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Last modified: 2026-09-24

# Applying to US Universities: Step-by-Step Plan, Documents and 2027 Deadlines

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To start at a US university in fall 2027, you apply separately to each university on its own deadline: early deadlines at most selective universities fall on 1 November 2026, regular deadlines on 1–5 January 2027, and the University of California closes on 30 November 2026. You apply online, most often through Common App, with your upper-school grades, a school report, recommendations, essays, SAT or ACT scores if the university requires them, and proof of English. Admissions officers read the whole file; there is no single entrance exam. After admission the university checks your funding and issues Form I-20, which you need for the F-1 visa.

This is a working checklist: the steps in order, who sends each document, how to translate school records, what applying actually costs and what to do once decisions arrive. For an overview of the system, institution types and prices, see [bachelor's degrees in the USA](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-bachelors-in-the-usa).

Healy Hall, the main historic building of Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., USA. Photo: Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Healy_Hall,_Georgetown_University,_Georgetown,_Washington,_DC_(39641791973).jpg), [CC0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en).

## Who decides what {#section-1}

| Decision | Who makes it | What you control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Admission | The university's admissions committee | A complete, consistent file submitted on time |
| Financial aid | The university or a funder | Accurate aid forms submitted by the deadline |
| Credit for previous university study | The university, sometimes via an evaluation report | Transcripts and course descriptions |
| Form I-20 | The university, after verifying funding | Bank statements and sponsor letters |
| F-1 visa | The US consulate | Interview preparation and an early appointment |

## The whole process on one page {#section-2}

| Step | What to do | When (fall 2027 entry) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Choose 8–12 universities and record each one's requirements | September–October 2026 |
| 2 | Register for the SAT or ACT and an English test | September–October 2026 (SAT on 7 November: register by 23 October) |
| 3 | Arrange the transcript, School Report and recommendations with your school | October 2026 |
| 4 | Write the main essay and university-specific answers | September–December 2026 |
| 5 | Submit early applications | By 1 November 2026; UC by 30 November |
| 6 | Submit financial aid forms | November 2026 – February 2027, per university |
| 7 | Submit regular applications | By 1–5 January 2027 |
| 8 | Send mid-year grades, attend interviews | January–February 2027 |
| 9 | Compare offers, pay a deposit | March – 1 May 2027 |
| 10 | Receive the I-20, pay the SEVIS fee, attend the visa interview | May–July 2027 |

If you are a year earlier in school, run the same plan a year later: you gain time for an SAT retake and for activities.

## Step 1. Build a list where every university has a role {#section-3}

A good list has 8–12 universities: reach, target and likely options. For international applicants, two filters change the outcome more than rankings do.

Financial aid policy. MIT and Harvard review international applicants need-blind and meet full demonstrated need. Cornell is need-aware for international students: an aid request is one factor in the decision. The University of Michigan does not offer financial aid to students on temporary visas. If your family cannot pay the full budget, universities without aid for international students cannot be your safety options.

Testing requirements. For fall 2027, the SAT or ACT is required at MIT, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cornell and Dartmouth; Princeton and Columbia still accept applications without scores; the University of California does not consider them at all. If there is no SAT centre in your country, plan the trip at this stage. (Applicants from Russia should note that Stanford and Yale are on Russia's list of "undesirable" organisations.)

For each university, record the programme, application plan, deadline, tests, English, number of recommendations, supplemental essays and aid forms with their deadlines. For shortlists by region and selectivity, see [US universities for international students](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-the-usa-for-international-students) and [Ivy League admissions](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-ivy-league-admissions).

## Step 2. Pick the application platform {#section-4}

- Common App — one application accepted by more than 1,100 member colleges. You complete the profile, main essay and activities once; each university adds its own questions, essays and recommendation rules. Harvard, Stanford, Princeton and Cornell, for example, take Common App.
- University of California — its own application; one submission covers the UC campuses you choose. The fall filing period runs from 1 October to 30 November 2026.
- University portals. MIT uses only its own portal for the form, essays, recommendations, scores and decisions.
- Direct applications on the university website at some public and smaller private institutions.

Check the platform for every university before you start writing: it decides how many separate texts you need.

## Step 3. Documents and who sends them {#section-5}

In the US system, much of the file comes from your school or the testing agency rather than from you. Decide early who will act as your school official: Common App calls this role the counsellor. In schools without a college counsellor, a deputy head or form tutor with access to grades usually takes it on.

| Document | Sent by | What matters |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upper-school transcript | School | UC asks for records from grade 9; grades are reported as they appear, not converted |
| School Report and counsellor recommendation | School official | Describes the school and your place in it |
| Two teacher recommendations | Teachers | MIT asks for one maths or science teacher and one humanities teacher |
| Mid-year report | School | Stanford wants it by 15 February; MIT collects mid-year grades via its February update form |
| Final report and final grades | School | Harvard: by 1 July after admission |
| SAT, ACT | You self-report; official reports come from College Board or ACT | Harvard, Stanford, Yale and Cornell accept self-reported scores and require official ones on enrolment |
| English test | Testing agency | MIT and Penn publish benchmarks; Harvard does not require a test |
| Financial documents | You and sponsors | Pace, for example, asks for a financial affidavit and bank statement for the I-20 |

### Translating school documents

Rules differ, and translations are a common cause of delays:

- Harvard does not require a professional translator: an English teacher may translate, but you may not translate your own documents. The translation must include the translator's name and relationship to you, with the original attached.
- Penn requires certified translations of any materials not in English. It does not want third-party evaluations, and applicants should not recalculate grades or GPAs.
- Pace accepts transcripts translated and attested by the issuing institution or an approved agency. Photocopies and notarised copies are for review only; official documents are needed by enrolment.
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign does not want official transcripts at the application stage; they are required only if you enrol.

US universities rarely require an apostille at the application stage. If a university or evaluation agency asks for one, in Russia it is issued by the regional education authority where the certificate was issued, for a state fee of RUB 2,500 (about $30).

## Step 4. Tests: when to sit them and how to send scores {#section-6}

The SAT is taken on a computer in the Bluebook app. Remaining 2026–27 dates: 7 November and 5 December 2026, 6 March, 1 May and 5 June 2027 (registration for 3 October closed on 22 September). For early applications that leaves 7 November; for regular ones, 5 December. Harvard recommends November scores for regular applicants but accepts December SAT results. MIT requires tests to be taken by 30 November for Early Action and by 31 December for Regular Action.

The first four SAT score reports are free if ordered within nine days of the test; each additional report costs $15. ACT fees include reports to four colleges. Many universities superscore — combining your best section results across sittings — including MIT, Cornell, Dartmouth and Yale.

College Board lists no SAT centres in Russia or Belarus; the nearest are in Kazakhstan, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye and the UAE. For a comparison of the two tests, ACT dates and score conversion, see [SAT or ACT](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-sat-or-act).

For English, ETS lists the TOEFL iBT fee as $325 in Russia and $175 in Kazakhstan; available dates and formats appear at registration. Since 21 January 2026 TOEFL uses a new 1–6 scale, and universities publish thresholds on it: MIT lists a minimum of 5 for tests taken on or after that date, instead of the previous 90.

## Step 5. Essays, supplements and recommendations {#section-7}

You write the main Common App essay once and it goes to every Common App university. Supplemental questions differ: Harvard asks five short questions of up to 150 words each — about life experiences, a disagreement, activities outside class, future plans and what your roommates should know about you. These questions test whether you know where you are applying, so one text for all universities will not work.

Teachers need time. Ask for recommendations in October, give each teacher your list with deadlines and a short note on the work you did together. If a teacher writes in another language, the translation follows the university's rules (see step 3).

Not every university interviews. At MIT, an alumni interviewer may contact you after you apply; if none is available in your area, the interview is waived and your application is not disadvantaged.

## Step 6. Deadlines and application plans {#section-8}

Key dates for fall 2027 at universities that have published them:

| Date | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| 1 October 2026 | University of California applications open |
| 1 November 2026 | Early deadlines: MIT (Early Action), Harvard and Stanford (Restrictive Early Action), Princeton (Single-Choice Early Action), Pace (Early Decision) |
| 15 November 2026 | Pace Early Action 1 |
| 30 November 2026 | UC deadline; MIT aid forms for Early Action |
| Mid-December 2026 | Early decisions at MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton |
| 1 January 2027 | Regular deadline at Harvard and Princeton |
| 4–5 January 2027 | Regular deadline at MIT (4 January) and Stanford (5 January) |
| 15 February 2027 | MIT aid forms for Regular Action; Stanford mid-year grades; Pace moves to rolling admission |
| Mid-March – early April 2027 | Regular decisions |
| 1 May 2027 | Reply deadline |

How the plans differ:

- Early Action — early and non-binding; you can apply EA to several universities unless one of them restricts it.
- Restrictive / Single-Choice Early Action — also non-binding, but you cannot apply early to other private universities at the same time. Harvard still allows non-binding early applications to US public universities and to universities outside the US, and if you are deferred you may apply Early Decision II elsewhere.
- Early Decision — binding: if admitted, you withdraw other applications. An international student who needs aid should decide only after running the university's net price calculator.
- Regular Decision — the main round.
- Rolling — decisions go out as applications come in, until the class is full.

## Step 7. Financial aid forms are a separate file {#section-9}

Aid applications have their own deadlines. MIT wants financial documents by 30 November for Early Action and by 15 February for Regular Action. Each university lists the forms and income documents it needs, usually including parental income and assets. At some universities you cannot apply for aid later if you did not apply with your admission file, so decide whether to ask for aid before you submit, not after the decisions. See [financial aid for international students in the USA](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-financial-aid-for-international-students-usa).

## Step 8. After decisions: deposit, I-20 and visa {#section-10}

1. Compare offers. Look at what your family will actually pay after aid, not at the tuition figure. Reply by 1 May.
2. Pay the deposit. At Pace: $100 to confirm your place and $400 to reserve housing if you live on campus.
3. Document your funding. The university issues the I-20 once you show funds covering the budget minus any aid.
4. Pay the SEVIS fee. The I-901 fee for F-1 students is $350.
5. Complete the DS-160 and book an interview. The visa fee is $185. Apply where you live; Russian nationals are directed to Warsaw or Astana. A student visa can be issued up to 365 days before the programme start date, and you may enter no earlier than 30 days before it. F-1 applicants must set social media accounts to public.
6. Send final grades. The university expects your school's final report, and discrepancies can cost you the place: Stanford, for example, reserves the right to revoke admission if official scores do not match self-reported ones.

Details: [F-1 student visa](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-f1-student-visa-usa).

## What applying costs {#section-11}

Before paying any tuition, families spend money just on applications and the visa. An example for ten universities and one SAT trip:

| Item | Amount |
| --- | --- |
| Application fees | $75–100 each: MIT $75, Cornell $85, Harvard $95, Stanford $100; for ten universities about $850–950 |
| SAT outside the US | $111 per sitting; some centres add $24 |
| ACT outside the US | $188.50 without science, $198.50 with science |
| Extra SAT score reports | $15 each beyond the four free ones |
| TOEFL iBT | $325 in Russia, $175 in Kazakhstan |
| SEVIS fee | $350 |
| Visa fee | $185 |
| Travel | SAT trip and visa interview travel, depending on your route |

If a payment from Russia does not go through, use only a legal payment route: see [how to pay for studies abroad from Russia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia).

## Common mistakes {#section-12}

- Registering for the SAT after finalising the list in November. Registration for 7 November closes on 23 October, and a test centre abroad still has to be found.
- Your school hears about the application in December. School documents are the slowest part of the file. Show the forms to your school in October.
- Translating your own transcript. Harvard forbids it; Penn and Pace require certified or attested translations.
- Converting grades to a GPA. Penn asks you not to; report grades as they appear unless a university gives its own instructions.
- Early Decision without a money plan. A binding plan plus insufficient aid is the hardest scenario.
- Planning to request aid after admission. At some universities that is not possible.
- One application for all. Supplemental questions differ, and admissions officers notice when an answer was written for another university.

## How StudyU can help {#section-13}

Only the initial consultation is free. University selection, requirement checks, an application calendar, essay and document work, and support through the visa stage are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Admission decisions are made by universities, aid decisions by universities or funders, visa decisions by the US consulate. Universities and routes are collected on [Study in the USA](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-usa).

## FAQ {#faq}

### When should I start preparing to apply to US universities?

Twelve to eighteen months before you plan to start. For fall 2027, you need your list and test registrations in September–October 2026, because early deadlines fall on 1 November. If you are a year earlier in school, starting now and applying next year is the better plan.

### How many universities should I apply to?

Usually 8–12. That gives you reach, target and likely options while keeping each supplemental essay serious. Fees at selective universities usually run $75–100 per application; some colleges charge nothing.

### Can I apply without the SAT?

Yes, to universities where tests are optional or not considered: Princeton and Columbia in the 2026–27 cycle, the University of California. MIT, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cornell and Dartmouth require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027.

### Do I need an apostille on my school certificate?

Usually not at the application stage. US universities want a transcript from your school and a translation that follows their rules. An apostille may be needed if a university or evaluation agency asks for one.

### Who completes the School Report if my school has no counsellor?

Any school official with access to your grades — for example a deputy head or form tutor — can take the counsellor role in Common App. What matters is that they can officially confirm the information and send it on time.

### What happens if I am deferred or waitlisted?

A deferred early application moves to the regular round, and the university waits for new grades. A waitlist means the university may decide later if places open up; meanwhile you should accept another offer by 1 May.

### When should I apply for the F-1 visa?

After you receive the I-20 and pay the SEVIS fee. The visa can be issued up to 365 days before the programme starts. Book your interview soon after you reply to the university in May, especially if you must travel to another country for it.

## Sources {#section-15}

- [Common App](https://www.commonapp.org/) and [first-year guide](https://www.commonapp.org/apply/first-year-students) — checked 24 September 2026
- [University of California: deadlines](https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-freshman/) and [international requirements](https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/international-applicants/applying-for-admission/index.html) — checked 24 September 2026
- [MIT: deadlines and requirements](https://mitadmissions.org/apply/firstyear/deadlines-requirements/), [tests](https://mitadmissions.org/apply/firstyear/tests-scores/), [affordability](https://sfs.mit.edu/undergraduate-students/the-cost-of-attendance/) — checked 24 September 2026
- [Harvard: dates and plans](https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/apply/first-year-applicants), [requirements](https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/apply/application-requirements), [international applicants](https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/apply/international-applicants) — checked 24 September 2026
- [Stanford: deadlines](https://admission.stanford.edu/apply/first-year/index.html) and [testing](https://admission.stanford.edu/apply/first-year/testing.html); [Princeton: dates](https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/first-year-application-dates-deadlines) and [testing](https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/standardized-testing); [Yale](https://admissions.yale.edu/standardized-testing); [Columbia](https://undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/apply/process/testing); [Dartmouth](https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/apply/testing-policy); [Cornell](https://admissions.cornell.edu/policies/standardized-testing-policy) — checked 24 September 2026
- [Penn](https://admissions.upenn.edu/how-to-apply/international-applicants); [Pace](https://catalog.pace.edu/undergraduate/general-university/admission/international-student-applicants/); [UIUC](https://admissions.illinois.edu/international-requirements/); [University of Michigan](https://admissions.umich.edu/apply/international-applicants) — checked 24 September 2026
- [College Board: SAT dates](https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/dates-deadlines) and [international fees](https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/registration/international-testing/fees); [ACT: non-US fees](https://global.act.org/content/global/en/products-and-services/the-act-non-us/registration/fees.html); [ETS: TOEFL iBT fees](https://www.ets.org/toefl/test-takers/ibt/register/fees.html) — checked 24 September 2026
- [US Department of State: designated NIV processing posts](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/list-of-posts-niv.html), [social media screening](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/announcement-of-expanded-screening-and-vetting-for-visa-applicants.html); [student visa](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html); [ICE: SEVIS fee](https://www.ice.gov/sevis/i901) — checked 24 September 2026
- [Tax Code of the Russian Federation, art. 333.33 (apostille fee)](https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_28165/7f6aa2a30ed6c4b39a5890e07c7494d9c278b8ea/) — checked 23 September 2026; Bank of Russia rate on 24 September 2026: $1 = RUB 84.3969

[During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply)

## Next steps

- [Bachelor's Degree in the USA: How It Works, What It Costs and How to Apply for 2027](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-bachelors-in-the-usa)
- [Financial Aid for International Students in the USA: Need-Based Grants, Merit Scholarships and Assistantships](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-financial-aid-for-international-students-usa)
- [Ivy League Admissions for International Students: The Eight Universities, Admit Rates, Costs and How to Apply for Fall 2027](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-ivy-league-admissions)
- [SAT or ACT: Which Test to Take for US Admission in 2026–27](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-sat-or-act)
- [How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia)
- [Studying in the USA for international applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-usa)

Updated: September 2026