12 Tips on How to Send College Application Package

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Ashwin asks:I have submitted online application and paid the graduate school application fee using credit card. I have sent all the required documents to the university in the U.S. I have a few questions:

  1. Is it okay to put all the documents in the cover and send the package?
  2. Universities have asked not to use express mail service for P.O. box address. I plan to send using Blue Dart. What should I do?

College Application Package

This aspect of the graduate school application process is usually overlooked. Most of you would just insert all the documents into the cover and send (via mail or courier) the documents to the university.

I have to say that in the entire process, you have to show your organizational skills in every aspect of your application.

  • How does one present a graduate application in a professional way?
  • What goes into a graduate school application packet?

Organizing Application Materials

  1. Arrange the application materials in their proper order.
  2. Create an index page (or cover letter) that lists all the documents enclosed.
  3. This application index page should be the first document in the packet.
  4. Sort all the documents in the same order as listed in the index page.
  5. Use good quality paper to print the documents (resumé, SOP, etc.).
  6. If one set of document is more than 1 page, don’t print back to back. For instance, if your SOP is 2 pages, then print the second page in separate paper, and so on.
  7. Don’t staple the pages, instead use paper clips to join them.
  8. Include the online application submission confirmation page.
  9. Include online application fee payment receipt (if paid online).
  10. Don’t send a photo with the graduate school application packet.
  11. Include a copy of your GRE and TOEFL score reports.
  12. Include your name (or student ID assigned after submitting the online application) in all the documents.
    • Your SOP, resumé, certificates, all the documents must bear your name/ID in every page.
    • For transcripts and LOR, write name/ID using a pencil on top of each official transcript.

How to Mail the Package

Packages can be sent through two different ways:

  1. Postal Service (like the Indian Postal Service, Unites States Postal Service, etc.)
  2. Express Courier Service (such as FedEx, DHL, Blue Dart, DTDC, UPS, etc.)

Universities will provide you with 2 addresses to send the documents.

  1. Regular physical address
  2. P.O. box address

If you are sending your application through courier services, you HAVE to mail the application packet to a regular physical address. Courier services will NOT deliver the packets to a P.O. box address.

If the physical address is NOT listed in the college or university website and you plan to send the application through a courier service, get the address from the graduate school (call or email) and courier the package to the specified address given to you.

Related: How to apply for Colleges in the USA

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26 Comments

  1. All the documents are already sealed so should I need to open it and then send putting all the documents in one envelope or just make each 1 set for each college suppose each university has 7 envelopes just we have put in rubber band by putting fees receipt and cover letter it will be ok?

    Reply

  3. Hey,

    If u can make a Video about it and post it on your youtube channel that would be so clear.

    Do I have to put in my CV, SOP in separate small envelope ?
    later on with the bigger envelope ?

    Cover letter should be mailed in a paper for unfolded in the bigger envelope or do i have to put it in a separate envelope ?

    Latter on should i use a rubber band to separate small envelope from the the cover letter.
    Reply ASAP.

    Thank you

    Reply

  5. please can someone help out. i want to apply for a graduate scholarship in one of the US Universities and i have downloaded the scholarship form from the school website. please am i to send the form with my application document to the school?

    Reply

  6. Hi,

    I had actually submitted my online application and payment after the application packets reached the university admissions offices.

    Will they reject my application because of non-receipt of payment?

    Has anyone heard of such a case.

    Awaiting your reply.

    Thanks in advance.

    Best Regards,

    Bhaswati

    Reply

  7. Could you send me the list of top 5 universities for ABM (Agri Business Management) and MBA respectively ?

    Reply

  8. i want to information about total payment required to do M.S. IN PHARMACEUTICS. & GIVE ME SOME COLLEGES name to run M.S. in pharmaceutcs.

    Reply

  9. i want to information about H1B VISA

    & also a future of M.S. in PHARMACEUTICS. IN USA & How many score is required in GRE & TOEFEL Exam.

    Reply

  10. hello sir

    i have one problem. i am stay in india i am doing B.pharm. i want to complete my master degree in usa. my uncle in usa & he have a green card. so tell him to sent me a sponcer letter but i don't know benefit of these letter so tell me pls………

    Reply

  12. How do i attach an index page or a cover page to my admission documents as they are all in seperate envelopes and are sealed?

    Reply

    1. You are going to put all the sealed documents in single cover and mail that cover right? Add an index page to that envelop. It's obvious that one cannot add index page to each cover that contains Transcripts, LOR.

      Reply

      1. does it mean i am going to number each envelope and put each document no. on the index page because i am still uncertain on how to index my documents. Please advise on this

        Reply

        1. Yes, you can do that too. USe pencil to number each document. For example you will have 3 LORS. Number them as LOR1, LOR2 and LOR3. In Index Page, say

          1) Application Confirmation
          2) Transcripts
          3) Letter of Recommendation ( LOR1, LOR2 and LOR3)
          4) SOP
          5) Resume
          6) Copies of Certificates
          7) Copy of Front and Last Page in passport..
          8) ….

          Got it?

          Reply

  13. Hey,

    Can anyone tell me how much time does it take for the package to reach the university via postal service and via express courier service.

    Thank You

    Reply

  14. I want to know if I have to wait for my TOEFL and GRE score and then apply online, or I can apply online now and then after reciving my scores, mail my documents?

    Will there be any problem if there is a gap between aplying online and mailing documents?

    Reply

  15. i think the materials asked should only be present in an application package. I don't think one can send a copy of gre and toefl unless asked. Also, i doubt if the online confirmation form can be sent.

    Reply

  16. What medium we should actually choose to put these documents in? an envelope is fine or shall v buy some files where we can arrange all the listed documents properly? In an envelope documents will get folded up badly and in files transcript and letter of recommendation envelope would look odd. So kindly suggest the proper way of putting the application material in an professional way. Thanx in advance, Please post soon.

    Reply

    1. Niharika,

      Put the documents in a huge envelope (Ask for a BIG Bubble-wrap envelope at a famous Stationary or for an envelope which has cloth/fabric stuck to its insides).

      Reply

    1. I having question. How getting scholarship to USA. Wanting to go USA to university and learning English. How get scholarship. Who send scholarship? And how send?

      Reply

      1. Dude…You need to improve your English language. Or else, it might be difficult to succeed in US. No offence meant. It’s just my opinion. 🙂

        Reply

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