A Complete Guide on the Fall Intake in the USA — Eligibility, Process, and Deadline

232,851. That’s the number of Indian students studying in the U.S. in 2021. 

Furthermore, Indian students — along with Chinese students — count for 53% of all international students studying in the U.S. 

A large number of those students choose to enrol during the Fall intake.

Why the craze to enrol during the fall intake in the USA in 2022? 

Here are three principal reasons:

1. The academic year in the U.S. starts in the fall. Thus, fall intakes in the USA for international students offer more scholarship and networking opportunities for students.
2. The U.S. government allows students to work for up to 20 hours a week to support their studies. During the fall intake in the USA in 2022, international students can find more off-campus work opportunities, teacher assistant, and research assistant roles than in other intake schedules.
3. Students enrolling during fall intakes in the USA for international students receive more job offers as universities hold their placement drives in the fall.     

Alright. You want to enrol during the fall intake in the USA in 2022. However, you have questions. What’s the process? What are the eligibility criteria? Where to find the deadline?

This article will offer all the answers. In the next seven minutes, learn all about the fall intake in the USA in 2022. 

However, you must choose a university first. How to pick one out when you have hundreds of choices, especially with 5 universities placed in the top 10 of the QS World University Ranking 2022? 

You look around for information. However, the only information source you have is your relatives who passed out decades ago or random blogs with half-information (or worse, misinformation). 

That’s when you need AI by your side.

That’s when you need SelectRight. 

More on SelectRight later. Back to discussing everything about Fall intake in the USA 2022 for now.

Note: the information is true at the time of writing. That’s July 2022.

Fall intake in the USA 2022 — a complete guide

Eligibility criteria

The eligibility criteria differ for each university. However, here are the general requirements students applying for the fall intake in the USA in 2022 must fulfil: 

• Applicants must show proof of completion of the required degree (12th standard for undergraduate students and a bachelor’s degree for postgraduate students) with a minimum percentage as per the university’s requirements.
• Applicants must come from the preferred education backgrounds. For example, if you want to enrol in the Postgraduate program of Management Engineering, you must have a bachelor’s degree in the same subject. 
• Applicants must pass English proficiency tests such as TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE with a minimum score based on the university’s criteria.
• All necessary documents such as a Statement of Purpose (SOP), Letter of Recommendation (LOR), and academic transcripts.   

Required documents

Applicants must have:

• Official mark sheets of 10th and 12th standard or of bachelor’s degree
• GMAT or GRE scores
• Previous qualifying examination transcripts
• Admission essay
• SOP
• Two to three Letters of Recommendation (LOR)
• TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores (As per the university requirement)
• Internship certificate and extracurricular activity certificate (if any)

You might feel overwhelmed writing an SOP or thinking how to get LORs. You cannot rely on your relatives or on blogs written by someone who isn’t an expert. 

That’s when SelectRight comes to your rescue. At SelectRight, we offer:

• Expert guidance on several aspects of your application such as LOR review, SOP review, and application review.
• A University Finder Widget to download the program details of the top 500 universities with details such as the correlation between exam score and the education loan interest rate, ROI calculations, and loan probability.
• An active discord community offering daily actionable tips and real-life university experiences from existing students.

Want to know more? Write us an email at grad@stage.gradright.com to have a chat with our education and financial advisors.  

Deadlines

The deadline for the fall intake in the USA in 2022 varies for each university. However, universities set their deadlines between eight to twelve months before the academic program commences.

Check out the deadlines of the top 5 universities below:

A step-by-step procedure

Preparation

• Shortlist up to 8 to 10 universities for the fall intakes in the USA for international students. You should begin the process as early as August.
• Find out the application criteria, due dates, and fees. You can download the admission brochure from the university website for the same.
• Find out the scholarships and student loan options you have by September.  

Admission exams

• Admission exams for the fall intakes in the USA for international students are held between September to February of the next year. 
• Based on the university and course, the standardised tests include GRE, GMAT, SAT, IELTS, and TOEFL, among others.
• For GRE or GMAT tests, register at least three months before the test date. For English language proficiency tests such as IELTS or TOEFL, register at least a month before the test date. 

Application process

• Include your self-appraisal and strengths in your application.
• Get in touch with your professors and direct managers to get a minimum of two to three Letters of Recommendation a month before the application deadline.
• Write your Statement of Purpose (SOP) and admission essay at least a month before the application deadline.  

After selection

• You’ll receive interview details and acceptance letters in the mail within March or April. In-person or video interviews are scheduled between January to March.  
• Inform the universities whether you wish to enrol or not within the deadline. Never delay in replying to emails.
• You must pay a non-refundable deposit fee to confirm your seat at the university.  

Universities accepting fall intake

Almost all universities accept fall intakes in the USA for international students as fall is the most popular intake season. 

However, check out the top 10 universities that accept the fall intake in the USA in 2022:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): QS World University Ranking 1
2. Stanford University: QS World University Ranking 3
3. Harvard University: QS World University Ranking 5
4. California Institute of Technology (Caltech): QS World University Ranking 6
5. The University of California, Berkeley (UCB): QS World University Ranking 32
6. Brown University: QS World University Ranking 60
7. Texas A&M University: QS World University Ranking 168
8. University of Minnesota: QS World University Ranking 186
9. North Carolina State University: QS World University Ranking 300
10. Colorado School of Mines: QS World University Ranking 461

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: What is the application deadline for the fall intake in the USA in 2022?

Answer: The application process usually stops in early January.  

Check with your university to know the exact date. 

Question 2: Which universities offer fall intakes in the USA for international students?

Answer: Almost every university in the U.S. However, here are the top 5 universities that offer fall intakes in the USA for international students:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
2. Harvard University
3. Stanford University
4. University of Minnesota
5. North Carolina State University

Question 3: Which is the most preferred intake in the U.S.?

Answer: The fall intake. The reason why the fall intakes in the USA for international students are popular are:

• Offers the highest number of scholarship and internship opportunities.
• Offers the highest number of job offers for students.
• Offers the most networking opportunities.

Question 4: What’s the early action for the fall intake in the USA in 2022?

Answer: The early action stands for a non-binding option that allows students to apply for and get admission before regular application begins. 

For the fall intake in the USA in 2022, students must submit their documents and transcripts by November. The universities announce the decisions regarding early action applicants by February.  

Question 5: When do universities send offer letters for fall intakes in the USA for international students?

Answer: Universities send offer letters within two to three weeks after application. 

Fall intake in the USA 2022 — SelectRight is your best friend

We have gathered all the information about Fall intake in the USA in 2022. However, the dilemma begins when you have to choose a university. 

How can you choose one out of the hundreds; especially with 5 universities featuring in the top 10 of the QS World University Rankings 2022? The only source of support you have is your uncle who passed out thirty years ago and random blogs on the internet with half-information (or worse, misinformation). 

Overwhelmed already? That’s when SelectRight holds your hand. At SelectRight, we offer:

• Personalised and unbiased university recommendations based on analysing over 10,000 STEM, MBA, and CS programs.
• Exclusive events where you could connect with officials from your favourite universities and clarify any doubts you have.
• A series of webinars to educate you on topics such as how to shortlist universities and how to reach out to and interact with alumni from the universities.    

If you want to know more, drop us a mail at grad@stage.gradright.com to talk to our education and financial advisors.

We hope the article offered enough knowledge for you about the Fall intakes in the USA for international students.