Summer Intake in UK 2024 : Top Universities & How to Apply

The summer intake in UK takes place in May every year. A limited number of universities and colleges offer admissions to international applicants during this intake. Most courses at the institutions in the United Kingdom (UK) get filled up within the spring and autumn intakes. However, this can be a good time to apply for various reasons. 

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Summer Intake in the UK – Know more about it 

International aspirants do not usually prefer the May intake since most seats are filled up at leading institutions in the September-January period. The May intake is only available at a limited number of UK universities with fewer course options. The main reason is that students usually take breaks during the spring term. Your chances of securing a seat increase during this period as lesser students apply in the summer intake. 

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Merits and Demerits of the Summer Intake in UK

The advantages include: 

• Competition is lower during the summer intake, and a limited number of students apply during this time. Automatically, your chances of securing a seat become much higher. 
• The sizes of batches are comparatively smaller during the summer intake. Hence, this increases your chances of getting chosen during placements as well. 
• The January intake is sometimes too early to apply for students, while the September intake is far off. Hence, the May intake is the best choice in this scenario so that they do not have to skip an entire year. 

The disadvantages include the following: 

• There may be limited availability of institutions during this period. 
• You may not always find the course of your choice in the summer intake. 

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Summer Intake in UK : Timeline

If you wish to book a seat in the summer or May intake, then you will have to apply soon after application forms are released officially by universities. You should not wait till the very end of the deadline. The usual application timeline is between October and January. Classes are held between May and August. However, always keep checking the official websites of the universities for their timelines and updates. 

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Step by step Application Guide for the Summer Intake

Here are the steps that you need to follow: 

• List out all the institutions offering the May intake and see whether you are eligible as per their requirements. Then choose the courses which suit your needs. 
• Keep checking the official websites of all these institutions for more information on the application timelines. Apply well in advance. 
• At the same time, before applying, keep some time for appearing for your IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT, and other standardized examinations. Have some time in hand to retake them if you are not satisfied with your scores. 
• You should always apply as early as possible and send all supporting documents. This will be anytime between October and January. 
• Wait for the official letter of acceptance from your university. Upon receiving the same, start the formalities for obtaining your study visa. You can also apply for your education loan, scholarships and arrange for other funding at this time. 

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Necessary Documents

You will require multiple documents to complete the application process smoothly. Here’s taking a look at the same: 

• Official academic transcripts. 
• GMAT/GRE scores and IELTS/TOEFL scores. 
• LORs or letters of recommendation. 
• SOP or Statement of Purpose. 
• Passport-sized photograph. 
• A valid passport. 

Universities may ask for some additional documents as well. 

Institutions Offering Summer Intake and Their Courses:

Name of the Institution	Summer Intake Courses
Coventry University	MBA (Business Administration, Healthcare, AI, Sustainable Tourism, Cyber Security Management)MSc in Civil Engineering Project Management MSc in Business and Organisational Psychology MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy International Foundation Year Courses in Accounting and Finance, Business, Art, Design & Media, Biosciences, Engineering, Computing, Nursing, Law and Public Health.
Keele University	Adult Nursing, Children’s Nursing, Learning Disability Nursing and Mental Health Nursing
Northumbria University	BA in Business Enterprise, Creation and Management MSc Business in Business Analytics, Financial Management, Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, Hospitality & Tourism Management, Computing & Technology, Marketing Management, and International Management. MSc in Computing and Technology and also in Cyber Security
Queen Mary University of London	International Relations, International Public Policy and MSc or Extended MSc in International Dispute Resolution
Ulster University	Extended MSc in International Business, Data Analytics, and Marketing, Human Resource Management, Advanced Practice and more.
University of Chester	Business Administration, Engineering Management,  International Business, International Finance Management, Health Services Management, and more.
Sheffield Hallam University	Sports & Exercise Science.
West of Scotland University	Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Salford University	Masters in Management
Richmond University of London	MBA in General/HR/Marketing and MA in Advertising and PR or International Relations
BPP University	MSc in Management with Project Management, LLM and MSc in Management.

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Deadlines for Applying for Summer Intake in UK

The application deadline is mostly the 30th of April for the summer or May intake at universities and colleges in the UK. 

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Check Eligibility to Study in UK

How can you Apply via UCAS? 

Before starting with your application, you should first get yourself registered. Upon registering with the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), you will have to answer some basic queries regarding your personal information. You will receive your username while having to make your password. 

After signing in, you will see the page where you have to enter all your details. Every question has a question mark at the end where you will find helpful. The education section is where you have to enter information about all the institutions that you have attended, including schools, colleges, and universities, along with your qualifications. You should have all your certificates at hand to ensure that you are providing accurate information. Your statement comes next. This is your opportunity to demonstrate why you wish to go to university in the UK and study a particular course. You have to write in a maximum of 4,000 characters. There are tools to help you polish this personal statement.  

You will require one reference before applying. This should come from a past/current teacher or even somebody like your employer. The reference cannot come from any friend, family member, or loved one. If you are applying via your educational institution, you will have to key in the buzzword, linking the application to the institution. In this format, the teacher will also write the reference for you. The college/school will view your application and help you with insights, if needed. They will also be sending it to UCAS without any hassles for you. 

For those applying by themselves, you can find the Options section where any registered centre, college or school may be added by you for writing the reference. This requires the buzzword from the institution, and you will have to finalize things with them in advance. At the same time, you can also enter the contact information of your references in the allocated section. Then you will get emails with instructions on what they have to do. If you wish to take this route, make sure that you ask your referees whether they are okay with providing the reference before dispatching this request. Once they complete their reference, UCAS will email the candidate, and the red tick marking will be present for the reference segment. 

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