing professional. The programme includes workshops so you can gain practical experience while you study. There are opportunities to collaborate with other students on these projects.
Copy makeover
Gain in-demand skills and open the doors to a host of exciting careers with our industry-led computer science degree.
From designing video games to protecting the world from malicious cyber attacks, our computer science degree covers all of this and more. With our degree, you’ll get to collaborate with students and tutors on practical projects and challenges from the start.
Examples of my university copywriting projects
London School of Economics (LSE)
Refreshed LSE‘s undergraduate content for 40+ programmes, meeting exceptionally tight deadlines. The new pages have achieved a 20% increase in page views, and the wider programme was shortlisted for a 2025 HEIST Award.
Since then, I’ve completed numerous other projects for LSE, including rewriting content for 70+ postgraduate course pages.
University of Oxford: Saïd Business School
Helped review and reshape the school’s 11,000-page website, followed by many further projects, including work on 200+ blogs and 100+ associate-fellow profiles. Oxford has now been a client for more than eight years.
The Courtauld Institute of Art
Rewrote content for the Courtauld’s 2026/27 undergraduate prospectus, transforming dense, academic material into clear, concise and engaging copy that gives prospective students a stronger sense of what it’s like to study there. I’ve since worked on the Courtauld’s postgraduate prospectus and several other projects.
Solent University
Supported Solent’s in-house team across a wide range of projects, from prospectuses to annual reports, helping deliver clear, engaging marketing materials while also providing flexible cover during staff holidays and sickness.
University of Southampton
Worked closely with Southampton’s marketing team to create engaging content across multiple channels, including web copy, recruitment campaigns, accommodation guides, newsletters, case studies and parent information packs.
A few words from my lovely clients…
Work with a copywriter who understands the higher education sector
Rigid recruitment cycles mean turning large volumes of academic content into clear, accessible copy quickly, while juggling feedback and sign-off from multiple people across the institution. You’re also writing for very different audiences at the same time: prospective students, parents, academics and alumni, each needing a different approach while staying true to your overall tone of voice.
That’s where freelance copywriting support makes a real difference. I can step in when workloads peak, get up to speed quickly and help keep projects moving without adding extra pressure to your team.
Easy to work with and reliable
You need someone who hits deadlines. I do. But I also know that timings shift on large projects, so I’ll work flexibly around you rather than holding you to a rigid schedule.
Unlike a large agency, you’ll work directly with me throughout. No being passed between team members, no briefing the same thing twice. Once a project is underway I’ll keep you updated on progress and flag anything that needs your attention early, so everything runs smoothly.
FAQs
I write copy for a wide range of higher education marketing materials, including online course content, campaign landing pages, email marketing, blogs and alumni communications.
Yes. I often write course copy. I’m used to working with raw content provided by academics. I turn it into accessible, engaging content that explains what each course involves and what makes it distinctive.
Yes. I write for a variety of different audiences, from students to donors, alumni, employees and even parents. I tailor the content to your chosen audience while still keeping the tone of voice consistent with your overall message.
I can complete keyword research and on-page SEO. If you prefer, I can also weave your chosen keywords into course and programme information.
Yes. I can work within your existing tone-of-voice guidelines so your content sounds distinctively like your institution. If you’re looking for a refresh, I can also develop messaging guidelines and a written style for marketing teams to use across your communications.
I know that university marketing teams often have short turnaround times for online course content. So, I’m used to turning around copy quickly.
Give me a call to see what’s possible.I’ll be honest and upfront if I’m tied up with other commitments.
If I’m busy, I can refer you to other trusted copywriters who specialise in writing copy for higher education markets.
