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An insider’s guide to international graduate admissions: A European view
Language command is an obvious issue in foreign admissions and proof of sufficient knowledge of the teaching language (which is not always the official language of the country) is usually requested as part of the application. The language criterion may be an unconditional requirement, or have only relative importance in the selection process. The latter is often the case for programmes where linguistic perfection is not necessary, like engineering or mathematics, or for institutions that provide extensive language training or bridging courses before or during the programme. Additional tools, like standardised tests, subject-specific entrance examinations, or interviews, can be used to assess a student’s eligibility or as a decisive selection tool after an eligibility check has been successfully passed.
The relative weight given to various elements of the application dossier varies enormously, not only between countries or institutions, but also between departments and programmes. In some cases recommendation letters are considered as crucially important, in others they are hardly read. In some, language requirement constitutes the first exclusion criteria, in others the lack in language competence is regarded as of secondary importance. Some programmes never admit students without an interview, while others think they are simply a waste of time!
THE TIMING
When are applications sent in and how long will it take to get a reply? Some institutions or programmes work with a deadline and accept applications until a preset closing date. After that, applications are assessed together, comparing them against each other and the best candidates are selected from a pool. Early deadlines facilitate a smooth planning of academic activities and allow enough time for visa procedures and other necessary preparations of a stay abroad. “Rolling admissions”, on the other hand, mean that applications are assessed as they come in and not “stored” until a closing date. Interested candidates can apply at any time and if there is a capacity limit, students will be accepted until this limit is reached. Rolling admissions are most often used in systems where admission purely depends on an eligibility check, but can also be highly selective, as applications can be compared with preset standards and thresholds. Rolling admissions substantially reduce the seasonal workload of admissions staff and academics involved in admissions and ensure quick turnaround times. This frequently helps the applicant, who receives a quick response, but it is also driven by a market rationale: a quick response may be crucial for winning a high-quality student who might otherwise decide to go elsewhere.
Some institutions have opted for a combination of both timing procedures. They work either with rolling admissions until a given deadline or with several subsequent deadlines for one intake. In both cases, planning is facilitated and enough time can be left for a visa procedure if necessary. It also allows decisions to be made and communicated quicker, and gives candidates more flexibility to match an application with their own timetable.
CONCLUSIONS
Admission processes are complex and it quickly becomes clear that describing a “typical case” is nearly impossible: different countries, institutions and programmes apply different criteria, use different application dossiers and organise the admission and selection procedures differently.What is however clear from the ACA study, which focused on the institutional side of the admissions process, is that not only students compete fiercely for places in top universities, but (top) universities compete for the best students, too. International students in general are seen as crucial for a credible international profile of any institution and the ability to attract some of the best students globally is considered an important quality indicator.
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