you apply for a school and then you begin to receive a couple of mails which includes
admission letter
accomodation letter
visa letter etc
the school will invite you and say we are expecting you to come over in the nicest of words.you are apply for a visa and most likely you be refused and told to appeal.There govt even has told their officers to reject most of the applicants without appeal. they have the following phrases for you already waiting.

1. "I am not satisfied that you intend to return back to your country"

2. "I am not satisfied that you intend to leave the United Kingdom at the end of your proposed stay as a visitor"

3. "I am not satisfied that you do not intend to take employment in the United Kingdom."

4. "I am not satisfied that you will maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependants adequately out of resources available to you without recourse to public funds or taking employment; or will with any dependants be maintained and accommodated adequately by relative or friends"

5. "I am not satisfied that your bank statements can be relied upon"

6 "I am not satisfied on the balance of probabilities"

BBC quotes" 80% of those who apply for the visa are refused".

The real gist of this story is that this is a money making venture for their foreign office and the British High Commision.A beautiful scheme to collect between 40-100 pounds from each applicant.the person in their office is taking a delight in stamping your passport and once you are refused you probably(most likely) will be refused again without looking at any documents.

The moral of this story is that we need to patronise our Nigerian universities for higher education and employers have a great role to play in this. Hardly do they support Nigerian Universities.

what can be done to remedy this , we need to put heads togther, people of africa

you are very correct, I have wondered how many millions the british high comission will be making on monthly basis through visa fees, just visit any of their outlet, I must confess you really got their language in totality, but I do not think its employers problem i htink its more of nigerian foreign policy, how are you sure the two leaders in aso rock are not getting their own share becuase it is just incredible. They virtually refuse everyone except if you are luck or you among the looters family.

@topic, i do not fully agree with you, people still get student visas. Hundreds of Nigerian students have started resuming british universities for this new semester.
the reason why they are being strict is because of what immigrants/students out here are doing to them, especially asian students . Most students spend ten years on a course that could be finished in a year, because they want to be in the UK for ten years and qualify for residency. maybe you should seek advise before applying and you'll definitely get ur visa.

P.S: the school/course you choose determines if they will grant u visa or not

@walelead

you are right

even from insider info the british government is being pressured to regulate student visas because they have found out that their are many pseudostudent in Britian who are just extending their student visa for all manner of reasons.

anyone who has ever stayed with nigerians whilst abraod will find out that many of our friends are doing the same

some of them have not scene the walls of a school in years yet they keep extending their student visa status till they can apply for residency. So now the embassy's precaution is plain refusal

lets be honest most people applying want to take a oneway ticket and never come back, its just that the government is under pressure to solve UK'S immigration 'catastrophe'

I dont see how this is an EDUCATION SCAM what do they gain from prospective students? pls if you are not welcome so be it . Can you explain how this is a scam pls . I took the thread to mean something entirely different when i read it.

but to me, this is very unfair on the part of the british govt. if they know an applicant would not be granted a student visa, why collect the money at all? they are just cheats and 419 pple. they ought to have made it clear on their various websites that for now, there is an embargo on student visas and applicants who still choose to apply for it are doing it at their own risk. not for them to work under a deceit that they actully want to treat the applications of the applicants, only for them to stamp the passport without even checking the documents. and to Walelead and Omofineboy that do not agree, i am sure the nigerians/asians that you've seen in the uk doing whatever they want/can do in order  to stay back in the UK in name of a student visa are those that got their visas using fake documents to start with. i have observed the embassy gives visas more to pple with fake documents than to the ones that bring authetic papers to them! i applied recently from outside nigeria(actually live in europe for now) to go to the uk for studies and was denied despite the fact that all the documents i submitted were genuine. it was just a few days ago while i was complaining about the incident to a friend of mine that i learned that at the same embassy where my application was refused, another nigerian fella went there with a fake statement of account sent to him from naija and he was given! so can you see how inconsistent their rules are. to me they don't follow any strict rules in deciding to issue visas, they just do it discreationary and most times this system favours those that go to them with fake documents. we should all arise to stop this treatment melted out to nigerians. in case you don't know, nigerians are the major target of this act. other africans are even better treated than us. just recently also, another friend of mine wanted to go to the US for a conference. this conference was to be attended by every member of his research group, including 5 ghanians and 2 nigerians. everybody who applied including the 5 ghanians who did not even ask for a 1year visa was issued 5 years!!! except the two nigerians. they were denied theirs!!! and all this happened at an american embassy in europe and not even nigeria o. this is the lot our government has given this generation. they have so much basterdized our image that all the nations of the world treat us as pests and pple they have to be wary of. this is really a shame!
and come to think of it, what if some nigerians choose to relocate to the UK under any pretence? why should you be bothered about that country anyway? who helped to destroy our economic to start with? the genesis of all our problems in naija  emanaced from the legacy the british left behind after independence. even though they made sure they already put the north and the south at loggerheads, they did not stop there. they have encouraged all those corrupt govts to continually thief our money and log it into their accouts. i tell you the british and the first world generally are deliberately making sure african countries are badly run and hence have a very bad economy because that is where they benefit most from. they are the cause of most third world countries' economic and political problems in case you don't know!

@rokeakpe, i feel your pain but u need to agree with me that there is no point crying over spilt milk, what has happened has happened. I know how it feels for your visa tto be rejected but that does not mean that it is a corrupt process. The thing about british/american people is that u need to convince them beyond reasonable doubts. Most people go to these embassies ill-prepared. However, i agree that there is some element of luck.

Now to british spoiling Nigeria, if i am right, they left us 46 years ago didnt they? How come it has been so difficult for us to improve instead we keep regressing. Personally i hate blaming others for my problems and i think we (Nigerians)should take responsibility for our negative image world over.

i guess the person that post this topic is a lecturer or maybe is father or mother or friend or family is a admin officer in some nigerian school thats why you don't want us to travel. For me no matter what am going to study there ok .no spoil people mind ooooooooooo. thanks and bye(no mind mr mumu wey won don try visa for 20 times dem kon refuse that won con me sey make we no go?)

jayon

please dont be so harsh on the poster. i think he was just trying to alert us about happenings at the embassy. i have experienced it and i know he did not exaggerate. it is just for you to know the games the british embassy officials are playing with this their student visa.

but to me, this is very unfair on the part of the british govt. if they know an applicant would not be granted a student visa, why collect the money at all? they are just cheats and 419 people. they ought to have made it clear on their various websites that for now, there is an embargo on student visas and applicants who still choose to apply for it are doing it at their own risk. not for them to work under a deceit that they actully want to treat the applications of the applicants, only for them to stamp the passport without even checking the documents.

#ronkeapke
i agree with you this a deceit, the British/American govt should have made it open and clear to all that due to the unfairness of student applicantions these masures are used as a process in the embassy, in so doing any applicant will be aware of the probability of not having a travel visa to which ever country he/she is going to, hence checking and agreeing to that before making a decision

Now to british spoiling Nigeria, if i am right, they left us 46 years ago didnt they? How come it has been so difficult for us to improve instead we keep regressing. Personally i hate blaming others for my problems and i think we (Nigerians)should take responsibility for our negative image world over.

#waleread
i also don't like the idea of blaming others for my problem but in this case i'll say the hands of the gods are in this nations problem. the British & American govt have invested so much over here that they have say in any decision we make that will affect their investment. they are probable working with some top govt office holders to slow down rapid development processes to contineu their loot of resources over here and our people as we know are so self centred and selfish will accept all sort of bribe offer given to them.

for example, why should the Niger Delta problem be so fierce? it is very clear that the nation(Nigeria) almost rely on their oil alone and does not want to develope those areas they actually get it from instead bribe and cause confusion amongst them cus they know if they develope these areas to standard it will be an eye openner and they will want to enforce those operational laws they do over there here on oil and gas producing areas which will probable not favour them much and those local(Nigerian) office holders so they contineou to work hand-in-hand killing our richly blessed country .

i think those things they are avoiding(job employment & maybe population control) is what they are rather doing to us, taking over our job opportunities in the name of expertriates and many more.

so i still think the hands of the gods(British & American govt) are in it or you still don't think so?

@ Vodkat, how then do you explain instances where visas are granted? They just give out visas at random and reject at random?, This conspiracy theory falls flat on its face.

How do you all expect not-so-lucky Nigerians and Asians to survive? The British people- religious and diplomatic alike have stolen and are still siphoning off our resources. The looters in Government here in Nigeria are in league with the Britons. Do you want us all to die off just like that? I think the Western world haven't seen anything when it comes to fake entering and stay in those countries. They are mad hypocrites. Foolish people that will never make heaven they preach to us. Am sick of them all. Brothers keep faking!

Walelead

I read ur reply. I am not crying over any spilled milk as u implied. You're never been there until you are there, so you would probably not understand. Majority of us who have had our visas denied under one pretense or the other know where the shoe pinches. The first time I had my student visa refused, it was done right before me. I found to my chargrin that the officer wrote in the refusal paper that she was not sure I could fund my studies, yet the statement of account I presented had more than enough money for my 1year study expense. This was a woman that did not put a phone call through to the bank to make any enquiries. She knew what she wanted to do probably based on her mood then and she did it. Or what explanation do you want to give to the fact this same bank account's statement was what my junior sister used in securing her visa two years before that time at the same embassy? Are u telling me the account was genuine then and then had become fake two years after? Or the American visa scenario I gave u, do u mean what they did was ok? To give everybody else a visa order than the two Nigerian guys? Don't forget, this was supposed to be a group visa applied for by their Professor to take his students for a conference in the States. They singled out just the Nigerians from the group and refused them. At least in this case, there was not need for them to show individual documents, so on what ground were the Nigerians refused? So those ones are also crying over spilled milk?
Anyway, I still stand by my earlier auguement that this pple unjustly refuse visas most times. Due to their laziness to properly conduct their job and because of the lackdasical attitude of our govt, they treat us the way they like without following protocol i.e on their discreation.
Please don't be to quick to jugde when others share their true life experiences. I stated facts here, not what I heard or imagined! At least my own experience was a fact and I also witnessed that of my friend that went to the US embassy. Also, always try to be objective when giving out scriticisms to pple's opinions.

Guys,you need not be angry with the British or American government/consular it just a normal thing,so far the so called leaders here treat us like slaves in our own land so why do you expect a foreigner to treat you with respect,it all crap.Until we change the trend ourselve that's when they can treat us like human but for now lest accept our fate.Africa

I dont know how many do listen to Akon,there's one of his songs [ Africa to NY to ATL] that do they know the struggle that we African went through so they [WHITES] can live the way they live now.

Let just pray our government realize there mistakes,they loot public funds and i dont think they always remember one day we go die.And stealing more than you can spend is rubbish,they cant still but let the people enjoy there taxes,no good road,schools are becoming a thing for the rich gradually,medical attention is not worth it.


GOD SAVE AS FROM OUR HUNGRY LEADERS

Well said Ronke. I see what you mean. I actually have not taught of it this deep but you just opened my eyes to some lateral thinking (think outside the box).
I believe things will not always remain the same. Someday, their will be a change and we shall see, good or bad

I dont know how u feel (those that have been rejected a visa) but its luck or how accurate your documents are. like someone said dont blame other people for your mistake.

i will not blame the government. they r just trying to reduce the anmount of people that are coming in to the US or Uk.

@ ron,
have made it clear on their various websites that for now, there is an embargo on student visas and applicants who still choose to apply for it are doing it at their own risk.
Your statement is right but at the same time if they included this on their website it sound like they do not want any Nigerian to come over to their country.

@vodkat.
u no lie seems u know them very well, US is even worse, so where naija man go run go.na because say country no good na im person one travel go read to become big man for here.But oyinbo no one here that one.

Only if u get fat account na im dey no go scam u

@ronkeakpe, u don't seem to get my point and ure taking this issue personally, u shouldnt. A lot of visas are still issued daily even as much as refusals.
Getting a visa these days is like a camel passing through the eye of the needle, but people still get it. i disagree that there is a visa scam at the US/UK embassies but do agree that the measures are too tough, and i don't blame them. i also gave reasons why they are using such strict measures and how to scale through them.

Preparation is the key, u may have a fat account but there are other factors that they consider, u need to do be ready for any tricks they may play. You said your younger sister used the same statement and got a visa, that is not strange to hear. The embassies consider age as well, if a seventeen year old applies to go study a degree, they would probably give him/her and reject that of a 25 year old on grounds of age. They also consider accomplishment based on age, if u did not pass WAEC until 22, then they will take you as a weak student and thus reject your visa.

You also need to stop thinking that they are out to prevent nigerians from going to Uk/US, hundreds of nigerians still go everyday and Heathrow airport is my witness. Nigerans need to show further proof of eligibility and this disgraceful act is due to the state of our economy.
i am on your side and only trying to make u understand that it can sometimes be difficult but not impossible. Dont give up.
I don't even see the point in going abroad anymore, i and bare Nigerians out here are a witness to the fact that living abroad is not better off and are looking to return home

ps: Maybe God knows that your riches are in Nigeria

Walelead

I am impressed you took time to further explain ur stand on this issue to me. I am actually not taking things personal and am sorry if my reactions so far have given u this impression.
Anyway, I am not resident of Nigeria currently. I reside in Northern Europe and that was where I recently turned in my application at the British Embassy there. And as to some of the points they sometimes consider, eg taking into consideration my junior sister and I's applications, I left the University 10 years ago and made a 2:1 in my course. In my life, I have only done WAEC once and passed. So any of these issues they might have based their judgements on is totally false. I worked sucessfully too for close to 5years before I resigned to follow my hubby abroad.
Finally, you are right, living abroad is not always the best. I have lived in a no of foreign countries to know this. Perhaps that is why I want to get the best out of the system in terms of education that can help to re-position me on my return to my country as I intend doing that soon. So applying to further my studies was based on this realization. Hope u got the dig? cheers!

if this scam is so true then we ought to get the police involvrd in it by means of interpol or something, else this is like a never ending scam because people will always want to apply to schools in the UK

Ronke Hi, I pretty understand what u guys are talking about, sincerely u have a point and u have millions of Nigerians who feel the same way, that makes ur point a matter to be discussed. I must point out quickly that for that fact that some people feel otherwise still doesn't stop your point from being a legitimate point.
The issue is we are ina society where people shy away from issues as long as they can always find another way,OBJ gets visa everyday to go wherever he wants to go, looters of our economy are never denied visa to go to some of the biggest shopping malls in the world. well if u disagree there is little I can do, but I have a point.
My challenge with these crackerheads is that if you are not good enough for them why offer you admission and collect poor naija people money.
Mr Wale why should an embassy ask ppl to apply online and you never get a response to you application.
They give you phone numbers that never goes through. , please find out before you say what you think, if it worked for you consider those the system wronged and if nothing, thank God for your situation.
Another point I have is if they are fair enough and willing to separate the goat from the sheep, they have a way they can do it. Are they not the so called developed societies. My point is they are only traeting us as they like bos they know that no one can query them, if only the govt of this country will rise up and act. I do prefer what Fidel Castro did.
Do you think the foreign embassy can survive without naija, I beg to disagree. after oil, visa application fee must be the next big thing for them.
Travellin aroad personally for me is because of my country people mentality, if I spend two years overseas, the effect on my salary is like heaven to earth.
My friends I might not be smart enough to give you the koko but I knw what these embassies are doing is not RIGHT and is NOT OK.
Mayb this is a beginning of a change, I beg you all to think about and check WHY?
For me they didn't refuse me visa, they just kept SILENT, is that fair, but u knw the point, I rather conclude on this note , ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GOD!!!!, hehehehehehe

the british and other western governments will try everything it can to keep immigration especially from the developing world to the bearest minimum. immigration is a big issue in the uk. locals, the media complain daily of "influx of migrants". they migrants steal not only their jobs, homes but also the cultural identity and are a great burden on public infrastructure such as the nhs, electricity, water and the security sevices.

the ruling labour party is losing votes to fundamentalists and racists groups such as the bnp mainly because of its relatively soft stance on immigration especially from the new EU states. new and radical changes are being expected soon and there are talks of quotas being placed on the number of people that can come in per year.

nigeria has about the highest number of uk visa applicants in the world. it comes as no surprise the high number of rejected applications which is quoted in the regon of 80-90%. compare this to australia where the rejection rate is less than 1% per annum.

this trend i beleive is not perculiar to the uk. however the fact remains that many nigerian desperately want to leave the country for various reasons ranging from financial, to academic pursuits, from marital to seeking better health services or just plain adventure. the more hurdles that are placed the more schemes are deviced to bypass them. unfortunately its the young/ middle age usually well educated persons who are most vibrant for an economy that emigrate with resultant brain drain.

to reinterate some previous posts its imperative corruption is tackled and the economy placed on a right path. this is whats happening in emerging economies such as china, india, to mention a few. nationals of these countries are not as keen travelling abroad as before.

flying dut
i agree with your post 100%. All the same becos normal beings naturally want the feel of wanting to make progress with their lives, they tend to therefore be more adventurous in acheiving this objective and don't want to just laze around, waiting for our leaders(who are more self-serving than people serving anyway) to make a turn around in their policies as regards our country and the future of its youths. Waiting and doing nothing makes one look like an NFA anyway. So the struggle just has to continue anyhow it goes in as much as it is via a legitimate means.


Donzman : Even thou your post was not directed at me, I still choose to answer u. Yes the conspiracy theory does hold and does not fall flat as you claimed. Most pple's experiences at these embassies have pointed to the fact that visas are issued and refused randomly. However detailed your documents might be, you might end up not being given a visa. Yet another person with false bogus documents might be given. I happen to know so many pple that have got visas with false documents. This therefore shows that getting visas most times has to do more with luck than the autheticity of the documents submitted. It's like 'marry me today, marry tomorrow' kind of game i.e ramdomly given, ramdomly refused with the embassy officials!!!

i think the best thin to do is to stay and school in 9ja.After school , the money u intend using for travlling and schooling should be used to setup a small biz here
.chikena

THAtS WHY I SAY IT IS A SCAM, ARE WE NOT BEING TRICKED INTO APPLYING and COMMITTING MONEY FOR THE PROGRAM.LISTEN PPL, A scam is a scheme for making money by dishonest means , is money not being made?

this is a very clever scheme by their embassy, they r d masters of the game{government 419)

I have read this thread with keen interest chiefly because I have myself been a “victim” of visa refusal by the British embassy. Let me state here that when it comes to visa “na God hand e dey!”. On the surface I agree with the initiator of this thread that the British embassy has not been fair to applicants, though I consider his use of the word SCAM a little overboard.
Here are my views:
Firstly I think quite a number of applicants in Nigeria are naive on what the embassy truly requires, this is made even worse because the embassy doesn’t seem to come out clear on what is needed. I applied for a student visa last year for a masters programme in Aberdeen, and after paying 24K I was stunned with the usual bla bla… what caught my attention was the fact that three paragraphs in my rejection letter was similar to a friend’s own inspite of the fact that we submitted different documents. Abi was it a case of cut and paste!
Anyway, I overcame this disappointed and tried again, this time I co-opted the services of a student advisory body Lawrie Green Education (LGE) and I discovered quite a lot of lapses on my earlier application. Let me state here that inspite of the insight I got from LGE there services were less than professional. Firstly for one going for a masters programme one must show evidence of the TOTAL amount of tuition and living expenses in your account/ sponsor’s account. The embassy people don’t want to hear that you or your sponsor has shares/stocks or maybe they earn 1million naira a month from which they hope to source your fee/living expense, for a one year programme they want to see the CASH NOW!
Another thing is the issue of sponsor’s letter,
• This letter must be clear and concise, i.e. the relationship between applicant and sponsor must be stated clearly,
• LOGICAL reasons why sponsor is paying your fee,
• Clearly state sponsorship and to what extent.
• state what sponsor does and financial status with evidence
• list assets owned with evidence
One thing people take for granted is feeling the student questionnaire, O boy this people dey read this thing well. Take time out to read each question and answer them properly. Your answers must be logical and convincing

You should endeavour to as must as you can submit the original of any documents but beware! Documents get missing in transit so make copies and consider whether you would want to risk your documents getting lost. In the event where you can’t submit an original let them know that you would be more than willing to oblige them the original in person.

As to the issue of money making by the embassy, I can understand where this feeling is coming from. I ask myself why the embassy should refuse me a visa and yet hold on to the 24.5K, at least one should be given something back! Considering that 90,000 Nigerians were reported to have applied for US visa last year, I would leave the maths for you guys to workout! The UK embassy receives an even greater number!!
Again this year people who paid their full tuition and living expenses were denied visa! How do you explain that! I have seen three cases like that this year. There is this rumour that the embassy has a quota on the number of students that they give visa every year, my question is this if this is true then wouldn’t it be fraudulent to continue to ask people to continue to apply for visa that they already know would be refused come what may!

After all said and done the fault is in our government and it's policy toowarsd education. The question is why should i pay 10,500 pounds sterling (fees)+ 6000 pound sterling (living expenses) in another man's land and yet my country after more than 40 years of independence can't guarantee me quality eduction. for those asking people to look inwards for higher degree, the sad thing is that today on nigeria these higer degrees are not worth the paper they are written on, employers would value a British first degree higher than a nigerian masters! Unless and until we get our acts togther we woudl continue to suffer in the hands of embassy people and foreign schools who make millions of pounds from our ill-structured edcuational system. i rest my case

well spoken Blue2, students should seek proffessional help to check if they will qualify for visas before throwing thier money away. The embassies are so thorough that any un-answered or poorly answered question will cost them thier visa. Cheers

i agree that there is a quota of course they wouldnt want to admit that in both the US and UK embassies

its true that even when all your documents are in order they just dish out refusals and even some interviewers have admitted such

My point is this if our government was concernedd about the amount of money these UK AND US embassies generate from visa fees than since they are guests here then they should refund at least part of the visa fees. Even if its not done in other countries NIGERIA-LONDON route is the most lucrative route for ALL airlines BA and VA inclusive so we should be treated with special considerations.

not just given a lame excuse for refusals

then about those who are poliicians and governement officials not being refused that's because embassies realise such people have FINANCIAL REASONS to come back.

@ Salsera
If it is established that there is some form of quota on teh number of nigerian studnet visa issued every year, isn't ut right that the Embassy officals let prospective student visa applicants know, so that they don't throw their hard earned 24,750 naira not to talk of the part payemnet made to the school. If indeed this is the case then the embassy can be accused of scamming people!!
Again i stand by the fact that if everything were run properly here in the educational system then we wouldn't need to go through such humilations at the embassy. Pity the Nigerian governmnet can't see the opportunity.
The truth is that the Nigerian govt can't do much to stop teh exploitation by the british embassy, abi dem wan retaliate! No way! the best way out is to stem the flow of nigerian studnets going abroad by providing good quality eductaion here in nigeria

pls. let us know that thet influx of people into the UK for foreign education is as a result of the calamitious state our universities in Naija are. Even without going to the UK, USA etc, for education , going to Ghana, Togo or other lesser economically viable countries than Naija in the African continent, you still stand a better chance of being employed with your 3rd class certificates than a 1st class graduate in any Nigerian University or Polytechnic. We are presently at the mercy of being barred from applying to any company with a Naija Cert. on Nigerian Soil.
So going to the embassy for student visa despite not having a first school leaving certificate(primary school) is aimed at gaining recognition if eventually he/ she comes home with a Toronto Cert.

Yeah Really, applying for Student Visa recently has become SCARY MOVE 6, I think you are right about the fact that they are only using it as an avenue for revenue, but one thing is sure, we can bring them to justice, Nuhu Rebardu can come in.

But lets be very sure about this first, to raise the issue to the EFCC level is a small thing but we need to be able to provide prove.

Thus any one that has seen something similar on the news can copy and paste the link on here, or any official publication that has complete information about this act.

I want to say a big thank you to you all for this issue.