New practical resources for schools and universities supporting students as they transition to higher education.

Transitions are a natural part of every student’s experience

From changing schools, moving across countries, and going to university, students regularly face academic, cultural, and social shifts. These transitions aren’t just one-time events—they’re ongoing experiences that shape a student’s growth.

For international students, there are specific challenges. Moving across borders and adjusting to new cultures adds layers of complexity that require thoughtful support.

Changing moments of challenge into opportunities

Every transition a student makes is a critical milestone. When handled with care, these moments can strengthen a student’s academic trajectory and personal development. With proactive and effective planning, transitions become more than just hurdles—they become opportunities to build resilience, adaptability, and life-long skills.

The transition to Higher Education

We are excited to announce the launch of the Secondary to Higher Education Transitions Support Pack, a resource designed to help schools and universities support students through this critical stage of their academic journey.

International students face specific challenges as they transition to higher education across cultures, contexts, and often in new languages. Students, as well as the educators and staff who support them, have described a gap in expectations and related support as they take these pivotal steps.

At CIS, we are uniquely focused on closing this gap, helping schools and universities engage together and share practical strategies to ensure these transitions are well managed. With experience working alongside thousands of schools and universities in our global membership community, we’ve developed the Secondary to Higher Education Transitions Support Pack to:

• Share research-backed guidance and practical strategies to develop programming that supports students making this transition
• Highlight examples of effective practice from our CIS membership community
• Provide advice to engage all the relevant community constituents essential in supporting students including leaders, parents, families, alumni, older students, faculty, and staff
• Introduce methods to implement, evaluate, and measure your programme within your institution and across sectors

Whether your institution already has established programming or is just starting to consider how best to assist students during these key transitions, this support pack offers practical guidance, proven strategies, and tools you can implement right away. We are confident this will facilitate cross-sector collaboration allowing schools and universities to work together to ensure a smoother transition for students.