How many times have you thought about applying for a scholarship in a foreign country? Do you know what documents you need to prepare to apply at a foreign university and study abroad? Well, besides the motivation letters or CVs that any decent essay writing service or scholarship essay service can ensure, you need to be aware that there are more documents you will need to prepare for your process of applying. While the applying process is straightforward and easy, the number of documents you are required to send to your target university can be overwhelming, so prepare yourself on time. We will help you with the preparation by listing all the papers you would need for applying to a foreign university, so make sure you read this post to the end.
The Offer Letter I/20 Form
This is the most important paper that you receive by the university or a college where you want to study abroad, and you cannot proceed any further if you do not possess I/20 form or popularly called the offer letter. You can receive the conditional and unconditional offer letter, which is decided by checking all the papers that you have submitted during your appliance. Now, the unconditional letter is related to the acceptance and Tuition fee deposit, while the conditional offer letter explains that you are accepted as you have fulfilled the requirements from this letter. In order to be accepted and receive the conditional proposal, you need to submit several types of papers as a part of the standard procedure. Some of these documented is omitted in some cases (depending on the country/university where you apply) but often include:
– The letter/application of confirmation from the target university
– IELTS/GRE/TOEFL/SAT/PTE
– Previous grade transcripts and certificate
– Bachelor’s transcripts and certificate
– Master’s transcripts and certificate
– Other certificates if present
The above necessary documents are usually required for any university in any country you are planning to apply, however, it may happen that you are required to submit the additional documents. These can include papers like SOP (Statement of Purpose) essay, LOR (letter of recommendation), work experience documents, and Resume/Cv. These may be needed to be submitted during the Visa process or during the university admission, depending on the laws and regulations. Do the research about these in advance, so you do not be late with the sending of the additional required papers.
The statement essay
The statement of purpose for student visa is one of the most important papers you need to submit when you plan to study overseas since it helps the university to get a scope of your intentions, mission, capabilities and career focus. The SOP explains why you have in mind a certain university and allows the university to understand what you want to accomplish but also enables them to see your critical and analytical thinking, as well as interest and will for the learning. Do not be confused with names Letter of Intention, Goals Statement, Statement of Interest of Personal Narrative, as these are synonyms for the SOP document. Depending on the university and country, the document should contain one page or two pages at most. Have in mind that this is one of the most important documents and try to write it in a short, direct, and clear way so you could reveal your goals, intentions, and objectives professionally.
The LOR letter
The Letter of Recommendation does not have to be requested, but it is a common practice to have one as the reviewers of your application would want to see from someone else’s perspective your qualities and skills. It is usually written by your professor/teacher who recommends your skills and assets to this university as he knows your capabilities and characteristics. The letter confirms your ability to perform a certain set of tasks or pursuing career goals, and that is confirmed by the person who can guarantee your qualities. Depending on the policy and regulations, universities may require from a person that writes it to send the paper directly to the university, without using you as a “mediator”. Some universities may require that the LOR letter has not been opened (the writer must send it in the sealed envelope ), or to have a special seal that shows that no one could influence the writing or open the letter once it has been written and sent.
Work experience-related documents
This is dependent on the type of program you want to enroll. For example, the majority of MBA programs will usually require you to send work experience documents, to show what you have done and where. As a part of work-experience-based papers, it may include the:
– The latest salary check
– Employment certificate and confirmation
– Joining letter.
The proof of work confirms that you are a regular and professional worker who receives the salary for a service you provide, is able to pass the background criminal check and who is able to follow the directions of the team. As we said, this depends on the type of program you want to enroll to so in some cases this document might be omitted.
CV
This is the most important paper that universities use to screen the applicants and check if they are valid candidates. Curriculum Vitae or “course of life” explains the applicant’s educational background, skillsets and reveals some basic information about the candidate like work experience and contact information. As there are millions of styles for writing the CV, it is recommended to create an own and unique style and formatting. The process of writing and preparing this document may be a bit complex, so you might want to find a reliable CV writing services or writers that will help you if you are not that experienced.
Other documents you might need
As we said, different universities have different rules, so it is not possible that you will need the additional documentation. Those above papers that we mentioned are the most important, but it may happen that you will need some of the below documents as well:
– Passport photographs
– Visa
– Sponsor letter
– Scholarship letter.
Papers you must have when traveling
Once you decide to travel to the country or university you are want to apply to, do not forget that you must update your list of documents. Have in mind that you will need papers like:
– Passport
– Health insurance
– Medical records
– Contact information.