As a student when you come across the word ‘backlog’ you see it as a black mark on your academic profile. But don’t worry, there is a ray of hope against this bleak picture as you can give an exam again in order to clear the backlog. Although universities and colleges across the world prefer clear academic profiles, some of them consider applications from students with a little history of backlogs. In this blog, we will explore what a Backlog Certificate is, why it is important and what’s the criteria for backlogs if you are planning to study abroad.
A Backlog is an exam that you were unable to clear in the first attempt or is also referred to the total number of subjects failed due to any reason or issue. However, it is important for students to understand the difference between backlogs and the number of attempts a student can make to clear a subject. In the case of absenteeism, it is recommended to confirm from your academic institution whether they mark an absent or write zero in the score column. You must keep in mind that you need to appear for the exam again in order to avail your degree from the institution or the board of study.
The number of attempts that you made to clear a subject is not equal to the number of backlogs. For example, if you had to appear 4 times to clear a backlog in one subject, you still had only 1 backlog (not 4). However, if you had to clear 4 subjects and you did that in one attempt, you still had 4 backlogs.
Number of Attempts ≠ Number of Backlogs
A Backlog Certificate is a document issued by your academic institution that includes the details about your backlogs. If you are planning to study abroad, the admission authority at the concerned university may ask you to submit a Backlog Certificate to certify your academic records along with educational transcripts.
Backlog Certificate Sample
No backlog certificate means a certificate that verifies that the student has no backlogs in their academic record. Generally, universities don’t ask for a ‘No Backlog Certificate’ when the student’s academic record is clear of all backlogs.
All universities and colleges have certain eligibility criteria that need to be fulfilled by students in order to get admission for overseas education. In case you have backlogs, the university will require a Backlog Certificate to verify your academic performance. While some colleges prefer applicants with clear academic records and no backlogs, there are many universities that select students on the basis of their scores on standardised exams like the GRE, GMAT, SAT, TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, ACT, etc. as an alternative to their academic records. Other selection criteria can also be on the basis of your curricular and non-curricular achievements.
Most universities provide students with an application form for backlog certificate which the student can fill out and submit to apply for their certificate. Here is an application for Backlog Certificate:
Application Form for Backlog Certificate
The Principal/The Dean
___________ [University Name]
Address
Subject: Application for the Issue of Backlog Certificate
I, _____ (student’s name), s/o or d/o of ______, Roll No. ________ is/was a student of ______ (course name with batch) at your esteemed university. This is to request you to issue me a Backlog Certificate as I require it to apply for admission to master’s course. The details of my backlogs are as follows:
| Semester | Passing Year [Expected] | Passing Year | Number of Reappears | Reappear Subjects |
| Semester I | ||||
| Semester II | ||||
| Semester III | ||||
| Semester IV | ||||
| Semester V | ||||
| Semester VI |
Please issue the backlog certificate at the earliest.
Yours Sincerely,
_____ (Name)
Backlogs are accepted in almost every country. But there is a specific number of backlogs that are allowed by universities. Generally, the number of backlogs depends upon the university or college you apply for and generally, 2 or 3 backlogs are admissible. But you should have a Backlog Certificate to prove your clear academic record. However, every international university wants to select the best candidates, thus it is recommended to clear all your backlogs before applying to higher studies abroad. As a student, it is important to highlight the elements that strengthen your profile. There are an ample number of good universities and colleges across the globe that select average academic profiles if they find them perfect for the kind of courses the students are applying for.
Many students get backlogs while completing higher education. Does that meant that they cannot pursue higher education aboard? Certainly, no! Here is a list of universities in popular study abroad destinations offering admission with backlogs to students:
It is essential to understand that every university has its own set of admission guidelines for students with backlogs and may require a Backlog Certificate. Hence, it is suggested that you check the university prospectus to learn about their selection norms. In fact, it is quite interesting to know that various universities and colleges focus on your overall personality instead of putting all the attention on your previous academic failures. Preference is given to students with extracurricular and non-academic achievements, leadership records, training certification etc. which recompenses for your backlogs. All these details can be well-explained through supporting documents like admission essays, SOPs, LORs, resume etc. that are required during the application procedure.
Backlogs play a crucial role in your profile evaluation if you are planning to study abroad, especially, in major study destinations such as the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and Ireland. Considering these as the prime locations for getting an excellent quality education and industrial exposure and training, universities and colleges in these countries demand the best profiles from across the globe. Therefore, you may be required to submit a Backlog Certificate to certify your academic record. Let’s answer the common questions related to Backlog Certificates and whether it is required by different universities across the globe.
Q1. Is it possible to study in the US with backlogs?American universities are highly reputed and prefer students with zero backlogs. However, there is always a scope for students with a maximum of 5 backlogs in some American universities. In case you have 7-8 backlogs, you’ll have to achieve a higher score in the GRE examination (somewhere between 315-325) to be deemed eligible for higher education in a few universities and colleges in the US.
Q2. What is the selection criteria for students with backlogs in Australia? Do you need a Backlog Certificate?
The private colleges of Australia do not consider applicants with more than 7-8 backlogs while the leading universities accept at most 3 backlogs. If you have 8 or more backlogs then your chances of getting selected are higher in the non-private colleges. It is essential to know that Australian universities and colleges count the number of attempts you have made to clear one exam or subject as specified in your Backlog Certificate.
Q3. Do universities in the UK accept backlogs?The best part of UK universities is that students can definitely try out their luck even if they have 15 backlogs. For this, they are required to have a good GRE score along with a minimum IELTS score of 6.0. It is important to note that the top influential universities in the UK do not have any scope for applicants with backlogs even if they have an outstanding GRE or IELTS score.
Q4. Are Canadian universities and colleges strict towards accepting backlogs?Canadian universities including SPP colleges in Canada have clear criteria for accepting students with backlogs. They may consider up to 5 backlogs in your UG but only if you have a minimum score of 70% whereas for applicants with 7-8 backlogs, there are some universities that require a minimum score of 65% in UG. For PG aspirants with 10-12 backlogs, the only available option is to opt for PG Diploma courses, not the degree ones.
Q5. Do backlogs matter in Germany?German universities have strict guidelines while accepting applications of students with backlogs. All the renowned universities do not accept backlogs at all while some of the lenient universities may accept up to 5 backlogs. However, they consider the number of attempts you had to make to clear a single backlog or subject mentioned on your backlog certificate.
Q6. Is it true that universities in New Zealand are flexible in accepting students with backlogs?Universities in New Zealand may accept students with 4 backlogs while there are some other institutions that would consider your application even with 15 backlogs. Nevertheless, in both cases, you are expected to have a good IELTS score, an extensive list of extracurricular activities along with research projects.
Q7. Is any importance given to backlogs in universities in Ireland?Some colleges and universities in Ireland may consider applicants with 4-5 backlogs, while some of the renowned institutions would still reject students with 2-3 backlogs. It is important to have a Backlog Certificate when applying for admission to Irish universities.
Since everything good comes with some challenges, don’t worry about your backlogs and try to clear them as quickly as possible. We hope you that through this blog, you are able to understand what a Backlog Certificate is and why it is important for those applying to study abroad. If you have a little history of backlogs in your academic profile, you can connect with our experts at Leverage Edu that can help you create a career winning resume, LOR or SOP that can take attention away from your academic mistakes and highlight your strengths instead.
