Don’t do this: TOP 7 mistakes of applicants when applying abroad

Did you think that the features of joining Ukrainian and foreign Western Military Districts are similar? Not! In universities in Europe, the entrance campaign differs in the procedure, the list of required documents and the application deadline. Yulia Martynyuk, Director of the Education and Emigration Center, and I will tell you about TOP-7 mistakes of applicants when entering foreign universities.

Yulia Martynyuk, Director of the Educational and Emigration Center / Photo: press service

1 – there is no plan for studying a foreign language

Students like to put off making decisions about admission until the 11th grade. At the last moment, they realize that for admission abroad, you must pass official language exams (English – IELTS, TOEFL, German – TestDaf, French – DELF).

understand the interlocutor and being able to read in a foreign language is not enough for admission to the ZVO. It is necessary to pass official language exams administered by universities. The preparation process requires regularity for several months, so doing everything at the last moment is not the best idea, – notes Yulia Martynyuk, director of the educational center.

2 – ignorance of the deadline for submitting documents

Applicants in Ukraine submit the required documents for the ZVO in July in order to start studying in September. Some foreign universities Deadline for applications in January or earlier. Applicants mistakenly believe that in Ukraine and abroad the deadline for submission is similar.

For example, for admission to a bachelor’s degree in France (for the 2022-2023 academic year), the deadline for submitting documents was December 15, 2021. Carefully study the deadlines for submitting documents in the country where you plan to enter. If the applicant missed the official deadline, then it will no longer be possible to convey the document– notes the director of the educational center Yulia Martynyuk.

3 – unreasoned choice of future profession

Sometimes students choose a specialty at the university, guided by fleeting preferences, and not the prospects for further employment and the relevance of the profession a few years later.

Due to the lack of career guidance in Ukrainian schools, applicants often do not know about promising and in-demand professions– notes the director of the educational center Yulia Martynyuk.

4 – negligent attitude to entry requirements

Each country has its own requirements for certification and legalization of Ukrainian educational documents. Improper study of the requirements of foreign ZVO, will result in a refusal to process the submitted application by the applicant.

Someone requires only an apostille of a diploma, someone a double apostille, and someone needs a certificate by a sworn translator, which may not be available in Ukraine. Read the requirements so that you are not denied processing of the submitted application– notes the director of the educational center Yulia Martynyuk.

5 – unsuccessfully written motivation letter and resume (CV)

These documents are not included in the list for admission to Ukrainian universities, but they are mandatory for submitting a package of documents to foreign universities in developed countries.

Often applicants do not understand what to write in a motivation letter, what to emphasize and how to make the application more visible among others. There is a similar problem with a resume that is associated exclusively with employment. School graduates do not know how to correctly form information in a CV and why the phrases “not married”, “no bad habits” are inappropriate, – says Yulia Martynyuk, director of the educational center.

6 – Wrong Analysis of Training Funding

Some applicants are only interested in the cost of education, forgetting about the cost of living, food and transport in the country. In Germany, Austria, Finland, Norway and Belgium, sky-high price tags for education in public institutions, but expensive life.

Sometimes it is more profitable to choose a paid program, for example, in Poland or the Czech Republic and save on the cost of living, – says Yulia Martynyuk, director of the educational center.

7 – students forget about the need for a visa

Applicants from Ukraine cannot study without a student visa in a visa-free country. Although most people are sure that visa-free travel is an argument for not having a student visa. For long-term study, you must obtain a student visa and issue a residence permit in the country. Embassies have serious requirements for their design.

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