Enrollment Management Institute

Nominations for the 2025-2026 EMI cohort are now closed. Nominations for the 2026-2027 EMI cohort will open in late March 2026.

Built on the longstanding success of the Enrollment Leadership Academy, the College Board’s Enrollment Management Institute (EMI) is a premier, year-long national leadership development program designed for experienced admissions and financial aid professionals—particularly unit heads such as executive directors, enrollment deans, or AVPs—who report directly to their institution’s chief enrollment officer. EMI equips participants to lead strategic change and drive institutional impact in both current and future leadership roles.

“Nothing has come close to touching this program in terms of diversity of thought, intentionality for different institutions included, and thinking about the big picture of enrollment.” – Director of Financial Aid. 

Program Overview

EMI is a year-long, national professional development program for 20-30 professionals from member institutions across the country. The program features a mix of in-person and virtual meetings, covering topics such as: 

• Team leadership
• Strategic planning
• Executive-level engagement
• Financial aid modeling and more

Participants also attend the College Board Forum and Higher Ed Colloquium conferences and receive executive coaching as part of their experience.  Content is delivered by expert faculty, allowing participants to learn from a diverse range of leaders. Upon completion of the EMI program alumni receive a Credly badge, join a lifelong network of peers, and are poised to make deeper impact in their current and future roles.

"I appreciate the EMI cohort feel as well as the diversity of the group and institutions represented." – Director of Admissions

Participant Information

EMI participants must commit to the year-long series of virtual and in-person meetings and events. Schedules are set in advance and shared with selected nominees. Although participants pay a nominal fee to participate, a significant portion of participant costs are covered by College Board. EMI participants receive the following benefits: 

• Complimentary registration to the College Board Forum and Higher Ed Colloquium Conferences (approximately $550 each)
• One night’s hotel covered at both the College Board Forum and Higher Ed Colloquium Conferences (approximately $400 each)
• Meals and one night’s hotel covered at two in-person EMI convenings (approximately $300-$400 each)
• Access to a custom-built curriculum to meet the needs of today’s enrollment leaders across seven EMI-specific meetings, with topics ranging from aid modeling to strategic planning to executive-level engagement
• Executive Coaching
• Access to more than a dozen faculty members who bring their expertise as enrollment leaders, coaches, and consultants.
• Guidance on completing a strategic enrollment management capstone project specific to their institution.
• A Credly digital credential certifying their completion of the program. 

Participants and their institutions are responsible for travel and any additional hotel costs beyond items noted above. The fee to participate in EMI for the 2025-2026 year is $1,600. Limited financial assistance is available for institutions not able to fund the participant fee. Nominators may indicate interest in financial assistance during the nomination process.

"The curriculum's real-life examples resonated with me and challenged me to think about ways to achieve strategic enrollment management goals in a busy environment with decision-makers with many priorities." – Director of Financial Aid

Nomination Information

Participants must be nominated by a supervisor or another leader in their office who is able to affirm institutional support for their participation. The nomination window opens in March each year, with selected participants notified in June.

Successful nominees typically bring substantial experience in admissions, financial aid, enrollment services, the registrar’s office, or related areas. They report to their institution’s chief enrollment officer, are not currently serving in that role, and demonstrate strong potential for advancement. As part of the nomination process, nominators affirm their support by granting release time for meetings and committing financial support. Professionals with 5–10 years of experience, as well as those in roles not reporting directly to a chief enrollment officer, are encouraged to explore the College Board’s Enrollment Leadership Academy (ELA), designed for mid-level enrollment management leaders.

"This session was just what I have been hoping for. The presenter covered so many areas of working directly with university leadership and how to navigate challenges with those relationships." – Director of Financial Aid