Application Service User Guide

Access

After you log into the Extern Match Portal for a track, you can access your applications from the Your Applications option from the menu, or by pressing the Review button in the Applications section of the Dashboard.

Your Applications

• 1. Application Settings

  You can edit the following information on the Application Settings page:

  

  
  

  • Application Deadline
    

    The default application deadline for all sites participating in the Post-Match Process is April 30, 2026. Sites may change this deadline at their discretion and are not obligated to keep positions open until that date. Sites may also close their applications at any time, however the system will close for Post-Match applications on April 30, 2026.

    To close your site to applications, set the application deadline to a past date. To reopen, set it to a future date.

    If you remove all of your positions from the Post-Match Process, your site will be closed for applications automatically.

  • Tags
    

    Tags can be used to help categorize applications according to criteria important to your site. Tags are defined and customized by each site. You can define whatever tags are appropriate for your site, and you can assign multiple tags to an application. Tag names are limited to 25 characters.

  • Rating Categories
    

    Rating Categories can be used to help you score and evaluate applications according to criteria important to your site. Rating Categories are defined and customized by each site. Rating Category names are limited to 50 characters.

    When you rate an application, each category can be given a score from 1-10. The system will calculate the average (mean) score across all categories for each application you review.

    Note: Tags and Rating Categories are only visible to site users. Applicants do not have access to your tags or ratings.

  • Notifications
    

    By default, your site will receive a daily digest email that provides a summary of all changes that have occurred to your applications in the last 24 hours - including new pending applicants, new application submissions, and new reference letters received. The email is sent once per day only if changes have occurred. If you have set up any secondary users for your site, they will receive a copy of the email as well.

    If you want to stop receiving the daily digest email, choose Off.

• 2. Filters

  You can filter the list of applicants that have applied to your site on any combination of the following criteria:

  • Applicant Name
    

    Enter a name (first, last, and/or middle), or part of a name.

  • Applied to Track
    

    If your site offers more than one track in the Match, applicants can identify on their application which of your tracks they are interested in. You can filter by the track(s) chosen by the applicant.

  • Received After Date
    

    Find applications submitted after a particular date. This can be helpful if you want to search for new applications.

  • Submission Status
    

    Select applications that are PENDING or SUBMITTED.

    An application is PENDING if the applicant has selected your site in the Extern Match Portal but has not yet submitted their application information to your site. You have access to the contact information for PENDING applications so you can reach out to the applicant with more information, if desired. Applicants who add your site as a pending application may remove your site at a later date.

    A SUBMITTED application is a formal application to your site that contains all application material submitted by the applicant. Submitted applications cannot be withdrawn by the applicant. The only content in a submitted application that can change is the Supplemental Material and reference letters. You will be notified by email of any changes to a submitted application.

  • Review Status
    

    Select one of five review statuses (Reviewed, Rejected, Selected for Interview, Interviewed, Will be Ranked) that you have assigned to the application. Applicants cannot see the Review Status assigned to their application.

• 3. List of Applications

  The List of Applications shows all applicants who have selected your site in the Extern Match Portal. If your site offers more than one track, all applicants to any of your tracks are included in the list.

  The list of displayed applications can be sorted by clicking on a column heading in the display.

  Applications can be PENDING or SUBMITTED. An application is PENDING if the applicant has selected your site to potentially receive an application but has not yet submitted their application information to your site. You have access to the contact information for PENDING applications, but not the full contents of the application. Applicants who add your site as a pending application may remove your site at a later date and not submit a complete application to your site.

  A SUBMITTED application is a formal application to your site. Submitted applications have the date of submission listed in the Submitted column. A submitted application contains all application material submitted by the applicant. Submitted applications cannot be withdrawn by the applicant. The only content in a submitted application that can change is the Supplemental Material and reference letters. You will be notified by email of any changes to a submitted application.

• 4. View Individual Applications

  You can access an individual application by selecting the link attached to the applicant's name.

  

  • For a submitted application, you have access to the full contents of the application, excluding any references or supplemental material that have not yet been submitted. The complete application content can be viewed or downloaded as a single PDF document.
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  • You can assign tags to help categorize your applications. Application tags are customized by each site and are defined in the Application Settings section.
  • You can assign a review status to the application to help keep track of your progress in the evaluation process. The review status can be set to one of the following - Reviewed, Rejected, Selected for Interview, Interviewed, Will be Ranked.

  • You can rate the application according to Rating Categories that are customized by each site, as defined in the Application Settings section. When you rate an application, you can assign a score from 1-10 for each category. The system will calculate the average (mean) score across all categories for each application.

    You can also enter a comment about the application on the Edit Rating page. Comments are limited to 500 characters.

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  Note: Tags, ratings, and comments are only visible to site users. Applicants do not have access to your tags, ratings, or comments.

• 5. Assign Tags

  You can assign one or more tags to categorize your applications.

  Tags are defined on the Application Settings page and can be customized by each site. To assign a tag, select the applications to which you would like tag(s) assigned, select the Assign Tags link, select the tags, and press save. Tags can also be assigned when viewing an individual application.

  

  
  

  Note: Tags are only visible to sites. Applicants do not have access to your tags.

• 6. Assign Review Status

  You can assign a review status to the application to help keep track of your progress in the evaluation process. You can also import applicants into the Interview module and your Rank Order List based on their assigned review status.

  The review status can be set to one of the following - Reviewed, Rejected, Selected for Interview, Interviewed, Will be Ranked.

  To assign a Review Status, select the applications to which you would like Review Status assigned, select the Assign Review Status link, select the Review Status, and press save. You can also assign a Review Status when viewing an individual application.

  

  
  

  Note: Review Statuses are only visible to the sites. Applicants do not have access to your Review Statuses.

• 7. Send Email

  The Extern Match Portal provides a convenient way to email applicants individually or in bulk. The emails will be sent through your default email client (e.g. Microsoft Outlook). The emails are not tracked or stored in the Extern Match Portal.

  1. Select the applicants you want to email using the checkbox next to the applicant's name.
  2. Select the "Send Email" link.
  3. Your default email client (e.g. Microsoft Outlook) will open with your email address in the "To:" field and the applicant email address(es) in the "Bcc:" field. You can then compose and send the email in your usual way.

  
  

  If your default email client does not open when you select the "Send Email" link, you may need to set up a default email client on your computer. Some helpful instructions are provided below, but contact your IT group if you need further assistance.

  • Mac: Change the default web browser or email app
  • Windows: Make Outlook the default site for email
  • Chrome: Make Gmail your default email site
  • Firefox: Change the site used to open email links

• 8. Advanced Search

  Advanced Search allows you to filter your applications on more detailed application characteristics. The available data for Advanced Search filtering is based on the application information submitted by applicants.

  Once you use the Advanced Search, you will have to either Clear and Filter the list in order to view all of your applications again, or simply reload the page.

• 9. Export

  The Export function allows you to export information for the applications on the current (filtered) list of applications.

  The export will create two links. One is a zip file of all PDF applications submitted to your program. The second is a CSV file that includes all applicant information but excludes uploaded documents (e.g., transcripts, CVs, references, etc.), which can be opened in Excel or other spreadsheet software

  If an applicant has applied to more than one track at your site, there will be one record in the file for each track to which the applicant has applied.

  The fields available in the Export file include:

  • Applicant's Match Code Number
  • Track Code and Description
  • Personal Information
  • Academic Program Information

  • Date Submitted
  • Rating
  • Review Status
  • Review Comments

  The application export is a data intensive function that takes time to complete. Please be patient while waiting for the export file to be generated.