7 Mistakes to Avoid During Your Study Abroad Application Process

Mistakes to Avoid During Study Abroad Application Process: Are you concerned about why your study abroad application was rejected last time or how did you skip your decent chance of applying to universities abroad? Fortunately, we know the satisfactory response to your question!

Although we are aware that you are eager to apply to institutions overseas, the drawn-out procedure of completing the college application and collecting the required documents may be taxing on you. Considerably, while the entire procedure may seem intimidating, a lack of accurate information and direction may make things considerably trickier. 

Because of this, you will probably make mistakes that cause your study abroad application to be rejected. Since education is not just about academics and you can learn a lot from interacting with individuals from different backgrounds, they aim to provide diversity in their courses. 

If things do not go according to plan, you can even get denied admission and have to wait up to twelve months to submit an application again. To prevent this from happening, keep reading this article to the conclusion. Our study abroad experts have outlined some common mistakes to avoid while applying to universities abroad.

Common Study Abroad Applications Mistakes to Avoid

When getting ready for a study abroad trip, you will have a lot to accomplish, so it is better to avoid making these easy blunders. Be mindful of these common mistakes that study abroad aspirants make during their university admission process.

Lack of Research

Do not randomly select universities and apply for any random course you see on the list. List down your requirements and expectations such as the degree and course you wish to pursue, cost of study, location, program output and other important parameters before finalising a university. This will help you prioritise universities where you can send out your applications to increase your chances of selection for admission.

Missing Out on Deadlines

Creating a study abroad plan comes with various responsibilities like adhering to timelines, applying for visas, making plans for travel, etc. If you miss out on a deadline for a specific term, you may have to wait for a few more months or even a year to apply to your desired universities again. All universities abroad specify a unique application deadline and it usually varies course-wise and intake-wise. Once you shortlist colleges to study abroad, check the application dates for specific courses. Applications that are submitted after the deadline are usually not processed, with few exceptions.

Not Taking Expert Guidance

Having an expert on board is probably the smartest and fastest way to ensure success in your study abroad journey. Overseas education experts have years of experience in sending students abroad and they know exactly what universities want to see in international students' applications. If you are not confident about your application process or even if there is the slightest doubt, we recommend you ask for help.

Not Estimating the Budget

While planning to study abroad, make sure you estimate the overall budget to study in a specific country and university. Apart from the tuition fees, several other costs will need to be covered by the student while studying abroad. Some of the additional costs include the cost of accommodation, travel expenses, visa application costs, health insurance and miscellaneous expenses. Studying abroad can be an expensive ordeal, therefore building an estimated cost of studying in any country abroad will help you immensely in choosing the right country and university. Additionally, many countries, for visa purposes, require international students to provide proof of financial stability in the form of a minimum amount in their bank account.

Filling Incorrect Information

All documents received at an admission office of a department will be scrutinised thoroughly by the admission panel. You must be very careful while filling out the application form as any mistake or discrepancy in the application form can lead to the cancellation of the entire application process. For this, read through the application form first, which includes the instructions that come with the form. Additionally, all universities abroad will specify their admission requirements and instructions on the official website as well. Read through all the admission-related information you can find about any university that you wish to study in.

Not Creating an Effective SOP

A Statement of Purpose (SOP) is an important part of the application process to study at any foreign university. Moreover, an effective SOP increases your chances of getting shortlisted for admission at universities. Thus, make sure you give enough time to prepare, structure and format your SOP. We recommend doing a bit of research on what a good SOP is, keeping it brief but detailed.

Not Submitting All Documents

Your application to study abroad is incomplete until all the required documents have been submitted. The University may reach out to you through your registered email ID, in case you miss out on submitting some documents along with the application form. We, therefore, advise all international students to stay alert for the emails they receive from the universities they may have applied to, in a bid to avoid any hassles during the admission process. You may watch the following to know the top 5 dos & don'ts to avoid during your study abroad application process:

Common Application Documents Required for Admission to Universities Abroad

It could not be argued that although each university and country require international students to submit certain specific documents, there are certain documents that are common to all of them. You may refer to the following list of Common Application Documents Required for Admission to Foreign Universities by international students:

• Academic Transcripts

• Application Form

• College Application Essay

• Letter of Recommendation (LOR)

• Medical History Documents

• Proof of Finances

• SOP

• Student CV/Academic Resume

• Test Score Reports

• Travel History Documents

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How to Apply to Universities Abroad as an International Student?

Now, this question might be spinning around your mind after knowing what documents are required to apply to universities abroad. Same as is the case with common documents, each foreign university has a separate application process. However, to make this process easier and less time-consuming for students, there are some centralised application portals through which students can apply to their desired universities abroad. To know How to Apply to Universities Abroad as an International Student, you may follow the pointers provided below:

Step 1: Select a programme of your choice

Step 2: Check admission requirements

Step 3: Gather all the required documents

Step 4: Register for Entrance Exams to Study Abroad

Step 5: Book your admission interview

Step 6: Book your visa appointment

Step 7: Look for top scholarships, grants, education loans (if required), etc.

Step 8: Get ready for your interview and wait for your admission approval.

Most students experience anxiety merely from the mere thought of applying to universities abroad. This is because it is believed that the application process for these schools is difficult and time-consuming. However, if you are considering enrolling in a foreign university, follow the mistakes to avoid in the study abroad application as mentioned above to get efficient results.

Hope the above information will help make your study abroad application process simple and easy. For any queries, write to us at abroad@collegedekho.com. and our expert will answer them as soon as possible!