10 Best CRM for Schools: Improve Student Management and Engagement

Institutions using CRM for schools report a 74% improvement in relationships with students after adopting these technologies. It’s not just about this. There are many stats to prove that these systems are well designed to make schools better. There has been a significant change in the learning modes after Covid-19.

Online education has become equally important as offline, Hybrid schedules are also well-preferred, and all these points are taken into consideration for creating CRM for higher education. Students don’t only remember the education they have received from higher education institutions over the years, but also how they felt during their time, how the organization helped them, how good the faculties were, etc.

When parents are short-listing schools for their children, they check out everything. From faculty to campus and from programs the schools are offering. CRM systems transform your website into an attractive one with the help of ready-made templates. But this is just one example of how effective these tools are.

What is CRM for schools?

It’s a set of tools, unified to form software that eases down your work. How? Starting with the data collection, managing it, tracking the leads, and so on.

One of the key benefits of higher education CRM is the ability to streamline the admission process, making it more efficient and organized for both applicants and staff. CRM manages the entire student lifecycle, from admissions to alumni relations, ensuring a seamless experience for all stakeholders.

Creating a profile by automation, so you don’t have to input everything manually. Not only that it even ranks the profiles, so you know about the student’s progress. When deployed, CRM acts on valuable insights for student engagement and student retention.

Digital communication is something you can’t ignore. That is where integration becomes an eternal part. All the education sector institutions are now on social media, creating their online presence. Why? Simply, because their prospective students are on it.

Email reminders and acceptance letters are automated. You can send personalized messages to students and parents to create a unique impression. It helps you build a strong community through effective communication tools. One of the fundamental features is targeted marketing campaigns to attract new and capable students and maintain relationships with alumni.

Features of Schools CRM

Application and Enquiry Management

• Lead generation and tracking
• Application management and processing
• Automated communication and follow-up

Learner Communications and Analytics

• Personalized communication and messaging
• Automated email and notification systems

Integrations with Existing Systems

• Student information systems (SIS)
• Learning management systems (LMS)
• Marketing automation platforms

Check out these 10 CRM for schools:

Note: We will be talking about unique features and tools, so you can easily compare and select the best one for you.  

1. CrmOne

The unique features of CrmOne, which are tailored to specific needs, make it the top CRM for schools. It focuses on contact management, student lifecycle management, personalized communication, and performance tracking.

CrmOne also excels in simplifying admission processes, ensuring that every step from enrollment application is handled efficiently.

It provides you with a database to store student details, including contact information, academic records, attendance, and medical history.

With CrmOne’s Power dialer, set and confirm appointments like you never did with call queues that organize your calls automatically. Receive follow-ups in call queues at a proper scheduled time. Customize your call line-up to send calls to the right agent based on their expertise or specific campaign requirements.

CrmOne’s automation and AI can automate routine tasks like sending reminders for tuition payments, tracking student attendance, and generating personalized reports on academic progress. This is beneficial for both students and schools. The payment integration feature can be used for recurring payments and keeping track of individual student’s finance.

For marketing, it has an email template builder, from where you can select ready-made templates and customize them too. Like, put your logos, tagline, and more. The omnichannel feature can be used to have a centralized platform for all communication. Students use WhatsApp, so why not use it as a medium of marketing?

It has a mobile app so that you can communicate easily. Teachers, Parents, and students can connect through email, SMS, and other messaging platforms or social media. Yes, it also has social media management, so your presence is everywhere.

CrmOne’s dashboard customization lets you make professional dashboards related to your needs. Use our easy drag-and-drop interface to build and customize a detailed business analytics dashboard easily.

Set automated reminders and let AI take follow-ups, and reply to inquiries instantly. If you are not using the customization feature of CrmOne, you are missing out on something very creative and impactful. With customized dashboards, you can create professional dashboards using pre-built templates.

The AI features are recommendable by many. We are directly or indirectly dependent on AI, so why not use it properly? From AI email writer to AI Website builder, you can utilize these features to get the best outcome. With so many tech-oriented tools, it has the best AI tools for students, to make their school experience smoother.

2. Zendesk

Zendesk is the finest CRM in terms of technology and AI tool optimizations. From engaging with students across multiple channels, like email, chat, social media, and phone to improving satisfaction.

It is a preferable CRM for schools, as you can create customizable self-service portals where students can access FAQs, knowledge bases, and community forums.

The platform offers customizable dashboards that allow staff to monitor important metrics at a glance. Schools can tailor these dashboards to display the information most relevant to their specific needs and goals.

Zendesk includes features that facilitate collaboration among staff members, such as internal notes and tagging systems. These tools help ensure that everyone involved in supporting a student is on the same page.

The platform includes tools for proactive engagement, such as automated follow-ups and reminders for important deadlines or events. This capability helps keep students informed and engaged throughout their academic journey.

Zendesk has a large user community that shares best practices, tips, and resources for maximizing the platform’s potential in educational settings.

Read More: 22 Best Zendesk Alternatives in 2025: Features, Pricing, and More

3. Monday CRM

Has Monday CRM been built only for businesses? If that’s what you would have believed then it’s time you know about its educational features.  First of all, you don’t need any development help in tailoring workflows.

It has built-in email composition and rephrasing tools, that lets users create personalized emails using smart templates. It provides you with live reports and analytics dashboards, so you can change the strategies in between campaigns. Schools can utilize pre-built widgets to gain deep insights into their sales performance, and student engagement metrics.

The dedicated mobile app allows staff to manage their pipelines on the go, ensuring they remain connected and informed regardless of their location. Users can log calls, check report statuses, and add new activities directly from their mobile devices.

Institutions can track client projects, monitor collection processes, and maintain relationships with alumni or current students in one place.

Read More: Top 11 Monday CRM alternatives to drive up your sales!

4. Keap

Say hello to Keap’s automated lead capture for effortlessly capturing data from various sources including landing pages, contact forms, and social media channels.

Forgot to book the appointment? Or don’t know when your next appointment is scheduled. Keap’s integrated CRM platform for schools includes a scheduling feature that integrates with Google and Outlook calendars. For booking consultations, campus tours, or meetings with faculty.

The CRM automates repetitive tasks such as lead capture and follow-ups. Schools can segment their contacts based on various criteria, allowing for personalized communication tailored to different student groups.

Designed with user experience in mind, Keap’s intuitive interface makes it accessible for staff members at all levels of technical expertise.  Keap provides extensive onboarding resources, including checklists, videos, and webinars.

Read More: 16 Top-tier Keap Alternatives to elevate Your Sale

5. LeadSquared

It is one of the best software for schools. Full with automation tools that are designed to reduce the burden on your staff, and give visibility on the sales funnel.

Right from any inquiry it catches the information and fills it automatically in your system. The source of inquiries can be websites or ads. You can create and customize a workflow, that suits your staff members the best.

LeadSquared significantly enhances the admissions process by automating data capture and streamlining communication with applicants.

The school admission reps are given access to the pipeline, calendar, and tasks, so they are always up-to-date on what to work on next.

The mobile application portal can be customized too. It allows parents to apply and upload documents, sign forms, check application status, and even make payments online.

Now let’s talk about the marketing efforts, which are typical but still effective. You can work on drip campaigns, send bulk emails for events, and more. The AI chatbots can respond swiftly to any message/inquiries.

6. NetSuite CRM

Consider NetSuite as a transparent window between stakeholders, including students, parents, alumni, and donors. It takes in all the data such as enrolment history, communication records, and financial transactions, into a single profile.

NetSuite CRM is one of the leading education CRMs, offering comprehensive tools for managing student relationships and institutional growth.

As CRM for Schools, it has developed the finance segment carefully. That includes tools for managing the entire donation cycle from pledge to payment, processing online donations, and even taking follow-ups.

Also, Schools can track budgets, forecast revenues, and generate reports that help schools make informed financial decisions. Create targeted and personalized marketing campaigns by identifying prospects based on specific criteria.

It enables schools to set up customizable online stores for e-commerce integration. NetSuite’s global capabilities allow for the management of diverse currencies, taxation rules, and compliance requirements.

7. Kapture

I can’t make the mistake of not putting Kapture on the list. The reason is its unique features that have practical use and industry-specific solutions tailored to challenges.

It has advanced AI capabilities that allow institutions to offer intelligent self-service options for students. So being a student, one can resolve queries independently, thereby saving up to 90% of time.

Kapture’s advanced features also support efficient enrollment management, ensuring a smooth transition from application to enrollment.

Agent Suite of Kapture is designed to be adaptable with staff members to deliver better service across multiple channels. The ticketing system automatically organizes tickets and separates the ones that are urgent and need the agent’s attention.

It also allows schools to gather feedback from students through targeted surveys and automate follow-ups. It also supports multilingual articles and provides information in various languages.

Lastly, it has AES-256-bit encryption, and TLS 1.2 for secure communication and compliance with data protection regulations.

8. Element451

It has a centralized platform where students can access all the necessary information, including tasks, events, course details, and other support resources. It is a 24/7 success platform that eliminates all the missed chances.

Element451 also excels in automating marketing processes, helping institutions effectively reach and engage prospective students.

One of the best AI tools for teaching! Yes, because it has bolt AI assistants, that work as digital support teams for both students and staff. They help you navigate campus life by giving personalized support, answering queries, and more.

Bolt Discovery revolutionizes how students find information on the institution’s website. This tool offers a highly personalized search experience that helps students get answers quickly and discover new insights relevant to their academic needs. With Bolt Insights, schools can visualize key metrics to improve growth.

Element451 simplifies the application process by allowing schools to create custom applications that guide students through the workflow. Getting started with Element451 is quick and straightforward.

9. Maestro SIS

Maestro is not just a typical CRM for schools. It has data synchronization features, that allow all departments to stay connected and eliminate the need for manual data entry.

Maestro SIS also supports efficient sales and marketing processes, ensuring that institutions can effectively manage their outreach and engagement efforts.

Bocavox Maestro SIS, lets administrators process bulk actions easily, such as enrolling or dropping students from courses and managing communications in bulk.

It has simplified the traditional document collection by offering electronic form generation. So, you can collect and update documents and manage student information. Its reporting tools let you create customized reports, on the metrics selected by you. Track student progress, completion rates, and more.

It supports a multi-tiered organizational hierarchy, that allows different processes and rules for various schools or programs under a single institution. As a cloud-hosted platform, Maestro SIS offers scalability and accessibility without the need for costly customizations or extensive IT infrastructure.

 10. TargetX

To increase application and enrolment management. Email communication, online application forms, SMS notifications, and even management tools make everything easier.

It has a retention suite for student success to enhance student success initiatives by redesigning the student experience. Has a student center to provide resources and support to individual student needs.

Has UChat that connects prospect students directly to admissions and sales reps, through chat functionality. One of the best AI tool for teaching because it can automate tasks, generate information, reports and even work on ideas and take action on it.

Mobile first. Staff and students can access critical information and tools from any device.

TargetX is proud of its team which is 90% former higher- education industry employees. It’s here to help institutions get better. The platform gets ongoing updates and enhancements based on user feedback so schools always have access to the latest tools and technology.

Benefits of Using an Education CRM for Student Engagement

• Improved Student Engagement
• Streamlined Enrollment Process
• Increased Efficiency
• Better Decision-Making
• Measuring the Success of a CRM for Education

Conclusion:

With education being transformed, high-tech software in schools is mandatory. Consider it a blessing, to overcome the challenges that were being faced earlier due to traditional methods. With all the tools of a particular CRM, you can create a system that does the work faster and better.

CRM is a savior for both students and faculties. For students,  it provides easy access to important information, timely updates, and personalized support. Hence, it helps create a strong community with educational institutions for success of everyone.