University Admission
Before understanding the application process to universities abroad, you need to know what the steps for applying abroad are. Indian students are used to application procedures in India, which is quite linear in nature. The university application process abroad is not so simple and follows work of many stages being carried out together, at the same time. Following are the multiple stages of application abroad .
Selecting country
Selecting universities and/or course
Appearing for the required tests
Arranging recommendation letters
Preparing Essays and Statement of Purpose
Collecting all the required transcripts
Filling out the application forms
Reporting various test scores to the universities
Accepting admission offer
Paying the required admission fee
This stage is the most time consuming and crucial stage. From the admission point of view, it requires a lot of research and active involvement in the shortlisting process. Since applying to foreign universities is an expensive matter for most Indian applicants, the choice of universities is usually restricted to six or eight universities which fulfill your requirements and fit your profile.
The concept of the best university
the perfect match for you may not be the famous university, but that one which offers you a suitable course in your field of study and the tuition fee there fits within your budget. The process of shortlisting the best university is again not a single step but involves multiple stages. Below are the stages involved .
- Self-evaluation stage – the applicant shortlists universities on the basis of criteria like location, city, ranking, tuition fee etc.
- College fit – on this stage the applicant checks whether he is a fit candidate for the university or not. The criteria in question are academic eligibility, academic record (GPA), standardized test scores, financial aid considerations, and other issues.
- Application stage – after receiving application forms and prospectus, the applicant finally makes a final list of colleges to apply to.
College-funded
Many colleges offer financial aid to students on the basis of merit. You may have to apply separately for them or your application will be considered for financial aid automatically on submission. It is recommended to get in touch with the university student cell or admissions’ department to get the details and complete information.
Private-funded
There are many scholarships offered by private organizations/funds, which may cover your course, for a particular country. You may need to appear for an exam in order to get the scholarship, where the most deserving candidate will be selected among a pool of meritorious students. One such example is the Reliance Stanford Scholarships.
There are many ways to get application forms
- Requesting application forms –Most university websites have the provision of requesting a brochure via e-mail by filling up a form available online.
- Downloading from website – to view the brochure in PDF format, many universities have a downloadable file of their brochures available on their website.
- Standardized forms/portal – for a few countries or universities, you need to apply through a common admission form like UCAS for undergraduate courses in UK. In that case you can’t apply to individual universities, but will have to fill in the online standardized application form and send it to universities of your choice.
Student Profile
It is extremely important for the student to be clear about what he wants to pursue his higher education and what he wishes to avoid. The candidate should have done an honest assessment of himself to know which universities best match his academic potential than just applying to colleges with high ranks. All colleges require candidates to appear for an eligibility test, such as SAT/ IELTS/ TOEFL/ GMAT/ GRE to be considered for admission. Hence, it is extremely important for the candidate to have his goal in mind and know what he really wants from studying abroad. It is a one-way ticket and there is no coming back halfway. It is important for the candidate to understand that studying abroad for a degree is a huge commitment and he would have to go through the entire process. There is no quitting half way.
Course Curriculum
This is another important area that determines the college of study for candidates looking to travel abroad for higher education. Candidates should be clear about the course that he would like to pursue and choose the colleges offering the same. Candidates should go through the available programmes on the official website of the university to be doubly sure. He should also verify the language of study and should be an expert in the field. Other important information to keep in mind would be the admission procedure; application start and end dates; campus life; extracurricular activities; accommodation options; the size of the college and above all the ranking of the institute and the course on a global platform. Candidates should always refer to unbiased college and course rankings to see where their choice of college is placed. Candidates should also join internet forums and get in touch with student counselors who could provide them with more information on the same.
Budget
Another important aspect of zeroing in on the right college would be knowing the amount of money required as tuition fee for the particular course in a particular college. Most official websites of colleges provide a detailed breakup of the tuition fee required for admission on a yearly basis. Students are advised to select colleges that fit their budget. Students can apply for an Education Loan through various banking and non-banking financial institutions that would help them with the tuition fee for higher education. Students who excel in education could also opt for the numerous scholarships and grants that are available on the official website of colleges to ease their financial pressure. It is always important for a candidate to choose the college that provides the maximum return on investment.
Location
This is another important deciding factor, as a part of your budget would also be allocated to the living expenses that are directly affected by the location of choice. It is important for students to keep the location, security, climate, and ease of transportation in mind before deciding on the location as these elements would affect them on a daily basis. While the living costs of some countries are higher than others, however, how much you actually spend every month depends on the lifestyle of every student. For example, a student staying in the metropolitan part of the country would pay a higher rent than a student staying in the suburban areas. The weather is another important factor as extremely cold countries could make living very difficult for Indians traveling for the first time as major parts of India enjoy tropical climate all-round the year. Safety and security, easy visa facilitation and duration of stay after the course are over are major factors that should be carefully weighed before finally choosing the location of study.
