Online therapy is a convenient and flexible option for college students. It can be especially beneficial for neurodiverse students, students living in rural areas, parents, working students, commuters, and those with busy schedules who can’t access the counseling center during normal business hours.

With the growth of digital mental health offerings, students now have access to a comprehensive range of student mental health support. Virtual mental health care not only provides additional support to students, but it helps tackle barriers, related to time, accessibility, stigma, and location.

What is Teletherapy?

Online therapy for college students is mental health support provided through digital platforms, such as video calls, phone sessions, or secure messaging. Remote, one–on-one therapy is a convenient option for students, as they can join sessions from the comfort of their dorm room, apartment, or a private space on campus.

With the rise of technology and the increasing demand for accessible digital mental health for students, online therapy is becoming an integral component of nearly every campus mental health program. Virtual therapy for college students can expand the provider pool, giving students greater access to mental health professionals with unique specializations or those with similar backgrounds or lived experiences. It also makes it easier for students to prioritize their mental health while balancing academic and personal commitments.

While online therapy and in-person therapy are two different delivery models, studies show that they have a similar effectiveness for students – and virtual options can actually encourage students who wouldn’t have otherwise utilized in-person care to seek clinical support. 

Key Benefits of Digital Counseling in Higher Education

Virtual mental health care for students helps combat socioeconomic barriers and encourages help seeking for those who may not feel comfortable or are unable to access in-person counseling services. 

Here are some benefits of remote therapy for students:

• Additional provider options: While it’s important for college students to have access to in-person counseling services, expanding your institution’s offerings to include online therapy for college students expands the pool of providers that are available. This can be especially beneficial for students looking to connect with LGBTQ+-affirming providers, trauma-informed providers, providers with different backgrounds, and those with certain specializations.
• Accessibility: Students often face barriers to accessing traditional in-person counseling, such as scheduling conflicts, transportation issues, or being off-campus. With virtual mental health services, students can attend therapy sessions from anywhere with an internet connection—whether they’re in their dorm, apartment, or even at home during breaks. This not only lessens the burden on the counseling center, but it reduces the wait time to care for students who may not have immediate access to an on-campus therapist.
• Flexibility: Teletherapy for college students offers more flexibility than traditional in-person therapy. Students can schedule sessions at times that fit into their busy schedules. Many online platforms even offer asynchronous options, where students can communicate with their therapists through secure messaging, making it easier for students to access support. 
• Convenience: Virtual mental health services make it easier for students to fit mental health support into their busy lives. Whether between classes, on a lunch break, or after a long study session, online therapy can be accessed at times that work best for the individual student.
• Greater privacy: While many campuses are working to combat stigma associated with help seeking, it still exists for many students – and it can be a barrier for those needing counseling support. Having an online option makes it easier for students who don’t feel comfortable walking into the counseling center to still get access to care.
• Continuity of care: Counseling services often hold traditional business hours, making it difficult for students to meet with a provider on nights and weekends. Many third-party digital mental health companies also provide online therapy during college breaks or summer, so students can continue their care without gaps.

Considerations for Investing in Virtual Student Mental Health Support

Not every counseling center offers online therapy, though many do. Often, institutions turn to third-party digital mental health providers, who provide therapy, in addition to a wide range of virtual mental health services, including but not limited to psychiatry, coaching, and 24/7 crisis care. 

The best online therapy providers for college students offer a robust list of specialized providers, long session times, as well as night and weekend availability, making it easier for students to choose the support that best fits their individual needs. 

When choosing a provider of online therapy for college students, institutions should take the following considerations into account:

Campus-specific needs 

Before implementing an online therapy platform, higher education leaders should assess their student populations’ specific needs, as well as their current care offerings. It’s important to determine what gaps exist and what resources the institution might need. Very often, institutions face provider shortages or lack of provider options, especially in more rural areas, so accessing another network of providers can be a huge benefit. 

Platform security and patient safety

Not all online therapy platforms are alike. If working with a third-party provider, make sure they meet the highest quality privacy and security standards, ensuring a secure, private, and confidential environment for students to engage in a clinical setting.

Collaboration with the on-campus counseling center

A successful online therapy service should integrate seamlessly with existing campus mental health resources, effectively expanding student mental health support. Leaders should look for providers who are collaborative, responsive, and willing to share updates on student utilization and care outcomes. Collaboration with campus counseling centers is essential to ensuring students’ mental health needs are being met.

Clinical expertise tailored to the student population

There are many online therapy providers, but few specialize in mental health care for college students. It’s important to connect students to providers who understand their specific challenges, such as academic pressures and transition-related anxiety. By partnering with providers who have experience working with students and offer unique specializations, such as trauma-informed care, institutions can provide more effective and tailored support.

Benefits of Working with Mantra Health

Mantra Health offers a comprehensive, end-to-end solution, which includes virtual therapy, psychiatry, coaching, peer support, self-guided wellness courses, on-demand support, 24/7 crisis care, and intensive outpatient programming (IOP), among other services.

Our online therapy can help institutions widen their provider network, increase accessibility to care, reduce wait times, increase session availability, and connect students with therapists who understand their individual needs. 

A 50-state network of in-house providers 

Mantra Health offers online therapy nationwide, ensuring students from across the country have access to high-quality care, regardless of where they are living or studying. 

Holistic, whole-person care 

Our network of providers are committed to cultural competency and providing students with individualized clinical support. These providers have experience working with college students and offer unique clinical specializations which might not be available through on-campus counseling.

Integrated care

With Mantra Health, you don’t have to wonder if a student referred to online therapy actually used the service. On-campus clinical staff have access to reports and can track student utilization and care journeys through the Mantra Collaboration Portal. This eliminates gaps in coverage and ensures a more seamless experience for the student. 

Coverage for minors

Some students enter college before 18 and have trouble accessing clinical care, which is why Mantra Health offers its online therapy to students ages 16 – 18 who might not otherwise be able to utilize mental health services.

Basic needs support

Working in partnership with Single Stop, the leading technology platform dedicated to connecting individuals and families with eligible public benefits, Mantra can now connect students to basic needs services, including a federal and state benefit screener, case management, and community resources. 

Interpretation services

English is not the first language of many students, which is why we provide interpretation services in more than 240 languages, as well as ASL. This can be a barrier to care for many students – and we want all students to feel comfortable sharing their experiences in their preferred language. 

We also offer on-demand single session therapy for students living and studying abroad through our global 24/7 helpline. Students can connect to master’s level clinicals or local equivalents in their country who understand local laws, policies, and processes, and can provide the quality clinical care they need in the moment.

Learn more about Mantra Health

When seeking an online therapy provider, you want to consider a leader in higher education who offers comprehensive mental health and wellness solutions. Mantra Health not only provides high-quality virtual therapy for college students, but also virtual psychiatric care, peer support, coaching, evidence-based wellness courses, on-demand and 24/7 crisis care, and so much more.

Visit our Solutions page to learn more about our services and learn about the benefits of online therapy for college students.