By Eric Tiettmeyer

ADMISSIONS TO GRADUATE PROGRAMS ABROAD
Applying to universities abroad for graduate school is usually fairly simple. You apply through the international students section of the university's web site. In most cases,you will need a transcript, letters of recommendation and research proposal or other required writing sample. This may vary by degree.
Most universities abroad also offer open enrollment, so you can apply and enroll in classes as long as you can get your visa in order beforehand (see sidebar). Finally, you can apply for free at many universities abroad. So you have nothing to lose in applying!

WILL I NEED TO TAKE AN ADMISSIONS TEST?
U.S. universities typically want you to take admission tests before applying for their graduate schools. American Universities
abroad will also want these scores, in most cases. And Caribbean-based medical schools also request the MCAT.
So what are these admissions tests?
The most common exam is the GRE (Graduate Record
Examinations) which most graduate schools do require for most graduate degrees outside except business. It takes about two and a half hours with two essay questions, a quantitative ability section of 28 multiple-choice questions and a verbal ability section of 30 multiple-choice questions.
The most common exam is the GRE (Graduate Record
Examinations) which most graduate schools do require for most graduate degrees outside except business. It takes about two and a half hours with two essay questions, a quantitative ability section of 28 multiple-choice questions and a verbal ability section of 30 multiple-choice questions.
The GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) is a four hour exam for those looking to pursue a graduate degree in business and is composed of: an analytical writing section, a quantitative section and a verbal section.
The MCAT (Medical School Admissions Test) is a five and and half hour exam required for admission to medical schools. It has four parts: scientific reasoning of the physical sciences, scientific reasoning of the biological sciences, verbal reasoning and a writing sample.

Test preparation companies Princeton Review (www.princetonreview.com) and Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) each have classrooms and online training to help you plan and prepare for these tests.