Study Abroad Intakes: Fall, Spring & Summer
Applying to the wrong intake, or starting too late for the right one, costs students an entire year. Here is how the calendar actually works.
Fall intake
Starting around September, this is the main intake almost everywhere. The widest choice of courses, the most scholarship funding and the largest incoming cohort. It is also the most competitive. Applications generally open a year ahead, and you should begin preparing roughly twelve months before the start date.
Spring intake
Starting in January, this is a smaller secondary intake. Fewer courses are open and scholarship availability is thinner, but competition is lower. It suits students who missed Fall deadlines or needed extra time for test scores. Begin preparing around July.
Summer intake
Limited and offered by relatively few universities, mostly for specific programmes. Worth considering only if a particular course you want runs then.
When to actually start
Work backwards from the intake. English tests and any required aptitude tests come first, then shortlisting, then applications, then the loan, then the visa. Visa processing alone can take several weeks at peak times. Students who start a year ahead have options; students who start three months ahead take whatever is left.