The admissions process, and timing, for admissions into university or colleges are different for each country. Different than the Japanese system, which often relies on a single test or series of written examinations, admissions into many schools in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and other countries use more of a variety of assessment methods to evaluate a student's ability to achieve academic success and to gain admission into their university or college. At a basic level, most countries require a student to have obtained a high school diploma. At NIS, in addition to the NIS diploma, students are also eligible to obtain the IBDP diploma or certificates in specific courses. The IB diploma is an important additional diploma that may be a requirement in some countries, particularly for enrolling in universities or colleges in the UK. For some countries like the U.S. and Canada, additional items must be submitted as part of the admissions process such as standardized test scores (i.e. SAT, ACT and TOEFL), recommendation letters, essays or personal statements, financial statements, and official grades or transcripts. Students are encouraged to work closely with the guidance counselor to help plan their individual path after NIS.