Important Application Deadlines For Studying Abroad

When looking at applying for higher studies outside India, each country has its own unique application timeline, and optimising schedules through the cognizance of these timelines is key to ensuring a smooth application season. If you want to know how to apply for foreign universities after 12th, it is a good practice to analyse and understand application processes and deadlines specific to countries that are popular destinations for Indian students wanting to study abroad.

United States Of America

Not only does the US host some of the most prestigious higher education institutions from across the world, but it also has some of the most unique timelines for applications. How to apply for foreign universities after 12th, specifically universities in the US? Universities in the US accept undergraduate students only through the fall intake. The academic session hence starts in the September of the year of completion of high school.

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US Application Deadlines

Specifically, higher education institutions in the US have five types of deadlines:

Early Action (EA) | How to apply for abroad study after 12th? The Early Action process allows students to apply to universities of their choosing prior to the regular admissions cycle. Not all universities have the Early Action option, with most US application deadlines existing between October and November.

• EA allows students to apply to universities they are keen to attend and receive decisions before the regular admissions cycle starts.
• Being accepted by an EA choice university allows students to streamline, or even abandon other applications. These decisions are non-binding, which means that students can continue to apply to other universities even after receiving admission into their EA choices.
• Students are allowed to apply to as many universities in EA as they can. EA allows students to measure their application against a range of universities and even gain acceptances into ‘safety schools’ and reduce the burden of subsequent applications.
• Examples of universities that offer Early Action admissions are University of Virginia, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, etc.

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Early Decision (ED) | Similar to Early Action, most Early Decision deadlines lie between October and November. However, contrary to the Early Action policy, students can only apply to one college through Early Decision. ED results are also binding, which implies that if a student is accepted into their Early Decision university, they are bound to get themselves enrolled in that university and forfeit all other applications. Hence, it is common for students to choose their ‘dream’ university for their early decision application. Early Decision admits are considered to be highly prestigious, given how clearly they indicate a university’s preference for an application. Examples of universities that offer Early Decision admissions: Brown University, Dartmouth University, Duke University, Northwestern University

Restricted Early Action (REA) | REA is very similar to Early Action, specifically with respect to timelines and non-binding decisions. However, what makes REA processes unique is that if students apply through the REA in one university, they are not allowed to send Early Action applications to other universities. Hence, a student can apply to only one university through REA, even if they ain’t bound by the acceptance received from that university. Hence, it is fair to claim that REA is a hybrid between Early Decision and Early Action approaches. Examples of universities that offer Restricted Early Action admissions: Stanford University, Yale University, Harvard University

Universities release results for EA, ED, and REA applications by the end of December. In addition to rejections and acceptances, a decent proportion of applications are waitlisted (or deferred) for consideration in the regular application cycle. Some universities offer both EA and ED pathways, some offer only one of the three options, and some offer neither- only having a regular decision pathway.

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Regular Decision | The Regular Decision is the simplest process of them all. The first of the US application deadlines for Regular Decision is in the first week of January, with the latest deadlines existing till March (and even July in some cases). Students can apply to as many colleges as they want to (however, application portals such as the Common Application limit the maximum number of applications per student to 20), and all decisions are non-binding. All universities in the US accept students through the regular intake.

Rolling Admissions | Almost all universities in the US process applications in batches, after the submission deadlines. All applicants are processed together and all decisions are released at the same time. Rolling Admissions, however, are an exception to this norm. Some universities choose to evaluate applications as they roll in and release the decision for each application once it is evaluated. This is similar to the process followed by universities in the UK. Universities with Rolling Admissions do not typically have a deadline, and they continue to accept applications till their seats are filled.

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Universities In The US Accept Undergraduate Students Only Through The Fall Intake

Universities tend to change their admission policies every year. This has been even more prevalent since the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic. It is hence important to do a thorough deep-dive into the different admissions processes of universities that one is interested in as soon as the guidelines for the subsequent admissions cycle are released.

Universities in the US tend to have some of the most rigorous admissions requirements. Simply put- complex admissions forms, portals, multiple college-specific essays, and descriptive lists. It hence becomes very important for students to plan their admissions well in advance and be updated about US application deadlines. It is prudent to not only have a tentative shortlist of universities to apply to but also to start preparing the first draft of common essays (such as the Common App or Coalition Essay) by August.

United Kingdom

The UK is popular for having some of the most seamless and unified admissions processes for international students. How to apply for foreign universities after 12th if you wish to study in the UK ? Not only do all universities have common UK application deadlines, forms, and policies, but they even accept and process applications through a unified portal- the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). How to apply for abroad study after 12th in the UK? To understand admissions’ deadlines, universities in the UK can be divided into two categories:-

Oxbridge | Oxford University and Cambridge University have the most rigorous admissions processes. Unlike all other UK universities, they require students to take tests (such as CAT, ELAT, MAT etc.) for non-professional courses and selection interviews with selected committees. This leads to their admission process taking far longer in comparison to other universities. Oxford and Cambridge close their undergraduate UK application deadline on October 15, post which students are expected to take required aptitude tests and participate in selection interviews.

Other Universities | All other universities have a common UK application deadline for undergraduate applications- January 26. Unlike the US, if students submit applications prior to this date, they are evaluated, post which decisions are released. Simply put, UK universities don’t compel themselves to process applications in batches (they are evaluated in a rolling manner). In some cases, it is beneficial to apply as early as possible as students compete for a larger number of available seats. Universities in the UK might continue to accept applications even after January 26, but this is contingent on all seats for that specific course not being full. Naturally, the more prestigious a university, the less likely it is to keep applications open post the January 26 deadline.

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The UK Is Popular For Having Some Of The Most Seamless And Unified Admissions Processes For International Students

Canada

Canada has become an increasingly popular destination for undergraduate studies for Indian students in the past few years. For undergraduate courses in Canada, application deadlines start in January and continue till the end of March. However, deadlines for scholarships might fall in November and December, given the evaluation of complex scholarship requirements.

How to apply for abroad study after 12th in Canada? The rule of thumb dictates that the more prestigious a university, the earlier its deadline. The University of British Columbia, the University of Toronto, McGill University, and the University of Alberta- all close their regular applications (non-scholarship) on January 15. Others, including McMaster University, York University, and the University of Ottawa, keep their applications open till the end of March.

What distinguishes Canadian Universities is the fact that the application process continues after the initial deadlines. Students can access their university-specific portals and submit admission requirements including English proficiency scores, essays, and other declarations and forms. Canada application deadlines for these are communicated by universities directly to students.

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Singapore

Leading universities in Singapore- Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore, and Singapore Management University close their undergraduate applications between mid-February to mid-March every year. Students, however, are required to submit their Class 12 board results to confirm their admissions, and this process extends till the summer.

How to apply for abroad study after 12th? For students who have decided on countries and universities to apply to, it is prudent to start working on university applications, given how complex and nuanced they can be. Prudent research and outreach- both to universities and other players in the industry who guide students through these processes are key in unlocking a streamlined admissions process.

Vijeeth Srinivas is a development consultant with more than extensive experience in the foreign education industry. With the Centre for Career Development and Essai Education he has helped hundreds of students secure positions in leading universities abroad. He is keen to make novel developments in education and skill development more accessible to students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.