Tinder is rolling out a series of updates to its Tinder U feature, specifically designed for college students aged 18 to 24. These new features, announced on Wednesday, include profile badges that allow students to display their graduation year, major, clubs, and participation in Greek life. Additional updates include a simplified enrollment process for students and an exclusive Tinder U app icon for iOS users.
To attract more users, Tinder is offering a 50% discount on any Tinder premium subscription—Plus, Gold, or Platinum—for U.S. college students. This move comes as the platform seeks to regain traction after losing 400,000 paid users in the last quarter.
Alongside these updates, Tinder is also hosting its annual “Swipe Off” challenge, where the college or university with the highest swipe activity wins a free concert. This year’s performers will be rappers Gunna and GloRilla. The new profile badges are designed to replace typical details like job titles, bios, and hometowns, promoting more relatable conversations centered around shared campus interests.
“This is an ideal way for new users to start their Tinder journey as they prepare for their first week of college,” says Stephanie Danzi, Tinder’s Senior Vice President of Global Marketing. “It’s a fantastic way to ease those first-day jitters, especially for those unfamiliar with their new environment or trying to navigate a new city.”
To make the experience more accessible, Tinder has streamlined its registration process for students. Now, newcomers can sign up for Tinder U directly without having to first register for Tinder and then separately enroll in Tinder U. This new single-step process creates a smoother onboarding experience.
iOS users can further customize their Tinder app by navigating to their settings and selecting the exclusive Tinder U app icon, reflecting a tailored dating experience for college students.
The Tinder U “Swipe Off” challenge is expected to be a highlight for many users. Starting today, colleges across the country can compete to win a free concert based on swipe activity—either right (yes) or left (no). Last year, 5,000 students at Arizona State University (ASU) won a free concert by Saweetie. Past winners have enjoyed performances from artists like Charli XCX in 2019 and Cardi B in 2018. This year’s challenge ends on October 2.
These latest updates come at a time when many college students and younger users seem to be turning away from online dating. A survey by Axios and Generation Lab found that 79% of college students are either not on dating apps or use them less than once a month. While Tinder remains the most popular app among them, only 12% reported using it at least monthly.
Research indicates a shift in dating behaviors among young people, with many favoring alternative methods. Some are even turning to professional networking sites like LinkedIn or creating creative resume-style dating profiles on platforms like Google Docs. Meanwhile, in-person meetups are regaining popularity, with various “IRL” dating apps, such as Blush, Buffet, and Whim, capitalizing on this trend.
Despite these changes, Tinder U continues to see strong performance, with enrollment reportedly growing by nearly 90% year over year. The app remains the most-downloaded dating platform among 18-year-olds.
“This is the prime season for students to join Tinder,” adds Danzi. “We observe the highest influx of new 18-year-old users during freshman orientation periods.”
Launched in 2018, Tinder U is available to students at four-year, accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities. To join, students must provide a valid student email address—.edu in the U.S. or .ac.uk in the U.K.
