Intakes in the USA
Three Intakes in the USA | |||
S. No | Three Intakes | Timeline of the Application | Applications open |
1 | Spring intake or January intake | January to May | July – December |
2 | Summer intake or May intake | Starts from May | January – March |
3 | Fall intake or Autumn intake or September intake | September to December | November – May |
Since application deadlines for each intake are a few months before the start date, it is recommended to apply at the earliest. Also note that intakes vary based on the institution and the study program.
Now, let’s delve into each intake in detail.
1. Spring Intake in USA (January – May)
The spring intake in USA starts in January and ends in May. Its timeline is five months or 22 weeks a year. The spring intake (also called January intake) is the second preferred intake in the USA.
Duration to apply: January to May
Benefits of Spring intake in USA
- The important benefit of spring intake in the United States is the higher chance of university admissions for students.
- If you miss the September/Fall intake, you can enrol in the January/Spring intake.
- Many 1-year or 2-year diploma courses and scholarships are available this Spring semester.
- During this January intake, students have the advantage of increased staff support from the department.
- More part-time work opportunities and internships are available.
- Non-native English speakers get more time preparing for IELTS, TOEFL, or GRE to join this session.
- Future students can plan their higher education six months in advance and apply for this January intake.
- Due to less competition for the Spring intake, the application and visa processing time is reduced.
List of Universities in USA for Spring/January Intake
Overseas students can refer to the list of universities in the USA for Spring/January intake given below.
List of Universities in USA for Spring (January) Intake | |||
1 | University of Kansas | 22 | University of South Carolina |
2 | Texas Tech University | 23 | University of Central Florida |
3 | University of New Mexico | 24 | Carnegie Mellon University |
4 | Cornell University | 25 | Texas A&M, College Station |
5 | Virginia Tech | 26 | Western Michigan University |
6 | University of Wisconsin – Madison | 27 | George Mason University |
7 | Rice University | 28 | Oklahoma State University |
8 | Case Western Reserve University | 29 | Arizona State University |
9 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 30 | Howard University |
10 | Brown University | 31 | Purdue University |
11 | University of Louisiana – Lafayette | 32 | University of Tennessee Knoxville |
12 | Kent State University | 33 | Northeastern University |
13 | Iowa State University | 34 | University of Texas, Dallas |
14 | Florida International University | 35 | University of Alabama, Huntsville |
15 | University of Florida | 36 | University of Houston |
16 | Vanderbilt University | 37 | Wichita State University |
17 | University of Arizona | 38 | Michigan Technological University |
18 | University of Southern California | 39 | University of Nevada, Reno |
19 | Stevens Institute of Technology | 40 | University of New Haven |
20 | University of Cincinnati | 41 | University of Bridgeport |
21 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 42 | California State University, Long Beach |
2. Summer Intake in USA (May – September)
The summer intake in the USA begins in May and ends in August. Its timeline is four months or 20 weeks a year. The summer intake (also called the May intake) is the shortest intake, with limited American universities open for admissions.
Duration to apply: Starts around early May or June
Benefits of Summer Intake in USA
- The biggest benefit of summer intake in the US is accepting most students’ applications who have missed the fall and spring semesters.
- Mostly language and cultural programs are offered in May intake.
- Some language programs last only two or three months to aid non-native English students.
- Students aspiring for MS or MBA must apply in the next intake of the calendar year.
- Another pro of the summer semester is less competition.
- Overall, the summer intake is less advantageous than the other intakes.
List of Universities in USA for Summer/May Intake
The list of US universities for the Summer/May intake is in the table below.
List of Universities in USA for Summer (May) Intake | |||
1 | University of Florida | 12 | University of Houston |
2 | New York University | 13 | University of Illinois at Chicago |
3 | Mississippi State University | 14 | The University of Texas at Austin |
4 | University of Texas at Dallas | 15 | Virginia State University |
5 | Florida Atlantic University | 16 | Delaware Valley University |
6 | Indiana University Bloomington | 17 | Stockton University |
7 | Hendrix College | 18 | Southern Utah University |
8 | St. Edward’s University | 19 | Kean University |
9 | University of Washington Tacoma | 20 | Marietta College |
10 | Winthrop University | 21 | The University of New Mexico |
11 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 22 | Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota |
3. Fall Intake in USA (September – December)
The fall intake in USA starts in September and ends in December. Its timeline is four months or 18 weeks a year. The fall intake (also called September intake or Autumn intake) is the primary and most popular intake in the United States of America.
Duration to apply: September to December
Benefits of Fall Intake in USA
- Fall intake in the USA is considered the best intake for offering more courses and scholarships.
- The fall intake marks the beginning of the academic year. That is why most students, especially from India, apply for master’s and PhD programs in the Fall (September) semester admissions.
- This September intake promises more job opportunities (both on-campus and off-campus).
- Sports and extracurricular activities are available in this Fall intake.
- Almost all USA universities enrol the first batch of undergraduate students.
- More research and teaching jobs are available during fall intake.
- Fall intake sessions make almost all students highly competitive and employable.
- Fall semester students get more job offers in the university’s placement drive.
- Funding and financial support are easily available for this September intake in the USA.
List of Universities in USA for Fall/September Intake
Refer to the list of universities in USA for Fall/September intake given below.
List of Universities in USA for Fall/September Intake | |||
1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 15 | Harvard University |
2 | Stanford University | 16 | Auburn University |
3 | University of Utah | 17 | Hofstra University |
4 | George Mason University | 18 | University of Massachusetts, Boston |
5 | University of South Florida | 19 | University of Illinois, Chicago |
6 | University of Dayton, Ohio | 20 | Adelphi University |
7 | Colorado State University | 21 | DePaul University |
8 | Louisiana State University | 22 | University of Kansas |
9 | University of Minnesota | 23 | North Carolina State University |
10 | Colorado School of Mines | 24 | Brown University |
11 | CalTech | 25 | UC Berkeley |
12 | Yale University | 26 | Princeton University |
13 | Duke University | 27 | Columbia University |
14 | University of Pennsylvania | 28 | Texas A&M |
The Perfect Timeline to Apply for the Intakes in the USA
For students who start their application process, regardless of which intake, the general rule of thumb is to keep the documents, English scores, and visa ready. To do that, we will go through the timeline common for all intakes in USA.
- Mostly, the intake applications open by the mid of December or January in the new year. Hence, prepare for your English assessment tests, Statement of Purpose (SOP), Letter of Recommendation (LOR) and visa interview during the month of June or July.
- By the advent of September and by late October, you can apply for financial assistance such as student loans or merit scholarships offered by universities in the US and the courses they provide for the Spring intake.
- When applications are open by the end of November or early December, apply with the required documents.
- Respond to college emails without any delay and attend the video or in-person interviews.
- Apply for the USA student visa based on the intake, ace the visa interview.
- Book airline tickets.
- Get a globally-accepted debit or credit card.
- Finally, pack your bags, check the pre-departure checklist and move towards your destination within Jan to May.
Documents Required to Apply for the US Universities
Students applying to US universities, at any level and for any program, must know the documents required. Below is the list of documents necessary for university admission, applicable to total intakes in USA.
- Previous year’s academic transcripts of the qualifying examination
- Official marksheet of 10th and 12th
- Official marksheet of UG
- Official mark sheet of PG (MS)
- Provisional certificates of every academic institution
- GRE, GMAT or SAT scores
- Admission Essay
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Updated resume/CV
- 2 or 3 Letter of Recommendations (LORs)
- A valid passport
- IELTS, TOEFL, PTE or Duolingo scores
- Passport size photos
- Internship certificates
- Proof of extracurricular activities
Conclusion
Now you would know three “intakes in USA”:
1. January or Spring,
2. May or Summer
3. September or Fall intake.
The US educational system follows a batch-wise intake thrice a year for a smooth application process. It allows domestic and international students to study in the USA. If you’re planning to study abroad in the USA, then “being thorough with your research and ensuring everything you need is organised and ready will save you time, money, and effort and make your study abroad experience pleasant and seamless,” said by Saurabh Arora, CEO, University Living.