Difference between Admission and Enrolment

Key Difference: The term admission refers to the entire admission process, which includes applying, enrolment, and registration. In most instances, it refers to the process to actually applying and trying to get into to study in the college or university. Enrolment is when the application has been accepted and the student must now enrol into the college, i.e. submit the required documents to the admissions office.

Admission and Enrolment might sound like the same thing, primarily because they are often used interchangeably. However, they are not exactly the same though in most instances they may be used in place of each other. Each one has a different implication.

The term admission refers to the entire admission process, which includes applying, enrolment, and registration. Most colleges and universities follow this three-step process, though the details might change.

Applying refers to the process of actually applying and trying to get into to study in the college or university. This does not ensure that the application will be selected and can be rejected at anytime, if one does not meet that requirements set by the college or university.

Enrolment is when the application has been accepted and the student must now enrol into the college, i.e. submit the required documentsto the admissions office. This ensures that the student is listed in the college’s roster and is able allowed to and able to attend classes at that particular college and university.

However, before that student can attend the classes, they must register for those classes. Registration refers to putting themselves on the rosters for those particular classes. Most university can have dozens if not hundreds of classes occurring during the year. The registration process allows one to book a seat in the classes that they want to attend. This ensures that there is enough space in those classes for the students. Most universities and a college have a cut off as to how many students can register for a class. This ensures that those classes are not overcrowded.

Enrollment Sometimes the process of enrolment is also referred to as registration, as it is equivalent to getting yourself registered at the college or university. Similarly, registration into classes is sometimes referred to as enrolling oneself into these classes individually. It should however be noted that one registers or enrols in the college only once but must register or enrol into classes every semester or every year (depending of the way the classes are structured).

Still in most cases, admission refers to the admission process of the college, which does not guarantee that they will be end up being enrolled at the college, as their application can always be rejected. Once, the application is approved, only then can the enrolment take place.

Comparison between Admission and Enrolment:

	Admission	Enrolment
Definition (Oxford Dictionaries)	The process or fact of entering or being allowed to enter a place or organization.	The action of enrolling or being enrolled.
Terminology	Refers to the entire process of admission including applying, enrolment, and registration.	Refers to enrolment in the college or university.
Description	The act of applying to a college. Often refers to acceptance of the application and registration at the college.	The act of getting one registered at the college after their application has been approved.
Attend Classes	Not necessarily, as the application can be rejected.	Yes, as the enrolment process is done after the application has been submitted.
Etymology	Late Middle English: from Latin admissio(n-), from the verb admittere, from ad- ‘to’ + mittere ‘send	enrol +‎ -ment. Enrol from From Old French enroller

Reference: Oxford Dictionaries (Admission, Enrollment), Wiktionary, Camosun College,
University of Auckland, Thomas Edison State University
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