Recent changes made at UK Tier 4 Student Visa Applicants
by admin on Feb.22, 2010, under Study Abroad
Note:Will be updated time to time if any further modifications or updates done for the same.
A good standard of English (equivalent of holding just below a GCSE in a foreign language) will be needed to come to the UK and study to improve English language competency further;
A good standard of English (again equivalent of holding just below a GCSE in a foreign language) will need to be demonstrated in order to study any other course below degree level;
Restricting the lowest-level courses (A levels and equivalent) to only the most trusted institutions; [Universities/Colleges in REGISTER OF SPONSORS (Tier 4 General) latest list courses only available.] Please find the enclosed Register of Sponsor list).
A student studying below first degree level or on a foundation degree course will be able to work, to just 10 hours during term time.
A ban on bringing in dependants for anyone studying a course for less than six months; and
A ban on dependants of anyone studying a course lower than foundation or undergraduate degree level from working – they will face removal from the UK if found doing so.
Other Important updates:
1. Changes to student visa applications from next month: From 22 February 2010 all students who apply to study in the UK under Tier 4 of the points-based system must possess a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from their sponsor. You will not be able to apply under Tier 4 using a visa letter from that date, even if the visa letter was issued before 22 February 2010. Until 21 February 2010, you can continue to apply under Tier 4 using a visa letter, even if your course of study will start after 22 February 2010.
From 22 February 2010, any student who applies by post or at one of our public enquiry offices, to study in the UK under Tier 4 of the points-based system must possess a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) from their prospective sponsor.
You will not be able to apply under Tier 4 using a visa letter from that date, even if the visa letter was issued before 22 February 2010.
Until 21 February 2010, you can continue to apply under Tier 4 using a visa letter, even if your course of study will start after 22 February 2010.
2. Visa application fees for 2010-11: The new fees will come into effect on 6 April.The visa application fees are shown in pounds sterling but are paid for in local currency.
Tier 4 : Proposed Fees for 10/11- £199 – (In Indian Rupees: 15,920 /-)
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Discussion on Sakshi TV with Albright Consulting MD, Niranjan Reddy.
by admin on Feb.09, 2010, under Study Abroad
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Study abroad myths & misconceptions
by admin on Feb.01, 2010, under FAQs
Misinformation and outright falsehoods keep many students from even considering studying abroad each year. Too many students mistakenly believe that there is no place in their academic plan or major for time abroad or that study abroad is just a luxury that they can neither afford nor benefit from. Au contraire! Below are some of the most common myths students believe about studying abroad and, more importantly, the facts that debunk them.
Myth #1: I have to study in an English-speaking country because I don’t know any foreign languages.
This is a common misconception. There are many study abroad programs that require no prior foreign language instruction and will provide you with intensive language classes at the beginning of your stay abroad. Other programs require just one semester of a language before you depart for a given country. It’s true that the more language background you have before you leave, the more immersed you can become once you arrive. However, you shouldn’t let lack of skills in a language stop you from studying in a particular country. Study abroad programs in English-speaking countries are far more competitive than those in countries where other native languages dominate. This is in part because so many students share the common misconception that their monolingualism restricts their choices to English-speaking countries.
Myth #2: I’ll have to extend my studies or won’t graduate on time if I take time out to go abroad.
The fact is that you can typically earn college credits while studying abroad, both toward fulfilling general education requirements as well as toward your major. In fact, study abroad can give your language skills such a boost that adding a minor or even a second major in a language may require very few, if any, additional courses after you return to your home campus. In addition to year-long programs, many universities offer semester-long or summer programs. And if it so happens that you must delay graduation for a few months to fit in studying abroad, what you will gain from the experience far outweighs what you think you’d be sacrificing.
Myth #3: I don’t have enough money to study abroad.
Studying abroad often costs the same or even less than spending the same time at your home campus. Especially if you study in a country that has a lower cost of living than at home, your day-to-day living expenses may be far lower than those you are accustomed to. In addition, if you qualify for financial aid, you can still receive this aid while studying in an credit-earning study abroad program. Because your personal contribution is assumed to be less while abroad (since it’s not expected you will be able to work while out of the country), you may even qualify for more aid for your study abroad year. For the same reason, students who have never qualified for financial aid may do so for the first time when they decide to study abroad.
Myth #4: I can always travel later once I have a job and am earning money. That is just as good.
Easier said than done. Once you are locked into a job and responsibilities, it’s very difficult to get away for any length of time. You may have a difficult time getting the time off from work and you probably won’t be able to afford unpaid vacation time because you will have locked yourself into long-term financial responsibilities: a car, rent payments or a mortgage, credit cards, and family responsibilities, for example. In addition, traveling as a tourist is a much different experience than living as an integrated part of a foreign culture. The two experiences are incomparably different. As a tourist, you will typically be seen as an outsider. When you live in a foreign culture and participate in its day-to-day life, you become an immersed and daily participant in the culture.
Myth #5: Only language majors study abroad.
Study abroad programs are open to students of all majors, and in fact, more social sciences, business, humanities, and arts majors study abroad than foreign language majors. You certainly could add a language major to your studies as a result of your study abroad units, but you will also very likely be able to earn units for other majors as well as to fulfill general education requirements at your university.
Myth #6: Study abroad is not for everyone.
No matter what your major, gender, ethnic background, or interests, studying in a foreign country can benefit you personally, academically, and professionally. There are a myriad of programs available around the world. There are sure to be several that suit your needs and interests.
Myth #7: Study abroad is a luxury.
Some students (and their parents) believe that studying abroad is not really studying. Quite the contrary! It’s true that the academic setting will probably be different than what you are used to, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable. In addition to the formal instruction you receive, numerous learning experiences will happen outside the classroom – experiences you would never get at your home college or university. The entire experience abroad will change your life as well as enhance your resume and employment potential. In fact, international experience is increasingly important for those seeking a job in an global economy that relies on good relations and the ability to communicate with diverse peoples around the world.
If you talk to anybody who has ever studied abroad, they will likely tell you that any worries or concerns they had before they departed melted away once they arrived in their host country. They will confirm to you that their experience was well worth any extra expense or time it may have taken and that the benefits they have experienced as a result are more numerous and lasting than they ever could have imagined.
Albright Consulting
Address
Corporate Office
501,5th Floor,Nagasuri Plaza
Opp:Aditya Trade Center.
Ameerpet,Hyderabad-500 038
Ph:040 4454 3999
Help Line:+91 98491 23999
Email:info@albright.in
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10 Things Students Need to Know About College
by admin on Feb.01, 2010, under FAQs
Many students have already begun to receive, or shortly will get, their college acceptance letters. There’s a wealth of information contained in those thick envelopes—or, more likely these days, text messages, videos, or goody bags. But some of the really important stuff is almost never told: secrets of college to be discovered (or not) by the select few who can see behind the curtain. And so this week, to those newly admitted or shortly to be admitted to the college of their choice, we offer our congratulations—and the 10 things you really ought to know about where you’re going:
1. You’re in charge of this thing. For most students, the biggest difference between high school and college is that there’s no one there to hold your hand. Picking courses, getting to class, doing the reading, and figuring out what’s expected on the papers are all things you’re going to have to do mostly on your own. Sure, there are profs and TAs who’ll give you suggestions and tips. But when it’s 25 degrees outside, you’re the one who’s going to have to take responsibility for hauling your a – - out of bed and getting it to the auditorium.
2. Your parents might not be a help. Even students who are closest to their parents will find amazing the transformation that occurs when your slightly overinvolved parent becomes a low-flying helicopter parent. Maybe he or she is worried about you, takes vicarious pleasure in going back to college with you, or just has nothing to do all day with you out of the house. Whatever the reason, your well-intentioned parent can lead you astray. Colleges today are different—and in many cases much improved—from what they were 25 years ago, and professors’ expectations have changed accordingly. Your parents aren’t (in most cases) experts in the fields you’re studying. And, most important, the professor wants things done the way he or she wants them done. Suggestion: Turn down (or tune out) your folks.
3. Two thirds of the work is done at home. When you get to college, you might be quite awed by the large lecture halls and the well-spoken faculty. And you might conclude that the material done in lecture sessions is all you need to know and, as long as you make it to class, everything will be 100 percent. But, unlike many high school teachers, college professors expect you to prepare for each class, to review the material periodically on your own, and to spend large amounts of time studying for the tests and writing the papers. Rule of thumb: t wo hours of on-your-own work for every hour of lecture. Put another way: 15 hours of lecture weekly, 30 hours of work at home weekly. (Think about it.)
4. A C is a bad grade, really. Many students come into college thinking if they get only a C in all their classes, they’re doing just fine. Or at least adequately. But these folks should know that in many courses the grade distribution is 20 percent to 30 percent A’s, 30 percent to 60 percent B’s, and only 15 percent to 20 percent C’s. In many universities (not just elite private colleges but also large state universities), the average GPA for all courses is 3.15 (that is B/B+). Set your sights—and work at college—accordingly.
5. It’s the product that counts. Many students come in thinking that effort is what counts most. That’s why, when they get a bad grade, they go to the professor trumpeting how many hours they worked, how many sources they considered, and how they made it to all the classes. But in college, what counts is the product—the paper (not how it was produced), the test (not how much you studied for it), and the presentation (not how much you knew about the subject but couldn’t quite get out). Kind of like the real world.
6. No amount of practice is too much. Especially in skills-based courses—like math, languages, and sciences—students often think that if they’ve done the assigned problem set or translation homework, they’re home free. But really, that’s just the required work—the minimum the prof thinks he or she can reasonably assign for that week. If you want to do really well in such courses, you should apply the concepts, techniques, and methods to additional problems and exercises—often available in the back of the book, from the prof or TA, or even on the course Web page.
7. Understanding is not just memorizing. Many intro courses have some amount of memorizing: vocabulary in foreign languages, theorems in math, names and dates in history. But professors regard these as just the “common currency” that all students will have mastered before they do the real work of the course. That’s why on the test, you’ll usually find some IDs, some short answers, some true-false—and some essays. These essays typically require you not just to regurgitate what you’ve memorized from the lecture or textbook but to do some analysis, apply the concepts to some new cases, or organize the material in some new or interesting way. Pretty different from what you might be used to.
8. Content is doled out in large units. In your daily life, circa 2009, Content comes at you in shorter and shorter units: first, books and magazines, then Web articles, then YouTube videos, then IM-ing, then Twitter. Unfortunately, professors, textbooks, and articles aren’t yet on the bandwagon. A typical college lecture lasts much longer than a cellphone video clip; a textbook chapter or journal article is way longer (and more complex) than a blog post. Bottom line: You’ve got to adjust your focus from bursts of Content to sustained arguments. And retrain your attention span to process long—very long, it’ll seem—units of Content.
9. You need not major on the first day. Though in many schools there’s tremendous pressure to declare a major right when you come in—owing to shortage of places in classes, a desire to start on a career path, or the hope of finishing in a finite number of years—we steadfastly maintain that it’s best for most students not to pick a major until they have taken at least three or four courses in the field (including at least one or two advanced or upper-division courses). You won’t know what the field is until you’ve worked in it for a while, and if you make a wrong choice or two, you’ve guaranteed yourself a stay in college past 2015.
10. The profs are on your side and want to help. Though it’s not obvious at many of the mega-universities (and even many of the small, fancy colleges), the professor would like to see you succeed and is even willing to help you do so. Try to meet with each professor one-on-one away from the lecture. Every college professor is contractually required to spend two to four hours a week sitting in his or her office helping students with their work. Make use of this single most underutilized college resource. And if there are small section meetings or review sessions before the test, take the opportunity to use these to ask what you most want to know about. Sort of like a presidential press conference with you being the reporter.
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US Embassy in Hyderabad.
by admin on Feb.01, 2010, under For Students
The Consular Section is now accepting visa interview appointments for those wishing to travel to the United States. Full consular services for American citizens are also available.
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TOEFL TV on Youtube
by admin on Feb.01, 2010, under Coaching
TOEFL TV in http://www.youtube.com/toefltv has tips from real teachers and real students to help improve your English skills. You can hear what leading colleges and universities think about the value of students who can communicate well in English in an academic setting. And you can be a part of the conversation by making your own video.
To add your video to TOEFL TV, join one of the Groups and add the video to the Group.
The TOEFL® test is the world’s most widely accepted academic English test, accepted by more than 6,000 universities in 130.
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Key role of Universities during Economic Downturn
by admin on Feb.01, 2010, under For Students
The summit held at Charles University in Prague has urged the European Government to invest in higher education during this ongoing period of economic crisis. The 500 universities leaders stressed the importance of investment in education on the fact that it would lead to economic recovery.
The theme of the Convention was European strategies for Europe’s universities – and university leaders debated a wide range of crucial issues for European universities against the background of the economic downturn. The outcomes and discussions of the Convention will be used to develop a ‘Prague Declaration’ that will include proposals to politicians to support specific action by universities that can make a major difference in helping Europe to beat recession. The Declaration will tackle issues such as:
-> Widening participation in universities, and improving lifelong learning opportunities and ensuring relevant and innovative study programmes for all the students.
->Ensuring that European universities have a strong research profile and improving the careers of Europe’s young researchers.
-> Promoting internationalization and increasing mobility.
->Improving quality and transparency in European Universities.
->Enabling European universities to diversify and increase funding.
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Welcome to The Albright Consulting – Overseas Education Consultants Blog!
by admin on Apr.21, 2008, under Study Abroad
We’ve started this blog to share some of our insights, thoughts and comments on the people, trends and opportunities in Overseas Education Sector.
Education is a key element of Indian culture, with parents and families often making great sacrifices for the education of the next generation. Significantly increasing sums are being spent on the education of very young children.
While the Indian government works on plans to improve education access and quality to a massive number of people across a range of age levels, there has been an exponential increase in the number of Indian students studying abroad.
We will be looking at the government’s education plan, currently being finalised, to nut out opportunities for foreign education providers in this growing and important market. We will also bring you stories from Indian students doing great things abroad.
We hope you find these and other topics interesting, and look forward to some engaging conversations! If you would like to hear about specific topics or opportunities, please contact us.
For information on Spot Admissions, Studying Abroad contact the Overseas education specialist at
Albright Consulting
Corporate Office 501,
5th Floor, Nagasuri Plaza Opp: Aditya Trade Center,
Ameerpet, Hyderabad -500 038
Ph : 040 4454 3999
Help Line : +91 98491 23999
Email : info@albright.in
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