Ivey’s Advice for International Students

International students should avoid applying in the last round, the Ivey MBA Recruiting and Admissions Blog advises in an entry posted yesterday.

Niki Da Silva addresses four issues that making applying for the February 2, 2010 deadline a dicey move for applicants coming from abroad.

Student Visas
This process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, so applying in one of the earlier rounds and applying for your student visa at the same as submitting your application will lessen the stress and anxiety of having to manage this process once you’re already received an offer of admission.

Funding
Upon accepting an offer of admission, international students must provide proof of sufficient funds to complete the Richard Ivey School of Business MBA program.

The earlier you apply, the more time you have to secure and provide proof of  funding, whether it be through work, loans, family means or other avenues.

Additionally, scholarship offers from Ivey are distributed at the same time as admissions offers, so more award funding is available the earlier you apply.

Cultural Acclimation
Da Silva writes that the adjustment to the Canadian culture and way of life (not to mention the weather!) can be quite a shock. International students are advised to arrive in London a few weeks ahead of the first day of the program to give themselves time to adjust.

Applying in a later application round may rush your travel and accommodation plans and  leave you with little time to settle in and adjust before the intensity of the MBA program begins.

Wait List
It’s possible that seats in the program may fill up even before the final application deadline. If you end up wait-listed, there is no way of knowing how long it will take before you have a definitive admissions decision, Da Silva explains.

Trying to arrange funding, visas, international travel and accommodations with only a  few weeks, or even a few days notice, is a stressful challenge that can be avoided.

Planning, planning planning is the key to a smooth application process no matter where you are applying, but the logistics are even more critical for international students.

Thanks, Niki Da Silva, for these helpful tips for our readers!

* * * * *

SBC_Harvard_Essay_Guide-150x150If you are feeling stumped by your application essays and need some additional guidance, check out our NEW series of essay guides for MBA applications. Columbia, Harvard, Kellogg, Stanford and Wharton available now. They are seriously terrific and we are proud to say that almost every person who has ordered one has come back for more!


We are on Facebook – join the Stacy Blackman Consulting group, or become a friend of Stacy Blackman.

I am on Twitter too…click to follow me on Twitter! www.twitter.com/stacyblackman

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.
*
*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Contact

(323) 934-3936
info@StacyBlackman.com

Latest Blog Post

The Big Question: Which Business Schools to Target?

Spring is all about transformation and new beginnings. And in our corner of the universe, that means it’s time for a fresh crop of MBA aspirants to evaluate their B-school options. Deciding which business ...