Which Intake Season to Choose

Posted date: 05 Dec 2021

Every year, most foreign universities have two admission intakes for all classes and courses. The fall semester runs from September to December, while the spring semester runs from January to May. There are two primary reasons why universities accept students in two intakes rather than just one. Most international universities receive thousands of applications each year, so admitting so many students at once will be a challenge. Second, there could be a variety of reasons why many students are unable to apply for the fall season. This is why universities accept students who were unable to apply during the fall semester. In essence, more students apply for the Fall Intake, resulting in larger class sizes for the fall semester. Let us discuss which semester you should apply to and why.

Universities: You should first determine whether the universities of your choice accept applications for both seasons. A significant number of the top 100 universities do not have any openings for the Spring semester. And it is difficult to determine which universities have different intakes and which do not, as university websites resemble a very complicated maze. You should do this before attempting to prepare for exams such as the IELTS, TOEFL, or GMAT. This early decision will assist you in determining whether or not you have enough time to prepare for the exams.

Acceptance Rate: Many universities have set admissions quotas for each semester. Because class sizes are much larger for the Fall Intake, you may have a better chance of being admitted. If your profile is above average or spectacular, you will have a better chance of being accepted for the Spring Intake.

Job Opportunities: Job fairs and campus recruitment events are usually held in the second year, after you have finished three semesters if you are enrolled in a fall class and two semesters if you are enrolled in a spring class. Those who have completed three semesters will have an advantage over those who have completed two semesters because the extra semester will raise your profile and improve your academic student CV because you will have completed more projects, held more leadership roles, participated in more activities, and so on. These little extras will give you an advantage over your peers from the Spring semester.

Assistantships: Because the academic year begins with the Fall semester, there will be more opportunities for students to obtain on-campus jobs and internships, particularly for research-based courses. Many professors begin their research at the beginning of the academic year and do not hire new research assistants in the middle of the year. During the Fall semester, there will undoubtedly be more opportunities to work as research or teaching assistants.

Courses: Universities typically offer a greater variety of courses for Fall Intake applicants, so you will have a greater variety of courses to choose from. It also means that if you're looking for a unique course that isn't popular, there's a good chance it won't be available in the Spring semester.

Graduation: Universities are sometimes accommodating enough to allow you to complete your entire post-graduate degree in three semesters. If you can do that, you will be able to start earning money sooner. If you enroll in the fall semester, however, graduating in three semesters is easier because you will have completed your coursework by the following Spring semester and will still have a few months before campus recruitment begins. You could apply for an internship or a part-time job during those months.

It all depends on what you require and your future plans. To begin, be clear about what you expect from your college education when applying for a job, as you are the best judge of your career. It's not a bad idea to apply for any intake season.

Posted By

GSP Admin