US vs UK

According to Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings, the top 10 universities are either in the U.S. (Caltech, Stanford, MIT, Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and UChicago) or the U.K. (Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial College London). These prestigious institutions attract applicants worldwide. However, a student qualified for Oxford may not necessarily be a shoe-in for a top-tier American university and vice versa. If you’re applying to both U.S. and U.K. universities, your applications will differ significantly and should highlight various aspects of your personality and academic record.

Differences Between U.S. and U.K. Applications

Number of Applications –

In the U.S., the number of universities you can apply to is virtually unlimited with some creativity. You can apply through a combination of university-specific applications (like the UC or MIT’s application), the Common App (which allows a maximum of 20 applications), the Universal Application, and the Coalition Application.

In the U.K., there is one centralized application portal, UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service), through which all undergraduate and postgraduate students apply. UCAS allows a maximum of five applications.

Another key difference is that in the U.S., you can apply to every top-tier school if you want to (even though we would advise against that). Additionally, in the U.K., you must choose between applying to either Cambridge or Oxford. (The restriction on applying to both universities only applies to undergraduate admissions.)

Review Process

Most U.S. colleges practice a “holistic review” process during admissions. This means they consider not only a student’s GPA and test scores but also their extracurricular involvements and achievements, letters of recommendation, and personal essays. While U.S. colleges do not necessarily seek “well-rounded” students, they do look for those with more than just a specific academic interest. Your U.S. applications should showcase your quirks, hobbies, and passions so admissions officers can better picture you on campus.

In the U.K., test scores and grades are the primary factors colleges consider. For essays, you should focus on why you have chosen a particular major, your past experiences in that field, and your future aspirations.

Testing Requirements

U.S. universities generally accept the SAT or ACT and 2-3 subject tests as part of a first-year applicant’s application. Students typically begin studying for subject tests in their freshman or sophomore year when they take their first Advanced Placement classes. By their junior year, students start preparing for either the SAT I or ACT and take one of the two by the end of their junior year or the beginning of their senior year.

For U.K. schools, the testing requirements may vary. They might accept the SAT I, SAT II subject tests, and/or AP exams to meet undergraduate application requirements. Some schools may not require any of these tests, but sending in your standardized test scores can benefit your application.

Schools like the University of Oxford may require major-specific admissions tests. For example, aspiring History and Economics students at Oxford must take the History Aptitude Test (HAT), which assesses their critical thinking and analysis skills. There are other tests for different majors, such as the Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT) for Medicine or the Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) for Computer Science or Mathematics.

Declaring Your Major and First Few Weeks

At most U.S. colleges and universities, you don’t need to declare your major until after enrolling, typically during your freshman or sophomore year. Even when you declare a major during your application, you generally have the flexibility to change it. College applications in the U.S. may require essays reflecting on academic and extracurricular experiences that inspired your chosen field of study. While you don’t need to formally declare a subject, demonstrating a strong interest in your chosen fields is essential.

In the U.K., you’ll start studying your field right from your first year. At Oxford, your first weeks include Freshers’ week, also known as Week 0, where first-year students explore clubs and organizations and get a feel for the school’s social scene. Classes in the U.K. typically begin in October.

Whereas U.S. classes start in August or September. Oxford’s academic year is divided into eight-week trimesters, starting with Michaelmas (October to December), followed by Hilary and Trinity, which ends in June. In contrast, U.S. schools follow a semester or quarterly schedule.

Whether you decide to study in the U.S. or the U.K., it’s crucial to research your schools beforehand and find the best fit for you. Consider the differences in application processes, pedagogy, and term lengths.

Best of luck!

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