The verdict in three sentences
A website redesign for a private business school with 1,100 students costs EUR 20,000 to 40,000 excluding VAT in 2026, plus EUR 6,000 to 12,000 for an online application funnel connected to HubSpot or Salesforce Education. The project is judged on two numbers: a cost per application between EUR 35 and 70 and a file completion rate above 55%. A school relying on a central admissions system (Parcoursup in France, the CAO in Ireland) and fairs for most applications misses direct entry, work-study bachelors and international candidates. Our reference case is in Nantes; Dublin agencies quote in a comparable EUR range.
The scope of an admissions-driven redesign
A school website is first and foremost an application engine. Families compare 4 to 6 schools, look for total cost, work-study options, career outcomes and accreditations, and want to apply without waiting for an open day.
| Redesign item | 2026 range (excl. VAT) | Effect on admissions |
|---|---|---|
| Audit, sitemap and UX (school leaver, parent, direct entry journeys) | EUR 3,000 - 6,000 | Every profile finds its programme in 3 clicks |
| Design and build (40 to 80 pages) | EUR 9,000 - 18,000 | Premium image against competing schools |
| SEO-optimised programme pages (bachelor, MSc, work-study) | EUR 4,000 - 9,000 | Traffic on "business bachelor [city] work-study" |
| 4-step online application funnel | EUR 4,000 - 7,000 | Complete file, paperless |
| CRM connection (HubSpot, Salesforce Education) | EUR 2,000 - 5,000 | Automated follow-ups, applicant scoring |
| English version of international programmes | EUR 2,500 - 5,000 | International applications outside agencies |
| Maintenance and updates | EUR 300 - 700/month | Calendars and fees kept current |
The realistic timeline is 12 to 16 weeks. To be ready before the central admissions window opens in January, the project must start in September at the latest.
Comparing admission channels: where your budget goes
A school of this size often spends EUR 60,000 to 120,000 a year on fairs, advertising and platforms. The redesign makes that budget measurable.
| Channel | Cost per application (2026 order of magnitude) | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Student fairs | EUR 120 - 250 | Expensive, hard to track |
| Paid guidance platforms | EUR 60 - 140 | Candidates shared with competitors |
| Google Ads on a non-optimised site | EUR 90 - 180 | Slow pages, abandoned form |
| Google Ads + optimised application funnel | EUR 35 - 70 | Requires a fast site and a CRM |
| SEO on programme pages | EUR 10 - 30 | Results after 4 to 8 months |
| Central admissions system | Indirect | Does not cover direct entry |
The real lever is funnel completion. Going from 30 to 55% complete files nearly doubles the number of assessable applicants without spending an extra euro on acquisition.
The features that make the difference
Three features separate an average school site from one that recruits: a cost simulator (tuition, work-study, scholarships), an applicant area to resume a started file, and automated reminders by email and SMS at D+1, D+3 and D+7 after an incomplete file. The last two depend directly on the CRM connection.
Mini case study
Camille, admissions director of a private business school with 1,100 students in Nantes, receives 2,400 applications a year, 900 of them outside Parcoursup. Her average cost per non-Parcoursup application is EUR 110, or EUR 99,000 a year.
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She invests EUR 32,000 excluding VAT in the redesign and EUR 9,000 in the HubSpot-connected funnel, EUR 41,000 in total. Completion rises from 32 to 56% and cost per application drops to EUR 62. With the same acquisition budget, she gets about 1,600 direct applications instead of 900. With an 18% conversion rate and average tuition of EUR 9,500 a year, 126 extra enrolments represent more than EUR 1,100,000 in first-year revenue. A Dublin school with a similar profile would apply the same logic to its non-CAO intakes.
FAQ
How long does a school website redesign take?
Allow 12 to 16 weeks. Add 2 to 4 weeks if several campuses or accreditation bodies must approve content.
HubSpot or Salesforce Education for admissions?
HubSpot suits schools with fewer than 3,000 applications a year, at EUR 9,000 to 25,000 a year. Salesforce Education Cloud targets multi-campus groups and its integration often exceeds EUR 10,000.
Does the application funnel replace the central admissions system?
No, it covers direct entry, work-study, MSc programmes and international intakes. It can also follow up candidates who listed the school as a choice.
How do we avoid losing SEO during the redesign?
A page-by-page 301 redirect plan, included in the audit, preserves 90 to 100% of organic traffic after launch.
What completion rate should we target?
A 4-step funnel with autosave reaches 50 to 65% complete files, versus 25 to 35% for a single form with attachments.
Let's scope your project. Share your application volumes, CRM and admissions calendar, and we will price a redesign between EUR 20,000 and 40,000 excluding VAT delivered in 12 to 16 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
