If you’ve just finished high school – or are on the verge of finishing –, congratulations! You’ve made it through your teenage years, and are now ready for the next big step.
When it comes to the topic of how to apply for university, you may be feeling unsure or conflicted.
Understandably so, because it’s one of the biggest, most nerve-racking decisions you have to make. Your future depends on the choices you make now.
While the whole application to university may seem long, it can be broken into small, easy-to-manage steps — as we’ve done below.
A university student wandering through the crowd.
Everything you need to know before applying to university
1. Choose where and what you want to study
It goes without saying that you should decide where you want to go, and what you want to do. Will you be studying at home or abroad? Are you looking for programmes that offer flexible electives and courses? Do you prefer practical training over theory-based courses?
A helpful tip would be to note down what you’re looking for before starting your research. Visit university open days, go on campus tours and make a list of questions for counsellors and students present.
If a physical campus matters to you, checking out what the campus has to offer should be an essential part of the research process.
Students exploring their campus.
2. Check entry requirements
Depending on the university you apply to, there are typically entry requirements to fulfil before you send in your full application. These include:
- A general application with personal and parent/guardian information
- Previous academic transcripts from high school or other academic institutions
- Letters of recommendation about your academic ability
- Personal statements or admissions essays
- An entrance exam
- A background check
It’s important that you have everything in order.
Woman handing out applications.
3. Know your platforms and deadlines
Missing out on a homework deadline can feel bad. Missing out on a university application date feels way worse.
The first step is to know your platforms well.
To apply to UK universities, use UCAS. More than 789,830 students used UCAS to apply to UK universities in the 2025 cycle.
This one-stop platform lets you filter universities based on courses, qualifications, and study options from over 50,000 courses.
If you’re aiming for US colleges or universities, you can use Common Application.
The platform now supports 1,498,199 applicants submitting over 10.19 million applications to 1,097 member colleges and universities in the 2024–25 cycle.
Once you know which platform to use, start listing down leadlines.
Some universities have different deadlines when it comes to applying for courses. Many applications must be completed in advance; some can be a month or two to half a year ahead of the course.
A high school student pondering over his exam paper.
Why it’s important to know how to apply for university
The truth is applying to universities can cost a fair bit if you’re not strategic — and here are some statistics to put things into perspective:
- For US students, the average undergraduate application fee is US$48.
- US postgraduate programmes charge US$60 to US$100 per application on average.
- Applicants now submit an average of 6.14 applications, bringing their combined application fees to roughly US$300 (depending on institutions selected).
And for many universities, these application fees are non-refundable.
While it may not seem like much, it racks up, especially if you’re an international student.
Plus, there’s so much to do. Getting your application in involves a series of stages: do the research, narrow down your university choices, complete the applications, write essays, and then play the waiting game.
Knowing how to apply to university means you minimise the chances of your efforts going to waste and having to redo the same long process again.
And here’s another lesser-known but just as crucial reason to know how to apply to university: to avoid getting scammed.
University scams are more common than you think! For example, students have been misled into applying — and paying for — courses that are not accredited.
Authorities speaking to a student who fell victim to a scam.
How to apply for university in the world’s most popular study abroad countries
1. UK
Applying for an undergraduate course in the UK is simple — all you need to do is register and apply to UK universities and colleges through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
You first have to register in the UCAS Hub and complete the registration questions. From there, you’ll be taken to the UCAS Hub dashboard to fill in your application details.
Apart from picking programmes and universities, you’ll have to submit one personal statement.
From 2026, you’ll need to answer three separate questions — each with a minimum character count of 250 — instead of producing one longer piece of text.
Have questions about UCAS? Click here for more information.
2. Australia
The country does not have a centralised application system, so you’ll have to apply to each university directly as an international student, either online or by post.
Some documents you may need include academic transcripts, course preferences, and, if applicable, a summary of your employment experience.
You usually won’t need to write a personal statement or personal essay, but you may be asked to outline why you wish to study in Australia when you apply for your student visa.
One big advantage of studying abroad in the US is the flexibility in selecting your major.
3. US
While you can usually apply directly through the university’s website, you can also apply through Common Application.
It’s an undergraduate college admission application that applicants use to apply to over 1,000 member colleges and universities in all 50 US states.
Using the Common Application website or mobile app is free but colleges may still charge aroundUS$50, though there are hundreds that do not charge and it is possible to request to waive these fees.
4. Canada
Most Canadian universities accept online applications, where students send them through the official website or a centralised application system.
A centralised application system for Canada includes the Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC) or ApplyAlberta.
The application form typically requires your personal information, academic history, and programme selection.
New Zealand is world-famous for its friendly people, spectacular landscape, and relaxed lifestyle.
5. New Zealand
Applications for higher education in New Zealand are made directly to the universities you want to study at.
For example, if you want to apply to the University of Otago, head to its Application Page, where there’s a step-by-step guide for you to select a major, before you’re taken to eVision, your personalised application portal.
6. Singapore
Like New Zealand, applying to a university in Singapore is made directly with the selected institution.
To apply to Singapore Management University, for example, you start by creating an account on its Undergraduate Admissions page.
You only need to pay 15.00 Singapore Dollars (inclusive of GST), approximately US$11.79 at the time of writing.
The Chinese government has doubled its efforts to increase the scholarships it offers international recruits.
7. China
To apply to a university in China, you can register directly through the official website of the university or through CUCAS (an online registration system that allows international applicants to apply for admission to a specific university degree in China), which allows you to enrol in any Chinese university.
CUCAS charges a service fee of at least US$50.
8. Hong Kong
There is no centralised application for international students in Hong Kong. You can apply to as many universities as you like, but be aware that you have to pay an application for each.
For example, to apply to Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, you start at its Online Application System page, which filters your application according to the qualifications you hold.
Application fee is 450 Hong Kong Dollars (approximately US$57.51 at the time of writing). You can pay using a Visa or Mastercard credit card.
Tasty food at student-friendly prices in Malaysia.
9. Malaysia
Most universities accept applications directly since there is no centralised application system. You can either apply online or meet with a course advisor.
Taylor’s University, for instance, has its own Taylor’s Online Programme Application System (TOPAS), where applicants submit documents and make payments via Taylor’s Pay.
Application fees vary based on programme and intake.
Disclaimer: This article was last updated on March 12, 2026.
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