Spring or Fall Semester Intake?

Should I Apply for the Spring or Fall Semester?

This article is a follow up on the scholarship essay guide article. Posting the article was followed by, several inquiries on scholarship applications, the best time to apply and the best semester to choose.

This article will detail more on the main intake seasons in universities and colleges in the USA.  Secondly, the most preferred semester intake and the reason for the preference. Lastly, we discuss which of the two semester is best when you are considering getting financial assistance in the form of a scholarship to fund your studies.

American Universities follow a bi semester system in which an academic year is divided into two intakes;

• The Fall semester – begins in September and runs through to December.
• Spring semester – begins in January and ends in May.

In most cases, as a student you may not have much of a choice as to which semester you wish to join university.

These choices are majorly influenced by the course you wish to undertake in college. Many popular and important courses begin in the Fall semester, making this semester more popular preferred.

Fall or Spring Intake: Which Season is Ideal for Me?

There are several factors that will affect your choice of admission semester. First, depending on the course you may find yourself being admitted to either in September in for the Fall semester or January for the Spring semester.

If your are an international student, in most countries, students are done with their undergraduate around July. This means that you may have limited time to plan, research on a good school, sit exams and make travel plans by the September. In such a case, the Spring semester will be best for you.

It is however wise to note that the Fall semester is more popular among students since most scholarships are availed in this season. Consequently, more complex and popular courses tend to be provided in this season.

Given this, there are less job opportunities for students joining the second semester. The effect is so much that these students joining in spring semester are sometimes considered less exposed than their counterparts who joined college in the Fall.

When is the Right Time to Apply for a Scholarship?

Most scholarship providers float their offers at around the Fall Season, so if you need financial assistance to fund your studies, this intake is best for you.

If you are aiming for admission i the Fall season, the best time to start your personal research on the scholarships season is April.

You will be required to sit admission exams, around June so this will give you two months of ample research. Then you can make an informed decision on the school and course you wan to undertake.

Between  June and August, spend time writing the  application essays, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose.

If your preference is the Spring semester, you should plan to sit your admission exams by September – October.  Therefore, start your research in August.

Whichever intake you prefer, make sure you make the best choices with regards to courses an university choices.