What Are the Deadlines for Undergraduate Applications?

The end of the year is usually met with a lot of anxiety for applicants who wish to study abroad. This is because the last quarter of the year signifies application deadlines for undergraduate programmes across the globe. So whether you are applying to the US, UK, Canada or Singapore, it’s time to put your application together.

US Application Deadlines

If you are applying to the US, you should know that the vast majority of universities that use the Common Application portal have deadlines between January 1 and January 15. However, the US offers several other opportunities for you to submit your application. They are:

1. Early Decision:

A handful of universities in the US allow you to apply in November through Early Decision or ED. If you are applying ED, you should know that you can only apply to one university that has an ED policy. ED decisions are ‘binding’, so if you are accepted, you are obligated to attend. If you’re applying ED, it is advisable that you direct all your effort to apply to your ‘dream’ university. However, ED is extremely competitive, and getting a positive response is difficult. Therefore, you should continue working on other applications as well.

2. Early Action:

Under Early Action (EA), you are not obligated to attend the university, even if you get accepted. Depending on the university’s policy, you can apply to either one university EA or several colleges simultaneously. Knowing each university’s policy is important before choosing to apply EA. Similar to ED, applicants apply to their ‘dream’ university EA and continue working on their other applications.

3. Rolling Admissions:

Rolling Admissions means colleges review applications are reviewed in the order in which they are received. Since the university does not wait until a ‘final date’ to begin the review and admit process, you will receive the application decisions within a few weeks after you apply. The earlier you apply, the better your chances. Those who apply later are at a disadvantage because fewer seats are available.

4. Regular Decision:

Regular Decision (RD) is the general pool into which most applications are submitted. Colleges start their review process only after they’ve received all the forms. Once the reviews start, admissions decisions are generally made and communicated within three months after the deadline. Decisions are usually communicated to applicants in a short window, i.e. all applicants are notified within a span of three to seven days.

Note: University of California campuses do not offer ED or EA.

Here is a snapshot of US application deadlines:

UK Application Deadlines

Applicants who are considering the UK for their undergraduate studies have just one day to submit their applications through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) portal. However, there are some exceptions.

1. Universities of Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge) and most courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine/science:

If you are applying to Oxbridge or any of the other majors mentioned above, you must submit your application by October 15. This is because these courses usually require specific entrance exams and interviews.

Other courses:

For most other courses, you need to submit your application by January 25.

Canadian Application Deadlines:

In Canada, deadlines are college-specific. Most of them require you to submit your application between November and January. Unlike the US, most Canadian universities do not offer any early submission deadlines.

Singaporean Application Deadlines:

Singaporean university deadlines differ based on the curriculum you have studied in high school and the university.

If you are applying to an undergraduate programme and are concerned about the application deadlines, book a one-on-one meeting with our expert consultants. They will understand your unique requirements and help you time your applications. If you have any other questions, get in touch with us.