Matric students who want to study overseas tend to delay their applications, and only start preparing near the end of the year. Picture: Steve Lawrence/African News Agency (ANA) Archives
Cape Town - Study opportunities are few and far between for many South African students, with various reasons contributing towards that. However, opportunities have risen for students to pursue studying abroad.
Matric students who want to study overseas tend to delay their applications, and only start preparing near the end of the year.
Although not ideal, it is not too late for students to make applications, according to Rebecca Pretorius from Crimson Education.
“When it comes to applying to study abroad, especially to competitive universities, you should ideally give your application at least an 18-month lead time. Matrics who are only getting started now can still apply, but they haven’t left much room for error.
“To give yourself the best chance of getting into your dream university, make sure you give yourself enough time and get the right support,” she said.
Crimson Education is dedicated to helping students with their applications to universities. They hosted an online event for matrics to help their application journey, including application deadlines, essay writing strategies and university and course selection.
Many universities have started lowering admissions amid a higher influx of applications. For their projected class of 2026, Harvard University’s acceptance rate fell to just 3.2%, it’s lowest figure since inception.
“Many top, competitive schools are missed, because students and families don’t have the insight that domestic students do into the university landscape, the choices available to them, or even how they stack up against other applicants in the areas that count,” Pretorius said.
One South African student followed the guides and ensured that they had a strong application, and got accepted at Harvard.
Crimson assists learners’ admissions application process for top-ranked universities in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit http://www.crimsoneducation.org/za
matthew.petersen@inl.co.za