As an international student, each country and university you apply to may have a different process and entry requirements.
Once you are offered a place at a university, you’ll need to accept your offer, and then arrange documents for your student visa.
Applying for various university programs
Bachelor's degree
These are some of the documents and information universities may require for a bachelor’s application:
- Educational background
- Secondary education qualifications and transcripts
- References / letter of recommendation
- SOP/ statement of purpose
- English language certification
At bachelor’s level you’ll need to show that you have an interest in the subject you want to pursue, as well as the academic ability for the program you are applying for. Some students apply to multiple universities and programs to increase their chances of getting a place. Be aware that you may need to pay an application fee for each program you apply for.
Master’s Degree
Master’s application, a lot of the information needed will be about your educational history, especially any undergraduate education you have completed. A university’s application may ask for the following:
Generally, you’ll need to hold a bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject to be admitted for a master’s. Many universities have a minimum standard of bachelor’s degree that you should have achieved at undergraduate level in order to apply for a master’s with them.
If you’ve studied in English before then you may be exempt from having to provide an English language proficiency test.
Ph.D.
To secure a place for Ph.D. you need to prove your dedication to academia or a particular profession. You may be asked for the following for your application:
- University results with module/class breakdown
- References / letter of recommendation
- Essay / personal statement
- English language certification
- CV
- Research proposal
You may not always need a master’s degree in order to study for a PhD, however you do need sufficient subject knowledge. Your CV and personal statement gives you the opportunity to show how you’re suited and dedicated to your chosen research interests.
Be sure to find and contact a member of staff at the university whose areas of expertise match the topic you want to cover in your research. Describe your area of interest and see if they would be happy to oversee it if you were to gain a place at the university. If they agree, you can then acknowledge this in your application.
