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S2 Blog: Application Portal Tips: File Formats, Saving Progress, and Fixing Mistakes After Submission

Application portals have quirks. A file named wrong, a format not accepted, a submission that hangs mid-upload; these are all fixable, but they’re annoying. This article walks through the mechanics so you avoid common portal mistakes.


File Formats: PDFs Preferred, Images Not Recommended

What portals accept:

  1. PDF (best option; nearly all portals accept)
  2. JPG or PNG images (some portals accept, but PDFs are safer)
  3. DOC or DOCX (rare; most portals convert to PDF automatically)

What to avoid:

  1. Scanned JPGs instead of PDFs (can cause upload issues)
  2. Original Microsoft Word documents (convert to PDF first)
  3. Large image files (combine into a PDF instead)

How to convert to PDF:

  1. Use Google Drive: Upload a file, right-click, “Download as PDF”
  2. Use a free online converter: smallpdf.com, ilovepdf.com
  3. On Mac: Print to PDF (Command+P, “Save as PDF”)
  4. On Windows: Print to PDF (Control+P, choose “Microsoft Print to PDF”)

File Naming: Keep It Simple

Good file names:

  1. Passport_FirstName_LastName.pdf
  2. Transcript_University_Name.pdf
  3. Bank_Statement_June_2024.pdf
  4. Resume_FirstName_LastName.pdf

Why it matters:

  1. The portal might auto-rename files, but clear names help the school identify documents
  2. Your consultant can easily refer to files (“I see your Passport_FirstName_LastName.pdf is clear”)
  3. Some portals have character limits; very long names get truncated

File Size: Combine, Compress, or Split

The portal usually shows the limit when you upload (“Max 10 MB per file”).

If a file is too large, you can compress it (use an online PDF compressor) or split it (if you’re uploading multiple pages, scan as two PDFs instead of one). You can also combine several small PDFs into one (using an online tool).

          Example: If you have 10 transcript pages and each is 5 MB, combine them into one  PDF instead of uploading separately.

Saving Progress: Hit Save Frequently

Most application portals auto-save, but don’t trust it. After filling in each section, click “Save” or “Save Progress”. After uploading documents, click “Save” again. Never leave a section half-filled and assume it’s saved.

If your browser crashes:  You’ve lost only the last few minutes of work (not hours). Log back in and check what was saved.

If the portal times you out: You’ll likely lose your session after 30–60 minutes of inactivity. Re-login and resume where you left off

Never Submit Twice

This is critical. Hitting submit twice creates two separate applications.

What happens:

1. You click “Submit”

2. Portal seems to hang or takes a long time

3. You think “Did it work?” and click submit again

4. Now you have two applications in the system

Why this is bad:

  1. School sees two applications and gets confused
  2. Deficiency requests might go to the wrong one
  3. Admission decision might be on the “wrong” one
  4. You have to contact the school and ask them to delete one

What to do instead:

  1. Click submit once
  2. Wait for the confirmation page or email (give it 2–3 minutes)
  3. If nothing happens after 5 minutes, refresh the page and check your email for confirmation
  4. If still nothing, email the school: “I submitted my application at [time], but I’m not sure if it went through. Can you confirm receipt?”

Don’t assume something went wrong because the confirmation doesn’t appear instantly. Wait 30 minutes, check email (including spam folder), then ask.

After Submission: Fixing Mistakes (Don’t Resubmit)

You submitted and realized you made a typo in your name, or uploaded the wrong transcript version.

What NOT to do: Don’t submit again.

What to do:

1. Take a screenshot of your confirmation page (proof of submission date/time)

2. Email the school’s admissions office: “I submitted my application on [date] at [time]. I’d like to correct [specific document/field]. Can you tell me the process?”

3. Usually they’ll say: “Email us the corrected document and tell us which item you’re replacing”

4. Send the correction 5. Ask for confirmation they received it

Common corrections:

  1. Wrong version of a transcript (send the corrected one)
  2. Typo in a name or date (email to clarify)
  3. Wrong file uploaded (send the correct one with a note)

Things you can’t fix after submission:

  1. Changing your student type (Initial vs. Transfer) — might need a new application
  2. Changing your program of study — might need a new application
  3. But these should be rare if you checked everything beforehand

Portal Troubleshooting

File won’t upload

  1. 1. Try a smaller file size (compress the PDF)

  2. Try a different file format (convert JPG to PDF)

  3. Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)

  4. Clear your browser cache and try again
Page keeps timing out
  1. Your internet might be slow; try from a faster connection
  2. Try a different browser
  3. Contact the school: “Your portal times out after 10 minutes. Can you extend it?”

You can’t find your application after submitting

  1. Check your email for confirmation and a link
  2. Log back into the portal; your application should be visible under “My Applications”
  3. If not, email the school with your submission time

Portal says you already have an application

  1. You might have created two accounts or submitted twice
  2. Email the school and explain; they can usually consolidate or delete duplicates