Submit your application
Making a good planning sheet
A planning sheet, for example in Excel, is a useful method to map out all the different parts and deadlines of the universities. For each university, write down the deadlines and all parts of the application. You can use color codes to keep track of the status, such as whether a document has already been turned in or is yet to be turned in.
- Deadlines
- English proficiency scores
- Admission test scores (GRE, GMAT etc)
- Status of documents (grade lists, reference letters)
- Application fees
- Scholarship applications and deadlines
- External scholarship deadlines (e.g., Fulbright)
- Any additional components (e.g., a portfolio)
Deadlines
Most institutions have different deadlines, with early, regular, and late application rounds. The early application is always preferred. When applying early, the university has the most funding options available. Additionally, teaching or research assistantships may require you to apply before the regular deadline.
Early application
The closing date is usually around December 1.
American universities usually open their applications between August 1 and December 1. Apply for the program well in advance. In addition, keep in mind that most applications from outside scholarship sources, such as Fulbright, close in January. You should apply for these even before you are notified by the university of your admission.
Late application
January 1 – March 1
Some universities will have a later deadline, such as January 1, February 1, or March 1. It is not advised to wait for these deadlines.
Interview
Certain universities offer you the opportunity to do an (online) interview. The interview is an important part of your application; it gives you the opportunity to set yourself apart from other applicants and also gives you a chance to learn more about the program. An interview is not required everywhere. For certain fields of study such as MBAs, interviews are usually mandatory.
Good preparation for the interview is half the work.
- Make sure you are well versed in the university, the program you have been invited to interview for, and who you are speaking with.
- Prepare a list of questions about the program.
- Practice the interview.
- Keep your resume handy.
The interview is not always conducted by a staff member of the department. You might talk to a staff member from the admissions office or an alumnus of the university in your area, for example. Of course, it is important that you have prepared well for the interview and have thought about what questions to expect and how to answer them.
Evaluation and acceptance
Following deadlines, selection committees from the institutions will begin reviewing applications. The selection committees usually consist of professors and university faculty members, and they assess all applicants according to the selection criteria of the university as a whole and of the faculty or department in particular. All applications will also be compared with each other. An important selection criterion will be whether the interests of the potential candidates match the interests of at least one faculty member; almost all universities receive more requests for applications than there are places, so this is certainly also one of the factors that will be taken into account.
In the spring preceding the start of the academic year, you will receive notification from the universities whether you have been accepted or not. There are three types of decisions:
Admission
Have you been admitted? Congratulations! The university will send you more information about how to accept admission and what you need to do in order to do so. Usually, you will also receive further information about financial aid from the university with your admission notice. You do not have to accept or decline the university’s offer right away unless you have submitted an Early Decision application. Generally, you have until April 15 (the National Reply Date in the US) to make your decision.
If you decide not to accept an admission, send the university a polite message in a timely manner. You never know if you will want to return to this university in the future for research, for example, so it is good to politely communicate your rejection.
After admission, if you have to postpone the start of your studies for a year due to circumstances, you can ask for a deferral, a postponement of your start of studies. Check with the university as soon as possible to see if this is an option. Not every university will grant a deferral, and in some cases you may have to re-enter the application and selection process the following year.
Waitlisting
If you end up on the waiting list, it means that you meet all admission requirements, but there were stronger applicants who were given priority. There is still a chance that you will eventually be admitted. If an already admitted candidate chooses another university, the university will review the waiting list. Make sure you meet all the requirements to stay on the waiting list.
Rejection
A rejection is final. The best advice we can give is not to take this too personally. A selection committee has only a few seats available for hundreds of talented and motivated students — selecting these students is not an easy task.
Accept
If you are welcome at more than one institution, make your final choice now and notify the other institutions of your decision. If you have also completed the financing of your study plans and can prove this, the institution of your choice will send you the papers that will allow you to apply for your visa at the American consulate.
You can then begin your studies in the United States in September.
At some institutions it is possible to start your studies midway through the academic year (mid-year admission). However, if you depend on scholarships to finance your studies, this is not a good time to start. Most scholarship opportunities expire if you begin your studies during this period.