'Research' now key to get into top global schools

New Delhi: Top international universities on an average accepted only 4% of undergraduate applicants in the recent admission cycle, education consultants said, adding that there may be a new hurdle to mount for students seeking admission abroad: research.

Besides grades, extra-curricular activities, and self-studying online courses from reputed institutions, doing research while in school is vital for getting admission in top universities abroad, various study abroad experts said.

Piyush Kumar, regional director, South Asia and Mauritius, at IDP Education, said Ivy League institutions seek students who go the extra mile by engaging in “super curricular” activities like entrepreneurship ventures, startups, small businesses, and writing research papers.


Citing examples of research done by high-school students, he said, “One of our students did a project on wearable technology, creating a prosthetic hand controlled by AI. The prototype helps people with disabilities. Another one worked on a research paper with a PhD student on the impact of technology on society and received an LoR (letter of recommendation).”

Vibha Kagzi, chief executive of ReachIvy.com, said she has been advising students to work on research papers for over six years now.

“Roughly 90% of our students to Ivy Leagues end up completing a research paper/proposal since writing such a research paper is embedded in the IB (International Baccalaureate) curriculum and is a requirement to get the IB diploma,” Kagzi said.

Students whose schools or boards lack formal research programmes can find external resources.

“Students should first identify their academic passions… Research fuelled by genuine interest stands out,” said Manisha Zaveri, joint managing director at Career Mosaic. “Seeking mentorship from professors at local universities or industry professionals in their field can be highly beneficial. Many universities even offer summer research programmes specifically designed for high school students,” she said.

“Research demonstrates a student’s ability to engage deeply with a subject, think critically, and contribute original ideas to the academic community,” Zaveri said. “It showcases qualities like perseverance, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to work independently.”

Jamie Beaton, global chief executive of Crimson Education, said Ivy League institutions’ acceptance rate of 4% this year is the lowest on record on average. “There was previously a bit of a box around high school kids to know high school material. That box has broken down.”

Beaton, who recently earned a master’s degree in finance from Princeton, said Ivy League schools serve as “global debate chambers for social movements”. This role – despite various political controversies such as Divest Harvard or conflicts like Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine – has not deterred applicants.

Most students applying now have research papers, even in humanities, he said. “This year, of our 280-plus Ivy League offers, the average amount of research was about 1.3 research papers. And for Harvard and Stanford, just over two was the average,” Beaton said.

Research topics among students include artificial intelligence safety, bioethics, biostatistics, history of cultural movements, and population health.