University admissions checklist
The organisational side of applying: programmes and requirements, documents and how long they take, exams, scholarships, submission and backups.

[ ] Make a specific list of programmes
    Not \u201csomething in economics\u201d but named programmes at named institutions. Only then can requirements and deadlines be compared.
[ ] Copy the requirements from official admissions pages
    Exams, grades, language, additional tests, quotas. Second-hand summaries go stale every year; official pages do not.
[ ] Put the deadlines in a calendar with reminders
    A reminder two weeks before and three days before. A missed deadline cannot be appealed — it simply ends the story.
[ ] List the documents for each option
    Different programmes need different sets. Mark what you have, what is ordered and what takes longest.
[ ] Order certificates and documents early
    Production times, queues, mistakes and resubmission. A backwards calendar from the deadline with a margin solves this.
[ ] Check the rules for translations and certification
    Who may translate, whether certification is needed and of what kind, how long it stays valid. A wrongly certified translation gets returned.
[ ] Check the language requirement and book the test
    Certificates expire and test slots fill up. Book far ahead — results also take weeks.
[ ] Put all test dates in one calendar
    Check whether they clash with each other or with travel. Clashes are usually discovered a week before.
[ ] Prepare the personal statement early
    One specific story instead of a page of generalities. Have someone honest read it.
[ ] Collect a portfolio and proof of achievements
    Competitions, courses, projects, volunteering — with documents, not from memory. Some of them add points.
[ ] Work out costs, scholarships and accommodation
    Scholarships and accommodation have their own deadlines, often earlier than the main ones. Those are missed most often.
[ ] Make copies and scans of everything
    One paper folder and one in the cloud. The same document gets asked for several times in different formats.
[ ] Plan backup options
    Several programmes at different risk levels, including one that would still suit you in the worst case. It halves the anxiety.
[ ] Submit the applications and save the confirmations
    A screenshot, the reference number, the confirmation email. Without them you cannot prove you applied.
[ ] Track the status and answer requests
    Admissions offices often request an extra document at short notice. Check your email, including the spam folder.
[ ] Compare offers against clear criteria
    Programme, cost, city, accommodation, prospects. Decide against a list rather than on the last day's emotion.
[ ] Plan the move and the first weeks
    Housing, paperwork on arrival, transport, money for the first period, registration if required.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/university-admission