Study in the UK: Timeline for January 2021 Intake

The universities in the UK offer admissions to aspiring students in three different intake sessions, which include, Fall, Winter and May Intakes in one academic year. Each intake offers admissions to a limited number of seats in programmes and universities across the country. The Winter Intake or January 2021 intake offers opportunities to many students who missed out the Fall 2020 intake.

Fall 2020 Intake in the UK is one of the major sessions, where students in the UK and abroad aspire to apply and commence their higher education studies. The Winter Intake, however, is not immensely popular but provides the students, the opportunity to still continue their studies without having to waste another year in admissions.

The Winter Intake or January 2021 Intake in the UK generally spans over the months of January and February, wherein the students will commence their studies, depending on the university they choose.

In this article, we shall discuss the January 2021 Intake in the UK and the steps and pre-requisites that you need to complete within a specific timeline, to ensure successful admission to the different programmes offered in the Universities in the UK.

Timeline for Winter (January 2021) Intake in the UK

In most study abroad destinations, winter intake acts as a second chance for students to commence their higher education in the university and programme of their choice. In the UK, a limited number of universities offer the Winter Intake options for a few programmes. Students who either missed out on applying for or were not able to apply to the programme of their choice due to various reasons, they can opt for the Winter Intake.

Similar to the Fall Intake, students will be required to begin prepping for the admission processes year before the deadline for the submission of the application forms. Prepping for the Winter Intake includes shortlisting of colleges and universities, attempting standardised tests, apply to the different institutions, and complete the Visa requirements.

You can check out the following timeline for Winter (Januray 2021) Intake in the UK for stress-free admission to the universities.

Also Read: Missed the Fall Intake to Study in the USA? Apply for Spring Intake 2021

One of the first steps towards beginning your higher education aspirations in the UK is to shortlist the universities or colleges that you wish to enrol in. There are numerous universities in different locations of the country that offer a unique student experience.

• Shortlist Universities and Colleges based on your requirements and restrictions.

• Shortlist the degree and the discipline that you wish to pursue in the colleges and universities that you shortlisted.

• While shortlisting the universities and colleges, a good practice is to look out for the scholarship opportunities and financial aids offered by the universities.

• Download the respective University Brochures and read through the admission requirements, facilities, infrastructures, and other offerings along with the future scope of the students.

Note: Gaining the required knowledge about the University and its offerings will allow you to better understand which college or university is best suited for you. Therefore, take your time and read through everything thoroughly before applying to any university in the UK.

All universities in the UK require the applicants to have attempted one of the standardised tests from IELTS or TOEFL and GRE or GMAT. IELTS and TOEFL are English Proficiency tests which are a mandatory requirement by all universities and colleges. Meanwhile, GRE and GMAT common requirements for graduate programmes, especially for Management, Architecture, Engineering and Technology programmes.

• Visit the official website for the universities and colleges you have shortlisted and check out the admission requirements for international students.

• Depending on the programme and degree that you choose, the university may require you to attempt either IELTS/ TOEFL and/or GMAT/GRE.

• As per the requirement, you must attempt the respective standardised test.

• Prepare and attempt the tests between June and September 2020, as results for the respective tests may take time and delay in the release of the test scores may not be a risk you may want to take.

• For IELTS and TOEFL, you must register a month before the test date. Meanwhile, for GRE and GMAT, you must register at least 3 months before the test date.

Note: Since these tests are commonly accepted by numerous colleges and universities around the world, it is advisable to attempt the test as early as possible. This can help you during different intakes as well.

Filling out and submitting the application forms is the next step in the admission process to the university of choice. Each university will define their requirements to submit the application forms and the required documents to upload, which should be met by each applicant.

• At the official website of the university you shortlisted, fill out the application form with the appropriate information, while also uploading the required documents.

• Most universities would also require you to submit 2-3 letters of recommendation and/or State or Purposes or Essays.

  • Acquire the letters of recommendation at least one month prior to the deadline of the application submission date.

  • Structure and form your Essays or Statement of Purposes at least 2-3 months prior to the date of submission of the application forms.

• Submit these letters of recommendation and the SOPs or Essays along with the application forms before the deadline mentioned by the university.

Note: A good rule of thumb to follow is to complete your applications as early as possible not wait for the last moment to complete and submit the forms. You must also ensure that the information that you have entered is correct and complete.

Also Read: Canada September 2021 Intake: Timeline & Admission Requirements

After successfully submitting your application forms with the necessary documents and information, the college or university will contact you to participate in further admission processes.

• The university or college admissions committee will contact you on the registered email ID.

• Keep yourself vigilant and updated on the emails that you receive from the university.

• The emails will contain information regarding the next steps of the admission processes such as taking part in the Personal Interview or Video Interview.

• The email will also contain all information regarding the date and time that you need to appear for the interview or other selection processes.

• Reply to these emails within the given deadline and appear for the selection processes.

• The universities will, after the interviews and selection processes, send further communications in the form of an offer letter.

• All shortlisted candidates will be required to deposit a non-refundable deposit as a confirmation of the offer letter within a specific time period.

Note: Completing the payment of the non-refundable deposit will confirm your admissions to the programme and university. However, you will be required to pay the deposit within a given timeline, therefore, make your decision carefully. 

An important aspect of any admission process is to ensure that your finances are arranged and settled. Here, you can also look out for scholarship opportunities and financial aids offered by the university as well as the government for international students.

• Research and study about the different student loans, scholarships and financial aids that you can avail.

• Apply for these student loans, scholarships and financial aids to reduce the financial burden you will face during your higher education pursuit in Canada.

• A few universities offer scholarships right after you accept the offer letter. Meanwhile, for others, you may be required to apply for other scholarship opportunities.

Note: Settle your finances as early as possible as final hiccups in your finances can halt your higher education aspirations that can also negatively impact your future prospects.

The last step before you start your higher education in one of the best universities in Canada, then apply for appropriate student visas and search for the best flight tickets you can find.

• Apply for the visas as soon as possible as confirmation and receiving may take time.

• Search for the best plane tickets at affordable prices that you can find early on as well. Booking your tickets early can help you find cheaper yet good tickets.

• Grab your tickets, visas and other important documents and head on over to the UK and the university you chose and pursue higher education in one of the top study abroad destinations, i.e. the United Kingdoms.

Note: In all these steps it is crucial to ensure that you complete the tasks correctly and completely. Any mistakes during any one of the steps may bring about negative effects that can be expensive for you in the long run.

Also Read: Why Study in the UK in Autumn 2020

Top Universities in the UK for You

If you have decided that you wish to pursue higher education in the UK then check out this list of top universities in the UK for You.

Among the hundreds of colleges and universities situated in the UK, these are some of the popular universities that you can apply to. If you wish to pursue higher studies in any one of the top universities in the UK, then browse through the list of Universities in the UK present on Collegedekho’s Study Abroad website.

If you have any confusions regarding international admissions and international education, then you can connect with us at 785-9990-990 or write to us at abroad@collegedekho.com.