FROM INDIA · CHAPTER 1
Your study abroad timeline,month by month.
For a September or autumn start, begin about 15–18 months ahead. Tests and shortlisting come first (spring and summer of the year before), applications in the autumn and winter, admits, scholarships and loans from January to April, then proof of funds, visa, housing and flights between April and August. Country deadlines differ: UK undergraduate (UCAS) and many US master's programmes close in December or January, French Licence 1 applications by 15 December, and German winter-semester deadlines often fall between January and 15 July. February intakes (Australia, some Canadian and German programmes) shift everything about six months.
Published by Althéa Consulting · Adviser: Harshita Kohli
Source review: · How to use our guides
- Start planning
- 15–18 months ahead
- Main application window
- Oct – Jan
- For autumn intakes
- Visa applications
- 3–4 months before start
- Arrive
- 1–3 weeks before classes
- Within each visa's earliest-entry rule
The plan for a September 2027 start
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| April – June 2026 | Decide on countries, level and field. Set a total budget with your family, including living costs and a 5–10% currency margin. Check eligibility (years of education, minimum marks, backlogs). Apply for or renew your passport. |
| June – September 2026 | Prepare and take IELTS, PTE, TOEFL or Duolingo, and GRE/GMAT if your programmes need them; leave time for one retake. Shortlist 8–12 programmes across ambition levels. Ask two or three referees early. |
| September – December 2026 | Write a tailored SOP or motivation letter for each programme. Apply: UCAS (UK undergraduate), US master's priority rounds, Études en France (France), uni-assist or direct portals (Germany), university portals (UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia). Start APS if you are going to Germany. Apply for early scholarships (Chevening, Eiffel through your French institution). |
| January – March 2027 | Admits arrive. Compare total cost, outcomes and location. Apply for education loans with 2–3 lenders. Accept one offer and pay any deposit. Open a German blocked account if needed. |
| March – May 2027 | Receive your CAS (UK), I-20 (USA), LOA (Canada), CoE (Australia) or final admission letter. Arrange proof of funds and get the loan sanction letter. Book the visa appointment; US F-1 slots in India go fast. Do any visa medical or TB test required. |
| May – July 2027 | Submit the visa and give biometrics. Book accommodation and health insurance. Arrange forex and the first tuition remittance. Book flights once the visa is approved. |
| July – August 2027 | Collect originals and apostilles, pack medicines with prescriptions, set up international roaming or an eSIM, tell your Indian bank you are going abroad. Fly in time for orientation. |
| First 30 days | Residence permit or registration steps, bank account, local SIM, health registration, transport pass and university enrolment: see your country's arrival chapter. |
Master document checklist
- Passport valid well beyond your course (renew first if it expires within a year or two of the end date), plus scans
- Visa or entry approval and its printouts or eVisa details
- Offer letter and CAS, I-20, LOA, CoE or attestation d'inscription
- Class 10 and 12 marksheets, degree or provisional certificate, transcripts, medium-of-instruction letter (originals and apostilled copies where needed)
- Test score reports (IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, APS certificate)
- Proof of funds: bank statements, loan sanction letter, scholarship letter, blocked-account confirmation
- Fee payment receipts and the remittance (Form A2) acknowledgement
- Health insurance policy and vaccination records
- Accommodation contract or booking confirmation
- Prescriptions for any medicines you carry
- Passport-size photos in the destination's format
- PAN and Aadhaar copies, for Indian banking from abroad
- Emergency contacts on paper: university, landlord, Indian mission, family
IN DEPTH · TAP A TOPIC TO OPEN
Earliest arrival rules
| Country | How early can you enter? |
|---|---|
| UK | Up to one month before the course starts (courses longer than six months) |
| USA | Up to 30 days before the start date on your I-20 |
| Canada | Any time once you hold the approval; arrive before classes start |
| Australia | Usually up to 90 days before the course start |
| France, Germany, Ireland | From the start date of your long-stay visa |
February and spring intakes
Australia's main intakes are February and July, and many Canadian colleges and some German, Irish and UK programmes admit in January or February. Move the whole table back about six months: tests by mid-year, applications around August–October, visas by November–December.
QUICK ANSWERS
Your questions, answered.
About 15–18 months before your intake. For a September 2027 start, decide on countries and take your tests in mid-2026, apply between October 2026 and January 2027, and handle loans, visa and housing from March to August 2027.
As soon as you have your CAS, I-20, LOA, CoE or admission letter and your proof of funds, usually 3–4 months before the course starts. Book US visa appointments as early as the system allows.
WHERE TO GO NEXT
Keep going: the pages that help next.
Each card says what you will find there. Looking for something else? See every page on the site.
TOOL
Compare countries
Compare countries on fees, living costs, visa rules and post-study work, in one table.
DESTINATIONS
Destinations
France today, with six more countries coming soon: each has a complete research guide.
FROM INDIA
Documents & attestation
Indian documents for study abroad: transcripts, degree certificates, MOI letters, gap explanations, MEA apostille, notarisation, WES/ECA and sworn translations.
ADMISSIONS
Admissions process
How applications work, from shortlist to offer, and where students go wrong.
YOUR OWN PLAN
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studying abroad from India?
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