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How applying abroad works

If nobody in your family has done this before, this page is for you. It walks through the steps in order, links to where you can do each one here, and explains the words universities use. Tap a dotted word to see what it means.

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The steps, in order

  1. Decide what and where

    Pick a level and subject first, then the countries you would consider and the most you can spend on the whole course, living costs included.

    Words you will meet: Intake

    Search courses

  2. Check you qualify

    Each course lists the grades, tests and documents it asks for. Compare your own with them before you spend money on applications.

    Words you will meet: GPA, ECTS, Transcript

    Requirements table

  3. Book tests early

    English tests and admissions tests take weeks to book and score. Find out which scores each course accepts, and which version of the test.

    Words you will meet: IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT

    Add your scores

  4. Make a shortlist with dates

    Put each course's deadline in one place. Some review applications as they arrive, so earlier can be better.

    Words you will meet: Rolling admission, Priority deadline

    See your matches

  5. Write your essays

    Write them yourself. Admissions readers look for your own experiences and reasons; the coach asks questions and comments, but never writes for you.

    Words you will meet: SOP, Personal statement, Supplemental essay

    Writing coach

  6. Ask for letters

    Ask your recommenders at least a month before the deadline, and tell them what each course is and when their letter is due.

    Words you will meet: LOR

    Recommenders

  7. Submit and keep checking

    After you submit, check each portal regularly. Missing documents are a common reason for delays.

    Words you will meet: UCAS, Common App

    Tracker

  8. Compare offers and money

    Compare the full cost of each offer, minus only the funding written in it, and reply by each date.

    Words you will meet: Conditional offer, Unconditional offer, Deposit, Waitlist, Scholarship, Assistantship

    Compare offers

  9. Apply for your visa

    Use your destination government's own pages and checklist, and give yourself time: some steps take weeks.

    Words you will meet: CAS, I-20, Study permit, APS, Proof of funds

    Visa sources

  10. Get ready to leave

    Housing, insurance, travel and documents, counted back from the day your course starts.

    Words you will meet: Deferral

    Before you leave

Words universities use

General explanations. What a particular course asks for is on its own page, from its official sources.

APS (Akademische Prüfstelle)
A German office that checks academic documents from some countries, including India, China and Vietnam, before you apply to German universities or for a German student visa.
Official site: APS India
Assistantship
Paid teaching or research work during a postgraduate degree, sometimes with tuition waived. Common in US PhDs; offered by the department, not guaranteed.
CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies)
A reference number a UK university gives you once you accept an unconditional offer. You need it to apply for a UK Student visa.
Official site: GOV.UK: Student visa
Common App
An application system used by many US colleges for undergraduate admission. Some colleges add their own supplemental essays.
Official site: Common App
Conditional offer
A place you get once you meet stated conditions, such as final grades or an English score. Read every condition and its deadline.
Deferral
Moving your place to a later intake. Some universities allow it on request; others ask you to apply again.
Deposit
A payment that secures your place after you accept an offer. Check whether it is refundable, for example if your visa is refused.
ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System)
Credits used across Europe. A full year of study is 60 ECTS. Some masters ask for a minimum number from your earlier degree.
GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)
An admissions test for business schools, especially MBA and management masters.
Official site: GMAC: GMAT
GPA (Grade point average)
An average of your grades on a fixed scale, such as 4.0 or 10. Scales differ between countries, so universities convert or compare them in their own way.
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations)
A general admissions test some postgraduate courses ask for, mostly in the US. Many have made it optional.
Official site: ETS: GRE
I-20
A form a US university issues to admitted international students once they show enough funding. You need it for the F-1 visa application.
Official site: U.S. Department of State: student visas
IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
An English test scored in bands from 0 to 9. Many universities set a minimum overall band and a minimum for each section.
Official site: IELTS
Intake
When a course starts, such as autumn 2027. Deadlines, fees and requirements can differ between intakes of the same course.
LOR (Letter of recommendation)
A letter from a teacher, professor or manager about your abilities. Most courses ask for two or three and want them sent by the writer directly.
Personal statement
An essay about why you want to study a subject and what you have done to explore it. Common for undergraduate applications, especially in the UK.
Priority deadline
An earlier date by which applications get first consideration, often for funding. Later applications may still be accepted.
Proof of funds
Documents showing you can pay tuition and living costs, such as bank statements, a loan letter or a scholarship letter. Visa offices set how much and in what form.
Rolling admission
Applications are reviewed as they arrive and places are offered until the course is full, so applying early can matter even before the final deadline.
Scholarship
Money for your studies that you do not repay. Some are automatic, many need a separate application with its own deadline.
SOP (Statement of purpose)
An essay for postgraduate applications about what you want to study, what you have done that prepares you, and why this course. Usually 500 to 1,000 words.
Study permit
Canada's permission to study, applied for after you have a letter of acceptance. It is not a visa, though you may need a visa as well.
Official site: Government of Canada: study permit
Supplemental essay
A short extra essay answering one university's own question, such as "Why us?". Each university sets its own.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
An English test. The TOEFL iBT moved to a 1 to 6 band scale in January 2026; older scores use 0 to 120, so check which scale a course states.
Official site: ETS: TOEFL
Transcript
The official record of every subject and grade from your school or university, issued by them. Many applications need an official copy or a certified translation.
UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)
The UK's central system for undergraduate applications. You apply to up to five courses with one personal statement.
Official site: UCAS
Unconditional offer
A place with no conditions left to meet. You still need to accept it, and often pay a deposit, by the date in the offer.
Waitlist
You are not admitted yet, but may be offered a place if others decline. Universities differ on whether you should send updates.