apply to + organisation/person
Who receives the application?
Use apply to with a company, school, office, or person.
I applied to the embassy.
Apply to vs apply for
Use apply to for the organisation, person, or rule affected. Use apply for for the thing you want to get.
Quick answer
When to use apply to and apply for
Apply to usually refers to the person, organisation, or situation involved. Apply for refers to a job, visa, grant, or other thing requested.
She applied to three universities.
He applied for a work permit.
He applied for a work permit.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
apply for + job/course/document
What are you requesting?
Use apply for with something you want to obtain.
They applied for funding.
apply to + situation/rule
When does something affect a case?
Apply to can also mean 'be relevant to'.
The discount applies to online orders only.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
apply to
She applied to the university.
send an application to an institution
apply for
She applied for a scholarship.
request something formally
apply to + rule/situation
This law applies to foreign workers.
be relevant or valid
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using apply for with organisations
Use apply to for the institution receiving the application.
✕ He applied for the bank. ✓ He applied to the bank.Using apply to for the requested item
Use apply for for jobs, visas, and similar requests.
✕ She applied to a visa. ✓ She applied for a visa.Quick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. They applied ___ a research grant.
2. I applied ___ three colleges.
3. This policy applies ___ all employees.
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Frequently asked questions
Can apply to mean 'be relevant to'?
Yes. For example: 'The rule applies to everyone.'
Can I say apply for a company?
Not usually. Say apply to a company and apply for a job.
What comes after apply for?
Usually a job, visa, permit, scholarship, or another requested item.
Related preposition guides
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