Onboarding Student Hero at Your Institution

Welcome!

We’re excited to be working with your team and look forward to a meaningful and successful collaboration.

This guide is intended to help your institution make the most of your collaboration with Student Hero to support finance-dependent students. 

Each section below highlights a key area where Student Hero can be featured — along with why it matters and how to implement it effectively.

Many students visit your institution’s website wanting to investigate the cost of studying — and if they don’t immediately see a payment option that suits their unique financial situation, they might disengage entirely.

Featuring the availability of affordable finance prominently ensures that students who could afford to study through financing are not lost due to uncertainty or lack of visibility.

By simply adding a “Finance Your Studies” tab to your homepage, or including affordable finance options under your existing Fees and Payments page, you help students access payment solutions that fit their budget — before they give up.

Recommended page wording:

"{Your_Institution_Name} has partnered with Student Hero to help our students to learn about, apply for, and compare offers from the major student finance providers — all from a single platform, and at zero cost to you.

Click here to explore student finance"

The most seamless way to assist finance-dependent students through your application process is by offering them the option to connect with Student Hero directly on your registration form, and then sending us their contact details if they opt in.

How does it work?

Simply add a question to your online registration form offering students the opportunity to connect with Student Hero for assistance with student finance. This question can be shown to all applicants, regardless of their payment method.

Include a short message explaining the support available and request POPI-compliant consent to share their contact details with us.

Suggested message:

"Do you want help exploring funding options?

By selecting "Yes", you consent to sharing your contact details with Student Hero so they can assist you."

If the student provides consent, their details can be shared with Student Hero either via an API webhook or through an automated email – whichever suits your team’s setup best.

By proactively sharing information about affordable financing in your marketing content, you can encourage students to explore their options early. If they need financial support, they’ll have the chance to check whether they qualify — which gives them the confidence to move forward with your institution.

This type of messaging works well in:

• Email campaigns

• WhatsApp replies

• SMS reminders

Giving students a clear next step and a sense of financial security can make all the difference when it comes to converting interest into enrolment.

A simple message like the one below can turn hesitation into action:

“Do you want to invest in your education but don’t have the funding available upfront? With the help of affordable financing, you can spread the cost over a longer term — making it more affordable. 

Click here to learn more”

Some students don’t reach out — not because they’re uninterested, but because they’re unsure whether they can afford to study. They often sit on the sidelines, watching from a distance.

By sharing simple social posts about the availability of student finance through Student Hero, you can bring them back into the conversation. These posts work well as part of your regular content cycle, helping to ensure consistent visibility of affordable finance options.

It’s a powerful way to connect with affordability-conscious students who might otherwise stay invisible to your email or inquiry campaigns.

If your institution hands out information packs at open days or has a stand where brochures and flyers are displayed, including Student Hero's flyer in that material is a simple but powerful way to reach finance-dependent students.

Download and print the Student Hero flyer below to include in your student packs, or place copies on your information table for students to take home.

This gives students something tangible to review later, reminds them of your support for affordable study options, and offers a clear next step if finances are a concern.

A student’s financial circumstances can change — even after they’ve registered. They may have planned to follow an internal payment plan, but unforeseen challenges can make it difficult to keep up with the instalments.

Finance is also available for existing students who need support to settle outstanding or arrear fees.

By including a simple reminder about affordable student finance options in your monthly fee statement, you provide ongoing reassurance that support is available if needed — before payment issues escalate.

In the body of the email accompanying the fee statement, we suggest using wording like:

“Looking for a more flexible way to pay your fees? You may still qualify for affordable finance to help you spread the cost over a longer term. Click here to explore your options.”

On the fee statement itself, this shorter line can be just enough to prompt action:

“Explore flexible finance options here.”

Student Hero has developed a library of video resources to help students understand how affordable finance works and how to access it.

Our long-format videos are ideal for use at open days, information sessions, or orientation events, where students and parents want a deeper understanding of the finance journey and available support.

Our short-form videos are perfect for digital engagement — they’re quick, clear, and easy to share.
You can include them in:

• Emails

• WhatsApp replies

• SMS responses to student inquiries
  
  

These videos help answer finance-related questions efficiently and ensure your students receive accurate, consistent information about their finance options and how to explore them.

HeroConnect is a dedicated portal for educational institutions to securely send student contact details directly to Student Hero – with the student’s consent.

It is designed to support institutions that engage with students in person.

Through HeroConnect, your team can submit a student’s details quickly and easily, enabling Student Hero to follow up directly and assist them with exploring and applying for student finance – all in a POPI-compliant way.

This ensures that students receive the support they need without being redirected to a website or left to complete the process on their own.