College students are navigating a complex landscape of academic, social, and personal challenges that can significantly impact their mental health and well-being. As a result, higher education institutions are starting to invest more into holistic wellness support. 

Student wellness programs often extend beyond traditional clinical offerings (such as therapy, psychiatry, and crisis support) and are designed to support students’ everyday habits, improve their quality of life, manage health and mental health conditions, and live longer. These programs often include a range of services, such as fitness classes, skill-building lessons, meditation guidance, coaching, and financial literacy workshops, all aimed at helping students manage stress, build resilience, and thrive in both their academic and personal lives.

Common Types of Student Wellness Programs

Student wellness programs play a crucial role in supporting college students’ mental health and well-being, ensuring they have the resources and tools they need to succeed in a challenging and dynamic environment.

These programs often focus on certain dimensions of wellness, such as emotional, physical, intellectual, social, occupational, environmental, financial, and/or spiritual. The best, most effective programs, though, are holistic and incorporate more than one aspect of wellness.

Some common student wellness programs include:

Mental wellness initiatives

Programs that provide mental health resources for students include things like campus counseling services, teletherapy, coaching, peer support groups, and 24/7 crisis lines. Stress management resources, mindfulness programs, and meditation spaces are also becoming more common components of higher education mental health strategies. These programs help students build resilience and coping skills to navigate challenges and improve their mental health.

Physical and nutritional aspects 

Encouraging an active lifestyle is a core component of many campus wellness initiatives. On-campus fitness centers, recreational sports, and wellness challenges promote exercise and stress reduction. Nutritious meal plans and dietitian services also contribute to students’ overall health.

Academic and career-focused resources

Academic wellness programs help students develop skills to succeed in classwork and beyond, reducing stress and improving their ability to manage multiple responsibilities at once. Time management training, study skills workshops, and tutoring programs help students balance academic demands. Many universities also offer test anxiety reduction programs to support mental well-being.

Financial wellness support

Fifty-nine percent of college students have considered dropping out due to financial stress – and nearly 80% report a negative impact on their mental health.¹ Finances play a major role in a student’s mental health, as well as their academic standing, and ability to persist. A successful financial wellness program often includes financial literacy workshops, financial counseling or coaching, emergency aid programs, care navigation, and basic needs support (granting access to food pantries or providing housing assistance). 

The Impact of Wellness Programs on Student Success

Student wellness programs can help students navigate the challenges of college life while fostering emotional resilience, reducing stress, and improving academic performance. 

Mental health resources, in particular, like counseling services, peer support groups, and teletherapy, can help students develop healthy coping mechanisms, manage difficult situations, and prioritize their academics. Universities that invest in campus mental health support often see higher retention rates,² as students who feel supported are more likely to stay enrolled and complete their degree.

Wellness programs that incorporate physical activity,³ mindfulness,⁴ and social connection have also been shown to positively impact student mental health. Research has found structured physical activity and mindfulness can both have a positive impact on college student mental health. 

The same is true for financial guidance and support, with research showing that poor financial wellness is closely linked to poorer mental health⁵ – and is considered one of the top stressors for college students.⁶ Providing financial literacy programs and support for managing finances can alleviate stress, help students navigate barriers, and ultimately contribute to academic and personal success.

Tips for Expanding Your Institution’s Wellness Initiatives

Student wellness programs can have a significant impact on students’ overall health and well-being, but what makes them effective and successful? As you consider growing and strengthening your program, pay attention to students’ demands, gaps in your existing services, and opportunities for connecting students to greater levels of care. 

Here are some recommended student well-being strategies to incorporate into your decision making process. 

Make clinical and non-clinical offerings more accessible

Increasing access to mental health and wellness services ensures that students have the support they need when they need it. Successful higher education mental health programs offer a variety of pathways to care, including: 

• Self-guided wellness courses: All students can benefit from skill-building resources, especially when they’re evidence based and available 24/7. 
• Peer support programs: A clinically-moderated, safe, and anonymous community can help students connect with those who have shared lived experiences.
• Goal-oriented coaching: This offering can improve executive functioning, support emotional wellness, and instill positive habits to help students succeed inside and outside of the classroom.
• Basic needs support: When students’ are connected to housing, food, healthcare, and other essential needs, they are better equipped to thrive in and outside of the classroom. 
• Virtual therapy and psychiatric care options: Having virtual sessions available on nights, weekends, and at times when the counseling center is closed makes it easier for students to get connected to care and expands the provider pool so students have more options.
• 24/7 crisis support: Establishing an on-demand and crisis support line can help connect students to immediate clinical support, as well as existing campus resources.

Focus on creating a culture of care 

There’s no right way to approach campus wellness initiatives, but all institutions are encouraged to invest time and resources into health and mental health promotion. Here are some easy ways to support students, combat loneliness, and generate social connection:

• Offer stress-reduction activities: This could include yoga, meditation, and mindfulness workshops – and ideally, you’ll make them available during times of high stress, such as orientation and finals week. 
• Host wellness fairs and events: Organize a variety of events that prioritize health and well-being. These could include mental health activities or resources, community-building activities, mental health resources, and representation from clinical experts.
• Provide educational workshops: These could cover skill building, financial literacy, nutrition, and guidance on financial aid, among other topics. 
• Make physical fitness more accessible and approachable: Offer free or discounted gym memberships, group fitness classes, outdoor recreation programs, and intramural sports, among other physical activities.

Lean on external experts for support

While college counseling centers are often the go-to source for all things mental health and wellness related, they may not have the staff, resources, or support needed to provide a comprehensive mental health and wellness program. Partnering with third-party providers allows institutions to expand their services, provide more specialized care, and ensure students’ various needs are being met.

When evaluating a digital mental health provider, it’s important to assess your current offerings and determine what factors are most important for your campus. Perhaps you’d like to invest in a program that offers coaching or one that includes evidence-based mindfulness lessons. Follow this guide to help you get started.

Learn more about Mantra Health’s programs and services

We partner with institutions to bring students a wide range of holistic mental health and wellness support resources, from skill building lessons and peer support to teletherapy and crisis care. Visit our Solutions page for more information and discover how we can help enhance your campus mental health initiatives.

1. Ellucian. (2024). The Student Voice Report: How financial aid impacts U.S. higher education enrollment and retention. ↩︎
2. Center for Collegiate Mental Health. (2024). 2023 annual report (Publication No. STA 24-160). Penn State University, University Park, PA. ↩︎
3. Jeftic, I., Furzer, B., Dimmock, J., Wright, K., Boyd, C., Budden, T., Rosenberg, M., Kramer, B., Buist, B., Fitzpatrick, I., Sabiston, C., de Jonge, M., & Jackson, B. (2023). Structured exercise programs for higher education students experiencing mental health challenges: Background, significance, and implementation. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1104918. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1104918 ↩︎
4. Yosep, I., Suryani, S., Mediani, H. S., Mardhiyah, A., & Ibrahim, K. (2024). Types of Digital Mindfulness: Improving Mental Health Among College Students – A Scoping Review. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 17, 43–53. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S443781 ↩︎
5. Conley, C. S., Durlak, J. A., & Dickson, D. A. (2013). An evaluative review of outcome research on universal mental health promotion and prevention programs for higher education students. Health Promotion Practice, 14(5), 673–701. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890117116639562 ↩︎
6. Ellucian. (2024). The Student Voice Report: How financial aid impacts U.S. higher education enrollment and retention. ↩︎