If you are in matric and are interested in studying overseas next year, global admission trends show that you have to start applying now.
Due to large number of applications into top universities abroad, experts suggest that applicants give themselves a 18-month lead to put together the perfect application.
“When it comes to applying to top universities, there’s no such thing as being too prepared. Ideally, you should give your application at least an 18-month lead time, but matrics who are only starting to think about their applications now, still have a chance of gaining admission – provided they stick to deadlines,” said Rebecca Pretorius the country manager at the global mentorship company, Crimson Education.
According to the companies research, the 2020/2021 admissions season saw applications to universities overseas increase by 30%.
In the US, new standardised test policies meant that SAT(Scholastic Aptitude Test), and ACT (American College Testing) scores were not required for even Ivy-league schools, resulting in a huge jump in application numbers.
At the same time, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, universities saw a 7% drop in admission rates overall, as students were forced to defer their applications. However, high numbers of applications are predicted for 2021/2022 as the world goes back to ’normal’.
Most applications for international universities open in August and Pretorius encourages prospective students to be mindful of how time consuming the application process can be.
“A key component of the application process is deciding which universities to apply to. In between juggling Grade 12 exams and activities, and making decisions about courses, majors, and future careers; students will also need to sit for admissions tests, write personal statements, supplementary essays, and in some cases activity lists,” she said.
It all can sound a bit overwhelming but Pretorius has provided a roadmap that learners who want to apply for admission in the US/UK in 2022 should follow.
May 2021
Familiarise yourself with the application process and research the universities you want to apply to. You should have a good idea of the various, course, accommodation deadlines, and fee requirements.
July 2021
Finalise your course and university choices and start your personal statement and essay writing. Secure your letters of recommendation from your teachers.
June to September 2021
Register and prepare for standardised admission tests including the SAT, the ACT for the US, the BMAT (BioMedical Admissions Test) for UK Medicine courses, and LNAT (Law National Aptitude Test) for applications to UK Law, among others.
October 2021 to November 2021
Submit applications to Oxford/Cambridge and UK medicine courses, and Early Action/Early Decision applications for US universities.
December 2021 to January 2022
Submit your Regular Decision applications by 1 to 15 January. Prepare for personal/video interviews which take place between January and March.
December 2021 to April 2022
Get your results! Once you’ve received your offer from a university, get the paperwork ready, apply for your student visa, book your flights, and you’re off!
Crimson Education has assisted thousands of students through the complex application process for overseas universities. Through online workshops and webinars they have been able to provide information to local learners looking to apply abroad.