Higher Education Web Design that Inspires and Engages
Why Higher Education Websites Need More Than Good Looks
Higher education sites are harder than most business sites. They have more audiences. They have more people adding content. And they have more rules to follow.
A normal company site sells one thing to one buyer. A university site is not like that. It holds thousands of pages. Dozens of departments write them. Every page has to meet the same accessibility standard.
We plan for that from the first meeting. We map out who each section is for. We agree on who owns what. Then we build page templates. Departments can fill them in without breaking the design. That is what keeps a site clean a year after launch, not just on launch day.
The people we design for usually include:
- Students who are thinking about applying, and their families
- Current students
- Faculty and staff
- Alumni and donors
- Research partners and community groups
Accessibility and compliance are built in, not bolted on
We design for accessibility from the start. It is not a cleanup task at the end.
Most schools are judged against WCAG. That stands for the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. It is the standard used to tell whether a website works for people with disabilities. Schools that take federal money also have to meet Section 508. That is the federal rule for government technology. They have to meet the ADA too. ADA stands for the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Did an audit, a legal review, or a complaint send you looking? Then you are in the right place. We can tell you in plain words what we test. We can tell you what we fix. And we can show you what you get as proof.
What we test on every page
- Color contrast on text, buttons, and links
- Keyboard use, so nothing needs a mouse
- Screen reader labels on images, forms, menus, and tables
- Clear headings on every page type
- Captions and transcripts for video
- PDFs and other downloads that people can actually read
- Forms that explain their own errors in words
What you get for your files
You get a written record of the work. Your office will be asked for one, so we write it down as we go. The record covers:
- The standard and level we designed to
- The page types and pages we checked
- What we found, and what we fixed
- Anything still open, and why
- A short guide your staff can follow, so new pages stay in line
Public agencies ask us for the same paperwork. That is why we do so much similar work for public sector clients.
What if our IT team cannot take on a full redesign?
That is normal, not the exception. Most in house teams are busy keeping systems running. We handle the design, the build, the testing, and the launch. We work around the parts your IT team needs to control. Our developers can link the new site to the systems you already use. You do not have to replace them.
Full-Service Web Design & Development for Higher Education
We build the public website and the tools around it. Most projects pull from the list below.
Recruitment and admissions
- Program and degree lists that are easy to filter
- Online forms for applying and for asking questions
- Admissions and enrollment landing pages
- Pages for booking a campus visit or an open house
Campus life and community
- Photos and stories that show real campus life
- Event calendars staff can update themselves
- Campus maps people can click and search
- Small sites for alumni and for giving
- News and notice sections
Portals, content, and the system behind it
- A content system, so departments can post on their own without risk
- Faculty and staff portals
- One place for students to find forms and help
- Layouts built for the phone first
- Search that finds the page people wanted
Print and digital often need to match. Your viewbook, annual report, or program brochure may be part of the same push. If so, our print designers work next to the web team. Both end up looking like one school.
How our higher education web design process works
We work in four stages. You always know which one you are in. That matters when your approvals go through a committee.
- Discovery and strategy. We learn your audiences, your goals, and your limits. We look at your current site, your traffic data, and any audit findings you have. You get a plan before anyone designs anything.
- Wireframes and drafts. We map the structure and the main page types as simple layouts. You can click through them. Changes are easy to make at this stage. That is the point.
- Visual design and user experience. We add your brand, your photos, and your voice. Accessibility checks run here, not later.
- Build, test, and launch support. We build the site. We test it on phones, tablets, and screen readers. We train your team. And we stay with you through launch.
Why schools choose Top Shelf Design
We are a real studio, not one freelancer who may go quiet in month three. Here is what that means for your project.
- More than 20 years of work. We have designed for schools, groups, nonprofits, and public agencies since the early days of the web.
- A full team. Strategy, design, build, and writing are all in house at our studio in the District.
- We know how buying works. We have answered formal RFPs, sat on approved vendor lists, and worked inside fiscal year deadlines.
- We write things down. Schools have to show their work, so we keep records as we go.
- Proof you can check. You can look at how past projects turned out before you commit to anything.
Standout Features for Higher Education Websites
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Interactive Campus Maps
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Online Applications & Portals
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Program Directory Pages
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Event Calendars and News Sections
Common questions about higher education web design
Will the new site meet WCAG and Section 508 rules?
Yes. We design and build to WCAG 2.1 Level AA. That is the level most schools are held to. We test against it before launch. You also get a written record of what we tested.
How long does a university website project take?
It depends on two things. How many pages you have, and how many people have to approve them. A small site takes less time than a full rebuild. In discovery we give you a schedule with real dates. We leave room for committee review, because that is what usually moves a date.
Can our departments update the site without calling us?
Yes. That is the goal. We set up a content system with templates and guardrails. Then we train your staff. Departments can add news, events, and pages on their own. The design stays intact, because the templates hold it in place.
Can you work with the systems we already have?
Usually, yes. Most schools already run a student records system, an events tool, a donor tool, or a learning system. We link to what you have. We do not ask you to throw it out. We check what is possible during discovery, before we promise anything.
Do you redesign an existing site or start over?
Both happen. Sometimes the writing is fine and only the design and code need work. Sometimes the structure itself is the problem. We look at your site first. Then we tell you honestly which one you are facing.
Let us take a look at your site
Is your site failing an accessibility review? Is it hiding your programs? Is it simply showing its age? The next step is a conversation, not a contract. Tell us what set the project off, when you need it live, and who has to sign off.
You will get a straight read on scope, a plan for the accessibility work, and an order of steps that fits your review cycle. Reach out to our team in Washington, DC and we will get started.