For the college students who are satisfied with dating apps, which may not be many, Tinder announced Wednesday a series of updates to Tinder U, its in-app feature that caters to current college students ages 18 to 24. This includes new badges to add to their profiles, such as graduation year, major, clubs, and Greek life. Other smaller updates include more simplified enrollment for students and an exclusive Tinder U app icon for iOS users.
Tinder is also offering U.S. students 50% off any Tinder premium subscription — Plus, Gold, or Platinum — in hopes of gaining more paid users to the platform after losing 400,000 paid users this past quarter.
Additionally, it’s that time of year when Tinder hosts its annual “Swipe Off” challenge, where the college or university with the most swipe activity wins a free concert. The performers for this year’s concert are rappers Gunna and GloRilla.
The new badges replace the details you typically see on profiles, such as job titles, bios, and hometowns. The goal is to encourage students to have more relatable conversations related to their on-campus interests.
“This is perfect for new users starting Tinder as they get ready for their first week of college,” Stephanie Danzi, Tinder’s senior vice president of global marketing, told TechCrunch. “It’s a great way to ease those first-day nerves, especially if they don’t know anyone at their new school or are getting used to a new city.”
Tinder has simplified its sign-up process for students by allowing newcomers to sign up for Tinder U right away. Previously, college students had to sign up for Tinder first and then separately enroll for Tinder U. Now, Tinder U has one registration process, creating a seamless onboarding experience.
Students with the iOS app have the option to navigate to their settings and then choose “App Icons.” From there, they can customize the Tinder app by selecting a new and exclusive Tinder U icon designed to reflect the dedicated dating experience for students.
Tinder U’s Swipe Off challenge will likely be an anticipated event among users. Starting today, institutions across the country can compete to win a free concert based on the highest percentage of swipe activity — right (yes) or left (no). Last year, 5,000 Arizona State University (ASU) students won free tickets to see Saweetie perform. Previous winners enjoyed performances by Charli XCX (2019) and Cardi B (2018). The challenge ends on October 2.
Tinder U’s latest update comes during a time when some college students and younger users may have shifted away from online dating. According to a survey conducted by Axios and Generation Lab, 79% of college students aren’t on dating apps or only use them less than once a month. While Tinder was found to be the most common app, only 12% of students used it at least once a month.
Numerous studies have shown changes in dating behavior among young singles who are gravitating to non-traditional methods. For instance, a few are connecting on networking platforms like LinkedIn or creating resume-style dating bios shared with others on Google Docs.
In-person meetups are also becoming popular again, with various “IRL” dating apps (Blush, Buffet, Thursday, Whim, Meet Cute, and more) capitalizing on the trend.
Despite the changing dating landscape, the Tinder U product is still performing well. The company reports enrollment growth at an average of nearly 90% year over year. Tinder also claims to be the #1 most-downloaded app among 18-year-olds.
“This is the peak time for students to join Tinder. We see the highest influx of new 18-year-old users during freshman orientations,” Danzi said.
Tinder U, or Tinder Uni in the U.K., launched in 2018 and is available to students at four-year, accredited, non-profit colleges and universities. Tinder U requires current students to enter a valid student email address—.edu for the US and .ac.uk for the UK.
