We all have a growing concern about the current situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic across the world. Being British Council certified education agents, we like to take this opportunity to answer some concerns which may be been worrying to the applicants and offer holders who are to start their programs in the month of September.
Health and well being of the current and future students is the absolute priority of UK Universities, Public Health England & the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. As per reports, they all are working hard on finding solutions to areas of concern for prospective students and offer holders of forthcoming intakes.
Following are a few questions which may help you in the current situation. If you have further questions, please contact us on our India numbers; +91 997 860 2450 | +91 9898 344 644 or our UK numbers; +44 786 122 8856 I + 44 208 004 8556.
Are universities accepting applications for September 2020?
Yes. Almost all the universities are accepting application for the September 2020 intake and they are working remotely with shorter turnaround time to release offers and conduct credibility interviews.
Unavailability of supporting documents like transcripts due to education institutions being closed or exams cancelled because of COVID-19?
The universities in the UK are aware that there are delays and it is unavoidable for you in gathering the documents needed to support your application. Some universities can make offers based on ‘results to date’ and try to be as flexible as possible. One should let the Admissions Team know that there will be a delay from your side.
Can Conditional Offers (CO) be issued without official transcripts/certificates?
Yes. Universities can make offers but those conditions will need to be met before confirmation of acceptance (CAS) is issued. Please contact us for further clarifications.
Can I defer my current offer?
Yes. You can very well differ the intake
Do I still need to pay the deposits and will that be refundable in current condition?
In the current scenario, many students are facing uncertainty but the fact is that they have to pay the deposit for the admission. All deposits are refundable or deferrable.
My IELTS exams have been delayed or cancelled – what should I do?
Universities in the UK are aware that some English language tests are delayed or cancelled. As an alternative, they have started to accept other tests which can be taken from the comfort of your home.
I am unable to take my final semester exam as institutions are closed in our region
Most universities are aware of this situation and are offering conditional offer letters. The condition of last semester mark sheet can be fulfilled once available – it will be needed though this may mean to defer to the next intake.
What happens to my Pre-sessional English courses this summer?
Universities are running online Pre-sessional English courses, you can join the course from your home country and the online Pre-sessional English course will be considered as part of your studies.
Studying online for part of the course
Universities have invested heavily on the delivery infrastructure and are running online studies for students across the globe. One can take advantage of the same by enrolling for a portion of course to study online and once the borders open they can travel for the in-class teaching. A CAS is not required for this.
Any incentives for studying part of course online
Well it depends on the university. Quite a many are offering online courses with a discount for starting studies from home country on their e-learning platform, however some are not offering discount and just deferring to the next intake.
If I enrol online in summer, when will I get a CAS for the September intake?
CAS will be released based on attendance and engagement with online learning. If you are engaging with your online course, you will be issued your CAS as soon as possible, also once you have paid your tuition fees.
If I study the May/June semester online, then I receive a visa refusal for September, will I get a refund of my online semester fees?
Visa refusal will be considered on a case-by-case basis. It depends on the reasons for your refusal. Universities may be able to issue you with a new CAS. Please note a refund would not be granted where there is evidence that you deliberately submitted misleading information or fraudulent documents in support of your application.
I have got the visa for May 2020 intake but am unable to travel due to restrictions
If you have already secured a visa and are not able to travel, there is no need to worry as UKVI is working closely with the universities to accommodate this. One of such arrangement is that these set of students will just have to reapply for a revised visa vignette OR can be allowed to travel on the same.
I have applied at the VFS but haven’t received any communication
Please be assured that your passport is in safe custody and UKVI will act on it once VFS starts its operations.
We are a British Council Certified Agent and established in the UK. Focus Education enrolled students for various courses and secured 100% UK Student Visa success ratio in the September 2019 and January 2020 intakes. These students have travelled to the UK on a student visa and are currently studying in TEF Gold and Silver-rated universities with or without IELTS. Some of these students were awarded scholarships up to £5000.
Please feel free to call us on our published numbers or mail: info@focusedu.org
