Fall vs Spring: Best Term to Begin your Study Abroad Journey
Team YMGrad 9 Apr 2020 3052 views
Use AI to summarise 
Choosing between the Fall and Spring terms is a dilemma that many students have a hard time resolving. Which intake season can provide better internship and research opportunities? What are the Spring and Fall months? Is the Fall term over-hyped? Will going for the Spring term affect visa approval? The following table will answer all such questions and help you think straight.
| Criterion | FALL | SPRING |
| Term | Late August - Early January | January - Early May |
| Availability | Most of the universities accept Fall applications. | Fewer universities entertain applications for Spring term. |
| Intake | Larger intake; more networking opportunities. | Limited Seats; competition lesser than that of Fall. |
| Assistantships | Chances of getting assistantships are higher in Fall since it marks the beginning of the academic year. Most professors begin their research during this time. | Obtaining assistantships is relatively harder in the spring term. Nevertheless, good networking skills can fill this gap. |
| Internships | Fall students have the experience of one extra term at the end of a year which gives them an unfair advantage for getting a good internship. | Spring students have to wait an extra 4-5 months to get a better internship opportunity. |
| Job Opportunities | Fall students can show more of their experience to the employers at an early stage and get recruited. | Relatively lesser chances of getting a good job at an early stage. |
| Staff Support | No additional staff support received as such. | Spring students receive additional staff support since traditionally, students begin their education in the fall. |
| Visa | Getting Visa approval depends on financial factors, home times, and several other parameters but not admission term. | A Spring admission does not affect your visa application in any way whatsoever. |
Get a better idea of the universities that suit your profile through our FREE University Shortlisting Tool.
Sign Up to use it now!
