Understanding the concept and timeline of intakes is crucial for any aspiring international student. An intake refers to an admission period during which institutions accept applications from students from around the world. These intakes are often aligned with academic terms or semesters, each one having its own application deadlines varying from institution to institution. The USA typically offers three major intakes per school year: Fall, Spring and Summer. Aspiring students often ask which intake is the best, but it’s really quite subjective—it depends on one’s educational goals and preferences. That said, it’s important for students to stay informed about the nuances among the three USA intakes to understand which one can best forward their personal objectives. In this article, we’ll focus on the summer intake in the USA: its timeline and what sets it apart, as well as summer intake universities in the USA for international students.
What is the summer intake in the USA?
The US summer intake typically has short courses or programs available. At this time, universities and colleges usually provide language programs to help non-native speakers learn English. Summer intakes in the USA typically begin in May and end in August, so application deadlines for summer intake in the USA are set around March.
Unlike the fall and spring intakes, only a limited number of universities and colleges provide admission during the summer intake. This means that while the summer intake may have fewer program offerings, it’s also much less competitive, indicating that students’ chances of landing an offer from a reputed institution increase considerably.
Summer intake universities in the USA
For students considering taking courses in this period, here’s a list of universities offering summer intake in the USA:
Clark University (Massachusetts)
As the first all-graduate institution in the USA, Clark has a long history of excellence in graduate education. It promotes a rigorous liberal arts curriculum within the context of research experience addressing challenges on a global scale. It hosts students from more than 90 countries and has partnerships with 150 nonprofits and businesses around the world. Clark’s summer session offers undergraduate and graduate classes in a variety of disciplines, delivered in multiple modalities to provide flexibility to meet student needs. Their summer session is open to all; applying to a Clark certificate or degree program is not required.
- Start of registration: 24 April
- Summer session dates: 21 May – 3 July, 7 July – 16 August, 21 May – 16 August
Clarkson University (New York)
Clarkson is a private research university with its main campus located in Potsdam, a small village of 9,500 people in northern New York. It’s a proven leader in technological education, research, innovation and sustainable economic development, impacting more than 7,800 students annually. It offers nationally recognised undergraduate and graduate STEM degrees in engineering, business, science and health professions; executive education, industry-relevant credentials and K-12 STEM programs. Clarkson is highly ranked by top external sources such as The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, PayScale and many more. It offers several summer sessions open to Clarkson students, including incoming freshmen and transfer students, students from other colleges who wish to take courses for transfer credit or those pursuing a specific educational objective.
- Start of enrolment period: 9 May
- Summer session dates: 20 May – 22 June (first 5-week session), 20 May – 3 August (10-week session), 1 July – 3 August (second 5-week session)
Northern Arizona University (Arizona)
NAU is a public doctoral university founded in 1899 that boasts high research activity. It transforms lives and enriches communities through high-quality academics and impactful scholarship, creative endeavours and public service. NAU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (one of six regional associations recognized by the US Department of Education), which extends through 2027-2028. It has 190+ undergraduate programs, 100+ undergraduate and graduate certificates and 400+ student clubs and organisations. Its summer term is offered on-campus or online, with multiple courses on the roster.
- Enrolment period: February to March
- Summer session dates: begins 13 May, 3 June or 8 July
Portland State University (Oregon)
PSU has been emboldening students and challenging the status quo for 75 years. It’s Oregon’s most diverse urban public research university offering more than 200 degree programs. It has about 26,000 students, 61% of whom are recipients of financial aid. Its summer term is the perfect time for students to get ahead on their degree path while staying connected online or on campus.
- Start of registration: 6 May
- Summer session dates: 24 June
San Francisco State University (California)
SF State is a major public urban university, situated in one of the world’s most popular cities. Building on a century-long history of commitment to quality teaching and broad access to undergraduate and graduate education, it offers academic programs that prepare students to become productive, ethical and active citizens with a global perspective. SF State graduates have won 21 Pulitzers, 16 Oscars, 49 Emmys, 10 Grammys and 12 Tonys. Furthermore, the university itself has won top honors while encouraging innovations that put it at the forefront of academia. It’s home to the nation’s first and only College of Ethnic Studies and was #7 for ethnic diversity among national universities in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings. Its summer session has over 600 courses to choose from. These are offered in person and online in synchronous, bichronous and asynchronous formats in five-, eight- and 10-week sessions.
- Application deadlines: 15 March (session R1, R2 or R4), 15 April (session R3)
- Summer session dates: June or July
upGrad GSP is a proud partner of these excellent universities offering summer intakes in the USA. To learn more about their offerings for international students, contact our business development experts today!
