How to apply through Common App? Guide for international students-2025

What is Common App?

 

Common App® is a non-profit membership organization representing more than 1,100 diverse institutions of higher education. Common App connects students and those who support them to a wide array of public and private colleges across all 50 U.S states and 18 countries.

You can explore more than 1000 Colleges on Common App and can apply to 20 Universities together through Common App with just one application. Most students use it to apply to universities in the USA, and a growing number of universities in other countries, including the UK, mainland Europe, China, Japan, and Australia.

 

When should students sign up to the Common App?

Common App launches a new application cycle on 1st August every year.

During this time new universities are added in the Common App and the universities partnered with Common App provide detailed requirements. So, students should set up their Common App within July-August so that they can see the latest updates on the requirements.

 

When do students need to submit the Common App?

Common App doesn’t sets any deadline by themselves rather the univerisities set their own deadlines of admission application, application materials submission and financial aid application. Though the deadline is fixed for the type of application a student starts.

  • Early Action
  • Early Decision
  • Regular decision
  • Rolling Admission

 

How to apply through the Common App?

  • Create a Common App account.
  • Fill out the Common Application requirements. For example- personal demographic, academic achievements, extracurricular activities section.
  • Select the colleges you want to apply.
  • Look for what the universities require for the admission process. For example academic transcripts, essays, test scores, letter of recommendations.
  • Then review if all the requirements are completed and submit each university application separately.
  • After that the Universities will download you submitted application and create a specific portal for you which is the Applicant Portal. You will be provided your login credentials through the email you have used to submit your application on the Common App.
  • And you are done! Now your school counselor and teachers will submit the recommendation letters for you through their Common App account.