We don’t expect you to know the answer to every single question, so don’t worry if you get stuck! As a student ambassador, you’ll sometimes receive questions you don’t immediately know the answer to - and that’s completely normal. You’re not expected to know everything.
What matters most is how you respond. This guide explains how to research answers confidently and safely, while giving prospective students a great experience. As long as you are positive and proactive, you can still provide valuable help and support to a prospective student.
1. Be honest first
If you don’t know the answer, don’t guess! It’s always okay to say something like:
“That’s a great question - I don’t want to give you the wrong information, so let me just double check.”
“I’m not 100% sure on the answer to that, but I can look it up for you.”
Prospective students value accuracy and honesty more than instant replies.
2. Clarify the question if you need to
If you're going to go away and find out more - before researching, make sure you fully understand what the prospect is asking.
For example:
Are they asking about your personal experience, or an official policy?
Is the question general, or specific to a course, department, or visa type?
If you need to, ask a short follow-up question to clarify before you start looking for an answer. An example of this is; "Just so I can be sure I'm giving you the right information, do you want to know more about the visa process for international students, or are you asking about how I personally found the visa process?"
3. Use trusted sources only
When researching, always rely on official and up-to-date sources, such as:
Your university’s official website
Course pages and faculty websites
Admissions, accommodation, or student support pages
Internal Ambassador resources , Saved Answers, or FAQs
Guidance provided by your Unibuddy Admin or coordinator
You should generally avoid:
Unofficial blogs or forums
Outdated pages
Guessing based on what “sounds right”
💡 If you’re unsure whether a source is reliable, ask your University Admin before replying.
Be sure share a link to where you found the information with the prospect, so they can see the source of your answer. Remember that you should log the time you spend researching as Research Time in your timesheet.
4. Know when to escalate or transfer
Some questions shouldn't necessarily be researched or answered by you as a Student Ambassador.
You should transfer the question to an Admin or Staff Ambassador if it relates to:
Admissions decisions or entry requirements (in detail)
Fees, scholarships, or funding eligibility
Visa or immigration advice
Legal, medical, or complex wellbeing issues
In these cases, let the prospect know who can help:
Admissions team
International office
Student services
Here's an example response:
“I’m not the best person to advise on that, but the Admissions team can give you the most accurate answer. I’d recommend contacting them directly.”
5. Take notes and keep it simple
Once you’ve found the answer:
Summarise it in clear, simple language
Avoid copying and pasting long sections of text
Share links to official pages where possible
Focus on what’s most relevant to the prospect
You can also add personal context only if appropriate - here's an example:
“When I applied, this was the process, but it’s always best to check the official page in case things have changed.”
6. Follow up clearly
Let the prospect know you’ve looked into their question.
For example:
“Thanks for waiting - I’ve checked the university website and here’s what I found…”
If you can’t find a clear answer:
Be honest
Explain who they should contact next
Offer to help them find the right page or email address
7. Learn for Next Time
If a question comes up often:
Make a note of the answer, perhaps adding this as one of your Saved Answers
Bookmark helpful pages
Share common questions with your University Admin, as this is great context for them. This ensures that they can cover additional topics during ongoing training, and get a sense of the kinds of questions that prospects are asking
Over time, this will help you respond faster and feel more confident.
Remember
Not knowing the answer doesn’t reflect badly on you! Taking the time to research, transfer when needed, and respond accurately helps build trust - and gives prospects a better experience on Unibuddy.