Winter And Spring Intakes For UG Admissions: US, UK, Canada, And Australia

Most universities abroad follow a common academic calendar per which the primary cycle of intake is the Fall (September) intake. Students typically complete their applications between November and February of the senior year of their high schools and subsequently start their undergraduate degrees in September. Hence, September is usually the primary source of intake of students.

Winter/Spring Intakes

However, universities in certain countries allow admissions in multiple terms, which allows them to take in undergraduate students (including international students) during an alternative admissions cycle: most popularly the Winter/Spring cycle.

• Students typically gain entry into the university around January and February (depending on the country) by completing their applications a few months prior.
• These admissions offer students the opportunity to start their undergraduate universities without dropping a year if they miss out on the regular admissions cycle for any reason.
• Different countries have different timelines and processes of winter admissions.

February Intake In Australia

Australia has slightly different processes as compared to its other western counterpart nations, as universities in Australia consider February to be their primary intake term. Australia, which hosts some of the leading universities in the world, offers international students a higher number of courses in its February intake.

Timelines | Students are required to complete applications between August to October of their final year of high school and start their undergraduate terms between February and March of the next year. They typically receive their admissions decisions by December/January, post which they are required to complete visa processing and meet the financial obligations required to complete the process of admissions.

Requirements | Students need to complete all application requirements including English proficiency and admissions tests, college applications, and letters of recommendation by October of their senior year of high school, which is typically earlier than the final deadlines for other countries.

Rolling Admissions | Similar to the UK, many universities in Australia follow a system of rolling admissions, which implies that the earlier students apply, the better their chances are of securing admissions to leading universities. This implies that international students should start planning and preparing their applications very early on in their senior academic year of high school.

Also Read | Scholarships for UG and PG students in Australia

Leading Universities | Leading universities offering February intake in Australia: Australian National University (ANU), University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales, and the University of Queensland.

Spring (January) Intake In The UK

Unlike Australia, universities in the UK have their primary intake in September. However, a secondary intake is also provisioned in January, contingent on the availability of seats in different courses at a university. This process is known as the Spring intake, which allows students who have missed the Fall (September) intake due to any reason (including an inability to secure an IELTS score) to secure admission to a university without dropping an academic year.

However, not all universities offer Spring intake in the United Kingdom. Applications are open between August and September each year, with a faster track to visa. Most highly-ranked global universities see their seats filled in the Fall intake itself, which lessens the chances of them opening for a Spring intake.

Students typically complete their applications between November and February of the senior year of their high schools and subsequently start their undergraduate degrees in September.

Also Read | 3 Ways You Can Customise Your UG Degree In The UK

Leading Universities | Students who ain’t targeting to study in the most prestigious universities still stand a fair chance in the Spring intake. Some of the renowned universities in the UK that offer undergraduate courses in the Spring intake are Edinburgh Napier University, Middlesex University, Oxford Brooks University, University of Derby, and City University, London.

Winter (January) Intake In Canada

Similar to the UK, universities in Canada consider Fall intake as their primary source of admission. However, they too have a secondary and limited cycle of admissions for intake in January which is branded as the Winter intake. Universities use the Winter intake to accept students for courses not filled in the primary intake. Hence, most prestigious universities in Canada rarely offer students an intake for the Winter semester. However, it continues to be an attractive option for students who have missed the Fall Intake and are keen to pursue diploma and certification courses after high school.

Timelines | Applications are open between July and September and results are communicated to students between October and November following which they initiate their visa and immigration processes.

Also Read | Things To Know Before Choosing Canada As A Study Destination

Leading Universities | Some of the leading universities in Canada that offer Winter intake to international undergraduate students are Carleton University, University of Ottawa, Centennial College, University of Manitoba, and Queen’s University.

Winter/Spring (January) Intake In The US

Universities in the US are rarely open to international freshman undergraduate students for the spring/winter admission cycle. This admissions cycle is usually open for domestic students and transfer. Exceptional cases can be made by universities for accepted students which allows them to start their courses a semester late.

There is no doubt about the fact that Fall (September) intakes are more desirable and aspirational for Indian students intending to study abroad after high school. However, students sometimes miss out on the opportunity to apply owing to different reasons, which have only increased since the uncertainty induced by Covid-19.

Also Read | 9 Interdisciplinary UG Programmes In The US You Should Consider

In such a space, the Spring and Winter intakes provide students with a fresh opportunity to rediscover and reinvent their undergraduate education plans with a focus on applying abroad. The student-friendly application process and academic environments are nothing short than a chance to fulfil aspirations that would have been otherwise put on hold for a gap year.

Vijeeth Srinivas is a development consultant with more than extensive experience in the foreign education industry. With the Centre for Career Development and Essai Education he has helped hundreds of students secure positions in leading universities abroad. He is keen to make novel developments in education and skill development more accessible to students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.