Helping incoming students meet university entry requirements

Studying abroad is becoming more popular among students. The British Council revealed that the number of students who go abroad as part of their study programme has increased by as much as 39 per cent. Worldwide, there are a growing number of opportunities for students to go abroad for the studies. Furthermore, there is an increasing number of universities that are offering degrees in English, going beyond traditional English-speaking countries. For example, in the Netherlands, there are more than 1,500 courses taught entirely in English, ranging from short training seminars to Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes. However, universities usually have to define strict academic and language requirements to ensure that students are fully prepared for their educational degree. This means, sometimes international students may be rejected from studying at a particular university due to having lower academic or language skills. To avoid such situations, it is important for universities to encourage students to take additional academic and language courses to bridge the gaps in knowledge or language skills and help students gain the necessary qualifications to meet university entry requirements. The following 4 steps can be very valuable in helping your students be fully prepared before starting their educational degrees.

1. Offer additional language support

Incoming international students usually have to show proof that they have the necessary language skills to succeed in their studies. Having great language skills is a necessary step for students to undertake an intensive and challenging academic degree that is taught and examined in a foreign language. To help students gain the necessary language skills, universities can provide additional language courses or resources that can help them improve their language proficiency. It is beneficial for students to take a language course in advance before travelling or starting their degree. On the LanguageLearningPortal, for instance, students can find and, compare language courses worldwide. It also provides students with several search tools to customize their search to find the perfect language course that meets their personal requirements.

2. Encourage students to take additional academic courses

Encouraging students to enroll in additional academic courses of a complete foundation programme can help new students acquire excellent academic skills, and also provide all the necessary information in order for them to adapt in an international, multi-cultural environment if they are provided in the local country. These courses expose students to the basics skills and competencies required to succeed in their future study degree. Students have time to acquire the knowledge that will allow them to enter their studies while being well prepared, and simultaneously having the chance to consider their study preferences and choices. A valuable tool to help them find preparation courses is PreparationCoursesPortal where students can find, compare, and select the right course and education that matches their needs worldwide.

3. Have clear entry requirements

Universities usually have different entry requirements, a basic minimum set of qualifications that all students have to meet before starting a degree. Additionally, some universities may require different requirements for students from different countries. Most domestic students will meet the entry requirements of the universities, as the education system is aligned to prepare students for university admission, but for international students international admission requirements can be confusing and unclear. That is why it is important for universities to have entry requirement clearly stared on their websites. This helps incoming students with their application process by clarifying the steps students need to take to be considered for a course degree. In addition, student guidance can also be very valuable especially for foreigner students who usually have a longer and more complex application and admission process. Universities can provide students with additional links and resources that can aid students with the application process. Useful articles that can help students with their application process include: What to Choose – IELTS or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)?, 4 Steps when applying to any university, or How to choose the right university.

4. Introduce your programmes and admission process in person

While traditional campus tours are not really feasible for international students due to the complexity of travel arrangements, you can still make use of technology to connect to prospective international students and showcase your programmes and answer admission related questions. Some universities offer videos and testimonials that students can use to get an idea about life at the university, the admission process, while others go a step further and organize interactive webinars. Webinars have the benefits of engaging students and admission officers, and answering detailed questions to a larger audience that would otherwise take up a lot of resources. It is also a great way for students to learn more about the admission steps, requirements and important deadlines, while introducing campus life at the university and what is unique about your programmes.