Student Abroad Visa

About MBA

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The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is the national association representing the real estate finance industry, an industry that employs more than 500,000 people in virtually every community in the country. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., MBA invests in communities across the nation by ensuring the continued strength of the nation’s residential and commercial real estate markets; expanding homeownership and extending access to affordable housing to all Americans and supporting financial literacy efforts.

Make no mistake about it; we are an organization dedicated to helping our members do their business. We actively advocate for our members, and have done so for nearly a century. We have seen the real estate finance industry evolve into one of the strongest and most sophisticated of global markets.

We promote fair and ethical lending practices and foster professional excellence among real estate finance employees through a wide range of educational programs and a variety of publications. We have over 3,000 member companies, including all elements of real estate finance: mortgage companies, mortgage brokers, commercial banks, thrifts, life insurance companies and others in the mortgage lending field.

We provide up-to-the minute news and information to our members so they are better able to meet the needs of their customers. We host a variety of conferences and meetings that provide our members with the strategic tools, industry trends and resources they need to advance their business.

Our investment in America’s communities includes the time, service and hard work of mortgage bankers in virtually every aspect of real estate finance, in every community. We are the Mortgage Bankers Association

The Executive MBA

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What is an Executive MBA programmed?

An Executive MBA programmed provide an chance for experiences professionals to obtain a master’s degree in Business Administration on a schedule that minimizes disruption of work and personal pursuits. Such programmers include a cohort class structure that offers a lockstep, planned curriculum in an executive setting. In other words, members of each class begin the programmed at the same point, move through the curriculum together, and typically complete the degree requirements for graduation as a group. Executive MBA (EMBA) students are required to complete their degrees in two years or less. During that period, they gain a wide range of new skills and sharpen their analytical abilities by combining coursework with day-to-day professional experience.

A unique aspect of an EMBA programmed is the collective professional experience of its participants, which greatly enriches the educational environment. A team approach is often used to allow for the sharing of diverse perspectives on various topics; this interaction results in a challenging, stimulating learning experience that provides for maximum return on time and resources invested. EMBA students possess several years of significant, post-baccalaureate career experience. Most students are sponsored both financially and through release time by their employing organizations, and all continue to work full-time while enrolled in the programmed. To ensure optimum benefits to participants and the sponsoring organizations, class size and class structure facilitate close interaction between faculty and participants.

Can I afford executive MBA programmed?

Obtaining an MBA degree is an investment – an investment in learning and in a person’s career and future. The high quality of faculty, facilities and support staff necessary to provide a successful EMBA programmed dictates that such programmers include an asset by the participant’s sponsoring organization. Programmed costs are modest in comparison to the benefits yielded. In the majority of cases, students are sponsored fully, or in part, by their employers. Employers understand the spirited advantage they gain from having an employee whose management skills have been brought to the highest possible level. Students who are not sponsored by their companies often qualify for loans, scholarships, and/or other financial aid.

How could an managerial MBA degree impact my career?

An MBA degree reflects a sophisticated level of knowledge and skills concerning a wide range of contemporary management topics. It also implies a well-developed understanding of strategic thinking and planning in a globally competitive world. Professionally, an MBA provides the skills needed to gain additional management responsibility. For the entrepreneur, the knowledge gained in earning an MBA can make the difference between success and failure in highly competitive environment.

What is different about an executive MBA programmed curriculum?

Courses offered in an EMBA programmed are normally the same as those taught in traditional MBA programs – accounting, finance, statistics, management, marketing and information systems. However, EMBA courses are enhanced by the extensive professional experience of the participants and are uniquely structured to teach a maximum amount of course material in an accelerated timetable. In addition, senior faculty experienced in teaching and consulting are employed as principal instructors. Once all coursework is satisfactorily completed, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree or equivalent is awarded.

Who participates in executive MBA programmers?

A diverse group of professionals enter and complete EMBA programmers. What they share is a sincere desire to grow professionally by obtaining an MBA degree, and a willingness and ability to meet program time and course requirements. A number of factors are considered in selecting candidates for an EMBA programmed. In most cases, each applicant is evaluated on his or her own professional performance, academic records, GMAT scores, professional recommendations, and a demonstrated ability to accomplish graduate-level industry coursework. Most EMBA students enter a programmed with ten or more years of professional and/or managerial experience. An undergraduate degree is generally required, although it need not be a degree in business. Evaluation of students for admission to an EMBA programmed is a very individualized process. While test scores, grade point averages and other objective criteria are all considered, a prospective student’s backdrop, work experience, career goals, desire to succeed and numerous other factors are considered in making an admission decision.

What type of time commitment is involved?

EMBA students find themselves exhilarated to be back in the classroom among their professional and intellectual peers, where they can share the challenge of learning new methods and means for managing the business of doing business. Success in professional life demands a extensive and regular time commitment, and it is no different in an EMBA programmed. Over the course of the programmed, at least 15-20 hours every week should be allotted for some combination of classroom work, computer and research efforts, and course coursework. Added to the already heavy demands of a business career, the time involved in pursuing an MBA is considerable and requires a high level of motivation and commitment. The burden is eased by the support of other students and by the assistance of the EMBA programmed staff.

The Benefits of an MBA?

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The MBA is a challenging study program for the following reasons:

1 There is a great deal of interesting material to soak up

2 An intense study format and

3 An experienced and international body of aggravated MBA students

The MBA Studies format is challenging whether you choose full time or part time. A solid training to each class session and class participation is strategically important as amazing amount of material is covered during each day. Teaching sessions are extremely interactive; the diversified work experience and creativity are highly valued during in-class discussions. Professional and active attitude are expected as well within teamwork sessions. For the same reasons the MBA Programme is hands-on and well in touch with the real business world. All these add to the value and quality of the Programme. And this is why it is important to try to grab the experience others are offering; equally crucial is to forward your work experience to others. Your time spent at an MBA School will become your competitive advantage strategically and in financial terms, sooner or later.

For the duration of the MBA Studies you and your colleagues form bonds that will most most likely stay forever, the outcome being, on top of everything else: “speaking the same language”. This network will be fruitful throughout your working life and beyond, and often you will find your colleagues from the least expected corners of the world.

I must confess that I have only been able to fully appreciate the advantages of my MBA Studies years after my graduation; after various jobs and positions held I could fully put into practice what I had learned. I also often received help and given a helping hand to many of my MBA ex-colleagues.

Your incentive is the professional business environment, the speed with which you absorb new things, and the creativity surrounding you. If you choose the innovative school that follows the needs of the market with respect to effective business operations (for example e-commerce, telecommunications), you will learn even more and really feel at the top of the technological developments.

Anyway, what you really learn during your MBA studies is time management and prioritizing. What you should know already before coming to study an MBA, is that quality is strategically important in business life and beyond.

The MBA Jobs and Careers

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An MBA can generate all kinds of new career opportunities for you. Read about some MBA career paths and meet a number of recent MBA grads through “Day in the Life” profiles.

Marketing Careers
There are an huge amount of career opportunities and options for people with marketing MBAs. The most common are business positions such as marketing manager, brand manager, market research analyst, and new product manager. Persons with strong financial skills could seek a career in strategic or market related planning. Additional corporate positions such as sales manager, advertising manager, PR (public relations) director, and marketing communications manager are also common.

In marketing or advertising agencies, numerous opportunities exist in advertising, direct marketing, and communications specialization. Consulting firms also hire marketing MBAs as new market developers, strategists, and customer segmentation specialists.

Product management careers as well as brand management careers classically require that an applicant have an MBA, even at the entry level. However, some companies that focus intensively on sales promote these positions internally from highly successful sales legislature.

Product and Brand Managers
The product manager is completely responsible for the profitability and market growth of a product line. The product manager could be considered the CEO of a particular product. They typically coordinate and oversee a number of diverse divisions of a corporation to ensure the efficient and timely flow of a creation to market. While some product managers have international responsibilities, most product management positions focus on product and market development domestically. Product managers often will see encouragement to director or manager of a group of products or even to the position of VP of marketing.

Marketing Managers
The marketing managers responsibilities are similar to those of the product manager, but are focused on servicing and managing an ongoing relationship with existing customers. The marketing manager utilize skills in international marketing, client satisfaction and retention, market strategy, and emerging technologies. This position can be highly demanding and require intensive knowledge of market research and customer management.

Account Management Specialists
While it is not often requisite, having an MBA can be very beneficial in obtaining a position in account management roles. The account manager is responsible for a large number of the functions of a product manager, but on the advertising agency side of things.

Finance and Accounting Careers

Accounting or financial managers are the people responsible for supervision and maintaining the financial policy and history of a company. The accounting manager is paying attention more on financial reporting, while the financial manager is focused on strategy and money management. Finance has been one of the more popular choices for MBA focus or concentration.

A finance MBA can offer frequent possibilities and can be an effective tool to help with promotions in the professions discussed below. Most prospective jobs for finance MBAs fall within investment banks, corporations, and securities firms. Many finance MBA graduates also follow careers in the consulting industry.

Accounting Managers
Accounting managers working in a corporate setting perform responsibilities relating to tax reporting and management, and creating income statements inside of controller and audit groups. This career path may bring one to the positions of corporate treasurer, corporate controller, or CFO (chief finance officer). Professional accountants working for a public accounting company will perform functions similar to those performed by sovereign audit or tax consultants. An educational history or background based in accounting, either as a Masters degree or as a finance MBA, will give you some of the coursework you need to have in order to take the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exam.

Financial Managers or Financial Analysts
Financial analysts and managers use historical (accounting) data in their decision making, however the number one role of the financial manager is to oversee the production of financial analysis and reports to help the company with decision making, business development, strategic planning, and alliance management. Through the use of these reports, the financial analyst helps to shape the companies investment and business growth. Cash management strategies developed and implemented by the financial analyst help the company to grow efficiently and allow for maximum profitability in its investments.
Financial analysts and mangers play an important part in mergers and global financing and expansion. Highly specialized knowledge in these areas is an important asset to the financial manager and his or her employer to maximize potential profit and reduce risk. Many companies utilize globally active consulting firms exclusively for these purposes.

Corporate Controllers
A controller is someone who is in charge of preparing a companies financial reports to forecast and sum-up the companies financial situation. The statements a controller would get together consist of balance sheets, income statements, earnings analyses, and expense analyses. Regulatory agencies may also require special reports from companies. Controllers arrange these reports. In addition, a controller will frequently be over the budget, auditing, and accounting departments of a company.

Guideline of Studies MBA

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MBA program at the TU Munich imparts to its students the ability to recognize, solve and analyze economic
and business-related problems using scientific methods. Independent scientific working habits are promoted
with project studies and a final thesis. In these studies, the theoretical and practice-oriented transmission of
management knowledge into an international context gains particular importance. The goal is to meet all the
requirements and qualifications that prepare for a leading position in the business world.
1. Prerequisites for admission
The research study MBA-program requires either a baccalaureate, diploma or masters degree from a German
scientific university, or a diploma / masters degree (final grade has to be at least a “B”) from a technical college.
The acquired degree has to be either in the following fields of studies
agricultural science - computer science
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architecture - mechanical engineering
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structural engineering - mathematics
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biology - finance- and economic mathematics
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brewery and beverage technology - technological mathematics
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chemistry -physics
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chemical engineering - technology and bio-technology of food
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electrical engineering and information technology - surveying
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geology
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or from a comparable field of studies.
The examination board decides about the eligibility of the fields of studies as well as about the equivalence of a
foreign baccalaureate, diploma and masters degrees.
Current chairman of the examination board:
Prof. Dr. jur. Christoph Ann, LL.M (Duke)
Lehrstuhl für Wirtschaftsrecht und Geistiges Eigentum
Arcisstraße 21
80333 München
Tel. 089 / 289 – 28662
E-Mail: Christoph.ann@jura.wi.tum.de
The aptitude evaluation process determines the admission to the program. A description of this process is
available in the advisory offices beginning on May 15th of each year. Besides submitting the application form to
the matriculation office on time, candidates must apply for the aptitude evaluation process (see also information
brochure Aptitude Evaluation Process). Only those applicants who successfully pass the qualification as well as
the aptitude evaluation will be admitted.
Page 1 / 5
2. Begin of Studies, Registration
The research studies start during the winter semester.
The registration for the MBA takes place directly at the Technical University Munich. The registration forms can
be requested beginning on May 15th of each year from the following address:
Immatrikulationsamt der
Technischen Universität München
Zentralabteilung 1
Arcisstr. 21
80333 München
Phone: +49 89-289-22244
Registration date for the MBA application is July 15th of each year.
This date must be strictly adhered to; late applications will not be considered. The diploma from the previous
degree studies must be delivered no later than the matriculation date (usually just before the beginning of
lectures).
3. Organization and Course of MBA
The MBA-program is a full-time study. The regular study time totals 4 semesters. The lectures are primarily
conducted in the German language.
1st Semester 2nd Semester 3rd Semester 4th Semester
Core Instructions Management Methods
c a s e s tu d ie s
Electives
Project Studies Master’s Thesis
3.1 Core Instructions of Law and Economics:
The core instructions will prepare the student for the in-depth study of the research work during the main course
of studies.
Contents:
fundamental principles of general business administration
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methods of business economics
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fundamental principles of specific business administration
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fundamental principles of economics
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fundamental principles of jurisprudence
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3.2 Management Methods:
The management methods deepen the fundamental principles of the core instructions and are to be selected
and combined by each student. The following categories are offered:
- accounting and auditing - marketing and sales management
- controlling - personnel management
- service management - production management
- purchase management - project management
- finance management - quality management
- management and organization - company evaluation
- information- and communications management - business management
- innovations- and technology management - business start-up
- international management - company cooperation and mergers
- investment management - business planning
- communication competence - operation and methods of company controlling
- logistics - knowledge management
3.3 Electives
The electives support and intensify the specific subjects and are offered in the form of lectures, progress
reports, tutorials and seminars. Each student must choose two of the following electives:
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology of International Business Relations
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Socio-technical Systems Logistics
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- Accounting - Auditing – Consulting Management of Technical Companies
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- Service Management Planning and Design of Production Companies
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- Geography Business Law
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- Real Estate Economy Politics of Business and Finance
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- Information, Organization and Management
3.4 Project Studies
The project studies require active participation in a research or praxis project.
3.5 Master’s Thesis
The master’s thesis is a free scientific paper that has to be written within six months.
Page 3 / 5
3.6 Performance Evaluation
Grades and performance points are awarded for single examinations and academic performances. The diploma
exam is successfully concluded with the collection of 100 credit points. The maximum of 100 credit points is
compiled as follows:
fundamental principles of law and economic sciences 20 credit points
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management methods 16 credit points
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electives (according to own main focus either in the fundamental principles 12 credit points
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of law and economic science and / or in management methods)
elective I 12 credit points
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elective II 12 credit points
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project studies 10 credit points
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master’s thesis 10 credit points
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defense of master’s thesis 8 credit points
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100 credit points
Generally, it is possible to collect credit points at foreign universities. The examination board decides about their
individual approval.
4. Completion of Course of Studies (degrees)
Master of Science (Industrial and Agricultural Engineering)
Master of Science (Industrial and Biological Engineering)
Master of Science (Industrial and Chemical Engineering)
Master of Science (Industrial and Geological Engineering)
Master of Science (Industrial Engineering)
Master of Science (Industrial and Computer Sciences)
Master of Science (Industrial and Mathematics Sciences)
Master of Science (Industrial and Physics Engineering)
5. Statutory Basis
The following statutes (in their current versions) are the legal basis for the MBA-program of the TU Munich:
Course Study Regulations for the MBA
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Regulations regarding the professional examinations for the MBA
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General Regulations for Academic Certification (ADPO)
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Decisions of the examination board
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6. Internships
Internships are possible but have to be organized by the students themselves.
7. Tuition Fees
Apart from the usual student administration fee for the MBA-program no other tuition fees are demanded.
Page 4 / 5
8. Further Information
Internet:
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General, long term-important information:
http://www.mba.tu-muenchen.de
Current information:
http://portal.mba.tum.de
study guide:
-
http://www.mba.tu-muenchen.de/detframe.htm
Study council for MBA:
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Dipl.-Ing., Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing. Elisabeth Sachers
Lehrstuhl für Betriebswirtschaftslehre - Unternehmensführung, Logistik und
Produktion
Leopoldstr. 145
80804 München
Tel. 089 / 289 – 240 09
E-Mail: studienberatung@wi.tum.de
Dean of studies for MBA :
-
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dr. habil. Dr. h. c. Horst Wildemann
Lehrstuhl für Betriebswirtschaftslehre - Unternehmensführung, Logistik und
Produktion
Leopoldstr. 145
80804 München
Tel. 089 / 289 – 240 00
E-Mail: prof.wildemann@wi.tum.de
Secretary to the examination board:
-
Akademischer Oberrat Eberhard Böttcher
Lehrstuhl für Wirtschaftsrecht und Geistiges Eigentum
Prof. Dr. jur. Christoph Ann, LL.M (Duke)
Arcisstraße 21
80333 München
Tel. 089 / 289 – 226 63
E-Mail: boettcher@jura.wi.tum.de
Students of the MBA department:
-
Fachschaft MBA
Arcisstraße 19, Zi. 007
80290 München
http://www.fs.mba.tum.de
Additional information for foreign students:
-
Akademisches Auslandsamt der TU München
Gabelsbergerstrasse 39
80290 München
Tel. 089 / 289 – 221 34
Fax: 089 / 289 – 228 70
E-Mail: rattay-foerstl@zv.tum.de
http://www.iz.hr.tu-muenchen.de/beratung/index_de.tuml

How to Get a Visa?

2009-01-05T00:59:00.000-08:00

Visas are issued by the American government for exact purposes and for finite periods. If you overstay your visa or use it for a purpose for which it was not issued - for example, if you work while on a student visa - you may be deported by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (aka INS). Moreover, if you are caught “out of status” - which includes using your visa incorrectly or overstaying it - you can be banned from returning to America for up to three years. Do it again and you can be banned for a decade.

Obtaining the proper paperwork for your time in America is a pain in the ass. You should expect lengthy waits and hassles, as well as having to fork out big cash for your visa. Oh, and if the American government thinks you are coming to America to immigrate, without proper authorization, they may reject you admission altogether. All in all, navigating the rapidly changing laws that govern the rights of foreigners to live in this country is extremely difficult, and you really shouldn’t try to do it without an attorney. That said, however, you can read on to learn the basics to start you on your way to obtaining a visa.

1. MAKE A DECISION WHICH VISA YOU NEED AND GET AN APPLICATION

If you want to come to America to live forever - that is, to become a “permanent resident” - you are going to have a hell of a time. The hoops through which you must jump to gain a Green Card - which is the proper governmental authorization for permanent residency and also known as an Employment Authorization Document - are numerous and onerous. (We won’t be outlining those concerns here.) It is far easier to come to America for a finite stay, since the American government is less concerned about people whom they think will not be moving in permanently.

Which visa is for you?

There are three major types of short-term visas, and, as with most government documents, some of these have awkward numerical names. There is a “visitor’s visa,” which is intended to allow a foreign citizen to come to America for up to three months to visit Niagara Falls and to be fleeced at Disney World. If your intention is simply to take a vacation in America or to come out for a special occasion like a wedding or graduation, this is the visa you need. If, however, you intend to study in America, you will need to apply for a distinct visa: either an F-1 or a J-1. These visas will last as long as your degree program, e.g., up to four years for an undergraduate degree and two or three for a graduate program. While these student visas may allow you to work for a couple of months after you graduate, as part of “practical training” toward your overall education, they do not allow you to work full-time during the school year. If you want to come to America to work a full-time job, for only a finite period of years, you will need to apply for an H visa. Clearly, these visitor, student, and temporary work visas are all quite different from one another, so you should not have much difficulty determining which is the proper one for your purpose.

Go to Your United States Embassy

No matter which of the three visas you decide to apply for, you will need to pick up an application at a U.S. Embassy. Typically, there will be a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the capital city of your home country. One of the benefits of having those damn Yanks meddling in everyone else’s business is that they have conveniently set up bases for the CIA all over the world - these are the embassies.

Almost every U.S. Embassy in the world is divided into two main divisions: consular and “other.” “Other” can mean anything from United States Information Agency, services for U.S. citizens, CIA, DEA, and all the other “business” generally conducted by the American diplomats in your country. The consular division is what you need. It is the place that handles applications for visas to America. More importantly for this stage in the process, it is where you can pick up precise information on the application process. Simply enter the embassy’s consular division and ask for an application for the visa of your choice: either tourist, student, or temporary employment. Be sure to emphasize “temporary” - as we’ve hinted, the bean-counters get very nervous when they think you might be staying.

2. GET READY YOUR EVIDENTIARY SUPPORT

In order to obtain any of these three visas, you will need to ease the U.S. government’s concern that you are simply using these papers as a cover for traveling to America and then remaining there indefinitely. The application process will, to greater and lesser degrees depending on the length of your intended stay, look for you to demonstrate a bona fide non-immigrant intent. There are several things to which you can point to demonstrate this non-immigrant intent.

Explain your financial ties to your home country.

If you have wrapped yourself up in business dealings at home, the U.S. consular division is less likely to think that you will ditch all of that sunk cost simply to run off to America. Bank accounts, stock certificates, bond coupons, or any other items that can prove your financial ties will be helpful to have handy. Of course, having a home or other assets in your home country is also excellent evidence of non-immigrant intent, and you should have proof of those assets available.

On a related note, be prepared to prove your employment prospects in your home country if you can. If you have a letter from an employer offering you a job upon your return from America, or you currently have a job from which you are taking only temporary leave, make copies for the Embassy officials of any documents that can verify these facts.

Obtain proof of family ties, if you have any, in your home country.

Of course, if you have a spouse and children at home, this will assuage the Americans’ fears. Even having other immediate family members will help, so gather some evidence that describes your relationship to them, including their names, residences, occupations, and ages. Affidavits from your relatives will help.

Proffer some evidence of your ties to your home community.

If you participate in any social, political, religious, or cultural organizations, bring some proof of that. Again, the idea here is to demonstrate your connection to your home country.

You may be asked to furnish these materials as part of the written application for a visa, or during an interview about that application. Bring multiple copies of them with you every time you go to the U.S. Embassy.

3. FOLLOW THESE SPECIFIC TIPS FOR YOUR PARTICULAR VISA TYPE

Having picked up your application and prepared your evidentiary support, you should be aware of the quirks that are particular to your type of visa.

1. Tourist Visa

2. Temporary Work Visa

3. Student Visa

Tourist Visa

The Tourist Visa - also known as a Visitor Visa - is the least complex of all the visas you can acquire for a visit to the United States. Because the U.S. government presumes that you are coming to America only for pleasure or personal reasons, and only for a limited duration, they do not conduct an extensive inquiry into your background. They will, however, remain perpetually suspicious about whether you are simply using this as a ruse to enter the country and then to remain here illegally thereafter.

If you are coming to America to visit the Grand Canyon, therefore, be prepared to show your itinerary or travel tickets to that destination when you go to the U.S. Embassy. Similarly, if you need a visa to go to your friend’s college graduation, having a copy of the invitation or announcement with the date and place will help verify your claims to the U.S. bureautron behind the counter.

In general, the technical requirements for this kind of visa are slight, and you should rely on your common sense to get through the application process. Just think of what you would want to see as proof of the reason for your trip and your intent to return home afterwards.

But before you spend all day in line at the U.S. Embassy, check out the Visa Waiver Pilot Program to see if you can waive even this low-level paperwork.

Temporary Work Visa

If you thought the student visas were complicated, be prepared for even more hassle if you attempt to obtain permission to work in the United States. For this process, you will certainly need the assistance of your employer or an attorney, and most likely, both. Nevertheless, we will outline the process for you here so that you know where to begin and what to expect.

Obtain a Job Offer. Just as with a student visa, the first thing you must have for a temporary work visa is a letter of acceptance. Your employer must furnish you with a piece of correspondence - preferably on corporate letterhead - formally offering you a position with the company. This letter should also contain several other details to assuage the INS. Your employer should note the title of the position and its responsibilities, the salary, the start and end dates, and how many hours a week the position involves. The end date here is particularly important, in light of the INS’s constant fear of your overstaying the visa. They need to know that this job has a time limit - a date after which it will definitely be over.

Fill Out the INS Paperwork. Your employer will then need to fill out an application on an INS Form I-129, petitioning for permission to hire you as a temporary employee. Of course, in all practicality, this means that you fill out the form for your employer and then hand it to them for their signature. The form can be downloaded here: http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/i-129.htm

Having filled out this form, with the help of your employer and possibly an attorney, you will need to file it with the INS along with a fee of $610. Yeah, that’s steep. But we always knew that America got rich on the backs of immigrants.

Then you wait. And wait. The INS can take many months to process these requests, and the number of these visas available is finite. That means the government can run out of them. These visas - “H” visas - are replenished each year, though, and the beginning of the INS year is in October/November. You should try to get your application to the INS as soon after that time as possible to ensure that there are sufficient H visas available by the time they process your application.

Use the H Visa. Once you receive your visa, the government will instruct you on the mechanics of activating it, which (if you are already in the United States) may involve leaving the country and visiting a U.S. Embassy abroad. When you travel on an H visa, you will not have an I-20 or an IAP-66, but the INS will furnish you with proof of your visa, and it is always a good idea to carry your employer’s letter of acceptance with you.

Please be aware that the intricacies of applying for a temporary work visa are numerous. We have provided you with only an overview of the process here, so that you will be sufficiently informed to begin your application in earnest. A great place to begin, of course, is on the INS’s own website. (http://www.ins.usdoj.gov)

There are also a number of private law firms that specialize in immigration law, and their websites are also informative. Two of the best are http://www.immigration.com and http://www.us-immigration.com/.

4. SEE IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE FOR THE VISA WAIVER

For certain visitors to the United States, the US government has dispensed entirely with the need to obtain any sort of visa prior to traveling here. Don’t go running to the airport just yet though, you have to make sure that you satisfy the threshold criteria for this program and that you are aware of the restrictions governing you if you choose to travel visa-less.

Student Visa

Tens of thousands of foreigners come to America each year to study at this country’s fine institutions of higher learning. Oh, yeah, and to get totally ripped at frat parties. Thankfully, the U.S. government encourages this behavior and has established a relatively liberal policy of allowing aliens to study here. Of course, you still must apply for a visa.

Keep your letter of admission. Before you set one foot inside the U.S. Embassy, you must have a letter of admission from your university. The consular officials won’t even consider your application unless they have proof that you are, or will be, a student in the United States. No worries, though - this is not tough to take care of. When you get admitted to your school, just make a copy of the admission letter.

Obtain additional paperwork from your prospective school. Once you are admitted, you will also need to contact your university’s international office. Each university in America is evaluated by the INS, which accredits it for the purposes of immigration - the idea here is that they don’t want recent immigrants setting up “universities” in their double-wide trailers and admitting thousands of their old grade school chums. All accredited schools - and we mean really accredited - will have an official who handles applications by international students. This person will be responsible for sending you the paperwork that you will need to negotiate the visa application process in your home country.

The first thing this university official will do is determine what kind of student visa - F-1 or J-1 - you should apply for. In practical terms, there is no great distinction between these two. On either one, you will go through many of the same procedures to stay “in status” and will be able to come and go from America to the same extent. Technically, however, F-1s are for undergraduate students and boarding schoolers. They can, therefore, last up to four years, if your degree program takes that long. By contrast, J-1 visas are for “visiting scholars,” which usually means professors or lecturers, but can also mean graduate students. Another slight difference between the two visas is that a J-1 allows 18 months of practical training, while an F-1 allows only 12. So if your school is indifferent, and you have the choice, you may want to opt for a J-1.

The practical training addition to these visas allows you to find employment related to your field of study for as long as the visa allows. If you just graduated from law school on a J-1 visa, for example, you could work for a law firm for a year-and-a-half before needing either to leave the country or to secure another visa. Those practical training months can also be used piecemeal, such that you could use three months during each summer break from school to work in a job related to your studies and still have months left over for when you graduate. If you do not apply to your university official for this practical training during the summers, you cannot work in America at those times. You would have to return to your home country to do so. Having extra months of practical training, therefore, is definitely useful.

Once you have worked out what kind of visa you will be applying for, your university official must send you the appropriate form. For an F-1, this form is called an I-20. For a J-1, the form is called an IAP-66. Do not lose these forms. They are your tickets into America.

Apply at the embassy. If you have received your letter of acceptance and I-20 or IAP-66, you can then approach the U.S. Embassy to apply formally for the visa. Rarely will an embassy deny you a visa if you can produce these pieces of university paperwork. There is, however, one important requirement that you must satisfy before being granted the visa: financial ability.

The U.S. Embassy will generally not grant you a student visa unless you can demonstrate your ability to pay for your education. This can be a difficult thing to establish. If you plan to attend a private four-year university, for example, the total cost of your schooling can be over $100,000. You must show the U.S. Embassy that you have this cash before they’ll let you come over here. So start liquidating the stocks and padding that bank statement! We’ve also found that drug smuggling will help.

Get the actual visa. Finally, having laid yourself bare before the American government, you may be granted your visa. Prepare to be disappointed. After all that hassle, the visa itself is a small piece of paper, about the size of a postcard, that is glued into your passport. It contains a scanned photograph of you (which you must furnish to the embassy on your application), plus your vital information, such as name, date of birth, country of citizenship, and so on. More importantly, it declares itself to be your visa. When you attempt to enter the United States, you will need to present your passport and I-20 or IAP-66 to the person working at the immigration counter - so you had better have both before you book that ticket.

The Criteria

This program applies (a) only to citizens of a limited group of countries and (b) only if those citizens are traveling to the United States for 90 days or fewer.

First, make sure your country of citizenship is on this list:

Australia

France

Germany Iceland

Italy

Japan

New Zealand

Singapore

Spain

Switzerland

United Kingdom

Since this program is new, some countries have only recently been added and more may be in the future. Check with your own country’s consulate or your local U.S. embassy to see whether your country participates in this program.

Second, make sure you have a return ticket getting you out of the States before 90 days.

The Process

Under this program, simply purchase your tickets, proceed to the airport, be treated like crap in a tiny seat on the long flight, and then be prepared to withstand an interrogation by US immigration officials upon arriving. They will ask you a series of questions that will go something like this:

* Why have you come to the U.S.?

* Where are you going while here?

* Where are you staying?

* With whom are you staying?

* What is your occupation?

* How long have you worked there?

* Will you be returning to that job?

* Do you have a return ticket?

* Do you have sufficient money?

The whole point of this exercise is (a) to see if you satisfy the criteria of the program, and (b) to make sure that you’re not just using the program as a ruse to enter the country with the intention of staying here forever - stealing jobs from Americans and corrupting the moral fabric of this country, you stinkin’ for-ee-ner!

Remember, if they’re not happy with your answers, they can turn you around and put you on the next flight home - at your expense. So be ready with them answers.

The Boundaries

First, you cannot work or study on this visa. We’ve already gone over the visas you need to do those things, so don’t get cute. Second, by this program’s definition, you can’t stay for more than 90 days. And, third, the program does not allow you to adjust your status while traveling on it - so if you suddenly decide you want to work or study now that you’re here in the U.S., lo siento chicos (that is, “sorry boys and girls”), you’re still going to have to return home and go through the process we’ve described for those types of visas.

What is Needed to Apply for a Student Visa?

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As part of the visa application process, an interview at the embassy consular section is required for visa applicants from age 14 through 79. Persons age 13 and younger, and age 80 and older, generally do not require an interview, unless requested by embassy or consulate. The waiting time for an interview appointment for applicants can vary, so early visa application is strongly encouraged It is important to remember that applying early and providing the requested documents does not guarantee that the student will receive a visa. Visa wait times for interview appointments and visa processing time information for each U.S. Embassy or Consulate worldwide is available on our website at Visa Wait times, and on most embassy websites. During the visa application process, usually at the interview, an ink-free, digital fingerprint scan will be quickly taken. Some applicants will need additional screening, and will be notified when they apply. Also, because each student’s personal and academic situation is different, two students applying for same visa may be asked different questions and be required to submit different documents. For that reason, the guidelines that follow are general and can be abridged or expanded by consular officers overseas, depending on each student’s situation.

All applicants for a student visa must provide:

Form I-20A-B, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status-For Academic and Language Students or Form I-20M-N, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status for Vocational Students.You will need to submit a SEVIS generated Form, I-20, which was provided to you by your school.You and your school official must sign the I-20 form. All students, as well as their spouses and dependents must be registered in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), an Internet-based system that maintains accurate and current information on non-immigrant students and exchange visitors and their dependents (F/M-2 visa holders). Your school is responsible for entering your information for the I-20 student visa form into SEVIS. Students will also have to pay an SEVIS I-901 fee for each program of study. Questions regarding your exchange program should be directly to your program sponsor;

What is a Visa?

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If you’re a resident of a foreign country, in most cases you’ll need a visa to enter the any country.

A visa doesn’t permit entry to any country., however. A visa simply indicates that your application has been reviewed by a country consular officer at an state embassy or consulate, and that the officer has determined you’re eligible to enter the country for a specific purpose. Consular affairs are the responsibility of the Department of State.

A visa allows you to travel to the United States as far as the port of entry (airport or land border crossing) and ask the immigration officer to allow you to enter the country. Only the immigration officer has the authority to permit you to enter the country. He or she decides how long you can stay for any particular visit. Immigration matters are the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security.

There are two categories of. visas: immigrant and nonimmigrant.

Immigrant visas are for people who intend to live permanently in the U.S. Nonimmigrant visas are for people with permanent residence outside the U.S. but who wish to be in the U.S. on a temporary basis – for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work or study.

Nonimmigrant visas are for people with permanent residence outside the country. but who wish to go to the country on a temporary basis – for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work, or study.

U.S. law requires that people who apply for nonimmigrant visas provide evidence that they don’t intend to immigrate to the United States. It’s up to consular officers at U.S. embassies and consulates to determine eligibility on an individual basis on the merits of each case.

Providing requested documents does not assurance that you will receive a visa. There is no entitlement to a visa.

And, because each person’s personal situation is different, people applying for the same visa may be asked different questions and be required to submit different documents. Under U.S. law, the authority to question or refuse visas is vested solely in consular offices abroad. Consular officers have the authority to decide whether the evidence submitted in support of an application is sufficient to set up an applicant’s eligibility for a visa. Consular officers may request additional information or documentation depending on their evaluation of each person’s situation.

How Preparing for the Visa Interview?

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You have been accepted at the college of your choice. You are thinking about the courses you’ll take, the people you’ll meet, and the exciting things you’ll do … and then your heart sinks when you hear your friends explain the complexity of getting a student visa. Suddenly, you’re scared: what if, after filling out forms and dreaming about your future, you can’t get a visa? Well relax; you can get a visa. But there are two things you should do to increase your chances of a favorable decision: first, have all the required certification; second, be prepared.

The visa process step by step

Step 1: You must have a valid I-20, which your college will send you after you have been admitted and after you have certified your available finances. When it arrives, check the following:

1 Is your name spelled correctly and in the same form as it appears in your passport?

2 Is the other information correct - date and country of birth, degree program, reporting date, completion date, financial information?

3 Is it signed by a college official?

4 Has the reporting date (”student must report no later than”) passed? (the I-20 expires and cannot be used after the reporting date).

Step 2: If your I-20 is valid, you’re prepared to apply for the visa. In order to issue your visa, the Consular Officer must be satisfied on three counts:

First, are you a bona fide student? The officer will ask about your educational background and strategy in order assess how likely you are to enroll and remain in college until graduation. Be prepared to discuss the reasons you chose a particular college, your anticipated major, and your career plans. Bring school transcripts, national examination results, and SAT or TOEFL scores (if these tests were required by your college) and anything else that demonstrates your academic commitment.

Second, is your sponsor financially capable? Visa requirements differ from country to country, but generally host governments want assurance that you won’t drop out of school or take a job illegally. How can you show that your support is able to finance your education?

Your chances are enhanced if your parents are sponsoring your education. If anyone other than your parents is sponsoring you, you should explain your special relationship with this person, who may be committing tens of thousands of dollars to your education.

Provide solid evidence of your sponsor’s finances. This assures the Consular Officer that adequate funds will be available throughout your four-year college program. If your sponsor’s income is from several different sources (such as salary, contracts or consulting fees, a farm, rental property, investments), have the sponsor write a letter listing and documenting each source of income.

Third, are your ties to home so burly that you will not want to remain lastingly in the host country? Laws generally state that you must demonstrate sufficient economic, family, and social ties to your place of residence to make sure that your stay in the Americas will be temporary.

Economic ties: These include your family’s economic position, property you may own or stand to inherit, and your own economic potential when you come home with a U.S. education. The Consular Officer will be impressed to see evidence of your career planning and your knowledge of the local employment scene.

Family and social ties: How many close family members live in your home country, compared to those living in the States? What community or school behavior have you participated in that display a sincere connection to your town or country? What leadership, sports, and other roles have distinguished you as a person who wants to come home and contribute your part?

And if you’re refused a visa?

If your application is refused, the Consular Officer is required to give you an explanation in writing. You do have the right to apply a second time, but if you reapply, make sure to prepare much more carefully. The Consular Officer will want to see fresh evidence sufficient to overcome the reasons for the first denial.

If you have given careful thought to your educational goals and if you have reasonable career plans, you’ll find the visa interview an opportunity to prove you’re ready to take the next big step in your education and in your life: college in the Americas.

The information above outlines important steps for you to follow before you go for your visa interview. However, there is additional preparation you should undertake.

When applying for a student visa, it is important to demonstrate an academic plan that you have thought about and can articulate. The visa officer usually gets at this issue by asking you why you chose a particular university and why you chose X program at that university. They are not questioning the validity of the University or the program; they are trying to determine how clear you are with your academic plans and goals.

Before going for a visa interview, its quite important to gather information about the programs, courses and other details offered on the University website and have enough information about the University…recently a student during a visa interview was asked, “What do you want to study at A University? “The student said, “Computer Science, software development.” The visa officer asked if A University had software development. The student was not sure. Did the student receive the visa? You should be able to eloquent academic reasons for choosing the University and that specific program at the University.

What should be do after applying for a visa?

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To check the progress on an request, if you have not heard within the current 5-10 working days processing time, please track your application through the VFS website. You will have been given these details and a location number when you submitted your application. If after 10 working days your application is still listed as being at the High Commission then please emails us. We should pressure that candidate should only email after 10 working days have beyond. The only email address What happens next? Once a visa officer has assessed your application, they will choose to:Issue your visa refuse your visa or invite you for an interview. This process is the same whether you are applying for a settlement visa or a non-settlement visa. If an interview is required you will be contact by a member of UK visas staff in Pretoria and you will be given a date and time for your interview.

Where are interviews held?

At the British High Commission in Pretoria

What to take to the interview

Take the interview letter and any original documents (as well as photocopies of these) which you did not send with your application.

After the interview

At the end of the interview, we will tell you whether your visa will be issued, or whether your application has been refused. If we issue the visa You will receive your passport and visa back soon after your interview.

If we refuse the visa

Your passport and other documents will be handed over to you at the British High Commission after the interview or they will be returned to you by VFS with reasons for refusal clearly provided. General information We cannot refund visa fees once you have paid them.

H1B Visa Interview Sample Questions

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The subsequent are some sample questions that can be asked at a H1B Visa meeting. These questions are complied from individual’s experience posted in path2usa conversation forum. Since each case is different, be expecting some variation in these questions during your interview. Take them as samples and a training tool.

Questions about Your Intent of Visa

(1). What is the reason of your trip to the United States?

(2). Do you have any relations in the United States?

(3). Why are you changing your Job?

(4). Why do you want to work in the US?

(5). Have you applied for visa for any other country?

(6). Do you know what is the living cost in the U.S. specific to the place where you are going?

(7). When are you planning to travel?

(8). How will you survive for the first month?

(9). Have you been to any other country before?

If yes, how long was your stay there?

(10). Will you come back to India?

(11). When will you return to india?

(12). Why would you want to return to India?

(13). Is it your first H1B or visa revalidation?

(14). After the conclusion of your visa, what will you do?

Questions About Your Education/Experience

(1). Are you a student?

(2). which university is your degree from?

(3). What was your thesis about?

(4). What is the diff between PL SQL n SQL?

(5). What are the software’s you know? Do you have work experience with them?

(6). What courses did you complete here [Home Country]?

(7). Show me your certificates.

(8). Can I see your educational certificates and experience letters.

(9). Tell me in detail about all the jobs and work experiences and profile.

(10). What’s your highest educational qualification?

Questions about Your Current Company

(1). How long have you been working?

(2). Where are you working currently?

(3). What is your current salary?

(4). What is your current role in the current company?

(5). Is it an Indian company you currently work for?

Questions About Sponsoring Company

(1). What is the company you are going to work for in USA?

(2). Where are you going to work in US?

(3). Why are you joining [New Company]?

(4). How do you know this is a real company?

(5). When did you receive your offer letter?

(6). What will you be working on there? Is it an internal project?

(7). I need a client letter describing your work project.

(8). Tell me what do you know about [New Company]?

(9). When was the US company founded?

(10). Tell me about the project and the company (client) you will be working for?

(11). How did you find out about this company?

(12). How did you contact the [New Company]?

(13). What is the current project you will be working on?

(14). What are your responsibilities and for which client are you going to be working for? Please explain in detail.

(15). Do you have any proof from your new employer regarding your responsibilities?

(16). Do you have any company photographs?

(17). How long has the company been in the current location?

(18). How many rounds of interviews has the USA company conducted?

What are they?

(19). What is the name of your interviewer?

(20). Can you give me the dates of your interview?

(21). Who are the clients for your U.S. company?

(22). What are the technologies you are working on?

(23). Who is the President/CEO of the U.S. company?

(24). What kind of projects is the U.S. company working on?

(25). What is the annual turn over of the company?

(26). How many employees does the U.S. Company have?

(27). How many rounds of interviews did the U.S. company conduct?

What are they? 4 rounds (2 technical, 1 HR, 1 manager interview)

(28). Can I see your client end letter and itinerary of services.

Tips

(1). Keep a copy of all your documents.

(2). Answer all questions clearly during the interview.

(3). Upon receiving your visa, carefully check for any kind of mistakes like name, date of birth, type of visa, validity date, etc:

How to Host a Foreign Exchange Student?

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The number of students participating in foreign exchange programs at the post-secondary-school level in any given year is a surprisingly large number–1.4 million. Of those, approximately one-third of them choose the United States as their destination. The number of exchange students at the level of secondary-school or below is smaller, but still considerable. Hosting foreign exchange students has been a decades old tradition in some circles of American society. Families that have hosted students often form close, lasting relationships with them. Learn how to participate in this experience.

(1). Know what you are getting into. Realize that hosting an exchange student is like adopting him or her for the time they are in this country. These students have financial resources and are almost always covered with medical insurance policies, but their housing, supervision and emotional support come directly from the host family. It is also true that because of cultural differences, exchange students sometimes have difficulty integrating into the hectic and competitive society that exists in American high schools and junior high schools.

(2). Go through a rigorous placement process. Prior to 2006, background checks were optional and at the discretion of the entity responsible for the exchange student’s placement. Following a series of articles from all over the world that documented apparent abuse of students during their stay in the United States, legislation was initiated to establish oversight of the placement process. At that time, many if not most exchange student agencies voluntarily began requiring criminal background checks on the adult members of prospective host families.

(3). Check smaller organizations, and organizations that serve specific populations of students. AYUSA, The Center for Cultural Exchange and The World Heritage Student Exchange Programs are examples of such programs.

(4). Apply with one of the organizations after considering the responsibilities inherent in the program and the type student you would like to host.

(5). Decide which organization you want to use for placement. There are a large number of entities that handle placement of exchange students. Some of these organizations work with designated countries, some with designated religious affiliations, some with specific educational organizations and others without a defined population of any kind. The Council for Standards on International Educational Travel (CSIET) is such an organization. CSIET has a list of vetted programs throughout America.

(6). Check the websites of three of the oldest exchange student organizations: the American Field Service, The Rotary Youth Exchange and The Youth for Understanding Foundation. These organizations have long standing reputations. They place a large number of students.

Why should I study abroad?

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Study abroad is an enriching and eye-opening adventure, where learning extends far beyond the classroom. The experience will expose you to new ways of thinking, living, and viewing the world. Benefits include the opportunity to learn about another culture firsthand, learn an entirely new language or become fluent in one you have already studied, you can travel, fulfill major and minor coursework requirements, and develop new intellectual pursuits, skills, and perspectives. By living within another culture, you are likely to gain a new understanding of, and perhaps even appreciation for, the United States and its way of life. You can also expect to make friendships and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Most programs are designed for students who have already studied at least 1 year at a university. Many programs require a GPA of at least 2.75, but some of the more competitive programs require a 3.0 GPA. General qualifications for acceptance include good academic standing, letters of recommendation, and a personal study statement. Language requirements vary per program. Additional qualifications may exist depending on the program to which you apply.

Early planning is the key to successful study abroad. Hundreds of study abroad opportunities exist; they differ in location, duration, curriculum, language, degree of cultural immersion, cost, and many other factors. In order to find the program that is the right “fit” for your personal and academic objectives, you should begin planning your study abroad experience at least one semester before you actually depart. See Planning for Study Abroad for additional guidelines.

this is possible to plan a study abroad experience for a summer, semester, or full academic year. There are even some short term travel study programs that last just a few weeks.

Study Abroad Student Guide

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Study abroad can be an educational and eye-opening adventure, where learning extends to the world beyond the classroom walls. There is no alternate for living and studying in a foreign country if you want to gain in-depth knowledge of another culture’s customs, people, and language. In addition, you will find that living and studying or working in another country can develop important transnational competencies that can be of interest to future employers.

Personal development

Students who return from a study abroad program often see it as an experience which matured them personally and mentally. They praise being exposed to new ways of thinking and living, which encourages growth and independence. For many students, going abroad to study is the first time they have really been away from ‘home,’ from familiar surroundings of the USA, as well as from friends and family. This is seldom an easy experience, but it is generally praised as worthwhile, often even life-transforming. After immersing themselves in a new culture, mastering the challenges of learning in a new and different academic environment, and experiencing the many highs and lows of being a ‘foreigner,’ students characteristically return home with increased self-confidence and justifiable pride in what they have achieved.

New Perspective on World dealings

Study abroad can broaden your intellectual horizons and deepen your knowledge and understanding of international, political, and economic issues. It is almost certain that you will return from your sojourn abroad by means of a more informed and accurate perspective on world affairs. You will also have direct knowledge of how another culture approaches the tasks and challenges of everyday life, a sense of how ‘global’ the international culture has become, and an appreciation of the importance of international cooperation.

You will probably also gain a broader understanding of, and appreciation for, the United States, its way of life, and its role in worldwide affairs. Through your professors, the other students in your program, and people you meet, you’ll learn how others view the United States and its world role. If you live in a country where English is not the native language, or is spoken only by some, you will learn the practical importance of learning another language and using it.

Career improvement

But study overseas does more than promote academic enrichment and personal growth. It also can enhance your employment prospects, especially in the fields of business, international relationships, and government service. Employers increasingly seek graduates who have studied abroad. They know that students who have successfully completed a study abroad program are likely to possess international knowledge and often second-language skills. Such students are also likely to have other transnational competencies that graduate and professional schools and employers value now as highly: cross-cultural communication skills, analytical skills, an understanding of and familiarity with local customs and cultural contexts, suppleness, resilience, and the ability to adapt to new circumstances and deal constructively with differences. (See From Toward Transnational Competence, IIE 1997.)

What Are Your Reasons? What Are Your Goals?

After considering these potential benefits, you must still ask yourself why you, yourself, want to study abroad. Take some time to think about your reasons, for they will become your goals and your personal measures of success. Perhaps you want to learn a second language, or perfect one you already be familiar with. You might want to learn about another culture, expand your studies, or prepare for graduate school. Maybe you want to travel and meet new people. Whatever your reasons are, write them down and share them with your professors, family, friends and, most importantly, with your study abroad advisor.

There are a host of valid reasons for wanting to experience foreign study. Whatever your reasons, they should be positive ones. Study abroad should not be seen as an escape route from problems at home or on campus. Adjusting to life and learning in a foreign environment will have its stressful moments, and the more you are able to focus on your goals, the additional you’re likely to benefit from the knowledge.

Want to Living In Abroad

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Choosing a study overseas program that is the “right fit” for you is the best way to get your personal and academic goals for study abroad, as well as assist you with your long-range career plans. Therefore, it is important to plan carefully. However, when selecting the program, you are likely to get the most from involved careful planning. Hundreds of opportunities exist, more than ever before. They differ in location, duration, curriculum, degree of cultural immersion, verbal communication, cost, and many, many other ways. Because there is so much to consider, it’s smart to begin planning a full year before you want to depart. In some cases colleges and universities expect you to declare your intent to study overseas a full year in advance.

Start by realistically assessing your academic and personal preparation and objectives:

* What do you want or need to study?

* Do you need to earn credit while abroad, or would a work abroad program not for credit be possible?

* Are you fluent enough in a foreign language to take classes in it, or will it be necessary for you to take some or all of your coursework in English?

* How much time can you afford to spend abroad, in terms of academic time and economic resources?

* Where do you want to go? Why?

* How structured or open of a program are you looking for?

* Do you want to live in a dorm with other Americans, stay with a local family, or have some other housing option?

* How much money can you spend on tuition and fees? On housing and food? On international transportation?

* Will you need to apply for financial aid? Is it available?

This section provides information that will help you answer these questions.

Getting the most from any study abroad program requires open-mindedness, flexibility, dedication, independence, and above all, a spirit of adventure. Some programs, however, require more of these characteristics than others. Also keep in mind your adventure quotient when considering programs. Challenge yourself, but be realistic.

Housing Options

Your living situation will have a significant collision on your study abroad experience. Housing can be as grand as a manor house, as rugged as a tent in a rain forest, or as standard-issue as a university residence hall.

Many study abroad programs provide student housing. Some arrange home-stays, in which you live with a local family. Others provide housing in dormitories or apartments, where your roommates could be students from the host country, from other foreign countries, or from the United States. For short-term programs or those that require extensive travel, students may be housed in hotels, pensions, or student hostels.

Some programs offer a choice of housing arrangements. In most cases, however, the choices are few, as student housing is difficult to find almost everywhere. Dormitory space is often so limited that many foreign universities have strict quotas for the number of rooms allotted to international students.

Be sure to find out whether programs you are interested in arrange housing for participants; not all do. If it’s up to you to find your own housing, ask if the sponsoring institution will assist you. Request an estimate of costs for accommodations, food, travel and necessary living expenses.

Living in Dorms or Apartments. Most students live in dorms or apartments while studying abroad. Some single rooms may be available, but two or more students to a dorm or apartment are more common. Depending on the program you select, you may have a choice of the population of students you room with.

Living with other US students. Surrounded by experiences that are new, some US students are most comfortable living with students from their own country. However, if cultural immersion, cross-cultural learning, and/or an intensive experience of the host culture are high on your list of goals, you may wish to live with students from the host country.

Living with students from the host country or other foreign countries. You may opt for this if you consider your living situation to be part of your overseas learning experience. If you want to live with local students, be aware that, in some countries, local students live in dorms only for their first year, then move to apartments.

Many universities abroad put all foreign students - including those from the US - in a special dorm for foreigners. While, you are unlikely to meet host country students in these dorms, you will be surrounded by other students sharing the experience of being new to a country.

Homestays. Homestays usually provide the greatest immersion in the host language and culture, giving you the opportunity to experience how local people really live. This is especially true if you live with a family that treats you like one of the family, getting to know you and offering help if you need it.

In some cases, however, the host is simply someone with an extra room to rent out, and your relationship is strictly that of landlord/tenant, with little or no social interaction. In many cases, you will not know the name or address of your home-stay until you arrive at the program. This is a major difference between college-level study abroad programs and high school exchanges.

Smoking is far more common - and accepted - abroad than in the US. If a nonsmoking environment is important to you, find out if anyone smokes in home-stays you are considering, or ask for a nonsmoking roommate in dorms and apartments. But be prepared to learn to live in an environment where people smoke.

If you are a vegetarian or vegan, or if you have other special dietary needs, check to see if these can be accommodated. Vegetarian menus are not common outside of the United States, especially in Europe. If you are living with a host family, it may be perceived as rude for you to refuse the meals they serve.

In many cases, it may be a hardship for the family to provide separate meals for you. Please be clear about your needs before the program places you in a home-stay situation as it may not always be possible to accommodate your special requests. And be prepared to compromise with regard to your dietary choices. Remember, you are the guest. You may also have to bear the extra costs of special meals yourself.

Housing information

Get as much information as possible about housing. This can help you decide whether a program is for you, or at least prepare you for what to expect.

For programs in any country, ask:

* What kind of furnishings does a dorm or apartment have?

* Is there a desk or table for you to work at?

* Is the kitchen equipped with cooking utensils?

* Does a dorm provide sheets, blankets, pillows etc.?

* If not, Is there a service available to rent linens?

* Are there laundry facilities?

* If so, are these automatic washers or laundry tubs?

* Is there a limit on how often you can use them?

* What is the cost?

* Will you have access to a phone in your residence?

If you’re planning to study in a developing country, ask your program representative:

* Is there drinking water available?

* Is there hot water for showers?

* Is electricity always available?

Last, remember to verify all housing arrangements well in front of your departure.

Enrollment Options

About 72% of US undergraduates who end up studying abroad enroll in a study abroad program specially organized for students like them. The sponsor may be a US college or university (the student’s own, another, or a consortium) with which it has reached an agreement. Or the sponsor could be a domestic organization other than a college or university, or an overseas university or organization, often as part of its program for other international students. However, depending on your own institution’s policies with regard to transfer credit from other domestic or overseas institutions, a host of other options may exist for you. The below list moves from options centered in your own institution to options more centered in overseas institutions.

Enroll in a Program Designed and Overseen by US Colleges or Universities for American Students. The most popular choices of study abroad programs include those sponsored by a student’s own institution, by another US college or university, or by a consortium, or group, of US colleges or universities. Such arrangements make possible hundreds of academic year, semester, quarter, and vacation study program opportunities.

Programs sponsored by US colleges allow students to study in a foreign environment while remaining within an US academic framework. Even if the actual course work is taken at a foreign university, academic credit is arranged through the sponsoring US institution. In many cases, special courses in the language and culture of the host country are offered, and the language requirements may be relaxed. The sponsoring college usually also makes housing and round-trip travel arrangements for students, and may arrange cultural excursions.

Programs offered by US institutions basically fall into two main categories, though many variations exist within each:

* The “island” program: All courses are arranged for a group of US students and taught by home campus faculty members familiar with the host culture or by foreign faculty hired by the US school. Costs be often about the same as study on the home campus, and financial aid that you receive from your institution or from the government can typically be used. Some of these programs offer intensive language study for language majors. Generally, though, these program are taught in English, except for foreign language classes, which are taught in the language studied. This is a good option for students who don’t speak the local language. It may also exist a good choice if this will be your first time overseas. Be aware, however, that no overseas program can provide academic and social services identical to what you are accustomed to at home.

* Hybrid programs: Study in a foreign institution, combined with courses arranged for the group by the sponsor US institution: These programs generally require some knowledge of the host country language. Nonetheless, special university courses for US or other foreign students usually have less demanding language requirements than regular university courses. And some programs offer a choice of foreign institutions, depending on the level of the student’s language skills. One benefit of this type of program is that it lets you study at a foreign institution while meeting requirements for your US degree. Many of these programs also offer academic support services similar to those found on a US campus.

Enroll in A Program Sponsored by an Organization additional than a US College or University. Some not-for-profit and for-profit organizations in the US and overseas also sponsor study abroad programs. Of these, some have agreements with colleges and universities allowing students to be registered on their home campuses. Others indicate that academic credit is obtainable or transferable, but students must arrange or verify the credit themselves. If you are considering one of these programs, be sure to investigate your school’s credit transfer policy, as well as the policy of the program you are considering.

Enroll in a Program for International Students at a Foreign University. Some universities abroad offer language and culture programs to foreigners. These enable US students (considered ‘international students’ while overseas) to interact with students from several other countries. Some programs sponsored by foreign universities are especially designed to meet the needs of English-speaking students, with courses offered in English as well as the host country language. In addition, in the 1990s, as academic mobility and exchange in Europe increased, a number of English-language programs were designed for students from other countries. Some of these are available to US students as well.

If you want to enroll in this kind of program, be sure to discuss credit transfer with your advisor. In some cases, foreign schools arrange to transfer credit through an accredited US college. But credit doesn’t transfer automatically from foreign universities, and in some cases is not transferable.

Enroll in A Foreign University Via a US College or University. It is also possible to enroll in foreign universities directly by applying through US programs set-up for this purpose - e.g., Arcadia University’s Center for Study Abroad or Butler University’s Institute for Study Abroad. This intermediation can solve the credit transfer problem, as the overseas course work is placed on an American college transcript. Such a process can increase overall costs, but, in return, may also provide orientation, accommodations, excursions, and on-site support services not otherwise available to occasional or special students.

Enroll Directly in a Foreign University As a ‘Special’ Student. Many universities around the world are open to students from other countries who qualify for admission as ’special’ or occasional students. This is similar to taking regular classes in the United States as a non-admitted or part-time student. Credit does not transfer automatically from foreign universities and in some cases is not transferable. Taking classes taught by foreign teachers, alongside student starting the host country, can be very exciting and challenging. But it requires an extra measure of enterprise and resourcefulness on your part, since it’s up to you to make the arrangements and does the course work without support services from an US institution. You also must be fluent in the language of training to consider this option. And there can be difficulty with credit transfer as well with the transferability of your US financial assistance.

In many foreign countries, students can receive a secondary school education that is more advanced and intensive than what US high school’s or preparatory academies offer, with students graduating at the age of 19 or older, then sometimes waiting another year or so before beginning their university education. These students may have the same academic preparation as an American student who has completed two or more years of college. For this reason, even distant universities that accept American undergraduates into degree programs may do so only after they have completed their sophomore year.

If you are interested in this option, addresses of most overseas institutions can be found in World of Learning or the International Handbook of Universities, reference directories on higher education worldwide that can be found in many US college and university libraries. To ensure a response, enclose an International Reply coupon (available from any Post Office) with your inquiry. An easier way to find out whether you should even consider apply for admission to an overseas institution is to do a Web-search and pursue your interest through foreign university Web pages. Again, your study abroad advisor may also provide guidance.

Other Study Abroad Opportunities. There are yet additional options for acquiring overseas education. You can:

* Attend a branch campus of a US college or international university abroad.

* Set up an Independent project to be carried out overseas. Some, but certainly not all, US colleges and universities offer independent study arrangements in which qualified students carry out pre-approved research or in-depth study projects in a selected field or on a special topic. It is your responsibility to complete the study or conduct the research, typically evaluated by a faculty advisor when you return home.

US VFS Application Centres in India

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VFS Application Centres NORTHERN INDIA

New Delhi

Jalandhar

Chandigarh

International Trade Tower, S-2 Level,

Nehru Place,

New Delhi - 110019.

Location Map

Ratan Tower, 2nd

floor, Namdeo Chowk,

Circuit House Road,

Jalandhar - 144001.

Location Map

SCO-186-187,

Sector 8C , Madhya Marg,

Chandigarh - 160009.

Location Map

Application Centre counter timing: - 0800-1300 hours & 1400-1500 hour For

General Information email us at infodelhi@vfs-usa.co.in or call on our

regional helpline number at New Delhi 011-42220000 and Jalandhar 0181-5041444

Our agents respond to phone calls between 0800-1300 & 1330-1700 Monday through

Friday excluding all-India holidays observed by the US missions. SOUTHERN INDIA

Chennai

Bangalore

Hyderabad

Kochi

No.14, New No.4,

Sadasivam Street,

Gopalapuram,

Chennai-600086.

Location Map

No 30, Scotts Annexe,

Infantry Road,

Bangalore-560001.

1-8-313 second floor,

“LINUS”

Chiran Fort Club Lane,

Begumpeth

Hyderabad – 5000016

3C, South Point

Hinton, Chittoor Road,

Near Kasba Police Station, Kacheripady,

Ernakulam - 682018 .

Location Map

Application Centre counter timing: - 0800-1300 hours & 1400-1500 hour For

General Information email us at info@vfs-usa.co.in or Call our regional

helpline number at Chennai 044-42316767 Our agents respond to phone calls

between 0800-1300 & 1330-1700 Monday through Friday excluding all-India holidays

observed by the US missions WESTERN INDIA

Mumbai

Ahmedabad

Pune

Tirupati Apartments, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Opp.

Mahalakshmi Temple,

Mumbai - 400026.

Location Map

Gujarat Chambers

Building, Shri Ambika Mills, Ashram Road, Ahmedabad - 380009 .

Location Map

106, Sohrab Hall 1st

Floor, Sassoon Road, Behind Pune Station Junction,

Pune - 411001 .

Location Map

Application Centre counter timing: - 0800-1300 hours & 1400-1500 hour For

General Information email us at infomumbai@vfs-usa.co.in or Call our

regional helpline number at Mumbai 022 - 66547600 Our agents respond to phone

calls between 0800-1300 & 1330-1700 Monday through Friday excluding all-India

holidays observed by the US missions EASTERN INDIA

Kolkata

Om Towers, 14th floor,

32 Chowringhee Road Next to Park Street Metro, Kolkatta - 700 071

Location Map

Application Centre counter timing: - 0800-1300 hours & 1400-1500 hour For

General Information email us at infokolkata@vfs-usa.co.in or Call our

regional helpline number at Kolkata 033-22882480 Our agents respond to phone

calls between 0800-1300 & 1330-1700 Monday through Friday excluding all-India

holidays observed by the US missions

UK VFS Application Centres in India

2009-01-05T00:18:00.000-08:00

North India	Delhi	Chandigarh	Jalandhar
	Upper Ground Floor, S-2 Level, Internation Trade Tower, Nehru Place, New Delhi 110019	SCO 62 63, Sector 8 C, Madhya Marg, Chandigarh 160018	Jalandhar Lower Ground Floor, MIDAS Corporate Park, Plot No. 37, G.T. Road, Jalandhar
	Monday - Friday 8:00am - 12:00 am 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm	Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 12:00 am 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm	Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 12:00 am 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
West India	Mumbai South	Mumbai North	Pune	Ahmedabad
	1st Floor Stadium House, Above Kaysons Sarees, Churchgate, Mumbai 400 020	National House, 13,14,15 Sahar Road, Ville Parle East, Mumbai 400057	Office No. 305, Gera 77, Near Bishops School, Kalyani Nagar, Pune -411014	Unit No. FF ( 1 & 2 ), Upper Level, Bhikhubhai Chambers, Ashram Road, Paldi, Ahmedabad 380009
	Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 1:00 pm 2 :00 pm - 4:00 pm	Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 1:00 pm 2 :00 pm - 4:00 pm	Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 2 :00 pm	Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 2 :00 pm
South India	Chennai	Bangalore	Hyderabad	Cochin
	Symphony Palace, Door No 744/450 Poonamallee High Road, Kilpauk, Chennai 600 010	Scotts Annexe No. 30 Infantry Road Bangalore 1	Sunil Chambers, 8-2-542/A Road No. 7 Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500 034	Saliah Arcade, Door No 40/8193, College P. O, Convent Road, Cochin 682035
	8:00 am - 12:00 am 1 :00 pm - 4:00 pm	Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 12:00 am 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm	Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 12:00 am 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm	Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 12:00 am 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
East India	Kolkata
	ABHILASHA-II, Ground Floor, 6, Royd Street, Kolkata-700 016
	Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 12:00 am 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

West India: Email us vfsuk.west@vfs-uk-in.com
East India: Email us vfsuk.east@vfs-uk-in.com
North India: Email us vfsuk.north@vfs-uk-in.com
South India: Email us vfsuk.south@vfs-uk-in.com

For Enquiry details call us on (080) 40084008. Applicants from Bhutan can also call on this number or send an email to any of the email ids mentioned below

Calls are charged at local or STD rates depending on your location.

This service will be available Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm.

Trained staff will provide all the information you need about UKBorder Agency requirements and application procedures. You can also track the status of your application. There is no charge for information.

All the information provided is supplied and approved by UKvisas and is available in the following languages: English, Hindi, Gujarathi, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telegu, Kannada, Malayalam and Bengali.

You can also send your enquiry by email to any of the following

vfsuk.north@vfs-uk-in.com

vfsuk.east@vfs-uk-in.com

vfsuk.south@vfs-uk-in.com

vfsuk.west@vfs-uk-in.com

Please note that all the existing Visa Application Centre Helpline numbers will be withdrawn from 10 March

Customers with Disabilitie

All Visa Application Centres have a wheelchair and access ramp for wheelchairs. Lifts are also available where necessary. VFS staff will be able to assist any applicant with special needs

Canada VFS Application Centers In India

2009-01-05T00:02:00.000-08:00

Indian people applying for visas to Canada can submit their applications at
Visa Application Centre geographically convenient to them.
The various Visa Application Centers where applicants can apply for visa are
listed under.

For queries and further information, you can call us on numbers below.
For General Queries	Region
New Delhi - 011 418 055 50	For applicants residing in North India except Punjab & Haryana (Residents of district Ambala, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar & Panchkula) & East India.
Jallandhar - 0181 325 09 82	For applicants residing in Punjab & Haryana (Residents of district Ambala, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar & Panchkula):
Mumbai - 022-32548551 and 022-32548553	For applicants residing in Western India:
Chennai - 044 329 577 30	For applicants residing in South India:
Nepal : - 00977-1-2004696	For applicants residing in Nepal

You can email your queries to:
Email	Required Information
info.canada@vfshelpline.com	While enquiring about your application status or writing to update your application file, you must provide the following information in your email: Full Name Date of Birth VFS Reference Number & CHC File Number Telephone Number, including area code Full Address

Australia VFS Application Centres in India

2009-01-04T23:58:00.000-08:00

VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd. has an concord with the Commonwealth of Australia
to offer Australian visa application services in India from 1 October 2007.
Applicants can lodge their visa application with VFS in person at their nearest
of the 10 centers across India . You can also send your visa application
directly to VFS Application Centers New Delhi through courier. Please ensure
that all fields in your visa application form have been completed to avoid any
processing delays. Also, please refer to the High Commission’s website http://www.india.embassy.gov.au/ for the list of required documents.

Working Hours: Monday - Friday 08:00 hrs to 12:00 hrs and 13:00 hrs
to 16:00 hrs

New Zealand VFS Centers in India

2009-01-04T23:55:00.000-08:00

The contact details of the High Commission are:

Delhi

New Zealand High Commission
Sir Edmund Hillary Marg
Chanakyapuri
New Delhi 110 021
Telephone: 0091-11-2688 3170
Fax: 0091-11-2688 3165
email:nzhc@ndf.vsnl.net.in
Office hours for the High Commission are:
Monday to Friday 0830-1700 hrs.

New Zealand has Honorary Consuls in Chennai and in Mumbai:

Chennai

Honorary Consul for New Zealand
Mr L Ganesh
Rane Engine Valves Ltd
Maithri, 132 Cathedral Road
Chennai 600 086
Telephone: 0091-44-2811 2472 ext 21
Fax: 0091-44-2811 2449
email: r.ramesh@rane.co.in

Mumbai

Honorary Consul for New Zealand
Mr Pradip Madhavji
Aashiana, First Floor
5 Altamount Road,
Mumbai 400 026
Telephone: 0091-22-2352 0022
Fax: 0091-22-2353 0031
email: madhavji@bom8.vsnl.net.in

Benifites of a US Education

2009-01-04T23:51:00.000-08:00

More than five hundred sixty-five thousand international students from more than two hundred countries around the world come to the United States to pursue a higher education each year. about half enter undergraduate programs, with the rest seeking a graduate or professional education. 5% come from Africa, 58% from Asia, 14% from Europe, 10% from Latin America, 7% from the Middle East, and 5% from Canada. The countries with the greatest number of international students studying in the US are: India (14%), China (11%), South Korea (9%), Japan (7%), Canada (5%), Taiwan (5%), Mexico (2%), Turkey (2%), Germany (2%), Thailand (2%), Britain (1%), Colombia (1%), Hong Kong (1%), Kenya (1%), France (1%), Nigeria (1%), Pakistan (1%), Malaysia (1%), Russia (1%).

The US educational practice is among the best in the world. Many US colleges and universities are known throughout the world for the quality of their academic programs. Private institutions such as, Princeton, Stanford, Cornell, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and public institutions such as Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Univ. of California, Univ. of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Univ. of Wisconsin at Madison, and Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are familiar to students, educators, and business leaders everywhere. Moreover to the more well-known institutions, the US has hundreds of other high quality public and private colleges and universities. The depth and span of your options will amaze you.

You will find that a US higher education adds considerable value to your professional development. A US education can enhance your career and prepare you for leadership in your country. It can broaden your horizons and expose you to a variety of perspectives, the latest technology, and state-of-the-art investigate and training. A degree from a US college or university is a stamp of excellence that marks you for life.

If you are a graduate student, a US education can help you make contacts with colleagues in the US. This may lead to collaborations with leading international researchers after you return to your home country. Even undergraduate students will find a solid network of support because the US is a “melting pot” of many cultures and there are additional international students in the US than in any other country. So you will get help not just from the foreign student advisor, but also from people in the local community.

With the large number and variety of colleges and universities in the US, you are certain to find one that matches your needs and interests, no matter what your criteria.

On the other hand, a US education is extremely expensive. Monetary aid is very limited. You may be able to obtain like training in your own country at a much lower cost. The US visa application process is complicated and cumbersome, with numerous delays. You will have to balance the costs against the status and quality of a US education.

The Benefits of Study abroad ?

2009-01-04T23:49:00.000-08:00

In advertising study abroad programs we generally flaunt the overall experience of learning from living in another culture as its own reward. Students are often said to get as much from the intercultural experience as they do from their academic work. This assertion has been supported by research, although research findings are mixed both in terms of methodology and results (see sidebar below).

Reasons why the experience of study abroad is considered to be valuable include the following:

1 Students have the opportunity, perhaps for the first time, to become active, reflective learners and draw on daily experiences to expand and deepen what is learned in formal studies.

2 Students learn to compare the ways that key worldwide issues are approached in different cultures (this can be assessed and may be attached to academic study).

3 Students can practice a language (this can also be and often is assessed).

4 Students develop the ability to thrive in and adapt to a culture different from their own.

5 Students engage in life-altering experiences, ones that challenge their fundamental assumptions about the world.

6 Finally, students learn to be self-sufficient, to thrive in a foreign country, and to become resourceful when the resources are not so obvious.

One of the goals I have not found listed in study abroad catalogs is the effect of the integration of experience in another culture into the student’s academic program and life experience upon return from the host country. We all know that students change majors, alter their educational directions and friendship networks, and often redefine their life goals as a result of living abroad. This does not always occur in ways that are the most beneficial because they receive little guidance during the process. While sensitive study abroad advisers or faculty may be open to this kind of exploration, students do not know how to ask for it.

To be sure, students learn a great deal from experiences outside the classroom even when they stay on American campuses for their entire educational careers. But I suggest that the cross-cultural experience gained from studying, living, and functioning effectively in another culture requires a developmental process that is unique and can never be achieved by remaining at home. Moreover, it is not an experience limited to the young; it is part of the process, as Milton Bennett states, of moving from ethnocentrism to ethno relativism.

Document Culture Learning

The “Bennett Model” has six stages in the development of intercultural sensitivity: Denial, protection, Minimization, Acceptance, Adaptation, and Integration. Within these stages may be subsets that further refine the stage. Students themselves testify that significant personal change is maybe the most important part of their stay in another culture. explore how they have changed and the developmental process they have experienced rarely occurs. How might this be recognized so that credit is responsibly awarded?

There are a number of ways to document culture learning, the growth of intercultural skill, and the internal shift in student’s perspective. The idea of journaling comes up repeatedly when the issue of documenting informal learning is discussed. This can be done systematically so that the student learns from his or her journal and uses it as a reference for added work. Credit-bearing courses on culture learning provide direction for journal keeping.

Generally, what is most important is to help students notice what is going on around them and to consciously attend to what behavior and events mean and how they are impacted by them.

Identification can be assigned to help students reflect on their experiences as they go through them and help them explore how their perspectives, attitudes, skills, and knowledge have changed as a result of their experiences. A comparative paper might be required that explores a particular component of society as it is revealed by mundane events not normally explored for their deeper significance. In this way, the implicit can be made explicit and thus available for examination and learning.

We know from research conducted with training Peace Corps volunteers that explicit information, while interesting and useful, does not contribute to intercultural effectiveness. It is the less visible, implicit aspects of culture that must be learned and navigated if one is to become intercultural competent, and it is the ability to manage one’s reactions to cross-cultural experiences that contributes to success in cross-cultural situations.

Moreover to preparing students to function well in the international arena, clear educational advantages result from raising informal learning abroad to a conscious, formal level of comprehension:

A. What the student learns from living in another culture is “marked.” Students are not left to muddle through what they think may have occurred but are given assistance and guidance. Learning is identified in a way that allows integration and conscious application of the acquired skills and knowledge in other settings.

B. There is an opportunity to resolve hidden, negative feelings either for the host country or for the student’s native land. Discovering how these feelings grew allows educators to recommend ways to help students exit their overseas experience with at least some balance in judging either culture and recognition of why they have these reactions (with the possibility of resolving some of them).

C. Students can be prevented from “shoeboxing” the entire study abroad experience, pulling it off the shelf only for special occasions, and helped to find ways to apply what they have learned.

D. Students can focus on learning about implicit culture, the level at which most conflict occurs between people from different cultural backgrounds.

E. Documenting informal learning allows those of us who “market” study abroad to evaluate whether claims that study abroad includes a life-changing experience are valid and to further document the quality of this experience and what it teaches.

We know very well that living and studying abroad has a significant impact on students. Treating that impact, and the learning it engenders, as worthy of credit is the next step in dealing with the full range of educational benefits available in the study abroad portion of international education.

These individuality do not emerge in classrooms. They grow as people function in a foreign culture. If we truly believe that these individuality are important enough to be encouraged in students going abroad, then we need to look carefully at how growth in these areas can be measured–not only to permit students to acquire credit but to raise the growth of these characteristics to the level of importance that academic credit bestows.

Student Visas for New Zealand Guideline

2009-01-04T23:45:00.000-08:00

Can I learn in New Zealand?

Everybody who comes to study in New Zealand from abroad must meet certain rules and requirements. If you are coming to New Zealand to study for more than three months, you will need a student visa or permit. In this section you can find out whether you need a visa or permit, whether you’ll qualify, and what a student visa or permit will allow you to do.

People who do not require a student visa or permit
You do not need a visa or permit if you are a citizen of New Zealand or Australia, you hold a New Zealand house permit, or you are an Australian resident with a current permanent resident return visa.

If the course you want to take runs for less than three months, and is NZQA approved, you don’t need a student visa, and can apply for a visitor visa.

The necessities for a student visa or permit
Before you apply, ensure that you understand the requirements that you need to meet, and the necessities that your course must meet.

Also see our examples to make sure you will be eligible for a visa or permit to study in New Zealand.

What a student visa or permit allows
Find out how long you can stay, whether you can work while studying, who we will refuse entry to, and answers to other questions about student visas and permits.

Apply
If you’re sure you need a student visa and/or permit, and you meet the requirements, find out how to apply.

Applying for a student visa
The application process below is for people who want to apply for a student visa or permit. This may include people who want to travel to New Zealand to study, people who want to stay temporarily in New Zealand to study, and people already here on another permit who want to study in New Zealand full time.

The application steps

Print and complete the form Application to Study in New Zealand (NZIS 1012) PDF. Also available is the Guide for Studying in New Zealand (NZIS 1013) PDF, which will assist you in applying. If you cannot print the form and guide, they are available from your nearest Immigration New Zealand branch.

Make sure you present everything we require, including the fee

Along with your completed (and signed) application form you will also need to provide all the information listed at the front of the application form and the correct fee. If you do not submit the required information with your application we cannot accept it for processing.

Make sure you meet our health and character requirements

What you have to provide us with depends on how long you will be staying in New Zealand.

Studying in New Zealand for between six months and two years?

You may also need to provide a completed Temporary Entry X-ray Certificate (NZIS 1096) PDF to show you have been screened for tuberculosis (TB).

Studying in New Zealand for more than two years?

You will need to complete a medical examination and a medical and X-ray certificate.

.For full details on our health requirements, see the Health Requirements Leaflet (NZIS 1121) PDF.

You will also have to provide a police certificate, less than six months old, from your country of citizenship and from any country in which you have lived for five or more years since reaching 17 years of age.

Lodge your application

If you are applying from outside of New Zealand, your application must be made and accepted before you are able to travel to New Zealand. Find out where to send your application.

Student applications may also be placed in the branch student drop box (Auckland Branches only) and will be forwarded to the Student Processing Unit in Palmerston North.

If your education provider is certified with Students Online you can make your application at your nearest certified educational institute.

Or you may want to change the conditions of your permit if you:

1 Are on another permit type and wish to study part time

2 Are on a student permit and want to change courses or course providers, or

3 Want to work while studying.

UK Education System

2009-01-04T23:41:00.000-08:00

British Education has long concerned and welcomed high quality students of different nationalities and backgrounds, and today builds on hundreds of years of experience in providing excellence education to international students. To ensure that the quality is maintained, Britain has implemented unrivalled quality assurance and academic audit systems. The university departments are obliged to meet stringent standards by professional bodies. Standards are high not just in teaching but in other facilities as well : Libraries, computers, research tools and living accommodation.

British higher and further education offer value for money by offering shorter, more rigorous courses than are available in many other countries, thereby reducing living expenses and time spent away from home. Closely supervised study in an intellectually and culturally stimulating environment, together with an emphasis on student welfare and close contact between staff and students also ensures that individual students get maximum support and, as a result, pass rates are high and the drop-out rate for international students is very low.

Britain has long been a popular destination for Indian students. With more than 150 institutes of higher education to choose from, all equipped with wide facilities, Britain is able to offer a broad spectrum of subjects from the highly academic to the purely practical in anything from architecture to zoology.

For more details of the costs of education and living in UK and comparisons of costs of education in UK with other countries, check out the Expenses & Fees for International Students section.

Information about various Qualifications offered by UK Colleges and Universities:

1 First Degree Courses in Arts and Sciences (Bachelor’s degree) are normally of three or four years’ duration and are largely taught courses, sometimes including the preparation of a short written thesis.

2. Sandwich Courses are where the coursework is accompanied by practical work. A student could either complete 2 years of college, then a year of commercial training before returning for a final year in college. Or, he/she could do a 4-year course with 3-6 months’ training interspersed each year. The main advantage is that the student gets real experience while in the learning mode. Most universities offer this type of education.

3. Vocational Courses offer an opportunity to enter the university system slowly. Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC), General Vocational Qualifications (GNVQ), General Scottish Vocational Qualifications (GSVQ) offer recognized courses in a range of disciplines. Most students opt to take 1-2 years of, for example, BTEC courses before being transferred to a degree programmed. BTEC national certificates/diplomas are usually accepted as an alternative to A-Levels.

4. Higher National Diploma (HND) is awarded by Vocational and Technical Educational Councils. They offer a 2-year course in a vocational subject like scientific and technical business subjects. Great emphasis is placed on work experience. It is often seen as the first step towards a degree course as the credits can be transferred.

5. Postgraduate study may take the form of an independent piece of research under supervision or a taught course, and leads to a variety of degrees and awards. The taught courses normally last for one or sometimes two years. Conclusion of a doctorate normally takes a minimum of three years. Many post-experience courses are also available, either leading to a qualification or providing a refresher course for graduates wishing to update or extend their knowledge. Occasional students are confessing by some institutions in limited numbers. They attend courses or undertake research, possibly for a period of one or two years. These courses do not lead to any formal qualification or ‘credit’ although certificate of satisfactory attendance may be given.

Education System in the US

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The primary level of higher education in the United States is called “UNDERGRADUATE”, and it leads to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree.

Most undergraduate programs need four years of study, and usually a completed secondary school education is enough to register as an undergraduate student. First-, second-and third-year students of foreign institutions of higher education can transfer into U.S. undergraduate degree programs.

GRADUATE degrees contain the Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS) or Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD). Students who have already conventional their first higher education diploma, either a BA or BS in the United States or the equivalent, are qualified to apply to graduate programs. The MA and MS degrees are usually awarded after two years of study. The Ph.D. is the highest academic degree in the U.S. This degree follows an MA or MS and typically requires at least three years of study and a lengthy dissertation.

Courses - Admissions

The Master of Sciences and Master of Engineering programs in U.S universities are second to none in the range of specialties, quality and attractiveness.

Master of Science (MS) degrees are normally separated into research-oriented and non-research oriented programmes. If a student wishes to pursue full fledged research at the Ph.D level, he may choose the research-oriented option. Otherwise, if the student likes to stop his studies after Masters and look for employment or other avenue, he may take up the non-research oriented degrees. Almost all good universities offer both these orientations.

Master of Engineering (ME) degrees are for those who are professionally employed in respective fields. This degree will enable them to obtain additional qualifications at the Masters level in order to improve his/her knowledge or for employment/business enlargement. ME degrees are not as popular as the MS degrees, but are mostly terminal degrees. The completion of ME programme will not enable the candidate to register for further programmes.

Admissions into MS or ME programs are based on academic background, test scores, advice, financial capacity and the Statement of Purpose (SOP). Though good academic background at the Bachelor’s is not a must, it is important to have reliable performance all through one’s academics, right from 10thclass on. Additionally, good scores in TOEFL and GRE are required for admission into civilized programs.