Upcoming Intakes In USA for International Students

Are you planning to study in the USA? If yes, then you must know which intake in USA will be the best for you. There are two main intakes offered by US universities: Fall and Spring. However, there is a third intake, called the summer intake, which is offered by very few universities in the USA.

With the world's largest economy, the most advanced military, beautiful landscapes, and a number of top-notch institutions, the USA has a lot to offer. The USA is home to the largest population of international students around the globe. US universities have consistently ranked among the top universities in the world. Continue reading this article to gain an understanding of the popular intakes offered by US universities.

Intakes in USA

It is very important for international students to choose the right intake before applying to a university in the USA. US universities accept international students in these three major intakes:

Intakes	Duration
Fall Intake	August to December
Spring Intake	January to April
Summer Intake	May to August

Fall Intake

In the USA, fall intake begins in August and ends just before spring semester begins in December or early January. Students from India prefer the fall intake in the USA because it matches with their academic year in India. In the USA, this is one of the most common intakes, also called the primary intake. The majority of US universities offer a wide selection of courses during this intake. Several US universities only accept applications for fall intakes.

Fall Intake Universities in USA

Listed below are the top US universities offering fall intake for international students:

• Harvard University
• Stanford University
• California Institute of Technology
• UC Berkeley
• Yale University
• University of Pennsylvania
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Princeton University
• Duke University
• Columbia University

Advantages of Fall Intake

Given below are some of the benefits of the fall intake for international students:

• As the academic year begins during the fall, there are many scholarship and networking opportunities available during this intake.
• There is a wide selection of courses available for fall intake in the US. There are more courses available during fall intake at all universities than during spring intake.
• Fall intake students get a chance to apply for internships as they can fulfill the eligibility requirement of enrolling in college at least 9 months prior to applying for an internship.
• Students enrolled in the fall intake usually have better job prospects on campus as most of the job openings take place during the fall intake only.
• The fall semester is an excellent opportunity to join a student body or organization as the whole group is usually formed at the beginning of the semester. Fall intake helps you to showcase your real potential in order to be involved in a student body.

Spring Intake

In the United States, spring intake begins in January and ends in early May. Admissions in the spring have begun to emerge as a preference for students, who focus more on the school they choose to attend. There are generally fewer applicants for spring intake, which is definitely a plus, however it also means that some universities do not accept students in the spring intake.

Spring Intake Universities in USA

Listed below are some of the best universities in the USA for the spring intake:

• University of Colorado 
• Pace University 
• San Francisco State University 
• Temple University 
• Rutgers University 
• George Mason University 
• University of Arkansas
• University of Connecticut 

Advantages of Spring Intake

The following are some advantages of the spring intake for international students:

• Spring admissions provide students with a smooth transition. Therefore, it reduces the pressure of enrolling in a university.
• Choosing the spring intake helps you analyze your decision and see things from a different perspective, allowing you to make better decisions.
• The spring intake gives scholarly students an opportunity to complete their degrees in lesser time span.
• As most of the staff gets settled by the spring semester, students can expect increased staff support during this intake.

Summer Intake

The duration of the summer intake season in the USA is two months (May to August). However, It is a major drawback that the summer semester lasts only two months. Many universities do not accept students during the summer semester because the number of applicants is really less.

Summer Intake Universities in USA

Given below is a list of top universities in USA for summer intake:

• University of Florida
• University of Houston
• New York University
• The University of Texas, Austin
• Mississippi State University
• University of Illinois

Benefits of Summer Intake

Here are some of the benefits of the summer intake for international students:

• Generally, there are not many advantages of attending universities during the summer intake, since no good school offers summer intake, and many students prefer fall or spring admissions.
• Summer enrollment gives you an advantage to apply to campus jobs before anyone else because you will be ahead of the regular fall applicants.
• The same applies to internship opportunities. Since you are ahead of everybody else, you can begin applying for internships in the spring semester itself. 

Which Intake is Best for Me? Fall vs Spring Intake in the USA

Both the Fall intake and the Spring intake are popular intakes in the USA. Now, let us look at the major differences between both intakes:

Fall Intake	Spring Intake
Since the academic year begins during this time, you have a better chance of finding scholarships and networking with other students.	During this intake, fewer opportunities are available since most scholarships and funding are available at the beginning of the year.
There is a wide range of course options offered by universities in the fall intake.	The number of courses offered by universities in spring is comparatively low.
During the fall intake, more jobs will be available on campus, such as research assistant roles or teacher assistant jobs.	As you may start attending the program in the middle of the year, there will be fewer opportunities to work on campus or as a researcher.
Since all the social groups are formed at the beginning of the year, it becomes easier for fall students to lead these groups.	Due to the social group already formed, it would be difficult to showcase your leadership skills in the spring semester.
Students can easily apply for internships in the fall semester they are able to meet the 9-month eligibility criteria.	There is a problem for spring students regarding the requirement of 9 months of internship enrollment with any company.
As a fall student, you will have more job opportunities since university placement drives start at that time.	As most fall candidates are already hired by companies, there are limited job opportunities available in the spring semester.

Types of Deadline

Depending on the type of university, there is a different deadline for each intake. Many universities require that you apply at least 8-12 months in advance of starting the program. Let's look at the deadlines for different types of universities in the three intakes:

Fall Intake	Top Universities: November/ December (previous year) A-,B, B+, C grade universities: February/March (same year) C-,D grade universities: June/July (same year)
Spring Intake	Top Universities: March/April (same year) A-,B,B+,C grade universities: July/ August (same year) C-,D grade universities: October/ November
Summer Intake	March

Documents Required to Apply for US Universities

In order to apply to universities in the USA, you need to prepare all the documents in advance. The list of important documents is given as follows:

• Academic transcripts
• Attested marksheet of 10th and 12th grade 
• GRE/GMAT scores
• IELTS/TOEFL/PTE scores
• Statement of purpose
• Admission Essay
• 2-3 Letters of recommendation
• An updated resume/CV
• Valid Passport
• Passport size photographs
• Certifications of extracurricular activities or internships (if any)