After carefully going through the various universities in United States and settling with a choice, you may be wondering when exactly to apply to that University you have chosen. Many of the universities in the U.S operate a tri-semester cycle: the Spring, Summer and Fall. It is important to know when to apply to the University of your choice and be aware also of the deadline of application.Each of these semesters has the specific deadline as stipulated by each institution on when the enrollment closes.
The fall semester which lasts for 13 weeks is the first in the academic year. Starting in august, the semester extends through to the month of Dec and sometimes till mid-Jan. The usual process is for students to begin the process of their admission a four to three month before the beginning of the US academic year so as to secure a place in the university. Most universities only admit student at the beginning of the fall semester (also known as autumn semester) which is the beginning of the academic year. The spring semester has duration of about 16 to 18 weeks and begins in the first to second week in Jan. Most universities require students coming in during the spring semester to have begun the processing of their admission by October of the previous .
For some universities, the deadline for enrolment is around September to October before the commencement of the spring semester.
The summer semester which starts in the month of June is the shortest and the last before the commencement of a new academic year. Admission into university during this period depends on the school and the department. Some department may or may not be able to take in students during this period.
Admission Timeline
Towards the beginning of the Summer Semester which is the last of the academic year, you should have researched your options as regard Universities of your choice. By the beginning of the Fall Semester which is in August, you should have prepared your application papers and the process should begin. Most Application closes by Nov – Jan after which schools begin to send replies to students in between the month of February to March. Subsequent months before school resumes for another academic year provides ample opportunity to apply for scholarship if need be, students visa and prepare for departure as a new year begins in August (the Fall/Autumn Semester).
The fall is the ideal time for foreign students to enroll in the university. This is because it gives enough time to apply for student’s visa and scholarship. Starting the process of admission early is the best when enrolling. The application timeline will provide detailed steps needed to be taken and when to carry them out.
Universities in the United State offer flexibility in their application process. You don’t have to wait for the application to be opened for the semester to begin to apply. Through three plans- the Early plan, the Regular admission and the Rolling admission these institutions make it possible to be enrolled at specific time in the academic Provided there are vacant seats, the Rolling admission plan allows you to apply in the University you have chosen. The Regular admission provides opportunity to apply to the university within the application timeline for each of the three semesters, the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Whereas, the early admission gives the student an opportunity to apply ahead and fix his admission before the regular admission begins into the institution.