Prospectus (university)

A university or school prospectus is a document sent to potential (prospective) students to attract them to apply for admissions. It usually contains information about the institution and the available courses, including advice on how to apply and the benefits of accepting a place. Many universities have individual prospectuses for each course or group of courses that they offer. Most universities have both online and paper versions of prospectus, and they are divided into Undergraduate Prospectuses and Postgraduate Prospectuses. If asked, an application form can be sent.

The prospectuses usually contain information on the individual courses, the staff (professors), notable alumni, the campus, special facilities (like performance halls for music schools or acting stages for drama schools), how to get in contact with the university, and how to get to the university.

Some universities also provide an audio recording of their prospectus being read aloud on CD for the sight-impaired.

Prospectuses for entry in a specific year or semester/term (e.g. September 2007) usually are available one to one-and-a-half years before.

While many persevere with the plural 'prospecti', this is incorrect as, arguments over the appropriateness of Latin plurals in general aside, the Latin noun "prospectus" is part of the fourth declension and as such its plural is "prospectūs".