How time flies! We are in the year 2022 now. While students in the 2021 application cycle are waiting for their offers, it is time for 2022 applicants to consider their applications as much needs to be prepared before the application portals open. It should be emphasised that applicants need to prepare as early as possible. Then the question comes—when and how to prepare? Today, we are going to talk about the application timeline.

1. January—May 2022

1) Find out what fields you are most interested in and what programmes you want to study, collect and read relevant information about those programmes, and start researching UK universities. In other words, the first step is the selection of programmes and the second is the universities selection.

2) Prepare for necessary exams, such as IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT, etc.

2. June—August 2022

1) Make a final decision on programmes and universities. Based on previous research, students at this stage are supposed to have a clearer idea of which programmes they want to study, which universities they want to go to, and whether they meet the minimum admission requirements.

2) Prepare personal statement(s). Once programmes are selected, students are expected to prepare their personal statement(s) which should let university admission officers know you from various perspectives.

3) Language test (IELTS/TOEFL, etc.). During the summer holiday, it is best for students to get an IELTS/TOFEL result that meets the programmes’ admission requirements. Ideally, the result should be achieved before September when students are not that busy with courses, internships, essays, and universities applications in their Year 3/4. For students who are not very confident in their language proficiency, I would suggest that they sit the exams in the first or second terms in Year 2/3. Once they get to know what is tested in these exams, they can do better and get the required result.

4) GRE/GMAT test. Some programmes (e.g. MSc Economics) may require GRE/GMAT results. Students who are going to apply for these programmes are recommended to take the exam(s) and get the ideal result(s) to meet the requirements over the summer break as well. Likewise, students who are not familiar with or confident in these exams should prepare for them as early as possible.

3. September—October 2022

1) Get all application documents ready.

A. For Year 3/4 students, the basic documents include the academic transcript(s), weighted average mark if possible, reference letters, personal statement, and language test result certificate. Different universities or programmes may require additional documents to be submitted, and for those programmes, students need to check the entry requirements and application documents listed on the websites.

B. For graduates, the basic documents include the academic transcript(s), graduation certificate(s), award/degree certificates(s), weighted average mark if possible, reference letters,

personal statement, and language test result. Likewise, different programmes may require additional documents.

2) Continue to take the language test and/or GRE/GMAT test until the result meets the entry requirement.

4. October—December 2022

Submit applications. Although the application deadlines will be listed on the programme websites (mostly in June or July 2023), it is strongly recommended that students submit their applications before Christmas for two reasons. Firstly, many UK universities have rolling admissions, which means that first come first served. When the offers are all sent out, students who submit later may not be able to get an offer no matter how excellent they are; Secondly, some popular programmes will be closed earlier than expected due to the high volume of applications. For example, in the 2021 application cycle, the University of Bristol closed the MSc Management programme to applicants from China even before Christmas.

5. December 2022—April 2023

Wait for offers. Applicants may get anxious during this period of time. Nevertheless, they are encouraged to calm down and wait for the results, especially because they have already done what they could do. For offers, different universities, even different departments and programmes in the same university, need varied time to process the applications. It is absolutely normal that students are anxious when their friends and classmates begin to receive offers, but please do not be too worried. Usually, it takes at least four to six weeks for the admission officers to reach an agreement on whether to issue an offer or not. When it comes to popular programmes, it may take even much longer. Sometimes, students will be put on a waiting list, and it means that it is still likely they will get an offer. Under this circumstance, it is suggested that students who have not submitted their language test result or GRE/GMAT result should submit their high-grade result(s) to increase their chances of getting an offer.

6. January—June 2023

Determine the programme/university and apply for accommodation. After receiving offers, the first thing students need to do is to decide which programme to study and which university to go to. Various things should be taken into consideration when making the decision, for example, university ranking, subject ranking, location of the university, modules of the programme, tuition, etc. Once the decision is made, students should begin to prepare for the accommodation application. For those who will study in the UK for the first time, the university dormitory may be the best choice. Nonetheless, renting a house with several friends can also be exciting. Students can make their own choices based on their own situations and preferences.

7. June—September 2023

Apply for visas, buy air tickets and go to the UK if you are from abroad. These are the last few steps for you to start your study in the UK. Students from China need to apply for T4 General Student Visa. When applying, the documents you need to submit include a valid passport, a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from your UK university, deposit proof, a tuberculosis test result, etc. Once the visa is granted, students can buy air tickets to enter the UK to study and experience.

The above is the general timeline of the UK master’s programme application. Every August to October, universities in the UK will update their websites with detailed information including entry requirements, module structure, tuition, how to apply, etc. Applicants should check the up-to-date information before application. If you have any questions or concerns about the UK master’s programme application, please do not hesitate to contact us.