TopUniversities.com Advice
Help With Applications
TopUniversities.com speaks to admissions staff at top universities to get their advice on how to make the university application process as painless a procedure as possible. So, you’ve done the research, you’ve talked it over with your nearest and dearest, you’re pretty confident that you’re going to get the grades you need, and you’ve finally concluded that studying abroad is right for you. Congratulations: you’ve made one of the biggest – and hopefully most rewarding – decisions you’ll ever have to make in your life. Now there’s just one small obstacle standing in your way: actually getting into the university of your choice.
Of course, ‘small’ is the wrong word – this can be a very daunting experience. But fear not: if you keep your wits about you, then there’s no need for this to be any more than an administrative hassle – though admittedly a rather long-winded one, as you’ll learn very quickly once you begin the application procedure. It may seem obvious, but given the amount of time each application can take up, it’s important to think carefully about where you really want to apply.
Caroline Berry, International Officer at the University of Leicester, UK, advises students to begin preparations as early as possible: “As well as searching on the internet and checking the web pages of individual institutions, speaking to family, friends and teachers who have studied [overseas] is always a good place to start, and a way of narrowing down choices,” she advises.
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“As well as choosing a course, students need to consider many other elements, including the type of environment they would like to live in, location, transport links, availability of accommodation, cost of living, options for financing studies through institutional scholarships and, of course, the type of institution they prefer.”
Stuart Schmill, Dean of Admissions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US, echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of looking at the different degree structures on offer: “The key thing for an applicant to understand is the kind of educational environment that will best suit how they like to learn. “Universities in different countries – or even in the same country – are very different in their styles and methods; some are very focused on a specific course of study, while others are more broad-based in their offerings.”
He adds, “Culture is important. Students want to find the environment that best matches the way they like to learn.”
In the opinion of Pieke Hoekstra of Delft University of Technology, Netherlands, it’s best to focus on institutions rather than countries. However, Miranda Cheng, Director of the Centre for International Experience at the University of Toronto, Canada, says looking at the host country’s immigration policy should also play a part in your decision, particularly if you’re planning to work there during or after your degree.
Schmill points out the importance of having “a realistic understanding of what it will cost, and how [you]
will pay for it” – there’s no sense, after all, in going through the entire application procedure if you find at the end that you just can’t afford it. Once you’ve weighed up all the various factors, and carefully made your decision – and remember that this where you’re going to be spending a not-inconsiderable portion of your life – it’s time for the really fun part: applying. Though this might also seem obvious, it makes sense to ensure you take care over this – you don’t want to miss out simply because you forgot to submit the required evidence, or applied too late.
“Students should check entry requirements and deadlines before applying to make sure that they have the best possible chance of gaining a place on their chosen course,” Berry confirms. “If they are unsure whether their qualifications are acceptable, they might like to contact the admissions office or international office in their chosen institution to check before submitting a full application.”
She emphasizes the importance of applying in good time: “It sounds obvious, but students should try to make an application as early as possible as this will give them plenty of time to make all the necessary arrangements for a move abroad, including organizing their finances, applying for scholarships and obtaining a student visa.” And as Cheng adds, if you’re ever unsure about anything, ask!
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