Definition - What does applicant mean?
An applicant is a person who formally makes an application or request to another person or organization for consideration. The request made by the applicant is typically for something such as employment, information, permission, assistance or admission. An applicant is dependent on the person or organization to accept their application request.
SureHire explains applicant
If the applicant's request is granted, they are often no longer referred to as an applicant from that point onward. In the context of admission, an applicant requesting admission to a school or university becomes a student once the application for admission is granted. An applicant in the context of employment becomes a job candidate if the applicant's request is accepted. They may later become an employee. Organizations may make use of an applicant tracking system (ATS) in order to manage applicants throughout the recruitment process more efficiently.
