During the last year of high school, students make a series of big decisions that will shape their future. Deciding on when to start university is one of them. Depending on their time of graduation, various exams, job opportunities, travelling dreams or personal choices, students are often caught between two options: applying for the fall or for the spring intake.
While there exist many misconceptions regarding the spring intake, at EHL the admissions criteria and the courses offered are the same for both September and February intakes, hence the choice really is in the hands of the students.
Graduate from high school in the fall
Academic calendar years are different from a country to another. In most of the northern hemisphere, we are used to academic years starting in the fall and ending before the summer break, but this is not the case in many southern hemisphere countries.
“It was very exciting for me to have the opportunity to start in February at EHL because I did not want to take too much time off before pursuing my studies. After graduating from high school in Singapore in December, I had plenty of time to spend with my friends and family and even traveled around Europe before joining the school. It was snowing when I first arrived in Switzerland and coming from Singapore this was a nice change. Today, I am still convinced it was the right choice. Of course it depends on each person’s objectives, but I would definitely recommend applying for the nearest intake after graduation. EHL gives its students a lot of opportunities to travel and learn languages, so February applicants will not be missing out.”
Janette Yo - EHL Bachelor Student
Acquire work experience
Another motive for students to apply for a spring intake is the wish to build up their resumes by obtaining some work experience. Moreover, sometimes one may not be sure if the field of study they have chosen is a good fit for them; in that case immersing themselves in the industry for a few months is a perfect try-out.
“I had initially applied for the September intake and was advised to acquire more experience in the field so I gladly postponed my start date to February. After completing a three month internship in the club lounge of InterContinental in Vietnam, I am certain that postponing was the right decision. The experience helped me learn many new things about the departments of the hotel, but most importantly it facilitated my transition into the bachelor’s program.”
Ei Hlaing Zar (Eliza) - EHL Bachelor Student
Attain the adequate academic level
For some students taking a short gap after their studies is a good opportunity to improve their language skills.
“I took some time off after graduating from high school to travel, work and take some language courses. The latter was essential to enter EHL’s bachelor program with the appropriate level. I have many friends that have started during the September intake and while we sometimes like to make comparisons - we are a little competitive - there is really no differences in the courses or in the way people are treated.”
Livio Frey - EHL Bachelor Student
Explore the world
Lastly, even if one does not have a hospitality calling, many of us love to travel. The idea of exploring the world before entering the university life is thrilling and allows to expand one's horizons in many ways.
“After high school, I set out to explore South America. I completed a bus road trip from Uruguay, through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador to finally end my journey in Colombia. I learnt a lot about different cultures and became more grateful for the life that I live.” Mattias Jaques-Dalcroze - EHL Bachelor Student
This is not a “one-size-fits-all” situation but rather a matter of personal objectives and choices. We hope these testimonials will help future students find what works best for them.
