Study Abroad: Important Updates From Universities Across The Globe
When the much-awaited year 2020 arrived, those students who had plans to study abroad envisioned 2020 as a milestone in their lives. But here we are, half of the year has passed and the plan towards realizing that vision is yet to get on track. Most institutions and universities across the world have gone online with their regular studies. The institutions have either suspended the fresh admissions or are pushing the date further and their statuses are changing every day. These updates, from universities around the world, are so many in number that it is difficult to keep track.
So we, at Maven Consulting Services, thought of doing that for you. In this post, you can track the updates and announcements from universities from across the world. New deadlines for applications, new dates for the beginning of a new semester, online classes, you can find all of it listed here.
Last Updated on 06th August 2021
UK moves India from ‘red’ to ‘amber list ‘easing COVID-19 travel restrictions !!
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Travel Updates on Canada !!
21st August, 2021.
They will need to obtain a pre-departure negative Covid-19 molecular test result from a third country before continuing their onward journey to Canada.
One of the current and popular third country options for travelling to Canada is through Mexico wherein :-
- On arrival visa will be provided to all travellers holding a Canada or USA visa.
- No Quarantine will be required.
- There will be a layover period of 48 hrs. to get a RT PCR test report.
Arriving in Canada before 9th August, 2021
A Covid-19 molecular test will be taken at the airport on arrival in Canada. For non-vaccinated travellers there is currently a 14-days quarantine required including a mandatory 3 nights reservation at a government – authorized hotel followed by an 11-days quarantine plan. Once the test result received is negative, the traveller may check out of the hotel and proceed to their place of quarantine. A second kit with instructions will also be provided for a self-administered test to be done after 8 days of arrival as well. If the test result is positive or indeterminate, they will be guided further as per instructions from a quarantine officer.
Fully vaccinated travellers who have received vaccines approved by Canada at least 14 days prior to the day of entering Canada are exempt from the 3-night government hotel stay, the 14-day quarantine, and day-8 Covid-19 test, if meeting all other eligibility requirements.
Air travellers arriving after 9th August 2021 will no longer need to book a 3-night stay in a government-approved hotel, regardless of vaccination status. However, those who are not fully vaccinated must still quarantine for the 14 days period.
Even if a traveller is fully vaccinated, they will still need to prepare a 14-day quarantine plan in case the officer determines that they are not eligible to be considered a fully-vaccinated traveller. They should not cancel their 14-day quarantine plan until they have received a confirmation from the officer that they are exempt and do not need to quarantine. Fully vaccinated travellers will not need a post-arrival test unless they are randomly selected to complete a Day 1 – COVID-19 molecular test, but they must still complete a pre-arrival COVID-19 test.
- Pfizer-BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca/Covishield
- Janssen/Johnson & Johnson
Vaccines not currently accepted for fully vaccinated status in Canada:-
- Bharat Biotech (Covaxin)
- Cansino (Convidecia)
- Gamalaya (Sputnik V, Gam-Covid-Vac)
- Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV, Sinopharm-Wuhan)
- Sinovac (CoronaVac)
- Vector Institute (EpiVacCorona)
- Other
VFS Germany Bangalore is open for appointment booking for long term Student Visa
Appointment booking Link https://vfs.mioot.com/forms/Germany/In/
New Graduate Immigration Route Opens 01 July – UK
The new Graduate immigration route has opened for applications today (1 July 2021).
Launching the route demonstrates the government’s commitment to attracting talent and ensuring that businesses can recruit the most highly qualified from across the globe to drive the economy forwards under the points-based immigration system.
The Graduate route is available to international students, who have completed a degree at undergraduate level or above (or one of the limited number of professional qualifications at degree level or above) at a Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance, and who have a valid Tier 4 or Student visa at the time of application.
The route enables international students to remain in the UK after their studies to work, or look for work, for two years, or three years for doctoral students.
The Graduate route is unsponsored, meaning applicants do not need a job offer to be eligible. There is no minimum salary requirement nor caps on numbers. Graduates on the route can work flexibly, switch jobs and develop their career as required. Whilst the route does not lead to settlement, those on the route will be able to move into another work-based route, such as the Skilled Worker route – which does lead to settlement – once they meet the requirements.
Sponsors are required to notify the Home Office when a student has successfully completed their course for that student to be eligible to apply for the Graduate route.
Students must have completed the qualification that was named on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) associated with their Student (or Tier 4) visa or following a change of course which was allowed without applying for further permission.
Applicants must be in the UK when they apply. Those who apply from outside of the UK will be rejected and refused entry to the UK and could lose their eligibility to apply for the Graduate route as a whole.
Due to COVID-19, we have also put in place concessions for students unable to travel to the UK due to the pandemic. Applicants who began their studies in autumn 2020, or spring 2021 will need to be in the UK with permission as a Student, by 27 September 2021. Students beginning their course this autumn or early next year will need to be in the UK by 6 April 2022.
We have created a tailored guide for international students and graduates looking to apply to the Graduate route. Please cascade this guide via your own channels and make any website updates where relevant.
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Guidance on correct visa category
In April 2020 guidance was issued on temporary concessions for international students and education providers in response to COVID-19. The most recent guidance was issued on the 11/06/2021: Coronavirus (COVID-19): student sponsors, migrants and short-term students – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Vignette transfer
If the student’s 90-day vignette has expired and they were unable to travel due to COVID-19 but have been continuing to engage with their studies remotely from overseas and they intend to transition to study the same course in the UK, or have completed an eligible course by distance learning under the Covid concessions and are coming to the UK to apply under the Graduate route, the applicant are required to make a paid application for a vignette transfer.
Deferred course start dates
If the student has deferred their course start date after being granted permission, due to an inability to access the course remotely or to travel, the course end date will also have changed, meaning they will not be able to complete the course within the initial validity of their permission. The sponsor should have withdrawn sponsorship of the student by submitting a notification to Home Office and visa will fall to be cancelled. The expiry date of the new course will not be the same as the previous one, therefore, the student must submit a new entry clearance application under ‘Student Visa’ category.
If the student has applied for a vignette transfer, they should withdraw the application and apply for a new entry clearance. They will not be entitled to a refund. The new visa application will need to meet all relevant parts of the immigration rules, subject to any COVID-19 concessions that are applicable.
Graduate route eligibility
The Graduate route will launch today- July1, 2021. A concession has been introduced to allow students who have commenced a one-year programme via distance learning in 2020 or 2021 to remain eligible for the route if they enter the UK prior to 27 September 2021 or the expiry of their current Student or Tier 4 permission, whichever is sooner. Applicants to the Graduate route who benefit from this concessions must enter the UK with valid Tier 4 or Student permission, students who enter the UK on a Visit visa after completing the entirety of the course overseas will not be eligible to switch into the Graduate route.
PROCEDURE TO GET THE 2nd Dose of Vaccine for Students going Abroad for Higher Studies.
PROCEDURE TO GET THE 2nd Dose of Vaccine
Visit the BBMP deputy commissioner office and the Procedure for second of vaccination for students going abroad for higher studies is:
1. Second dose vaccination after 28 days for international students and workers in Karnataka.
Download and fill the form under “Circular-Vaccination for International Travellers”, here: https://covid19.karnataka.gov.in/new-page/Government%20Circulars/en
https://covid19.karnataka.gov.in/storage/pdf-files/cir-hws/Vaccination%20to%20Foreign%20Travellers.pdf
2. Go to the nearest BBMP Joint Commissioner Office (Ward-153 for South Bengaluru). Get the above-filled form signed by the commissioner.
Note: Carry your passport, proof of travel, such as a Visa or Admission Letter from the University.
3. Get the second dose of vaccination from anywhere with the above-signed form as proof.
Recommendation: Link your vaccination certificate to your Passport beforehand in the co-win portal: https://cowin.gov.in/home
Good News for Indian Students Studying in the USA
With great excitement Indian students welcomed the online application process of the Optional Practical Training Program allowing them to now apply online for approval to seek employment after their studies in the United States of America (USA).
Every year tens of thousands of Indian students are accepted to study and work in the USA. With the current global pandemic Covid-19, many Indian students have remained in the USA and continued their studies online.
Indian students studying in the USA can work in the country after the completion of their degrees. Students who currently hold an F-1 visa and are enrolled at an American university are eligible to participate in the Optional Practical Training Program on condition that they fill in the Form I-765 and their employment is related to their course of study.
Previously students had to physically hand in their paper applications to apply for the Optional Practical Training, however, due to Covid-19 and certain lockdown protocols and restrictions, students were unable to attend campus and there were severe delay in issuing receipt notices for any of the Optional Practical Training applications.
This setback was an extreme challenge for Indian students seeking employment after their studies. The 5 month delay in issuing an approval for the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card was an inconvenience.
The decision to go online, taken by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has brought relief to over 75000 Indian students abroad in the USA.
The Optional Practical Training Program allows students to work for 12 months either during or after their studies. Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Engineering student can receive authorization to work up to 24 months.
Students wishing to study abroad in the USA are invited to contact us at Maven Consulting Services to book a free overseas education consultation. Our expert USA educational consultants are available to help you make the best academic choices.
Medical exams for visitors, students and workers
You must have a valid medical examination prior to travelling to Canada. If your medical has expired, your visa is not valid for travel. Your medical exam results are good for 12 months only from the date of the examination.
For more information on immigration medical examinations, please visit: https://bit.ly/32qdkEm
Irish Department of Justice
EASE OF LOCKDOWN IN UK
4 most important dates in understanding the process of planning an ease of Lockdown in United Kingdom –
Stage 1 – 8th of March 2021
Stage 2 – 29th of March 2021
Stage 3 – 12th of April 2021
Stage 4 – 21st of June 2021
On Monday 22nd February, the UK government announced plans for easing England out of the current lockdown restrictions due to COVID-19.
The new four stage plan sees the UK start to open up from March 8th, and the hope is that all legal restrictions in the UK will be lifted by the end of June provided that strict conditions are met at every stage. The exciting news is that the UK is slowly but surely opening up again.
We are pleased to confirm that from April 12th at the earliest UK Universities are planning to welcome students back for some face-to-face learning, where possible, in line with COVID-19 safety protocols.
The Universities priority is to restore face-to-face teaching as soon as it is safe to do so, therefore, they have planned to offer as much face-to-face teaching from June as possible. They will continue to monitor government guidelines and will be updating advice as the situation evolves. Students who are able to travel to the UK safely can arrive in their accommodation from March 8th where they will be fully supported by staff in center.
USA Latest Update
1. If a University has planned to offer 100% of their courses online for this fall, then international students on F1 visa are not eligible to remain legally in the US to attend online classes with that specific University. Therefore, they are expected to deport OR transfer to a different school.
2. However, if students are on any other visa (other than F1), it does not matter if they take courses online because the primary intent of their visa status is not to study.
3. When students enrol at the University, the University automatically feed information about their enrolment (i.e. your course load along with the format of their classes for each course/credit enrolled) in SEVIS. As a general rule, if students are enrolled for 9 credits in a graduate program per semester, a maximum of 3 credits is allowed to be taken online. Therefore, at any point in time, SEVIS records indicate that the student is enrolled in traditional/in-person classes (6-credits) more than their online classes which makes it necessary for international students on F1 visa to remain legally in the US for the purpose of study.
4. Apparently, a temporary exemption was allowed in SEVIS earlier this year due to pandemic to allow international students on F1 visa to be enrolled in online classes higher than in traditional classes for spring and summer. With the current news, the exemption has been removed starting this Fall 2020.
5. What seems to be unclear with the news is if the schools are expected to issue an updated I-20 for all their students starting in fall with their teaching format. For example, if a school had planned to offer fall 2020 courses 100% online but didn’t specify anything about it on I-20 then it might be a tricky situation for their student. On the other hand, if a school continues to retain the original format of offering mostly traditional classes with few online teaching then international students on F1 visa are fine as long as their course load indicates that they have taken/taking majority of their classes in traditional format which meets their purpose to remain in the US.
Study Abroad Status Tracker
Canada Overseas Education Status
- PGWP (Post Graduate Work Permit) won’t be affected if the in-class course has been moved online because of COVID-19. This includes students who have a study permit or who have been approved for a study permit for a program starting in May or June but who are unable to travel to Canada at this time due to travel restrictions. read more
- International students in this situation may begin their classes while outside Canada and may complete up to 50% of their program while outside Canada if they cannot travel to Canada sooner.
USA Overseas Education Status
- Electronic Issuance of I-20 From to student’s email id (listed on SEVIS) is now allowed to US Universities and will be considered official for VISA application purposes. Earlier only physical forms were accepted.
An electronically received I-20 can be:
* A scanned version of a physically signed form I-20, or
* A digitally signed form I-20 using electronic signature software, or
* A digitally signed form I-20 that contains a digitally reproduced copy of a physical signature.
Electronically signed I-20 forms are now issued, as a temporary measure due to COVID-19. These I-20 documents are original form I-20s, and have an official signature of a Designated School Official (DSO) on them. Students can download and save a copy of their I-20 to their phone or computer, or will be able to print the document.
Important update on TOEFL iBT and GRE Special Home Edition
- TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition test is being offered temporarily, for students unable to take it at the centre for public health concerns. The test is identical in content, format, and on-screen experience to the TOEFL iBT test taken at a test center. read more
Ireland Overseas Education Status
- The use of the Duolingo test of English is now temporarily accepted at University College Dublin, Dublin City University, Maynooth University, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Carlow. for Sept. 2020 application process. We are yet to get an update on whether Duolingo will be accepted for Visa applications or not. read more
- No Visa application is being accepted currently at the centers.
UK Overseas Education Status
- New immigration route which will enable international students to remain in the UK for two years after they have completed their studies. read more
As and when we get updates, we will keep updating this post.
Meanwhile, our counselors are here to support you. We have been talking with Universities and official agents in the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and others as well as government departments to get first-hand information on the same.
We are always there with you to discuss all possible arrangements that can be put in place to help you commence your Study Abroad Plans.
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