TikTok is rolling out a new feature designed to make it easier for college students to find and connect with peers on their campuses. The tool, called Campus Verification, allows users to add their school affiliation to their TikTok profiles and browse other students at the same institution.
To use the feature, students can go to their profile and tap the “Add school” button. After entering their university name and graduation year, they must verify enrollment by providing an official academic email address. Once verified, their campus and graduation year will be displayed on their profile.
From there, users can browse their school’s dedicated page, filter by graduation year, and see other verified students. The platform also allows sorting by popularity, with the option to view the most-followed students at their university.
The rollout covers more than 6,000 universities worldwide, thanks to TikTok’s partnership with UNiDAYS, a global student verification service. According to the company, the goal is to transform TikTok into a hub for campus community-building—an approach reminiscent of Facebook’s early days, when it began as a college-only social network at Harvard in 2004.
While the feature may appeal to students eager to connect with classmates, it also raises potential privacy concerns. Displaying one’s school and graduation year could make it easier for others to track or target users online. TikTok emphasizes that participation is optional, and students who prefer not to link their academic identity to the app can simply skip the feature.
The introduction of Campus Verification reflects TikTok’s ongoing push to expand beyond entertainment into social networking and real-world community building. For students, it could be a new way to meet peers, discover influencers on their campus, and strengthen a sense of belonging in college life.