fbpx
Skip links
usa university admission process

USA University Admission Process 2024-2025

USA is recognised worldwide for its strong economy, home to the world’s leading companies, and boasts top universities like MIT, Harvard University, Stanford University, etc. Here, we have presented a blog to answer all your queries about the application process and related doubts. You will learn about study intakes in the USA, best universities, application process and more.

Why Study in the USA?

USA is the most sought-after country for Indian students who want to pursue higher degree programs like science, engineering, technology, management, arts, etc. USA is highly recognised in Indian society for providing excellent education and employment opportunities. Some of the best universities in the USA are MIT, Stanford University, Harvard University, Columbia University, etc.

Factors such as a strong economy, world-leading position in geopolitical scenarios and availability of useful resources make the USA unique for Indian students. Now, let us explore the USA university admission process in upcoming sections.

Study Intakes in the USA for 2024

The most popular study intake in the USA is fall intake, whose application process usually begins in September and classes commence in late August or September of the next year. Most of the major programs are available in this intake, so this intake is also known as ‘primary intake’. 

The rest of the intake, e.g., spring and summer intakes, are also called secondary and tertiary intakes, respectively, as they are less popular. The university application process in the USA for the particular intake may depend on the institute, courses, and intake itself. 

Study IntakesApplication CycleCommencement of Study Programs
FallSeptember-December 2024/January 2025Late August-September 2025
SpringJanuary/February-May 2025January 2025
SummerMay-June/August 2025May-June 2025

Important Documents for USA University Admission Process

Irrespective of study intakes, the university application process in the USA may depend on the institute and the degree program because the requirements of courses or institutes may differ. Here, we have discussed the USA university admission process for bachelor’s, master’s and PhD programs.

USA University Admission Process: Bachelor’s Programs

The USA university admission process for a bachelor’s program involves several stages, such as participating in various standardised tests, language proficiency exams, university entrance tests for the particular course or degree program, etc. Let’s discuss them one by one:

Where to Apply?

The university application process in the USA for the bachelor’s program can be made in two ways:

  1. Common App: Common app facilitates applicants to search, plan and apply for the desired course in their dream university.
  2. Coalition for College: Similar to common app, it also facilitates undergraduate aspirant to search, plan and execute their application process for various USA universities at a single portal.
  3. University’s Application Portal: Depending on the university, students can apply for bachelor’s programs through the university’s common application portal.

Academic Requirements

The basic academic requirement for Indian students to get admission into undergraduate programs is to complete their 10+2 level of school education in any government-recognised institute. Following are some features of academic requirements for Indian students:

Standardised Entrance/Subject Expertise Test

Indian students are required to appear in the following type of entrance or subject expertise test, which might vary depending on the aspiring course:

  1. ACT: American College Test or ACT is conducted by USA community colleges to evaluate the student’s general educational knowledge and aptitude for granting them admission into a particular bachelor’s program. It is also conducted to check the eligibility criteria for scholarships. 
  2. SAT: Scholastic Aptitude Test or SAT is conducted by various USA universities to evaluate the reading, writing and mathematical skills of undergraduate aspirants desiring to pursue admission into one of the following programs:


English Language Proficiency Test

This is one of the most important components of the university application process in the USA. The most common English language proficiency tests are TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo and PTE. The minimum score to qualify for these tests is given below, and they can vary depending on the institute and the program.

TestMinimum Score
TOEFL100-110
IELTS6.5-8.0
Duolingo75-80
PTE130-135

Other Requirements

Apart from the above requirement, some other documents need to be submitted while applying for the undergraduate program in the USA universities. These documents qualitatively assess the skills and expertise of the Indian students.

Academic Transcripts/Marksheets

For Indian students, it is required to submit academic transcripts that include:

  • Highschool mark sheet
  • Highschool passing certificate (state board/CBSE/ICSE/IB)
  • Senior secondary mark sheet
  • Senior secondary passing certificate
  • Transfer Certificate or TC, validated by the school principal (if required)

Letter of Recommendation (LOR)/Teacher’s Recommendations/Teacher’s Evaluation Report

  • It is the document which showcases the evaluation of the students by teachers.
  • The evaluation is conducted by 2 teachers of different subjects, which highlights the academic, emotional and social skills of a student.
  • In most of the USA university, alleast 2 LORs or teacher’s recommendations must be submitted.
  • It should be written in 500-700 words, depending on the university.

Statement of Purpose (SOP)/Common App Essay

  • Statement of purpose is the document prepared by the student which illustrates their aspiration and future aim, including motivation to pursue the course.
  • It also highlights about student’s vision of the aspiring course.
  • A minimum of 1-2 SOP or common app essays need to be submitted, depending on the institute.
  • It should be written in about 700-1000 words, depending on the university.

Curriculum Vitae or CV

It highlights the overall background of the applicant, including

  • Academic information
  • Personal information
  • Hobbies
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Skills
  • Certifications of extraordinary abilities, etc.

WES Evaluation Report

Certificate for Extracurricular Activities (if any)

University Application Fee (depending on the institute)

Passport

USA University Admission Process: Master’s Programs

Similar to bachelor’s course, the USA university admission process for a master’s program involves different stages, such as participating in various standardised tests, language proficiency exams, university entrance tests for the particular course or degree program, etc.

Where to Apply?

The university application process in the USA for the master’s program can be made on the application portal of the university where students are required to create a profile and start applying. 

Academic Requirements

Indian students must have completed 4 years of undergraduate program.

Standardised Entrance/Subject Expertise Test

Indian students are required to appear in the following type of entrance or subject expertise test, which might vary depending on the aspiring course:

GRE

  • Applicable for getting admission into master’s in the USA such as MS and M.Sc courses, preferably STEM subjects. 
  • Some US universities also consider GRE scores for imparting admission to business and management courses.

GMAT Focus

  • Similar to the GRE, GMAT Focus assesses the academic readiness and proficiency of the students desiring to take admission into finance, business and management courses such as MBA, MiM, etc.
  • Some US universities do not require a GMAT focus score. Instead, they consider only academic and other criteria.

CAT

Some USA universities or business schools also accept CAT scores instead of GMAT focus scores to grant admission to Indian students into finance, business and management courses.

English Language Proficiency Test

Some USA universities do not require students to submit separate English language proficiency test scores to grant them admission into master’s programs if they have completed their undergraduate studies in English-speaking institutions. The minimum score to pass these tests may vary depending on the course and the university.

TestMinimum Score
TOEFL100-110
IELTS6.5-8.0
Duolingo75-80
PTE130-135

Other Requirements

Following are some other requirements for the USA university admission process:

Academic Transcripts/Marksheets

For Indian students, it is required to submit academic transcripts that include:

  • Bachelor’s mark sheet
  • Previous college/university passing certificate 
  • Transfer Certificate or TC, validated by the college dean or head of the department (if required)

Letter of Recommendation (LOR)

  • LOR describe the evaluation made by college professors on various aspects such as student’s academic status, performance, participation in activities, behaviour, etc.
  • In most of the USA university, alleast 2-3 LORs must be submitted.
  • In case of multiple LORs, the evaluation should be included in separate documents from 2-3 professors of different subjects within the same department.
  • It should be written in 500-700 words, depending on the university.

Statement of Purpose (SOP)/Essays or Personal Statement

  • SOP is a document which highlights the student’s motivation and aims for pursuing the master’s program in a particular USA university and course.
  • Some USA universities require Indian students to submit essays instead of SOP, whose purpose is almost the same, which is to describe the vision of the student with respect to pursuing the course and the institute.
  • Depending on the university 1-2 SOPs or 2-3 Essays/personal statements are required to submit.

Curriculum Vitae or CV

CV or resume highlights the overall background of the applicant, including

  • Academic information
  • Personal information
  • Hobbies
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Skills
  • Certifications of extraordinary abilities, etc.

Work Experience and Portfolio

For certain graduate programs such as fine arts, media, MBA and other related humanities or business and management courses, Indian students are required to submit their work experience letter or portfolio describing their professional abilities which they can utilise in the particular program. The minimum work experience might vary depending on the university, which may range from 2-3 years.

WES Evaluation Report

Certificate for Extracurricular Activities (if any)

University Application Fee (depending on the institute)

Passport

 

USA University Admission Process: Master’s Programs

Most of the USA universities prefer their students who have completed their master’s courses in their institutions to nominate them for pursuing the PhD program. This is because the PhD aspiring candidates are already familiar with their faculty, research scope, and other internal factors.

The academic requirements and other details might vary depending on the institute, previously attended courses, and aspirations of the students.

Best Universities in the USA

Before moving ahead to the USA university admission process, let’s overview the top 10 best universities in the USA, including their QS world rankings 2025 and popular streams or courses for which they are known. There are about 16 USA universities included in the top 50 list of the QS world university rankings 2025:

UniversityQS World University Rankings 2025Popular Streams/Courses
MIT1Computer Science, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Business Management

Harvard University4Social Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Science, Financial
Management

Stanford University6Computer Science, Aeronautical Engineering, Physics, Statistics, Civil Engineering
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)10Computer & Information Sciences, Management, Marketing, Mathematics & Statistics, Biological Sciences
University of Pennsylvania11MBA, Business Analytics, Criminal Law, Computer Engineering, Finance

University of California, Berkeley (UCB)12Biology, Mathematics, Economics & Business, Computer Science, Ecology

Cornell University16Computer Science, Civil Engineering, Finance, Economics, Psychology
University of Chicago21Economics, Cinema & Media Studies, Finance & Management, Social Sciences, Statistics

Princeton University22Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Public Admininstration & Social Service, Engineering, Computer & Information Sciences, Mathematics

Yale University23Business Management, Biomedical Sciences, Social Sciences, Mathematics, Psychology

USA University Application Process: Step by Step Guidance

To apply for the specific course, it is important to understand the timeline of the university application process in the USA. Here, we have given the important timelines of the admission process to the USA universities. These are the general procedures that are common in all three intakes. It is important to know that the application process for the particular intake started approximately 1 year before the commencement of the classes so that students have enough time to prepare for it.

Pre-Application Process

  • The preparation to apply for the particular course should start even before the application process begins. For example, if you want to take admission in the fall intake, you must start thinking and planning about it at least 6 months before the commencement of the application window.
  • During this period, start researching the best universities in the USA for your desired course.
  • Go through their official websites and check the specific requirements and documents that they want.
  • Make a list of at least 8-10 universities that provide the desired course.
  • If required, depending on the course, you may need to appear in various entrance tests, such as the ACT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, and language proficiency tests.
  • Gather the score certificates of all these tests and wait for the application window to open.

Application Process

  • Depending on the program, visit the official website of the various USA universities or the Common App to start the application process.
  • Make a personal account and sign in.
  • After signing in, fill out the application details, such as personal and academic details.
  • Some USA universities send an email link to submit various documents such as LORs, SOPs, academic certificates, etc. Keep this in mind and check your mail for further instructions.
  • Depending on the instructions, upload the documents and pay the application fee, if required.
  • Review and submit the application.

Post-Application Process

  • After submitting the application process, wait for the university’s response.
  • Some universities conduct an online interview depending on the course. For this, university informs students earlier and send an email invitation link for video interview.
  • Depending on the performance of the interview and other factors, you will receive a provisional offer letter.
  • To get a confirmed offer letter, you are required to send financial documents via courier, like the last 6 months’ income tax return and bank statement, depending on the university.
  • After sending these documents, you will receive an I-20 certificate and the confirmed offer letter.
  • After this, proceed to the visa application process.

Conclusion

USA university admission process involves several stages, such as searching for a particular college, university and course, taking entrance and language proficiency tests, organising and gathering documents, etc. However, the requirements and application process may vary depending on the institute, course, and program level. USA is home to world-class institutes and a vibrant workforce, which has gained recognition globally.

FAQs

Can I pursue management courses if I have completed my undergraduate degree program in engineering?

To pursue a master’s in management programs, most universities allow any student who has earned an undergraduate degree in science, engineering, or technology to pursue management courses.

The university application fee in the USA range from USD 30-100 or INR 2,500-8,300 per application.

On average, it takes around 2 weeks-2 months for universities to reply to the application process in the USA.

According to US News & World Report 2023-24, the average cost of study for an international student in the USA was USD 42,162 or INR 35 Lakh per year in private colleges/universities and USD 10,662 or 8 Lakh per year in public institutes. However, these costs may vary according to the university, course, and state.

The I-20 is a document that students receive once after submitting their financial documents when applying to universities in the USA. It contains information about the selected university and the course and also certifies that the student has sufficient financial resources to study in the USA. An I-20 document is required to be submitted during USA visa application process.

If you are an aspirant looking to study at your dream university, book an appointment with AdmitX today and start your applications early to avail yourself of all the benefits.

Your information could not be saved. Please check and try again.
You're on your way to become Borderless with AdmitX! Check your email!
6555d03034fe453dcc93a6b9

Want this in your inbox?

Join 5,000+ readers for expert guidance on international universities, application strategies and career tips. 


One email every week, free forever!

This website uses cookies to improve your web experience.
Cost of living Calculator - AdmitX

Free Cost of living Calculator

Pop up Image

Learn how you can study at a Global University

Home Page Lead Form (#4)

Join 200+ students who are pursuing their dream course.

CV POP UP - AdmitX

Free CV Review

POP UP SOP - AdmitX

Free SOP Review