After selecting a group of 10 to 15 institutions that seem most appropriate, write to at least 10 of them for information and application materials. Always use the same spelling of your name, from the first inquiry through the entire application process. This is especially important if your name is transliterated from some other language into English.

In requesting information and application materials, use a preliminary application form provided by the nearest advising center, or write a letter containing information similar to that in the application form. If there are mail or currency restrictions in your home country, consult the nearest advising center for procedures.

When to send inquiries. Receiving a response to your first letter may take four to six weeks. (See Table IV, "Corresponding with American Educational institutions.") For selective institutions or for financial assistance, mail your first inquiry at least a year-and-a-half before you plan to enroll. In other cases, send your first inquiry at least a year before you plan to enroll (by August for the fall term of the next year).

How to send inquiries. Send inquiries by airmail, and request an airmail reply. Carefully type or print all items. Do not send any documents with the original inquiry; wait until you file a formal application. Some universities have facsimile (fax) numbers; if this is the case, you may be able to save time by making your first inquiry by fax. In most cases, For the application, however, the university will want actual documents rather than a facsimile transmission.

If you have conducted thorough research, most or all of the institutions will respond by inviting you to submit a full formal application for admission. They will send all the necessary forms and instructions. Sometimes a preliminary application will be necessary.

If you are applying to English as a second language programs you may find applications included in brochures available in the advising center. In such cases a preliminary letter is unnecessary.

What to Include ::

You may lose valuable time by not including essential information in the first inquiry. A letter or preliminary application should have the following:

1. Where to send inquiries. Address your inquiry to the Director of Graduate Admissions, using the address for the university given in the reference books. Write a separate letter to the Department Chair or Departmental Graduate Admissions Committee Chair requesting information about study and research in the department.
2. Your name, printed legibly or typed in exactly the same form and spelling each time, clearly indicating which of the names is the family name. in the United States, each person is identified primarily by a single family name or "last name" and it is customary to use only the father's family name as the son's or daughter's family name. It is best to use your name as it appears on your passport. Date of birth, printed or typed with month first, then day and year as it corresponds to the (Gregorian) calendar used in the United States. Example: May 6, 1967 is 5/6/67. If a different calendar is used in your country, "translate" into the U.S. system and be sure to always use the same birth date.
3. Mailing address. (See Table IV.)
4. Citizenship and country issuing passport.
5. Marital status and number of dependents.
6. Past and present education, in chronological order, including secondary schools, technical programs, colleges and universities attended, with examination results, grades and rank in class, if known.
7. Program of study, stated as specifically as possible, with the month and year in which you hope to begin studying in the United States.
8. Total funds available to meet your educational and living expenses during each year of study in the United States, and sources of these funds.
9. Scores of TOEFL and required admissions tests, if available, or dates on which you are registered to take these examinations.
10. Number of years of English language study and where you studied.
11. These items will enable admissions officers to judge whether application at a particular level is suitable and to indicate chances for admission.

Although U.S. educational institutions vary in their procedures and requirements for admission of students from other countries, formal applications usually include most of the following:

1. Institutional application form;
2. Certified copies of original educational documents;
3. Certified translations of these documents if not originally in English;
4. Evidence of English language proficiency (usually TOEFL);
5. Scores for any required academic entrance examinations;
6. Financial information, with applications for financial aid if requested;
7. Letters of recommendation from teachers; and
8. Non-refundable application fee of $25 to $100. As in the initial inquiry, be sure that you print and spell your name in exactly the same way in each part of the application. Use the same name order, and indicate the family name, either by underlining it or writing it in all capital letters, for example: Richard John SMITH. If different parts of the application arrive separately -- for example, test scores or recommendation letters -- they will be placed in separate files if the names are even slightly different. Admissions files do not become active unless they are complete, so unless all items arrive and are placed together, no action will be taken. To help admissions officers keep all documents together, attach a note to each document which bears a different name or different spelling, giving the same first, second and family name you used on your application form. Use the name on the passport if possible.

Instructions for each application will differ. Follow them carefully, paying particular attention to closing dates or deadlines for receipt of completed applications. (See The College Board Handbook: Foreign Student Supplement.) Allow enough time for mail delivery. Often the closing date for students from other countries is earlier than for U.S. students. Usually applications for scholarships or fellowships must be submitted earlier than applications for admission.

Try to begin work on applications well before the deadline and submit completed applications two or three months before the closing date. This will allow the institutions time to evaluate the application before the peak of the selection period. If you are applying in a competitive field or to a selective institution, submit your application as early as possible.

If there are mail or currency restrictions in your home country, seek advice on effective application procedures from educational advising centers in your country.

Keep copies for your records of all documents and application forms submitted. Keep a record of when materials were mailed and where.

Throughout the application process, do the best that you can to comply with instructions, but if some procedure is impossible or some document is lost or cannot be obtained, state the situation in a letter with a cover letter from the advising office or the U.S. cultural affairs officer. Sometimes accommodations will be made for difficult circumstances.

Application Forms and Instructions ::

The glossary at the back of this handbook defines the more common technical terms that may be included in application forms. Most institutions want to know the kind of career you plan, as well as plans for career preparation and educational background.

Educational Documents

Each institution will specify the types of official records it requires to document past education. Usually they will require your entire scholastic record from secondary school and/or university sources. U.S. admissions officers prefer that transcripts of previous educational work be sent directly from your former schools. The institution may also furnish special forms on which school authorities are asked to write your grades and your academic performance relative to other students in your institution. If such forms are not provided, you or the school will be expected to submit official documents that provide this kind of information. If the admissions officer requests explanation of the grading and class ranking system or descriptions of courses that you have taken, this information should be furnished by an official of your school or university if possible.

As requested, send certified copies of the originals of diplomas, degrees or professional titles, or copies of full records of your performance in the comprehensive examinations administered in your home country. Do not send original documents unless there is no alternative; usually they cannot be returned. Copies should be certified with an official seal from the school or university or certified by a public official authorized to certify documents. In some countries these officials are called notaries public. If English translations are necessary, you may use the services of a professional translator or translate the document yourself. Such translations must also be certified by a notary public or another acceptable agency. U.S. embassies and consulates no longer certify documents, copies or translations.

Letters of Recommendation :

Some universities send recommendation forms with the application; if so, ask professors who know you and former employers to use these forms and to follow the instructions printed on them. If there are no specific instructions, ask three or four professors, administrators or employers who know you well to type letters on their own letterhead in English and send them directly to the university. To guarantee candor and confidentiality, you must arrange for the writer to mail your recommendation directly to the university without your reading it. As a courtesy, give them stamped airmail envelopes addressed to the institution. Write in the lower left hand corner of the envelope "Re: Application of (your name)."

Recommendations should include:

1. A statement about their experience with your academic work or employment;
2. An estimate of how your work compares with others in the same field with whom they have experience;
3. An assessment of your particular strengths;
4. Your rank in class, department or university if they know it; and
5. An assessment of your research experience and ability, if known.