For prospective international students who have received rejection letters from American universities, all is not lost. Instead, it’s time for plan B.

“There are more than 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States, which means that they can also apply to other schools. The important thing is that they are looking for the right person,” says Jan Marco Jiras, director admissions to Caldwell University‘s Office of Undergraduate Admissions in New Jersey.

Here are some options for prospective international students who have been denied admission in order to achieve their goal of earning a US degree:

Many US colleges and universities are accepting applications through June and July and offer rolling admissions, including for international students. Rolling admissions means that students can apply at any time after a college begins accepting applications, and schools assess these applications as they are received.

“Washington State University uses rolling admissions for undergraduates so we can respond to applications as they come in instead of waiting for a specified deadline,” says Asif Chaudhry, vice-president. President of International Programs at Washington State University and a former US ambassador.

While WSU accepts applications throughout the year, other schools with rolling admissions have priority deadlines that they suggest students apply before for the greatest consideration.

For example, SUNY—Oswego in New York indicates that for priority review, applications for the fall/August semester must be received by the school by mid-May, and for the spring/January semester they must be received by mid- November. The priority deadlines to Ball State University in Indiana are June 15 for fall admission, November 15 for spring, and March 15 for summer.

At Caldwell, Jiras says, “Our June 1 application deadline gives international students plenty of time to get their I-20s and student visas in time for the start of the fall semester.” Once an international student is accepted into a U.S. university, the school will send an I-20 form, which certifies that the student is eligible to apply for an F-1 college student visa or professional student visa. M-1.

Nepali national Kaushal Joshi, who has applied to US schools with regular and continuous admissions, says he thinks students should consider colleges that offer the latter option.

“As an international student, (rolling admissions) gives you the time you need to find the right university, research the right program, and polish your application materials,” says Joshi, who studies biology at SUNY—Oswego.

Experts say students should be aware that ongoing admissions may be limited to certain academic programs at a school and suggest applicants contact both international admissions offices and specific program departments.

“We will work with them to make a decision even if they apply late in the standard admissions process,” says Joshua S. McKeown, associate vice provost for education and international programs and director of the Office of Education. and international programs at SUNY—Oswego.

Another option for prospective international students who have received rejection letters to consider is to apply and enroll at a US institution. community college.

“At Green River College, our recommended application deadlines are one month before term start dates. This gives students ample time to apply for their visa. The recommended summer application deadline is May 15 and August 15 for the fall term,” says Wendy Stewart. , Vice President of International Programs and Continuing Education at Green River College in Washington.

Jennifer L. Brook, director of international student recruitment and marketing at Foothill and De Anza Colleges in California, says many community colleges have a simple application and a later application deadline than most four-year universities. with definitive deadlines that extend until the summer months. .

If students can’t begin their studies in the fall, says Brook, the school offers admission for winter and spring terms, “so they don’t have to wait an entire school year for join us”. Students can expect admissions decisions in one to two weeks, she says.

Students attending community college may also consider transferring later to a four-year university. Kelly Poppen, Director of International Student Services at Miami Dade College‘s Wolfson campus in Florida says the school has transfer agreements with many universities in the state.

“If an international student is denied admission to the university of their choice, they can spend two years at a community college, complete their general education courses, improve their English skills and learn to navigate the system of education. higher education and then reapply to that same university with a much higher probability of admission,” Poppen says.

She says MDC graduates, including international students, are regularly accepted to Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Georgetown, Stanford and many other top universities.

Prospective international students who have been denied admission may also consider taking this time to grow and demonstrate this growth when they apply again to US universities in the future.

McKeown recommends international students work on improving their English proficiency, continue studying and retake standardized tests like the SAT, as well as pursue internships and meaningful extracurricular activities.

Chaudry says students may want to enroll in a personalized English language or pathway program, such as those offered at WSU, or at a community college to improve their English proficiency or GPA before reapplying to college. university of their choice.

WSU’s Academic English and Pathway programs are designed to help international students through their first year of study, and upon completion of either, a student can begin a program leading to a degree at any WSU campus that offers it. “Students who meet WSU’s admission requirements can start directly in a degree program, either in the freshman year or on transfer,” says Chaudry.

Christopher Munchel, acting vice president for enrollment planning and management at Ball State University, says some students find they may be “more prepared to study at an American university after completing academic work in their own country and applied as a transfer student”.

Experts say prospective international students should consider all options and do what works best for them. The path Joshi took to an American university worked in his favor, he says.

“There will be a lot of waiting for an international student at different points in the application process, but it will be worth it in the end if one strives and works hard to achieve it,” says Joshi.