Study Abroad News & Alerts

The news comes from Mangaluru, India where health officials have started tracing students between the age group of 15-17 who have not received their vaccinations. According to the data, only 80% of the students have received their first dose of vaccination and 78% of the students have received their second dose of vaccination. This is very less as compared to the desired goal of 100% per cent vaccination among this age group. The health department along with the assistance of the Department of Public Instruction and Department of Pre-University Education is now organising as many vaccinations drives as possible.

Yale and Princeton University have decided to extend their limits to extend test-optional admissions for another year. So, students do not have to compulsorily give SAT or ACT to get a seat. All the eight Ivy League colleges will be following the same criteria as well. The University of Columbia has made the test-optional admission until 2022. This decision came after the pandemic and has been highly appreciated by students ever since then. Although giving these tests may still provide you with an extra benefit.

O.P Jindal University in Sonipat, Haryana which is highly recognised for its infrastructure and study curriculum has announced its partnership with leading universities including Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Syracuse University, Oxford University, University of Granada, University of Oregon, Sciences Po in France, Sofia University in Bulgaria and ISDE. Through the collaboration, the university aims to offer three weeks shorts courses to students to give them a comprehensive understanding of a variety of disciples offered by these colleges and universities.

Moving to a new country and starting your life there can be very stressful at times for students. They become vulnerable to a lot of situations and emotions. These issues, if not addressed timely can lead to mental health problems and further cause depression and anxiety-related health difficulties. One must try to keep in touch with friends and family as much as possible by calling them every day. Students shall also not forget their old hobbies because they help in keeping themselves occupied. Trying to break your shell is also very important. Experiment with yourself, initiate conversations and be open to new experiences.

It is a fact acknowledged that the universities of the US are the hardest ones to get accepted in. Comparatively the universities of Australia, Canada and England have a simpler acceptance criterion. These universities only require you to give your academic proof and Statement of Purpose whereas American universities have multi-faceted requirements. They ask for GPAs, SATs, essays, Statement of Purpose, Letter of Recommendation and a lot of other things. Through the tests and academic records, they judge the consistency of the students and through essays and Statement of Purpose, they gain insights into the perspective of students towards various things. Students must apply to at least 8 to 10 colleges to ensure their admission.

The percentage of American students applying for UK colleges has taken a shoot since the UK decided to leave the European Union. As the percentage of European students applying to the UK has declined to post Brexit, the rise in American applicants will make up for the loss. Earlier when the UK was a part of the EU, students had to pay the same tuition fees as the native citizens. Post-Brexit the cost of education has risen from around 9250 EUR to 40000 EUR annually for the other European students. Americans find Europe a suitable option because the fee for them in the British universities is lesser as compared to the American universities.

Ivy League colleges which consist of nine of the USA’s most prestigious colleges are worldwide known for strict admission criteria and high fees. But Ivy League colleges offer some free courses as well which many students are unaware of. This includes-

• The Science of Well-Being offered by Yale University teaches you how to be exponentially happy with yourself and build a healthy lifestyle. 
• Improving Communication Skills by the University of Pennsylvania teaches you the tools of communication.
• Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies by Princeton University helps in the understanding of the crypto and virtual investment world.
• Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content by the University of Pennsylvania gives knowledge on how to make content that can go viral.
• Sharks! Cornell University and The University of Queensland helps in understanding the anatomy of sharks and other intriguing facts about them.

Ukraine-Russia conflict has affected the whole world. But the most affected group remains the citizens and immigrants. Ukraine was home to more than 76000 international students dominantly from medical backgrounds pursuing their medical degrees. While some were on the verge of completing their degrees, some had just started with their studies when the war broke off. Though most of the students have managed to escape, they are facing difficulty with transferring to their universities to complete their degrees on time. Though governments like India is helping students by providing them internships sufficient seats to accommodate all the students are not available.

As many countries have started opening their borders for international students, China is now the only country to not permit international students to enter the borders. Though some universities such as New York University Shanghai and Tianjin Julliard. Most of the students waiting for borders to be reopened are from Russia, India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore. 95 per cent of the international students are fully vaccinated and also willing to quarantine to move back to their respective universities. China has said that it will make changes to allow the movement of goods and people but there is no such news regarding China’s plans of opening universities any time soon

If you are a student or a working professional who wants to move to Canada on a long-term basis then you may need to get your credential re-certified as per Canadian criteria. This will help in developing a better understanding between you and the university or you and the employer. Every Canadian institute or organization has their subjective criteria like accreditations, language tests, scores etc. Education Credential Assessment (ECA) is used to certify your credentials to move out. Students or working professionals just have to get their highest attained degree assessed. If someone wants to get extra few points then they can get all of their degrees assessed.

East Carolina University has cancelled its educational trip to Russia for the session 2022. This comes as a consequence of majorly two reasons, one being the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the other. The official representatives said that the trip was cancelled because of the low enrolment rate as the students are apprehensive regarding travelling to Russia during the war-like situation. The trip usually consisted of students travelling to Russia and living with host families which helped them understand the local culture with more magnanimity. The university considered this as an important aspect in the career-shaping of the students and wishes that things get back to normality as soon as possible.

Food security refers to scarcity or limited food resources. According to research, the student population is very vulnerable to this problem specially the students of colour. After the pandemic, many immigrants went back to their homes due to the loss of jobs and no means to sustain life. Colleges ensure food security through food pantries where extra and unused food is saved for those who cannot pay for it. Meal swipe donations is another way through which students who have extra meals or unused plans can donate them to those who are in need. Many colleges come in collaboration with several local organizations to fund meals for those students who are in need of free meals. Students can also enrol themselves under SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) which allows students to buy monthly food supplies from grocery stores. The guidelines for this have been revised, so students must look into them before applying.

After a wait of almost two years, France and Spain are back with their study abroad program. The countries will be sending their students to Lyon and Avila. Under the program, students will be staying with the local families or accommodation provided by the university. The program aims at cultural amalgamation. Students are required to complete the first two years of Spanish or French language classes at UD or take a placement test as a required criterion. This has a lot to do with borders reopening and decline in the covid cases.

According to the new guidelines issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, students studying subjects like Indian History, culture and heritage will be barred from applying for National Overseas Scholarship. The officials have quoted that the majority of the research work and papers in these subjects has to be done in India only. So technically a student will be spending 3/4th of his time in India itself. Funding these courses would not be so productive and efficient for the government.

This year the U.S Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship has been awarded to two Sheppard University students. One of the students, Peter Proctor is from Huntington and a student of majors in global studies is studying in Austria for this semester. The latter says that he is having a good time and though he wasn’t able to use the scholarship due to the pandemic initially, he is now compensating for the lost time. The other student Joana Hernandez who is a political science student from Kearneysville 
is planning to use the scholarship money to study in Spain.

University of Texas-El PASO, Texas has come up with a great initiative by helping students with their visa process to make their traveling experience smooth and simple. A major reason behind providing this grant is the fact that before the pandemic, a majority of applicants lacked passports because of a shortage of funds. The university will be extending financial assistance to those students who cannot afford their visas and passports. The grant will be funded through fundraising and the university plans on making this an annual event.

In a recent decision taken by lawmakers, the University of California Berkeley might be increasing its enrolment rate which will lead to thousands of more seats for students. University of California, Berkeley is a very prestigious institute and a dream college of many. This decision is taken by the High Court of California. Some lawmakers are against the decision citing that it is unfair to those students who have studied hard to get into the university. The proposal aims at giving more time and flexibility to public universities.

Will studying abroad delay my graduation and working plans? This is a question that most of the students think about. Undoubtedly planning to shift abroad is a painstaking task but it delays your graduation is a completely false narrative. In-fact studying abroad boosts your skills, which helps in earning more than other students. Not only it gives the required knowledge but also helps in enhancing your personality. Studies show that studying abroad doesn’t delay your graduation and even if it does, students catch up the lost years while working and getting placed at high paying jobs directly. Other students have to climb their way up.

Canada is very reputed for its education and McGill University is one of the top universities of the USA. Recently, in a celebration by McGill University which consisted of the university’s alumni, officials and government executives subjects such as education and innovation were discussed. McGill University highlighted its relations with the UK and the USA. The importance of educational and cultural exchanges were highlighted and discussions like the UAE, USA and Canada being the land of opportunities were made.

A new set of guidelines offered by Universities UK (UUK) will stop universities from giving conditional offers to students to serve students their best interests. These guidelines have been passed after 18 months of reviewing. According to them the universities cannot give ‘conditional offers’ to students. The practice of giving conditional offers by universities is already hugely criticized as it prevents students from reaching their potential grades. But some exceptions have been made where students can be given conditional offers in unavoidable situations. Universities have a choice of signing these guidelines.