WILL BACKLOGS AFFECT YOUR STUDY ABROAD DREAM?
One of the reasons students stop themselves from studying abroad is because of their backlogs. Although universities abroad accept students with strong academic credentials, some do accept international students with a history of backlogs. A backlog doesn’t stop your dream of studying abroad. Universities abroad are aware of the fact that there can be various reasons for which a student may have a backlog at their previous institution.
What are backlogs?
A backlog is an exam that you didn’t pass the first time you took it. This could be because you weren’t prepared enough or because you couldn’t go to class for some reason. To get into any international programme, you need to make sure you don’t have any unfinished work from the past.
What is a backlog certificate?
It’s a certificate that your school gives you with information about your missed classes. If you don’t have any backlogs, your school won’t treat you the same. However, even if you don’t have any backlogs, your international school may still ask for a transcript to verify your academic record.
How are backlogs counted?
Different institutions check backlogs differently. While some universities may consider the number of subject backlogs, others may count your number of attempts to clear a failed subject.
To make sure we understand, let’s put them into two groups:
1. The number of failed subjects is equivalent to the number of backlogs.
Countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States consider failed subjects to be backlogs regardless of how many attempts you made to clear them.
For example, if you fail in one subject but attempt it twice or thrice during different semesters to clear that subject, then the number of backlogs will be counted as one and the number of attempts, i.e., three or two, will not matter.
2. The number of attempts to pass failed subjects is equivalent to the number of backlogs.
Australia and other nations classify the number of attempts as “backlogs.” For example, if you fail a subject but try to pass it three times over the course of separate semesters, the number of backlogs will be counted as three as the number of attempts is equal to the number of backlogs. These countries evaluate your commitment to that subject or education based on the number of attempts.
Top 6 countries that accept backlogs:
1. Canada: Some universities in Canada accept students with up to five backlogs and a minimum of 70% in bachelor’s degrees, whereas other universities accept application forms from students with up to seven or eight backlogs and a minimum of 65% and above in bachelor’s degrees.
Students who have more than 10 or 12 backlogs can apply for PG diplomas in Canada. Students with a higher number of backlogs are granted admissions on a case-by-case basis. Reach out to our counsellors if you are having trouble with a backlog history and want to study in Canada; they will be able to point you in the appropriate direction.
2. Australia:- All private universities in Australia accept not more than 7 or 8 backlogs, while some universities accept a maximum of 2 to 3 backlogs. Just in case you opt for public institutions instead of private ones, you should have less than or equal to 8 backlogs.
3. New Zealand:- In New Zealand, institutions accept applications from students with a maximum of 12 to 15 backlogs, and universities evaluate applications from students with fewer than five backlogs.
For students with backlogs who want to study in New Zealand, a strong IELTS score is essential. You may be able to explain away your academic backlogs if you have an IELTS score of 6.5 and enough research projects or extracurricular activities indicated in your essay.
4. The UK :- Institutions in the UK don’t mind if a student has 15 backlogs, but they do need a good score on an English-language test, like an overall band of 6 on the IELTS. Even though there may not be specific requirements for backlog acceptance, you must have a good IELTS score to get in.
5. The US:- Most universities inAmericaa prefer students with zerobacklogs,s but in some exceptional cases, they might accept a maximum offive5 backlogs provided you have a good GRE score between 31 and -325. Also, when there are 10 to 12 backlogs, the university decides who gets in based on what they think is best.
6. Ireland:- Most Irish universities will accept students with up to 4 or 5 backlogs, but some will only accept students with 2 or 3 backlogs.
Note that the number of backlogs might not be a matter of concern at colleges in Ireland.
In general, your backlogs don’t affect the visa processing as long as your university has accepted your application and granted confirmation of admission.
Don’t be concerned; instead, fill out the application and contact us at one window. Our experienced international education specialists will be more than happy to guide you through the entire process.
