When to Start your Application Process to US Universities

Planning to apply to US universities for admissions soon? Check out the article and understand when to start your application process to US universities. Students can check out this article for all major details on the intakes of USA and when applicants can start their applications for admissions.

Applying to US universities for admissions? You must know that there are two intakes to study in USA - Fall and Spring. Maximum college applications are accepted in Fall and then followed by Spring intake. Check out when is the ideal time to begin preparing your US college applications for admissions for the upcoming intakes in USA.

Fall 2024 Admission Applications

We often receive a lot of questions about how to time the US admission process. So let's discuss questions of when to apply to US universities here for Fall intake in USA.

As far as the timing of the US admission process is concerned, there are several misconceptions prospective students have. Here are a few examples –

• The process can be completed quickly
• Students can apply whenever they want
• Secondary school/Final year exams must be finished before you can apply. 
• Application time is always the same for every US University 
• The admission calendar doesn't have an end. 

In the context of these misconceptions, let us make it very clear that the US admission process takes time, months even years, especially for international students. The admission calendar and the actual calendar overlap in some interesting ways. By the first week of May every year, the long process is finished. Knowing the timeline and understanding the admission calendar is very important to your success.

For now, let's discuss the timing of the complete admission process. So when would be the ideal time to apply to US universities for spring intake 2023?

All US universities offer admission for the main intake which is the fall academic session. Keep in mind that here everything is discussed from the perspective of applying for the Fall semester. We will discuss the Spring intake later in the article.

The Fall term typically begins in September, which is the month when the weather transitions from summer to fall. Now let's work backwards from September. To begin your studies in September, you have to apply many months earlier. Fall application deadlines can be set as early as November of the previous year. So for example, if you are aiming at attending the Fall 2023 admission session, the application deadlines will typically end in November 2022. That’s full nine months before you actually begin your session. Not all application deadlines end this early, but most fall between December and February, which is still several months before you can start your studies.

This leads us to the question “But I'll still be in school/college at that point! How will I submit all of my information like final exam scores to the university?”

The answer is quite straightforward - most students apply to US universities when they are still finishing the final year of college or 12^th grade. This means that universities don't have all of your final scores when they review your application. For example, if you are currently enrolled for a degree that lasts for four years, your application will include academic information for three or three and a half years. Similarly, if your course duration is three years, your application will have academic information of two to two and a half years.

Indian educational system requires a final leaving exam, similar to the British and French systems. American universities are well aware of this, so you will submit your application before you take your final exams. At most, you might be asked to submit predicted or provisional exam scores when you apply.

Realize that the timing of admission means that universities evaluate you based on most, but not all your academic information. This fact can make some of you nervous; what if you perform badly on your final exams? But there is no need to feel that way. Remember, admission counsellors, know how to evaluate an application based on the information provided.

So to move forward, let’s say you apply in January to begin your studies in September. What happens in between? Universities release their admission decisions at different times. Depending on the university and when you apply, you might get the admission results as early as February, or as late as April. It can be a long and frustrating wait to receive your decision. Most of the students we have helped have reported that waiting is the most difficult part of the whole process.

Generally speaking, the first week of May is referred to as the candidate's reply date and it is the deadline for accepted students to choose the university they will attend. So to start your session in September, you choose a university in May that you applied for many months before.

US Spring Intake Admission Applications 2024 

Depending on your situation, applying for the fall intake might not work for you. In such a case, you can consider applying for the next session that begins in January. This intake session goes by different names. Some universities refer to this as the Spring semester, while others call it the Winter term. What you should remember when applying for January intake is that this option is not offered at all universities in the US. Some universities which offer January admission don't offer it for all majors. If you are leaning towards January admission, make sure you do your research long before applying. You will have fewer options than the fall intake, but you will have some good options and it is just a matter of identifying them.

Check out: Spring Intake in USA

If you have already graduated, don’t worry you are not at any disadvantage. However, universities will want to know what you have done since graduation. The reason behind your academic break can be important in your evaluation. The university expects that you have improved yourself since finishing college. If they compare your profile today to your profile from before, your application should be stronger.

There is no right or wrong way to make your application stronger. Some use the time after graduation to improve their English skills, others volunteer and do community service, and some others work. The possibilities are endless. The crucial part is explaining how your time out of college has helped you grow as an individual.

In conclusion, preparing for and applying to US universities takes time, possibly a lot of time. Understanding this timeline and timing is important.

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Interested in studying in USA and require admission-related assistance? Sign up for our free Shiksha Abroad Counselling and request a call back from our counsellors. Or you can drop your queries in the comment box below.