Client Overview
Mihail Koloni Student Residence in Varna, Bulgaria, is a public residence that houses and supports students in grades 6 to 12 who study in the city. Each year it admits new students and has to publish admissions details, fees, budgets and procurement information.
Client’s Challenge
- Dated design: The website did not reflect the caring, modern environment the residence offers.
- No online applications: Applications could not be submitted through the website.
- Scattered information: Admission rules, documents and announcements were hard to find.
- Public-sector duties: The site needed a buyer profile, budget documents and accessibility for people with disabilities.
Objectives
- A modern, welcoming design that builds trust with parents and students.
- Online applications from any phone or computer, delivered to staff as a ready document.
- A clear structure with admissions, team and documents one or two clicks away.
- Accessibility to WCAG 2.1 AA with a published accessibility statement.
Strategy and Solution
Research and Analysis
We analysed the old site’s content and the applicant’s journey, from first looking for information to submitting the application. That told us which information belongs up front and which fields the form really needs.
Strategy
We rebuilt the information architecture around three audiences: applicants, current students and institutions. We designed the application as a short multi-step form.
Implementation
- New design in Elementor with the residence’s green and pink identity, professional photos and video.
- Apply online: a multi-step Fluent Forms Pro application.
- Automatic .docx: a custom DomGrid plugin fills the official application template with the form data and emails it to staff.
- Admissions hub: pages for requirements, criteria, documents and monthly fees, plus lists of admitted students.
- Transparency: Budget and Documents and Buyer Profile sections.
- Accessibility: a custom WCAG 2.1 AA module and an accessibility statement.
- Announcements: a notification bar and a news section.
Ongoing Maintenance and Support
DomGrid hosts and maintains the site: updates, security, Cloudflare Turnstile spam protection on forms and support for every admissions round.
Final Results and Summary
Outcomes
- 240 online applications submitted through the new form, each with a ready document.
- Less manual work: the application arrives already filled into the official template.
- One place for everything: admissions, documents, budget and news in a clear structure.
- An accessible site that meets public-sector requirements.
Summary
The redesign turned the residence’s website into a working admissions tool. Parents apply online, staff receive ready documents and all information is organised and accessible to everyone.
