Master the US Application Process: A Comprehensive Guide

Before embarking on your journey to study in the US, it is important to familiarise yourself with the various intakes available for international students. These intakes refer to the different times of the year when universities and colleges in the US accept applications from prospective students. The US education system typically operates on a two-semester academic year, with the fall semester starting in August or September and the spring semester starting in January. Some universities also offer a summer semester, which usually begins in May or June.

The fall semester is the most popular intake for international students in the US as it offers the most program options and scholarships. The application process for the fall semester usually starts a year in advance, in September or October, with deadlines ranging from December to February. The spring semester intake is smaller than the fall semester, but it is still a viable option for students who cannot begin their studies in the fall. The application process for the spring semester typically starts in June or July, with deadlines ranging from August to October.

The summer semester intake is usually shorter in duration and offers fewer program options than the fall and spring semesters. It is a good option for students who wish to complete specific courses or programs in a shorter time frame. The application process for the summer semester usually starts in March or April, with deadlines ranging from May to June.

Understanding the various intakes available for international students is essential for planning your study abroad journey to the US. Knowing the application deadlines and requirements for each intake can help you prepare and increase your chances of being accepted into your desired program.

The deadline for these intakes is a minimum of 9-10 months in advance so start filing your application accordingly there is a huge waiting for US universities, so you have to make sure you are the first in line. You can also speak with your IDP expert to understand the best possible session to commence your studies in the U.S.

Know more about the upcoming intakes in the US

Understanding the application deadlines could largely impact which intake you choose. In case you miss out on your preferred deadline, you may have to wait for the next available session to get into your dream institution. This could then take up to 6 – 12 months.

Undergraduate admissions have important deadlines which you can also find on commonly used application portals like Common App and Coalition Application. These deadlines are also specified on the university websites for your reference.

1.  Early Action (EA): It’s an early process for UG admission for the fall session only (Aug-Sep session) offered by some institutions. This deadline is university specific. If you choose to apply within an EA deadline, you could expect a decision much sooner. This would give you enough time to evaluate the best option for your studies. Most institutions also consider this deadline for scholarship consideration.

Mostly these deadlines start in the month of October to December and for some institutions, it continues till January as well.

E.g.: If you want to take admission in August 2024, your deadline will be between October-December 2023

Since this is an early bird deadline the students could expect a decision in the months of January to March. This then gives you enough time to evaluate the best option for you and plan your finances and travel.

2.  Early Decision (ED ): It is a binding commitment to enrol offered only for UG admission for the Fall session (Aug-Sep). If the candidate has been accepted under ED, then they must withdraw the application from all other institutions. So, if you have applied to 5 institutions the moment you receive an offer from any of the universities you would be required to accept this offer and withdraw the rest of the applications

Since this is an early bird deadline the students could expect a decision in the months of Jan to March (same as EA). Post this you have enough time to plan your finances and travel.

The deadline is very similar to EA. However, this is a binding contract with the admissions portal (Like the common app and coalition) which means that the student has to accept the offer issued by the first institution and withdraw the remaining applications. You do not get time to wait for other offers applied via the same portal.

At the graduate level, institutions do not follow the EA or ED. However, they could have multiple rounds of early or priority deadlines. The key is to apply early for an early decision and scholarship consideration. Usually, these deadlines start in September.

For graduate admissions, apart from priority deadlines institutions also offer the below-mentioned deadlines:

3. Regular or Final Deadline: This is typically the final deadline to submit the application for any particular institution. The deadlines usually vary from December to March and the student could expect a decision usually after the month of March.

We also recommend that you shouldn’t wait for the final deadline considering the following factors :

• Seat availability: The seats may get filled up. So, apply as early as possible.
• Scholarship consideration: International students are usually considered for scholarships within the early bird deadlines, you don’t get enough time to evaluate all your options and plan your travel and finance with ease.

4. Rolling Admissions: This is also a type of final deadline offered by some institutions. The decisions are rolled out on a seat availability basis. Within the rolling admissions deadline, the institutions do not wait for the entire app pool, rather they would keep evaluating applications on a first come first basis. So, apply early! And not wait for the deadline.

Note:

• All the admission material and documents should be uploaded/sent to the US institution within the application deadlines.

• Some portals are only for UG applications (like the common app and coalition)

• For PG: You can apply directly through the university website or application portals which may be for both UG and PG level

Here is the list of general documents required for UG and PG courses:

• Marksheets 9th 10th 11th 12th (predictive if pursuing) or Sem wise mark sheets
• English language proficiency test Scores (preferred IELTS) as this is widely accepted by US institutions
• SAT or ACT scores at UG level and GRE or GMAT at PG level
• Essays, short questions, and personal statements or SOP (Statement of Purpose)
• Transcripts (to be couriered to the respective institutions)
• Letters of Recommendations
• Extra-curricular activities, internships, work experience certificates
• Resume
• Application fee
• Passport
• Community service (if applicable)

When you are submitting your application and tracking the same, please take note of the following:

• We suggest you to fill in the university application form with assistance from your IDP Expert

• Make sure you review and check the details before submission

• Once the application is submitted, institutions usually do not allow any more changes to the original information submitted. (Be very particular and be very careful during this process)

• When you reach the final page of the application submission you will be prompted to pay the application fee

• Please pay the application fee via an internationally active credit card. Some institutions may accept a debit card or PayPal

• The application fee varies from institution to institution ($40 - $100 approx.)

Institutions in the US would look at applications holistically. What this means is that institutions usually do not just focus on one aspect of the application requirements, but they choose to consider all the aspects. What the institutions look for in diversity and consistency. Diversity as in how much is a student willing to try his/her hand e.g.: working on various projects, internships, work experience (handling various responsibilities), and extracurricular activities.

Let’s understand and discuss some important aspects that could make your application more effective:

1. Grade point average (GPA): US universities assess your scholastic abilities by GPA (Grade Point Average) as there is no official grading system to choose from or regulatory bodies to administer the student evaluation method. Most commonly, institutions follow a four-point grading system, where you are graded on a scale of 0 to 4, with 4 being the maximum.

2. English Language Proficiency: Though English is one of the most commonly used languages in India nowadays, India is still not considered an English-speaking country. Because of this Indian students have to prove their English language proficiency to US institutions for admission purposes. The institutions would just like to understand how good the candidate’s understanding of the English Language in terms of reading is, writing, listening, and speaking. Most universities have a minimum requirement in tests like IELTS that a candidate has to fulfil. So, it is important to understand the IELTS requirements of your dream institution and start working accordingly well in advance.

3. Standardised testing scores in exams like SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT: Just like the academic scores, common standardised testing exams like SAT ACT and GRE or GMAT also play an important role in admission decisions. Some universities would specify a minimum range of scores acceptable for their respective courses. However, some institutions would not specify a min range of scores but would like to complete a holistic review of a student’s academic or professional journey.

4. For UG application, universities require SAT or ACT scores: If you are a PG applicant, please consider preparing for GMAT in case you are looking for Business and Management courses or GRE in case you are applying for tech or Engineering related courses. However, some institutions may accept GRE in Lieu of the GMAT and vice versa. 

5. Essays and Statement of Purpose (SOP): At the UG level, most institutions would have predefined essay topics to choose from. These have to be answered by the student within the specified word limit. Additionally, there could be more university-specific short questions for the student to answer. Some of these essays may also present you with an opportunity to discuss aspects of your academic journey that may not have been mentioned elsewhere.

At the PG level, some institutions may need specific essays for specialised courses like MBA and other MS courses as well. These may or may not have a predefined topic or word limit. Some institutions may also require you to submit a video essay as well.

6. Statement of purpose (SOP): The Statement of Purpose is an opportunity given to UG/PG students to represent themselves in front of the admissions committee. Your SOP to study in the US is a personal essay that covers academic history, professional background, and reasons why you want to take admission to your selected US university. You must submit a good SOP since it is an important consideration for the admission committee. 

7. Letter of Recommendation (LOR): It’s compulsory to submit a LOR when applying for admission at any study level in a US institution. Depending on the course and institution, you might be asked to submit two to three LORs (academic or professional based on your background and choice of the program). Up to 3 Letters may be required, based on the university and course you have chosen to apply.  

It is important to submit an effective application for admissions to US universities. The US institutions hold a very good reputation globally. The institutions receive applications from all across the globe. Making the institutions very competitive. Due to this competitive nature of admissions, it is important that your application is the best and is submitted on time with all the required documents so as to avoid any delays.  For any assistance in filling up the admission forms, you can get in touch with the international education experts at IDP who can help you in the entire process.