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We all heard about the Indian students left in the lurch by a UK hotel management school.
According to Nick Jagger, Entry Clearance Officer at the British Deputy High Commission in Mumbai, this was an exception and not the norm. Students can avoid these kind of problems by ensuring they apply to accredited, reputable institutions only.
In a chat with Get Ahead readers on June 13, Jagger discussed the UK visa process and education system. He discussed the prospects of immigrating to the UK after earning a degree.
For those of you who missed the chat, here's part one of the transcript:
yogesh asked, i ve done b.com which kind of course is there?
Nick Jagger answers, There are lots of courses out there. Go to the British Council, talk to one of our trusted partner agents or look at the following website: http://www.britishcouncil.com http://www.educationuk-in.org/.
sundar asked, I have got an offer at Cranfield university..Am i eligible for any sort of scholarship/funding?
Nick Jagger answers, You should look at the Education In The UK web site. You will find a list of scholarships.
kiranmayee asked, i have got admission in loughborough university and birmingham...which is gud among those ???can u tell me whether there would be a difference in the value of the degree in US(MS) and degree in UK(MSc)??? If so.which is prefereable??
Nick Jagger answers, Both are publicly funded and not private universities. I advise you to look at http://www.hero.ac.uk/rae, which is a list of comparative research ratings of UK institutions.
jaypee asked, Is it possible to get a student visa for doing a course in care home management. This institution is recognised by the DFES.
Nick Jagger answers, If it is a publicly funded institution offering a recognised course, yes.
PRIYANKA GOUR asked, I ve done b.com & diplma in mordern office management and iwant doing correspondance MBA so please u give me ur valuable reply
Nick Jagger answers, Look at the distance learning web site, www.odlqc.org.uk. This site lists colleges accredited by the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council. It also provides a database of the courses offered by these accredited colleges.
Karthik asked, Hi, I have completed my MSc in Business IT from London and awaiting my degree. My questions are as follows- 1. Is the SEGS visa considered to be a valid work permit or in other words will companies offer us full time IT jobs with this visa? 2. To apply for SEGS, is it necessary for us to have gained our degree or can we apply right away with a provisional degree from the university since our student visa is about to expire? 3. what are the immigration related issues to be considered if we want to immigrate to UK under HSMP?
Nick Jagger answers, SEGS, or Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme, has been eliminated. It's now called IGS, or International Graduates Scheme. You are allowed to work under this scheme, but there are a few details you should be aware of. You can get more information at https://www.gov.uk/apply-uk-visa or http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk .
tut asked, hello, Can my relatives in U.K sponsor my studies? If yes i have heard they need to show more money than any Indian sponsoring me from India.
Nick Jagger answers, There is no restriction about who can sponsor a student, but we need to be satisfied that the funding is genuinely available. It is less probable that funding from a friend would be a satisfactory source than that from a family member.
If relatives are funding students, we ask that they show evidence of their income and savings and that their finances are fully documented. The more distant the relative, the more persuasive the argument must be to assure us that the funding would actually be used to pay for the studies. A letter from a distant relative would be useful to explain why he or she are sponsoring the studies.
It is often more difficult for us to verify funds that are held outside of the UK or India; without verification, we are less likely to be satisfied that an applicant's stated funds are genuinely available. Overall, we need to be satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the funding is real, sufficient to cover all the students costs in the UK and that the money would used for those purposes.
naveen asked, i am a working professional and looking forward for the fellowship program abroad, please guide me how to go ahead with this and about my future scope in that
Nick Jagger answers, Comprehensive information on scholorships is available on www.britishcouncil.org.in/scholorships. Also, there are many third party scholarships and fellowships available, but you'll have to be Internet savvy and do research of your own.
jaspreet asked, Dear sir/madam im jaspreet singh bhatia from new delhi, india...i want to do MBA my information as follows NAME Jaspret singh bhatia Qualification: Engineer (B.E) WORK EXPERIENCE:Marine engineer in ship with 3 year of sailing experience country:India could you pls tell me which wil be the besr course for me to enrol..next year i will be immigarting to canada and pls answer my following questions 1...Course fees 2...duration of course 3...Scope of MBA(uk) in canada 4...Any part time course available THX ND REGDS
Nick Jagger answers, For study in the UK, please look at http://www.educationuk-in.org . Choose a university and programme that suits your profile. Also, if you're on a student visa, you should be on a full-time course.
PRIYANKA GOUR asked, this course is after completed then which kind of jobs in India & Forgein country
Nick Jagger answers, You need to check with local recruiters while you are studying. If you can't find employment in the UK, you should be able to find a job in India.
ESPN asked, I am also interested in tourism and hospitality. Are there any special provisions i must take for these focus?
Nick Jagger answers, Admission for all courses is based on suitable academic backgrounds. You should check the individual course requirements.
Dibakar Bandopadhya asked, Dear sir what kind of visa is to be applied for post doctoral study?
Nick Jagger answers, A normal student visa allows you to enrol in such courses. Apply for a student visa.
arjun asked, iam willing to study Hotel management in U.K but recently i have heard lot of students faced difficulties when a college got closed due to lack of funds. Is there good job oppurtunities and good exposure after completion of course?
Nick Jagger answers, That was an exceptional case. There are plenty of good universities in the UK that would never allow that to happen. Only apply to accredited institutions.
mrfister asked, sir, can you explain hte visa process for an interested indian student?
Nick Jagger answers, This is too far reaching a question for a web chat but, basically, you can make your application in person, through your representative or through a travel agent. To protect you, if you are not making your application in person, you must give your representative or agent a letter giving them permission to represent you and collect the papers on your behalf.
You must be in India when your application is submitted.
Whenever possible, we aim to make a decision on your application without an interview and within 48 hours of it being received at the Visa Facilitation Services. However, different applications can take different amounts of time. Please allow enough time for us to process your application. Remember that, at busy times of the year, it may take slightly longer for us to make a decision. We recommend that you do not buy your ticket before we have issued your visa.
Further information can be found at http://www.vfs-uk.co.in .
Daz asked, CAn you explain what options ofr MBA I ahve in terms of visa?
Nick Jagger answers, First, earn admissions at an accredited institution and then look at our web site.
albert asked, Is there any scholarship opportunties for catholic students?
Nick Jagger answers, Yes, there is the DeSouza Trust awarded each year to Indian Catholics. You can get more information from www.britishcouncil.org.in/scholarships.
George asked, Hi Nick, Ill be appearing for GMAT on the 10th of August. Im hoping to get a good score (something above 740 - hoping). Which are the MBA colleges that I should be on the lookout for? When are the admissions opening for them? Thanks George
Nick Jagger answers, Entry criteria varies from institution to institution. Please do some independent research and contact each individual university you hope to attend.
ashay asked, dear sir i want to do higher studies in UK wat are the requirements for the same right now i am working here in India can work and study in uk
Nick Jagger answers, In so far as the visa requirements are concerned, information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/apply-uk-visa . In so far as the specific educational requirements are concerned, please look at www.educationuk-in.org.
Vijayan asked, Which Open University in the UK is rated best ?
Nick Jagger answers, Have a look at http://www.odlqc.org.uk .
Kailash asked, I am planning to Apply for a Student Visa Next week Do you want all the financial documents to be attested / authorised by a Registered CA ? If I am planning to leave in Mid August I hope July 1st Week is not too late ?
Nick Jagger answers, Everyone's circumstances are different. This is why we do not ask for a set list of documents. Specific guidance can be found at www.ukinindia.com.
vir asked, Sir, my son is hoping to study in UK but has had visa rejected two times. Is there any way to get in with these prior rejections?
Nick Jagger answers, Yes. Each application is assessed on its own merits. However, your son should ensure that he responds to the previous reasons for refusal. Good luck.
rashmi asked, hi sir would like to ask can i get part time job while stuyding for MBA in marketing and opereations study.I am Bcom with 12 years expereince in garment fashion industry. I will be visiting UK for my training on garment spec tech details. Can u help in understanding how can i go further for MBA persuit in UK
Nick Jagger answers, You are allowed to work for 20 hours a week and no more. For details about MBAs, have a look at the following site: www.educationuk-in.org.
nilesh asked, Hi Nick, I just want to know can my mother's sister's husband be my sponser for living expences in UK?
Nick Jagger answers, Yes. Anyone can sponsor you. You must show that the funds are available and will be used for your studies. Have the person send a letter for more evidence.
SLMNDR asked, I have a quick quetsion for Nick: Can you tell me about job opportunties in London following MBA studies in Scotland? I heard of Fresh talent, but I don't want to work in Scotland/.
Nick Jagger answers, Look at http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk for details about the schemes available.
Zino asked, Hello Nick ! if i enroll for a 1 year course in IT will i be able to get the student visa ? i have the necessary financial support.
Nick Jagger answers, Each case is assessed on its own merits. It is important that applicants take the time to present their application in a suitable manner that shows us that they meet all the rules. Do that and you will get the visa.
anjali asked, is it possible to earn scholarships to top unviersity like oxford? I have 95% on my board exams
Nick Jagger answers, With your marks, I'm sure scholarships are possible. It is difficult to secure scholarships at top universities, so you may have to look elsewhere.
ramki asked, sir, is there any difference between september intake and january intake? is ther any advnatage of these intakes?
Nick Jagger answers, Yes. Not all courses are offered for February intake.
polym asked, Hello sir, sachin from Mumbai, Is it possible to transfer credits from Indian university to UK universty?
Nick Jagger answers, Yes, but it depends on your past academic qualifications.
mellwyn asked, hi nick, my marks in english is low for academic study that is ssc is 37 and hssc is 38 . do i need to do ielts exam . i m trying to do addmission for IT . My age is 29 and i m working as network engineer in goa. i have slected a cource in royal wells college.
Nick Jagger answers, You must show that your English is good enough to allow you to follow your course. IELTS is a good way of doing this.
Rajesh asked, Which Universities are *percieved* to be on the top list for an MBA in UK, other than Oxford and Cambridge business schools.
Nick Jagger answers, Look at www.hero.ac.uk/rae for an extensive list of school ratings.
ramki asked, which type of accomodation is better. is it university accomdation or private accomodation? could you tell me the advantage of each?
Nick Jagger answers, University provided housing is usually on-campus. Many foreign students use this option because being in a new country can be difficult at first. It helps to have the added security and assistance available with on-campus housing.
GL asked, I am an IT professional working in UK on work-permit. My younger brother want to study in UK, and I would sponsor his cost of study and living here. Can I do so?
Nick Jagger answers, Yes, of course you can. Just like everyone else, you will need to show that the funds are available and sufficient for the entire programme. For more information, have a look at our website www.ukinindia.com. Here, you'll find details about the documents we would like to see
yash asked, i am doing my MBA from University of Wales UK online. After graduating what is the procdeure to apply for companies in UK and what is the possibility of getting one?
Nick Jagger answers, Yash, you can apply in a variety of ways. In England, there is the IGS, Work Permit Scheme and HSMP. Information on these can be found at http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk .
rakesh asked, hi nick , my father-in-law from usa is sponsering for my masters ...is that sufficient for uk student visa..as per ur rules
Nick Jagger answers, There is no restriction about who can sponsor a student but obviously we need to be satisfied that the funding is available. Just have him send a letter and have him clearly outline his available liquid assets. It shouldn't be a problem if he has sufficient funding and writes an explanatory letter.
Tomorrow: Part II