Missed US deadlines? Apply for these countries

Originally Published in The Hindustan Times Education Supplement

It is the New Year and most of the undergraduate applications for the US were submitted on December 31st. If you are not headed to the US or you did not manage to get your applications done in time, there are still lots of options when it comes to study abroad.

Canada: For most Canadian universities the application deadlines continue through February and even March. Each university application procedure is different and often the applications are processed province-wise. So if a Canadian university is one of your choices, check the applications now so that you know when the deadlines are and you can have your applications ready in time. Another good piece of news about Canada is that the Universities typically do not require the SAT/ACT, so you do not need to worry about standardized testing if you haven’t taken any yet. Canada is also an excellent choice for students who are interested in emigrating after studies because of the generous work visa policy for foreign graduates of Canadian universities.

UK: If you are planning to apply through UCAS to UK colleges, you still have time until January 15^th to meet the deadline. You will need to prepare a personal statement and also get the required academic reports sent by your school in time. You also need to choose five colleges that offer the course of interest to you and apply to all five with one UCAS application. Study in the UK is a great option for students who want a world-class education, but do not want to go too far from home. Also many courses in the UK are only three years, so one year of fees can be saved, as compared with four-year courses in the US and Canada.

Singapore: Another option even closer to home is Singapore, which has a handful of excellent universities. If you are thinking of applying to the National University of Singapore, you have until March 1 for the October 2015 intake. For applicants to Nanyang Technological University the application is due by April 1 for the August 2015 intake.

Australia: Colleges down under operate on a different calendar from most of the world. The application deadlines can vary by University and by course, but in general, you have until May 31^st for July 2015 intake. Or if you want more time before starting, you can apply in November or December 2015 for the February 2016 intake.

Hong Kong: You can get a great technical education in English from Hong Kong University of Technology and Science. The early round of applications was over on November 15^th, but the main round application deadline is January 15 for the September 2015 starting term.

Europe: If you’re interested in studying in Germany the summer term runs from March/April through Aug/Sept, depending on the course. The deadline to apply is January 15th. For college in France the deadlines vary by college, but the popular Sciences Po has rolling admissions still going on for the term starting September 2015. Don’t forget to check the deadlines for colleges in Scandinavian countries, which offer excellent, affordable courses in English as well. The calendars vary.

The world is full of opportunities for students who want to study abroad. It is a good idea to narrow your focus geographically and then visit either education fairs when they come through town, or take advantage of education-related offerings of different consulates that are promoting education in their country to Indian students. To find out the right information a combination of on-the-ground fact-finding and online research should help you find out everything you need to know.