University Admissions: How Covid-19 Will Affect Your Application
In this global moment of uncertainty, you may be wondering whether your university application will be affected.
In this global moment of uncertainty, you may be wondering whether your university application will be affected.
Will you still be able to take any exams or tests required for admission? Is your chosen university still accepting international applications? Will you be able to study on campus to complete your degree, or has the university moved to online learning?
To help answer your questions, we are contacting leading universities around the world to understand how they are handling current and future applications. We will update this page regularly as new information comes in.
United States
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
MIT has cancelled information sessions and campus visits for prospective students. The admissions office on campus is also closed indefinitely, but staff are still responding by email and phone. The university has assured students whose education has been disrupted by COVID-19 that they will not be penalized in the admissions process.
By summer 2020, MIT will also not be running or sponsoring any in-person K-12 programs. Instead, it is working to ensure that students and their families can learn everything they need to know about the campus through some kind of online delivery system.
Stanford’s undergraduate admissions office is closed until further notice. However, applications will continue to be processed, and the office can still be contacted by email. All tours, programs, and information sessions for prospective students have been cancelled, and the visitor center is also closed until further notice.
International students who have been invited to study at Harvard are advised to contact their academic department for more information. While the admissions office is closed, staff can still be reached by email and phone. No information sessions or tours will be cancelled.
Visitas, Harvard’s weekend program for admitted students, is now being held virtually.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Caltech continues to accept international students, although all students arriving at the university must initially follow the self-isolation guidelines that apply to all travelers. All campus visit activities related to admissions have been suspended until further notice.
Campus activities at the University of Chicago have been cancelled, and all classes are now being taught online. Applicants will not be able to visit the university in person.
Lectures and classes at Princeton are now being taught online. Applicants will not be able to visit the university in person.
Cornell’s Ithaca campus is effectively closed, with only students living in on-campus housing allowed to be present. All teaching has moved online. Applicants will not be able to visit the university in person.
All campus visits for prospective students at the University of Pennsylvania have been cancelled. The admissions visitor center is also closed during this period. Students can still explore the campus through virtual tours.
Visitors to Yale’s campus are asked to come only when necessary. Classes are currently being taught online.
Columbia’s visitor center is closed until further notice. Classes are planned to continue next semester. International students can be reassured that taking online classes will not affect their visa status.
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Classes are currently being offered in alternative formats, and all exams will be conducted remotely. All on-campus and off-campus admissions events have been cancelled until the end of April, and campus visits are strongly discouraged.
Decisions for applicants for the summer and fall semesters are still expected to be released in early April. Domestic high school students should check with their admissions counsellor to see whether dropping classes, online learning, or early graduation will affect their application. Unlike at some other universities, exams are mandatory at Michigan, and the College Board and ACT are exploring alternative testing methods.
Financial aid is not affected by COVID-19. The office remains open, and students can contact staff by phone.
All activities for Johns Hopkins applicants through April 12 have now been cancelled. This includes campus visits and admissions events. Teaching is taking place remotely.
The university has also suspended all new international and domestic visits to Johns Hopkins, including visiting students, faculty, staff, and scholars.
Duke continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation. All on-campus activities, including admissions visits, have been cancelled, and classes for enrolled students have moved online until further notice.
University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
UC Berkeley has moved to remote and virtual services only, so all on-campus admissions activities have been postponed.
University of Louisville - School of Public Health and Information Sciences
The University of Louisville will hold virtual visits on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. More details are available on the university website.
Most of the admissions team will work remotely over the next few weeks. All calls will be monitored, including the main line at 502.852.6531, and you can contact any staff member by email.
For undergraduate applicants, unofficial transcripts are being accepted at this time.
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
On-campus admissions events for prospective and admitted students have been cancelled and replaced with virtual events.
Rochester’s fall semester begins in late August, and the university has been in contact with embassies and organizations related to higher-education visas. The university hopes conditions will change in time for fall-arrival visa processing, and it will continue monitoring the situation and keep students updated.
Rochester is taking a flexible approach to application questions and will handle all inquiries individually.
United Kingdom
With UK schools effectively closed and exams no longer taking place, Oxford is waiting for further government guidance on how qualifications such as A-levels will be awarded. More information for domestic and international offer-holders will be provided as soon as possible.
The university is still processing postgraduate applications. An online form is available on the university website for enquiries. If you need to take an English language test, the university currently has a summer deadline in the UK. If test centres around the world do not reopen in time, the university will provide further guidance on how to proceed.
UK students with an offer from Cambridge are advised to wait for further information from the university. Cambridge is working to minimise the impact on admissions and is consulting with UCAS and other bodies while awaiting further government advice.
International students who need to sit English tests should check the latest updates on when IELTS and TOEFL test centres will reopen.
All offer-holders are instructed to record any disruption they experience so the university can treat all candidates fairly. Students do not need to send this information now, but may be asked for it in future.
All events and open days have been cancelled until further notice.
University College London (UCL)
UCL has reassured international students that applications are still being accepted, regardless of where you are from. The university is doing everything it can to limit the impact of COVID-19 on the admissions process and is processing applications as quickly as possible.
If your school or university has closed and your exams have been cancelled, UCL advises you to contact your school or university and determine whether, and when, you will be able to complete your studies. UCL cannot currently confirm how any extenuating circumstances, such as online study, will affect grade-based admissions.
If your English language test centre for IELTS or TOEFL has closed because of COVID-19, UCL accepts a range of English language tests as proof of qualification, including the Duolingo English Test. Please check the university website for more details.
New students concerned about obtaining or renewing a student visa to study at Imperial College London should contact the international student support team. If you experience delays, your case will be assessed individually, and you may be able to start your programme later. Any impact on examination results will also be taken into account when your application is assessed. All offer-holders will be informed of any developments.
If your application requires proof of qualifications, the College asks students not to post or deliver original documents in person. Instead, scanned copies are sufficient. See the College website for more details.
At present, the deadline for undergraduate applicants to submit English language test results is July 16. This may be revised if test centres around the world remain closed. There is currently no deadline for postgraduate offer-holders.
Applications are still being processed as quickly as possible. Where necessary, interviews will now be conducted online by video call.
The University of Edinburgh has cancelled all on-campus events for offer-holders. An online alternative is being planned, and information will be released soon. The undergraduate open day originally scheduled for June 15 has also been cancelled. An online alternative will likewise be developed for prospective students.
The university says it expects to extend offer deadlines to allow more time to assess how to handle mitigating circumstances such as cancelled exams. This may mean that your final admissions decision is delayed. Students waiting for exams are encouraged to use online resources and continue revising, even if their school or university has closed.
The university will continue to monitor the English language tests it offers, as well as other student examinations around the world, and will provide further information if offer-holders are affected and unable to take the required tests. If you are also having trouble providing documents required for your degree, you are advised to contact the university admissions team.
Students who were due to start their degree in the coming months but are unable to apply for a visa should contact Student Immigration to discuss their options.
Finally, exchange student and university housing applications remain open. Accommodation will not be offered until you have received an unconditional offer for your chosen course, and contracts will not be sent out until early May.
All face-to-face teaching has been suspended, and non-essential facilities have been closed. Admissions events and open days have been cancelled, but admissions staff are still processing applications as quickly as possible.
Given the cancellation of UK exams for A-level students, the university is urgently seeking further information from the government on how grades will now be awarded. The university wants to ensure that no student’s opportunity to study at Manchester next year is affected.
For international students, the deadline for receiving transcripts and other documents will be extended. If you are from the EU and need to take an English language test, you may have other options if your IELTS or TOEFL test centre is closed. Please contact your university faculty or department for further advice.
New applications for 2020 are still being considered, subject to availability. Check UCAS or the university website directly for more information.
University Campus of Football Business (UCFB)
All campus events have been suspended indefinitely. UCFB is running a series of webinars and virtual open days. You can find more details on the university website.
There is currently no change to September 2020 enrolment.
Incoming students this year will no longer need to complete FA Level 1 or an equivalent qualification for the BA (Hons) Football Coaching and Management programme. Instead, a course will run on arrival in September.
UCFB has decided to suspend any planned assessment and interview days. All admissions interviews will be conducted in lower-risk formats such as Skype or phone calls.
Australia
Australian National University
Non-essential activities on the ANU campus have been cancelled, and classes will move online. Support and assistance for current students, including international students studying remotely, is available through the university website.
All international and domestic university travel and non-essential university activities are prohibited until May 16, and this decision will be reviewed regularly. The government has also banned overseas travel.
The Year 11 and Year 12 early entry programme is now open to support prospective students. Likewise, the MQ Student Success Support Package has been launched, expanding the financial support available to students.
Canada
Face-to-face classes at the University of Toronto’s three campuses have been cancelled. All university-sponsored overseas study programmes have also been cancelled. Unnecessary visits to the university are discouraged.
Since Friday, March 20, 2020, only staff who need to be on campus to provide virtual services have been allowed access.
York’s Senate executive has approved a plan allowing instructors flexibility to change the number, type, and weighting of assignments, as well as modify course grading schemes and cancel final assignments or exams.
The Senate executive has also extended the deadline for withdrawing from courses without academic penalty to May 9, 2020. The same applies to students who choose to opt in or out of the pass/fail grading option.
Asia
Nanyang Technological University
The university has asked that tours and other campus visits be suspended until further notice. All international students arriving at the university must comply with the self-isolation guidelines that apply across Singapore.
National University of Singapore (NUS)
Events and activities involving 50 people or more, including campus visits, have been cancelled until further notice at NUS. Temperature screening stations have been set up around campus for all visitors.
All teaching at Tsinghua is currently being delivered online. International applications are still welcome.
Peking University has extended the deadline for international students applying for undergraduate study in 2020 to submit paper documents. Students who cannot meet the new deadline are advised to contact the university.
Students with questions about admission to the University of Tokyo are advised to contact the relevant faculty, graduate school, or institute.
The University of Hong Kong has moved as many activities as possible online, although the library remains open to students with restrictions. It is continuing to monitor how the situation will affect university applications.
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)
All campus open days and campus tours have been replaced with online open days. These include live chats with education advisers, online career tests, virtual campus tours, free webinars, and online booth presentations. For more details, visit http://bit.ly/3d4Km0W
The Malaysian Immigration Department will remain closed until May 12, 2020 during the Movement Control Order (MCO). As a result, EMGS can only submit processed applications to Immigration after the MCO is lifted.
Applicants can apply for October 2020 intake or January 2021 intake.
The Education University of Hong Kong
The university has extended the application deadline for non-local applicants to undergraduate programmes to May 31, 2020. It has also extended the deadline for submitting English test results for applicants who were unable to do so because of test centre closures.
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
Face-to-face admissions events are currently suspended until further notice, and HKUST has moved its activities online where possible. The university is actively monitoring developments and will resume scheduled campus visits and admissions events when conditions allow. Any admissions updates for applicants with international qualifications will be communicated by email and posted online. Applicants can also contact the Undergraduate Admissions and Scholarship Office by email or by phone at (+852) 2623 1118.
The university says it will expand flexibility in assessing all applications. To help with this process, applicants are encouraged to upload interim school reports or transcripts for the 2019-2020 academic year. Applicants who are unable to sit English tests as planned are advised to contact IELTS and TOEFL about possible arrangements. The university will extend document submission deadlines to allow for greater flexibility in meeting requirements.
The university is also closely following updates from different exam boards and is considering all available options to support affected students in entering the university. Further notices will be sent to applicants by email once decisions are made.
To give prospective students more time to prepare their applications, the university will continue to accept applications for September 2020 entry as long as places remain available, and applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Non-local students are offered university accommodation in both their first and second years of study at HKUST. Undergraduate accommodation applications will open in early July, with more details available here.
International students who need help with their application and/or student visa matters should contact the university directly by email.
Europe
ETH Zurich has closed its campus to all staff and students, so prospective students will not be able to visit the university in person.
All EPFL buildings remain closed until further notice. Classes are being held online, and nobody is permitted to bring visitors onto campus.
All upcoming tours are currently on hold, and ESC will use different digital alternatives.
Applicants can contact the university by email about their application.
If your exams have been cancelled, many governments around the world are offering alternatives, such as online exams, or cancelling the exams altogether.
Nyenrode has postponed all exams and lectures until June 1.
The business school will organise distance learning and online classes.
The following measures will apply until June 1: exams, lectures, and events will be organised online whenever possible; all travel abroad will be cancelled or moved online; the library will only be open by appointment for data streams; and facilities such as the mensa and sports centre will remain closed until June 1.
New payment deadlines and procedural rules have been introduced. The deadline for paying the second instalment of tuition has been postponed to Friday, May 29, 2020.
The deadline for settling all outstanding debts in students’ virtual accounts has been postponed to June 30, 2020.
If staff need to make up for cancelled classes, remote sessions may be scheduled for later afternoons during the semester or on Saturday mornings.
Degree ceremonies and the issuing of diplomas will be rescheduled.
The University of Amsterdam will continue working from home until at least June 1 and will continue to use alternatives to on-campus teaching.
In consultation with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the university will draft proposals for resuming, initially on a small scale, campus teaching and testing where no online alternative is available. These proposals are expected to be included in the government decision on May 13.
The Dutch government has also announced that the ban on activities requiring a permit will be extended until at least September 1, 2020.
The introduction week scheduled for August 24 to 28 to formally welcome new UvA students will be held in a different format this year.
Prospective bachelor’s and master’s students can ask more than 100 current students questions through Instagram chats via @uva_bachelor and @uva_master.
Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management (ULB)
Open days and information sessions have been cancelled, but webinar dates and times remain as originally scheduled.
Applicants can contact the university through the website or by email: [email protected]
Given the current situation, the university is being flexible with required documents and will accept candidates even if not all mandatory documents can be submitted.
Solvay assesses applicants’ English proficiency during the selection process. The online application and motivation letter are in English, the admissions interview is in English, and any submitted essays must also be in English.
Solvay is still accepting applications from international students and has remained in contact with applicants from abroad. Since programmes are only due to start in September, Solvay will continue to monitor the process closely in the coming weeks and months.
Frankfurt School of Finance & Management
The next information evenings for bachelor’s, master’s, and MBA programmes will be held online.
Exams have been rescheduled to later dates or will be conducted online.
Applicants who are unable to sit English tests because of closed centres can submit them later, as interviewers can test basic English during the general interview.
The university has moved the admissions deadline forward by one month, which will leave time for visa applications.
The academic year starts between August and October, depending on the programme, and this has not changed so far.
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC)
Campus open days and visits have been cancelled, and UPC now offers an online alternative.
The application process for bachelor’s degrees is handled centrally by the regional government.
UPC does not run admissions tests. If applicants do not have an English certificate, they should ask the programme coordinator about the options available.
Applications for the next intake are open, with no restrictions for international applicants.
UPC has made no changes to its admission requirements.
The university currently has no open days scheduled. If you have questions about applications or admissions, send them to [email protected]
L’École de design Nantes Atlantique
All on-site events have been cancelled, but video meetings can be arranged.
For more information about admissions, email [email protected]. All interviews will take place by video. Because test centres are closed, interviewers can assess your English language ability during the interview, which will be conducted in English.
The international office will support students throughout the visa process.
All events have moved online, and all admissions tests have also moved online, so nothing has been cancelled.
Vlerick offers its own online alternative, the VBAT (Vlerick Business Admissions Test), so prospective students can still prove their English language ability even if test centres are closed. Likewise, any transcripts obtained online are sufficient.
Deusto Business School - University of Deusto
Deusto Business School is still not accepting campus visits, but the admissions team will answer all questions about master’s programmes and the admissions process by email, Skype, or phone.
The 2020-2021 admissions process remains open for all programmes and can be started entirely online.
If you are unable to obtain or submit documents because your university or test centre is closed, contact the admissions team for help. You may submit the documents later.
Classes are now being held online.
During the extraordinary resit period, the university has approved several changes to examinations in May and June this year.
- Oral exams may be conducted by video conference. Recording the exam is recommended.
- The obligation to sit exams on campus has been removed.
- Different time zones for international students will be taken into account. Exams may take place on Saturday afternoons.
- Exam reviews may be conducted by video conference, with clear scheduling for each subject.
- For oral and written exams conducted remotely, teachers may ask students to record themselves during the exam using commonly used tools such as Meet or Zoom.
- The documentation for applying for exams during the extraordinary resit period can be found in this link.
Africa
University of the Witwatersrand
Wits has provided 5,000 laptops to vulnerable students and, for one month from April 20, 2020, is providing 30GB of data to any Wits student on the four major networks to support the transition to online learning.
The CCDU Lockdown Wellness Chronicles provides daily coping strategies available to everyone.
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