Making applications

Once you have narrowed down your course and university choices it is time to start making applications. Usually December - January are good months to start sending in applications though you must check with your university department for their opening and closing dates for applications.

Applications are usually made by post, though some universities accept them on-line too. Application forms are made available by the university on their websites. Usually these forms are not department or course specific.

Most UK university applications are free and you only pay for the postage. You will always need to send in certified true photo-copies of your mark sheets and other award certificates. Usually UK universities do not require you to convert your marks into a point-based system. So your mark sheets should be acceptable as is. They understand that 85% is better than 70% which is better than 40% (unlike the USA). Again it is a good thing to ask if you are not sure.

UK universities have rankings for Indian universities. So a higher grade from a low raking Indian university is equivalent to a lower grade from a high ranking Indian university. UK universities are not aware of specific Indian college names, they will only consider the name of your awarding university and not the specific college you studied in.

A very important document you will need to write and include with your submitted papers is the statement of purpose (SOP). This document must be written in good and correct English and describe why you would like to do the selected course, how it will help you and why do you want to do it in that particular university. It must sound genuine. This is usually only possible if you write it yourself and express yourself as best as you can. Don't be fickle minded when writing this document even if you are not entirely sure about the course or university. You don't want your doubts reflected in the document.

Get someone to proof read your SOP and suggest corrections to it. However, asking someone else to write it for you or copying your friends SOP is not at all a good idea. Write a different SOP for each university and course combination. Don't blindly send the SOP written for one university to another without even changing the name of the first university in the document. (Sounds like common-sense? well, shit happens -- so double check!)

Universities can take from 15 to 40 days to reply. So don't be disheartened if you don't hear anything from them immediately. Though most universities will confirm safe receipt of your application and will start communicating with you while they are deciding your application.

Most universities will only require you to prove your English language ability. You will not need to give GRE for UK. If you already have a TOEFL or IELTS send it along with your documents. Otherwise wait for them to ask you before going for the test. It is a good idea to start preparing for one of these English tests however as you can't do them last minute.

Usually the university will get back to you with a conditional-offer asking you to satisfy some conditions or send additional documents before they make a final decision. Most often the condition is to prove your English language ability by giving TOEFL or IELTS. As a second option they may ask you to take an English language course at the university to improve your English. This second option may sound expensive at first but is not a bad idea esp. if you know your English needs working on. So give it a thought. It also allows you to get accustomed to the UK before you start your real course. You can also usually do the English course at a completely different university.

Rarely the condition on the offer may require that you pay portion of your tuition fee. If you have funds and are sure about your choice of university, making this payment will help your visa processing later on. Once the payment is made you will not be able to change universities even if you get a better offer from another university later on without forfeiting your payment.

Once you meet the condition on your offer letter the university will send you a unconditional offer letter. This letter forms the basis of your student visa application.