索取入学及奖学金表格是申请程序的第一步，这一步比较简单容易。只要学校初选名单确定下来，便可发函索取表格。索取申请表格的信函格式与商业书信大致相同。这类申请信函最好寄到单位，而不要写给个人，以免因工作调动而耽搁。以美国大学为例，申请的受理单位可能有以下几种：
　　1. 由Office of Admissions统一受理一切入学申请函件，包括大学部与研究生院；
　　2. 由Office of the Registrar 受理，权限同1；
　　3. 由Office of Student Service受理，权限同1；
　　4. 由Office of Foreign Student Advisor 受理国外学生入学申请函件；
　　5. 由Office of Foreign Admissions 或Office of International Scholars 受理
　　国外学生入学申请函件；
　　6. 由Graduate School, Graduate College 或Office of Graduate Studies 受理研究生院的入学申请函件；而Office of Admissions 受理本科部的申请；
　　7. 由各所属分院（如College of Eng.) 分别受理入学申请信件，也有很多学校先由Office of Admissions 接受申请，供给所需表格，然后一切通信改由各分院负责，大的学校大多采用这种方式，因为他们每年受理的申请函件高达上万件。
　　有的申请人对所报学校可能不够了解。这样，如果申请读本科，就应写信给Officeof Admissions; 如果申请读研究生，就应写信给Office of Graduate Admissions.这种写法的信件肯定能到达承办人的手中，称呼的方法可采用下列二种方式之一：
　　(1)
　　Director
　　Office of Admissions
　　Dear sir:

　　(2)
　　Office of Admissions
　　Dear Sirs:

　　顺便提一下，在选择学校时，应考虑各种利弊因素。其中包括地理位置、学科设置、教学质量、学校规模、录取标准、费用高低、资助条件、住房情况、服务设施等。

范例1：请求发给入学及奖学金申请表

Department of Chemical Engineering
Tsinghua University
Beijing 100084
China
Dear Sir:
I wish to pursue a doctoral degree in Chemical Engineering at your institution. My desired date of entrance is Fall, 1994. Please send me necessary application forms at your early convenience. If possible, I also wish to obtain a graduate assistantship so that I may support myself and obtain more practical experience while pursuing
graduate study. I obtained my B. E. (Chemical Engineering) in 1989 and M. S. (Chemical Engineering) in 1992 from Tsinghua University. At present. At present, I work as a teacher at the same University. I have taken the TOEFL and received a score of 607. I am going to take GRE General Test this coming October. Would you please send me the application forms for admission and financial support? Thank you very much.

Sincerely yours,
Henry Yu

范例2 索取研究生入学表格（建筑与土木专业）

Department of Architecture Engineering
Tsinghua University
Beijing 100084
China

I would be most grateful if you would send me details of post graduate study facilities or scholarships in civil engineering which Columbia University may be offering to student from overseas. I majored in architecture and graduated from Tsinghua University in 1989. I have studied English for more than 6 years up to intermediate level. If any scholarships are available, I would appreciate it if you would send me the necessary application forms.

Sincerely,
Xie Dong

范例3: 索取大学研究生院指南和入学申请表

Department of Mathematics
Peking University
Beijing 100871
P. R. China
Dear Sir:
I am going to graduate from Department of Mathematics in Peking University in June next year. I am very eager to enter the Graduate School of your University next fall to study applied mathematics for Ph. D. degree.
I would appreciate it very much if you would send me a graduate catalog of your university and any other necessary information, and also a set of application forms for admission.
Thank you for your kind assistance.

Sincerely yours,
Xie Dong