Upcoming Intakes in USA 2025-26 for Indian Students
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When planning to study in USA, the biggest question is which is the best intake in USA for admissions? While Fall is most preferred, there are some exceptions. Whereas, a few courses accept applications for the Spring semester as well. But most of the time, the semester available is not a choice as most of the popular and important courses commence only with the Fall semester. The Fall intake in the USA is popular because the scholarships and financial aid are aimed at this semester. In case students miss out on Fall intake deadlines, they have the option to apply for the Spring intake in the USA. Check out the article to understand the two major intakes in USA followed across all US universities, and which one is better?
Duration of Intakes in USA
The following table throws light on the intakes of USA and the duration, along with the application timelines and when the applications open:
| USA Intakes | Timeline of the Application | Applications open |
|---|---|---|
| Spring intake in USA | Between January to May | Between July - December |
| Summer intake in USA | Starts from May | Between January - March |
| Fall intake in USA | Between September to December | Between November - May |
More details on each of the intakes in USA are as follows for international students' reference:
- Fall semester: The fall intake in the USA is the most opted one by Indian students. The fall months in the USA are from September to December.
- Spring semester: The spring semester starts in January and ends in May. The spring intake in the USA begins in October or November.
- Summer semester: This intake is for limited programs and courses and usually starts in May.
Thus, there are two major intakes in the USA namely - Spring and Fall, while there is also a Summer intake for those looking at short-term courses instead of long-term ones.
Top US Universities Offering Admission in Spring & Fall Intakes
Check out the top 10 US universities offering admission to international students in Fall and Spring intake:
| Top US Universities Offering Admission in Fall Intake | Top US Universities Offering Admission in Spring Intake |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Cornell University |
| Stanford University | Rice University |
| Yale University | Case Western Reserve University |
| University of Pennsylvania | New Jersey Institute of Technology |
| Princeton University | Brown University |
| Columbia University | Purdue University |
| CalTech | Iowa State University |
| George Mason University | Northeastern University |
| University of South Florida | University of Texas |
| University of Kansas | University of Arizona |
Please note, that not all courses may be available for a particular intake, thus, applicants should be aware of the course intake and then apply for admissions accordingly.
Which Intake Season to Choose: Fall or Spring?
Confused about when to begin applying for admission to US universities? Check out the following details on which intake season to choose - spring or fall?
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- If you are aiming at the Fall semester, you should start your research in April. Then around June, you should finish the exams required for admission. For the rest of the months, you can devote time to writing essays, SOP, LOR, CV, etc.
- However, if you are planning to apply for the Spring intake in the USA, then research should be done around April, and the exam should be dealt with by June.
- The fall season is the popular choice for study abroad aspirants as the choice of universities is wide as most all the universities open their admission in the Fall intake of USA.
- Another reason for Fall being popular is that students who go in spring intake do not get the chance to intern in the immediate summer break, i.e. in May, as they need to complete at least 9 months in full-time academics. Students in the spring season join the programme in January, whereas those in the Fall join in September, so they are eligible to undergo an internship programme.
- Finally, applicants must know the US university admission deadlines and decide if the preferred course is available in Fall or Spring intake and then take a call for applying to the university.
Check out: High Acceptance Rates Universities in the USA
Difference Between Fall Intake & Spring Intake in the USA
Given below are some of the factors that students must consider before choosing the intake in the universities of USA.
| Factors |
Fall Intake in USA |
Spring Intake in USA |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarships |
During the fall intake in the USA, students can get scholarship opportunities. This semester also has an upper hand when it comes to networking with other students |
In this intake, there are fewer scholarship opportunities available for students. This is because most of the funding is availed at the start of an academic year |
| Courses Options |
Universities offer a wide range of course options in the fall intake |
Comparatively, a limited number of courses are available in the Spring intake |
| Internship Opportunities |
Students during the fall intake can apply for internships. This is because, during the fall intake, students meet the 9 months of full-time academic criteria before applying |
Students in the Spring semester in the US somehow face the eligibility problem of meeting the 9-month eligibility criteria before working as an intern |
| Post-study work opportunities |
Many job options are available for students who are enrolled in the fall semester as the placement drive generally starts during this time |
Few job options are available during the Spring semester because most of the positions have been filled by students from the fall semester |
| Accommodation |
Accommodations can be a hard task to find for applicants admitted in this intake. |
Accommodations can be slightly easier to find because of a lower competition and admit rate. |
| Class Size |
Usually bigger |
Usually smaller |
Have more questions related to when to apply, comment below your queries, in case you want a detailed discussion, sign up for free counselling at - https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/apply and our team of counsellors will get in touch with you.
International students must apply online through the official website to get admission into California Institute of the Arts. They must meet the entry requirements of the programme and submit an online application by the deadline for admission at the institute. Applicants must create an account to start the California Institute of the Arts admission proess. Mentioned below are basic application requirements for international students:
- An online application and a non-refundable application fee of USD 85 or INR 7,410.64
- Personal essay
- High school and/or university transcripts
- Two letters of recommendation
- Portfolio
- Statement of purpose
- Proof of English proficiency
The institute offers a number of courses across a vast course catalogue that includes: Business Administration, Biology & Biological Science, Criminology, Mechanical Engineering, Finance, Computer Science, Health & Wellness among others.
Listed below are some prominent courses offered by URI:
· Bachelor's in Accounting
· B.S in Civil Engineering
· B.S. in Computer Science
· B.A in Communication Studies
· M.S. in Computer Science
· MBA
With a 99% acceptance rate, the University of South Dakota is easy to get into. The university follows an easy approach during admission. The university takes a simple admissions procedure. The high acceptance percentage does not mean that the university admits every applicant; rather, it suggests permissive admittance as compared to another university.
Students must prove themselves by scoring excellent academic scores, English proficiency requirements, and standardized test scores. Also, the university prioritizes factors, such as rigor of secondary school record, class rank, academic GPA, standardized test scores, application essays, recommendations, and more.
According to the University of South Dakota enrollment statistics for 2024, over 9,000 students were admitted. Out of the total, more than 7,000 pursued undergraduate programs and over 2,000 took graduate programs. Out of the total undergraduate enrollment, 221 students were international. Students can check the below table for the enrollment statistics of the university:
Particulars | Headcounts |
|---|---|
UG applicants | 7095 |
PG applicants | 2773 |
UG International | 221 |
Total | 9868 |
The University of South Dakota acceptance rate is 99%. This shows that the university is lenient during admission and follows an easy approach to selecting applicants for its UG and PG programs. Students must demonstrate their worth by meeting requirements for English proficiency, achieving high academic standing, and performing well on standardized tests. The institution prioritizes several other criteria, including the difficulty of the applicant's secondary school record, class rank, academic GPA, results on standardized tests, recommendation letters, and more.
The University of South Dakota popular majors include Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Education; Psychology; and more. Their appeal is mostly due to their high graduation rate, opportunities for study and research, superior pay packages, and employment in large corporations. Students can refer to the table below for the popular majors at the University of South Dakota along with the graduation percentage and alumni salaries:
Popular Majors | Graduate Percentage | Alumni Starting Salary |
|---|---|---|
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services | 19% | INR 37L |
Education | 11% | INR 35L |
Biological and Biomedical Science | 6% | INR 23L
|
Psychology | 5% | INR 23L |
Health Profession, and Related Programs | 30% | INR 32L |
The University of South Dakota expects a GPA score of 2.5 from undergraduates and 3 from postgraduates on the 4-pointer scale. Along with the GPA scores, undergraduates must meet the basic eligibility and submit an ACT score of 21 or higher and an SAT score of 1070 or higher. In addition, they must submit the required documents, such as academic history, transcripts, letters of recommendation, English language scores, and more.
Two main intake seasons of US Universities FAQs
Q. How many intakes are there in USA?
A. Typically, there are two intakes in the US; Fall and Spring. However, there is one more intake season, the Summer semester. In total there are three intake sessions in the USA. Aspirants who are international prefer to get admission in the Fall intake. However, some applicants can choose to apply in the spring intake in case they are unable to apply for the fall intake of USA and vice versa.
Q. Which intake is best for the universities in the US?
A. If we look at this, then ideally you should begin the applications 9-12 months before the intake. The universities in the U.S. usually take 8-10 weeks for processing the applications. The fall intake is generally the preferred intake for international students. Admissions are open for spring intake as well but some courses may not be available for spring intake of USA as they are available in the fall intake session only. Thus, applicants must check their courses for application and apply accordingly in USA.
Q. What are the months for fall and spring intake in the USA?
A. The fall intake in the USA starts around September and ends in December. The spring intake in the US starts in January and continues till May. By August the admission decisions are to be accepted and students have to decide on accepting or rejecting or ever deferring their offers. By the end of August or starting of September, applicants can attend the orientation at their respective US universities and begin attending classes thereafter.
Q. Is fall intake better than Spring intake in the U.S.?
A. During the fall intake, the class sizes are larger. This means that you have a better chance of getting admitted. During the spring semester, if your profile is above spectacular, then there can be a chance of admission during the Spring intake in USA. During the fall intake of the universities in the U.S, students will have more scholarship opportunities, course options, part-time work opportunities, internship opportunities, and post-study work opportunities.
Q. Is the summer semester considered good in USA?
A. The summer semester is not the first choice of students because fall and spring semesters have more universities under the umbrella. However, the summer semester can be good if your preferred choices are available. A lot of short courses are a part of the summer intake in USA. International students who are in high school or in college willing to pursue a short course can apply for one during the summer intake of USA. Since these are short courses, their duration is not very long and hence they finish in shorter duration like a couple of days or weeks.
Q. What is January intake known in USA?
A. The Spring intake is known as January intake in the U.S. This intake starts from July and ends in November or December. All those students who have missed the fall intake in USA can take admission in this intake. Please note, some courses offered in fall intake may not be available for spring intake of USA, hence, aspirants are required to be cautious while applying for certain courses at specific US universities.
Q. Can I study in USA for the Summer intakes?
A. The Summer intakes in USA are not open for admissions to courses offered across universities in USA. However, there are short courses that are available for international students, which can be taken up like:
- Certificate courses
- Diploma courses
- Pathway programs
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3 years ago
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5 years ago
5 years ago
Hi Anil, To answer your queries: 1. Based on your work experience in IT MNC, you should not have any troubles in transition. 2. For Spring 2020, you should have started the preparations in Mid-2019. However, if you have your GRE and IELTS scores handy (or are planning to appear for them in March),
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5 years ago
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5 years ago
5 years ago
Hi Utsav, The deadlines for January 2020 intake would have closed by last month. You may, however, try your luck in Fall 2020 Intake. Check out the step-by-step process for USA Fall 2020 Intake here https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/study-in-the-us-timeline-for-september-2020-intake-guidepage-416. Al
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5 years ago
5 years ago
Hi Krishnaveni, you may refer to this timeline to prepare step-by-step for the Fall Intake in USA https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/study-in-the-us-timeline-for-september-2020-intake-guidepage-416.
MIT is not costly for Indian students. Applicants can study BTech program at affordable tuition fees as compared to other BTech colleges in the USA. The MIT BTech fees is around INR 50 L to INR 52 L.