jossy26:

pls house, has anyone used waec confirmation of results to secure a uk student visa under tier 4.urgent response is needed plssss.tnkx

Please clarify your question? Many people add WAEC to their student visa application (or other SSCE certificate). Especially if they did well in English i.e. C6 and above or if this was dependent on their admission into the school in the first place.

But I am not sure if this is what you meant.

i-toro:

@ell77: KEEP UP D GOOD WORK, Bro.!!

i`ll like 2 knw if i might hv entry issues at d UK border with immigrations cos
1. my course start date is sept 21
2. the reg dead line is 20th Oct
3. I intend 2 trvl on 15th Oct

But my visa was issued on 29 Sep

@i-toro

Thanks - but I am a female.

Anyway in answer to your question you should be fine. As long as it states on your visa letter that you can register up until 20th Oct, you should be fine. It is quite bizarre for you to have received the visa on the 29th and waited until the 15th to fly - in the Nigerian sense. As they usually can't wait to arrive, so they could be suspicious - but they have no right to reject you. If they question you over it having just a two week gap between, visa and flight booking is acceptable and normal in other countries. Perhaps you had other things to sort out. But don't tell them you were looking for money as, you were supposed to have enough! Why did you wait 2 weeks if you don't mind me asking?

german007:

@ell77

Are you somali?

Regards

No I am not Somali, My father is Akwa-Ibom and my mother Delta Igbo. I am just posting some threads/posts from Somali forums to shed a different perspective. Who would Nigerian women say are the most handsome men in Africa, and who would Somalians say are the most handsome men in Africa?

Truly everyone has the right to their own opinion, but there is hardly that many races that would not claim their own is the most beautiful/handsome. I find it quite bizarre then to witness this phenomenon with some Nigerian men - perhaps it is an affinity for something different? I don't know. On Somali threads - many claim they choose Nigerian men over a Somalian because he might have money - even if it IS from drugs (can you imagine) unlike the Somali men, they also claim the men have big noses, are a lower race and are ugly? Though they claim their Somali women can be loose, and Nigerian women have big rear ends, they still love their Somali women and claim they are the most beautiful.

One thing I have observed though with more and more British Nigerian women is though we used to (and the majority still do) only associate ourselves with Nigerian men, more and more feel this no longer makes sense. Many would calls these females gold-diggers and falsely assume that is the reason in all cases (though undoubtedly it could apply to some). But perhaps it is because a lot of our own men prefer other races to their own?!

Well, I believe in the theory of choice, so I hope to see more Nigerian women dating more non-Nigerian men and perhaps the tensions will reduce on both sides. It seems the only option now - as imbalance seems to be the problem, not people's choices, but the imbalance in choices. I am sorry to say. I personally have never dated a non-Nigerian/west African before you ask. But posts like this make me reconsider why I have turned down those men - white, West Indian, Indian, Libyan, Angolan, Brazilian - even Somalians have chased me, and personally I don't believe I am all that (I wonder why Somalians if their women are the best - guess beauty is varied and they can understand that at times)?

Don't hate me for posting this, but it seems people take views/experiences they have had with a few and categorically decide this is the general truth then post it about the majority. I have only one Somalian female friend strangely enough, but I have met many and, yes they are beautiful - not all - but many. The same is true for my Nigerian friends - especially without makeup - they are even more beautiful!

Before you say it - I can't be jealous at the original posters comment because I don't know him, and I believe the same is true for Amaka and any other women that posted angrily on this forum. We will probably never know each other so he makes little difference to my life as do I to his. If you did detect jealousy, maybe you [b]were [/b]perfectly spot on. Can you imagine what it is like to be probably the only race with such a high number of men who believe other women are better looking. I can't be jealous of how Somali women look, because I am thankful for what God gave me (so is my man ), but I for one will admit, I am HIGHLY jealous of the support Somali women have from their own men in relation to beauty! That being said - I don't envy all other aspects!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, there are many beutiful women from all over Africa, but consider this is Somali forum is not shocking that is the status quo. If this was the Nigerian forum I'm sure they would say their women are the most beutiful. In the end of the Allah made us all and hence we are all perfect

SOURCE: http://www.topix.com/forum/world/somalia/TB7IUJGRFNVKKAS6V

I AM THE LEAST RACIST PERSON YOU WOULD FIND, AND EVEN SO I FOUND THAT OFFENSIVE, LIKE THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMALIS AND NIGERIANS

LOOOOOL

I LAUGHED MY ASS OFF, wtf are you drunk or something homie?

GO AND Bleep YOURSELF FOR OFFENDING ME.

MAYBE YOU ARE NATURALLY DUMB, let me tell you yeah THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMALIS AND NIGERIANS.

FIRSTLY THEY WERE SLAVES, SOMALIS NEVER BEEN SLAVED (YES I AM PROUD OF IT)
WE ARE 100% MUSLIM (YES I AM PROUD OF IT)
LOOKWISE WE DONT BIG FAT FLAT NOSES AND KINKY HAIR AND DOUBLE LIPS (YES I AM PROUD OF IT)

HISTORICALLY WE ARE SUPERIOR RACE, SO YEAH I FIND IT OFFENSIVE WHEN YOU COMPARE ME WITH YOU.


-----

I didnt say that there werent differences at all there are diffrences between southern somali's and northern somali's but what I was saying in america, europe and other places there is no difference if we were in a car and there were 1 somali, 1 ethiopian, 1 american, 1 nigerian and we were pulled over by the law the cop would say I have a car with 4 BLACK MALES he wouldnt say I have a car with one somali one ethiopian one american and one nigerian, do you see what Im saying??

I dont know about that other stuff u were saying because Nigeria has had many successful kingdoms and even thou you talk about slavery somalis do the shit jobs in the arab world and get paid shit for it and nigeria is one of africas richest and up coming countries while somalia is still engaged in bull shit tribal in fighitng so I wouldnt talk too much shit about other african nations considering the state of somalia as of now.

SOURCE:
http://allsomaliforum.com/index.php?topic=1759.msg37413#msg37413

Some posts from Somalian forum:
"African IDENTITY"

It comes, as something of a surprise to many Africans to discover that
all Africans look the same to non-Africans, How do you tell a
Nigerian from a Kenyan? And I am not talking about passports or clothing.
The easiest way, of course, is the name, for example "Ogunkoye", "Ekwekwe" or "Babangida" can only be a Nigerian; a"Njoroge", "Otieno" or "Kilonzo" must be from Kenya.

Where else would you bump into a name like "Promise", "Immaculate" or
"Patience" other than in Zimbabwe? And where do the Dunns come from?They are surely from Liberia or Sierra Leone.

Surely everybody knows that the loud, boisterous and cocky ones are the West Africans; the brooding and sly ones are the North and
Southern Africans; the East Africans always say yes even when they disagree vehemently. No wonder there has been very few coups in this region.

They have no guts to go against the stablishment. They are also the UN's first choice for Peace-Keeping duties worldwide.

Forget about the Egyptians and Sudanese who change their continents based on which side the bread is buttered. When convenient, and the
petro dollar is flowing, they masquarade as Arabs. When the World Bank is dishing out aid to the third world, they shuffle themselves, cup-in-hand, jostling for the paltry aid given to poor African countries.

If you want to be more specific, the Cameronians will borrow money to buy champagne. They can even sell a hole in their pockets to ape the bourgeois.

The Ghanaians think they invented politics. No Ghanaian worth his salt will conclude a conversation without mentioning the famous Kwame
Nkrumah or quoting a phrase from one of his speeches. Even when bargaining at the Bazaar, a "Kwame" phrase has a magical effect. The
problem is they think that this effect is world-wide!!! A dukawalla in Bombay was forgiven for thinking "Kwame" was a unit of currency in
Africa!

The Congolese think they have the best music and the best dancers. They have this heavenly feeling that they were brought into this world
to Sing and Dance, and please, for your own safety, don't you dare challenge that! A Congolese can be spotted from afar by the gait of
his walk, and it also depends on the mood of the walker: A "Ndombolo" walk is a sign of happiness (, also means 'I've just had it'); a "Baba Gaston" walk is a sign of old age.

The Nigerians have a THING about clothes and jewellery. They are the Indians of Africa; you'll always find a Nigerian in any part of the world, there is one contending for mayorship somewhere in remote Russia of all the places. There is a Nigerian police inspector in the Falklands , and there is a Nigerian cashier at
the First National Bank of Woolongong, (somewhere in Australia) I wonder how long he'll be there before he decides to become fluidy
with the cash? They are like cockroaches and will be found in the most unusual places.

The Ethiopians think they have the most beautiful women on God's earth(think about it, have your ever seen an ugly Ethiopian Lady?, no,not the post-menopause geriatric one, we are talking about the under 45 or so, hmm.), no wonder Arab men are killin themselves to find an Amharo women, lol I wonder what their reasons are, but the truth is Somalis have the most beautiful women in Africa. judging by the cover, mmh

I won't even mention where about the Somalis fit for the time being as they are suffering from a severe identity crisis. How else do you explain a
Somali holding a Kenyan passport saying he was born and raised in "Pand-Pieri" (somewhere in Kisumu) while the same gentleman cannot
utter the basic general greeting?

Moroccans think they're French and so do the Burkinabes.

Algerians hate the French.

Sierra Leonians smile profusely. Liberians can't get over America, they copy everything including Rambo, no wonder they have Rambo-style rumbles in the jungle. Call it an influence from Hollywood?

All East and Southern African countries have more or less the same boring national anthems, but the South Africans sing it the best.
Which other national anthem can make your feet lose control and do a jig on their own?

The South Africans have thick and springy hair; the Zambians and Kenyans have prominent foreheads and always smell from yesterday's sweat.

The Nigerians have thick luscious lips and their females possess some of the widest posteriors.

The West Africans have short memories and never learn from their mistakes; how many times are they caught all over the world on drug-related cases yet they continue the trade. How many times are they going to send those silly chain letters asking for bank accounts and pretending they are sons of chief so and so?

The concept of order and discipline must have been invented in East Africa; the words don't exist in West Africa, especially in nigeria, does anyone know how many coups that country has endured?

In Southern Africa when a cabinet minister is caught in a corruption scandal, he commits suicide; in West Africa he's promoted after the
next coup d'etat. In Kenya, he is stripped of his cabinet post for a short while till the dust settles and then re-instated to a higher
cabinet post which amalgamates his earlier cabinet post. In essence, he still controls his earlier ministerial post by proxy.

In athletics, the divisions are easy: from 800m to the marathon the East Africans hold sway; the West Africans are only good at the sprints. South Africans can only sing. But when it comes to football (soccer),the North and West Africans dominate the lesser-skilled east and Southern Africans.

Viva l'Africa!

SOURCE: http://www.somaliaonline.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/8/280#000000

stillwater:

I'm marrying a rich man then. I don't want to die early.

Lol.

A woman's education influences how long she - and her partner - will live, researchers have said.

A study on 1.5 million people found a woman's level of education was more important than a man's when it came to the chance of him living a long life. But a man's social class and income seemed to have the most impact on a woman's chances of living longer - more than the impact of her own employment.

The research, from experts at Stockholm University, examined data from the 1990 Swedish Census on 1.5 million people aged 30 to 59 who were in employment. Information on causes of death, including from cancer and circulatory diseases like heart disease and stroke, was then examined for the following 13-year period.

Education was found to be "of great importance" through a direct influence on death rates as well as indirectly via occupation and income.

"Education may also have an indirect effect through its possible importance for choice of partner," the authors said.

They suggested that better educated women may be more aware of healthy diets and medical treatments, thereby influencing their partner's lifespan.

"Women traditionally take more responsibility for the home than men do, and, as a consequence, women's education might be more important for the family lifestyle - for example, in terms of food habits - than men's education.

"If highly educated women more easily understand the plethora of advice about healthy lifestyles, women's education could have a substantial influence on the health and mortality of the partner. Women with higher education may in addition (be able to) receive better medical treatment, which may also be true for men - and for partners of highly educated women."

The study was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. It said a man's income influenced death rates for both sexes "presumably since men stand for the major part of the family income and thus the material standard of the family."

The authors concluded: "For men, the wife's education is more important for the mortality risk than his own education when the man's social class is included in the model. For women, the husband's social class yields larger mortality differences than own occupational measures. Women's education and men's social class and income are particularly important for women's deaths from circulatory diseases."

SOURCE: YAHOO NEWS -
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20091005/thl-women-s-education-affects-lifespan-d831572.html

chigsmith:

thks ell77
I have already applied and gotten al those info. I am gtin ready for visa application at most 4 jan intake.
But one of d schs i applied to did nt give me an info on weather
d 2009 admission is still open as if deir nxt intake is in nov, jan or feb.
So dats jst d info i am yet to get so i wil not b taken unawares

I am not sure I understand you. Did you apply to university already or did you make an enquiry. Applying would have required you sending supporting documents i.e. transcripts/certificates etc. You would then have been issude with a conditional offer letter, perhaps contingent on you paying a deposit or an  unconditional offer letter if you then accept this offer you will be issued with the visa letter which contains all the information the UKBA requires you to submit from the sponsor. If you are applying for January intake you should have you money by now so that the 28 days ending roughly the end of this month you can use to apply to the BHC for a student visa, through the VFS. You should normally allow up to three months for this process and not one month but a lot of evidence suggest most people receive their visa around 2 weeks (10 working days). January is the earliest admission you should look at unless , you have already had the money in your account for 28 days and have the offer letter and all else then you can hand the application form and supporting documents to the VFS immediately, expecting results before the end of this month. This would be cutting it extremely close for a November entry however. I cannot advise you what to choose it depends on your feelings. Phone or email the school for all course start dates - the intake you applied for should be written on your offer letter, so if you change you will need to be issued a new one which may take time and you need the original hard copy (sent by post/courier - no scans even if in colour). Not all universities list their non-Septemeber/October intakes as it varies from year to year and depends on demand. When they do list it, it is usually for January intake.

Regards.

Just posting this information here as well:

Some points to consider
1. Please always proof read your application, you may print the application at home or in an internet cafe before you go to the VFS. The people at the VFS are not qualified to advise you. The last thing you should do is fill in everything in five minutes at the office. Provide all supporting documents as stipulated and leave yourself enough time to apply for a visa in time! It is better to pay the VFS with a cash deposit than a cheque as they will wait for the cheque to clear before sending your documents to the BHC. This can take up to 5 extra working days depending on the bank you use - so cash is faster, you should be issued a document/receipt with your application number and barcode number. Your application number will normally start with abbreviations of the VFS centre you used i.e. VIAC or IKAC for VI and Ikeja respectively. This with your date of birth can help you track progress online. If it has passed two weeks since you handed in your documents contact the centre to find out if your application is ready computer failures/delays in updating application progress may be playing a role in your application.

2. On the 30th September 2009 visa application centres were closed due to IT failures all visa applications centres in Nigeria were also closed for National day on 1 October 2009, so if you applied for a visa recently this may be affecting the length of your outcome.

3. If you are applying near the start date of your course some universities may write you are entitled to resume up to 4 weeks after the course start date. However, many do not put this on the visa letter unless you ask even though many others do so without asking - BEG THEM, they know the PBS is a new system and with the national holidays and failures they may be more sympathetic to your plea. Contact the international student advisor(s) at your university for assistance in this respect. You may be rejected if the UKBA feels the latest course start date for your intake has lapsed.

4. Students already in the United Kingdom will not need to show the maintenance and tuition fees in their account for 28 days and can benefit from an extended concession of showing funds as at the day of application until February 2010 along with the correct documents to support their application. Those outside the UK applying for a student visa, however, must show this money has been available for the full 28 days ending no more than one month before the date of their application.

5. If a student wants to study with a new Tier 4 sponsor (i.e. switch university), and they made their last application for a Tier 4 visa before 5th October 2009, they will continue to be allowed to change their sponsor (education provider/university/school) without making a new Tier 4 application! They must, however, seek permission from UKBA to change their sponsor. Please note that after 5th October 2009, doing such will be illegal!

If you would like advice on anything relating to student visas feel free to ask me by posting on this forum.

iz2much:

@ell77
Are u an agent or wateva?
Anyway u'r welcum & hope we can trust & count on u.

@ iz2much - Yes I am an agent, but my visa advice on this forum is free, and solely related to student visas. It does not benefit me for people to receive rejection visas in the long run. Only those who think about short term implications/gains would do such, I believe the more people who experience smoother and more successful visa processes the more people will be encouraged to come to the UK over time.

I would not really advise you to count on anyone, but I will personally never mislead anyone on issues relating to student visas. It goes against me and my industry!

miz4oxley:


@ell77

Hello Nairalanders, my sponsor sent a reconsideration letter to the BHC, will it be aknowledged by the Entry Clearance Manager. Cos I was granted and appeal allowed and it was Re-refused, and I was given another appeal.I have lodged the appeal. What do you think I need to do? Planning to re apply come december what can i do do you think its right?

Sorry miz4oxley, I specialize in student visas, hopefully someone else on the forum can help. But it may help if you state the conditions of refusal and also what was contained in the new sponsor letter that you believe will overthrow the previous decision. All the best!

finebouy:


@ell77. Thanx for the info.

Your welcome!

Khadie:


@ Ell77: that was some good advice!

Thanks for the compliment, that is my duty though, so don't mention it!

@Chigsmith - did you see the post? This thread is more about visas themselves than applications, I will try to provide a separate resource on applying for universities/career choices. Okay. Hope my post was helpful anyway.

DegreeAngel

chigsmith:

Pls i need to b put thru on these.
how will u get your appl. ref. no?
where and how will u pay for d visa fee?
which of d appl. centers is better?
Also can i have your e-mail i need your assistance in getin an info for me about a sch in uk pls,

Lol. @Chigsmith. You have asked a lot of questions here, but the issue of visas needs to be separated from your university application to a some extent.

The only thing I will advise you to consider in relation to the visa at the moment when applying to universities
1) The total fees needed. The first year tuition fee + the maintenance fee must be held for 28 days before applying to visa office ending no more than a month before applying (maintenance fee for a course lasting more than 9 months is £7,200 for inside London and £5,400 for outside London - though some geographical areas in London are not classed as London for the purpose of maintenance fees by the UKBA), tuition fees can range from £3,000 for a BA/PGDip in a private university to over £20,000 for such a degree or MSc/MA/MBA in public universities.
2) The university must be listed on the UKBA sponsor register to receive a visa also.
3) Certain types of qualification you receive in the UK will make it easier for you to later apply for a UK Post Study Work Visa - a category belonging to tier 1 (formerly making up HSMP which has been replaced with four categories of tier one). So if you plan to stay in the UK, permanently this will impact the type of course you apply for.

If however, you wish to update your CV to return to Nigeria, then again this will impact the type of degree you choose. It depends on your aims and aspirations. For example, you will not be awarded points for a postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma, except a Postgraduate Certificate in Education - you need a Bachelors or Masters degree from UK, or HND from Scotland. However, this scheme last for two years and does not count towrds years spent in UK qualifying you for settlement status! But your salary and qualifications earned in this period will have huge determinants on switching to a longer category of tier one that does count towards settlement status: the Highly skilled worker.

Points relating to course are PhD-50, Master's degree-35 and Bachelor's degree (extension applications only) - 30.

Since you would have been switching from another category (Post Study Work Visa), and not extending. In this case would have been your best bet. So either you would have studied the Master's part-time in the two years for your post study work visa or you would have studied the Msc from the outset on your student visa. Short term the latter is more expensive but cheaper in the long run.

The choice you make really depends on how much you can afford at the time of applying also. If you opted for a PGDip, and had completed it within the last four months (course must have been greater than 6 months), you could extend it in the student category and apply for a Master's only having to show one year of tuition fees and £1,600 for inner London or £1,200 for London (greater London and elsewhere). As you are able to work part-time during the PGDip some people prefer to use this method if they do not have enough money or do not meet entry requirements for an Msc. But saving the money for an Msc in one year from such work is extremely difficult and only a minority are successful (mainly those with assistance or running some sort of business/self-employment).


To summarise, please figure out where you see yourself in five/ten years time and it will become easier for you to choose a university course and a path in life. You should also look at skills demands/shortages in the country you wish to wind up in, or even future projected shortages. The said country does not necessarily have to be the UK/Nigeria as having certain British qualifications can take you almost anywhere.

All the best.

DegreeAngel

N.B. Any additions or subtractions are welcomed! 

ybab:

why create another thread

Their is already a GENERAL UK VISA ENQUIRIES THREAD which has been very useful in answering various enquiries. The good thing about that thread is its continuity. New information is updated from time on to time. It is only a lazy individual that will fail to read through the thread. Even if its the last few pages.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-127964.2368.html

Those that had unsuccessful visa applications were either as a result of late submission, inadequate preparation ahead of the school resumption time and also not posting questions on the general thread on issues they needed clarification on. Others were wrongly advised by visa agents

Besides, this thread is a bit belated. All UK universities have resumed for their september admission

@ylab - I appreciate your opinion, I assume some others share this opinion and i am glad you brought this up.
QUESTION 1
why create another thread

Their is already a GENERAL UK VISA ENQUIRIES THREAD which has been very useful in answering various enquiries. The good thing about that thread is its continuity. New information is updated from time on to time. It is only a lazy individual that will fail to read through the thread. Even if its the last few pages.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-127964.2368.html
ANSWER 1

You are perfectly right in the fact the thread has been very useful in answering VARIOUS enquiries. Superb in fact and I am glad Siena started it as he is a very straightforward and conscientious individual. However, he is not the one doing all of the advising and it is hard for any one individual to be an expert on all areas of visas for the UK as it is complex and varied. I have personally witnessed incorrect advice being dished out on the thread, which are so numerous I don't have enough time to go through the 75 pages to comment on or correct. Some updates cancel out previous schemes, whereas some are in addition to previous schemes/methods/criteria. In the thread some people state when the former or latter applies but not always. I see a lot of people advising others based on passed principles.

You state only a lazy individual would fail to look at the page. But by your reasoning this must be the same reason people look at the thread you suggested in the first place as most accurate information posted there has been taken from UKBA and VFS readily available to everyone.

QUESTION 2
Those that had unsuccessful visa applications were either as a result of late submission, inadequate preparation ahead of the school resumption time and also not posting questions on the general thread on issues they needed clarification on. Others were wrongly advised by visa agents

Besides, this thread is a bit belated. All UK universities have resumed for their September admission

ANSWER 2

Actually I would like to add to much of what you have said here. Unsuccessful visa applications have also been the result of fraud, spelling/administrative errors, university errors and wrong information posted on the very thread you referred to as many people post based on passed theories.

Even if all universities had resumed, knowing why people failed can help prevent people from failing the next time they apply (assuming no major changes were made before then) or at least knowing where to attribute the blame and learn some lessons.

HOWEVER, all universities did not resume in September, some resumed in October and have even given extensions up to a month long. Some will resume in November and some will even resume in January, February and March. So it is not belated at all, in fact with the new system we now have more fact under our belt as to the process thanks to the September batch.

If I told you to tell me the answer to for example, 'the meaning of life' lets say. Then gave you an hour to read a 75 page document which had the answers in there, updated daily over the period of a year. What would you do? Skip to the last page? Great! But what if you later found out that the person who wrote information on the last page actually was writing from his own view and not from fact. Then how many pages back do you go to find the fact? Then when you find the fact, does the fact, stand on its own or must it be read in conjuction with previous pages of known facts? How long would it take you to work out all this from the 75 pages? More than the allotted hour?

Would it not be easier if everything was regulated so that outdated pages were removed, or highlighted as being outdated or based on opinion or experience rather than fact? How can one person possibly do all of this?

The purpose of my thread therefore is not to replace the thread you mentioned, I myself have learnt a thing or two from that highly informative thread. But, this thread is to provide a running summary of the situation at a given point in time. For example if in September 2010 visas were free and someone asked me at that time I would display it in September 2010 on the forum. However, In March if visas are now £1,000, even though no one asked me again. I will still display it as being £1,000 based on knowing what people needed to know before. I can't have enough time to do this for all visas and I have specialised in STUDENT VISA's.

As an agent myself, I can charge for this information and tell people false information on a private basis then deny it in public. However, when I display information on a forum like this I am making information available to more people and preventing mistakes for those who can't afford to pay for help and don't research for themselves. It also means any advice I give may be questioned or criticized openly to prevent false information given by agents.

I feel this is now necessary. I need not do this as the opportunity cost for me is high, but I am dismayed by people whose dreams are dashed because of recklessness by others. I know how it feels to fall victim to someone else. Emotionally and economically I don't wish it on anyone. Hopefully you understand my reasons now, sorry if I did not make it clearer to all Nairalanders.

Thank you,


Warmest Regards

Some points to consider:
1. Please always proof read your application, you may print the application at home or in an internet cafe before you go to the VFS. The people at the VFS are not qualified to advise you. The last thing you should do is fill in everything in five minutes at the office. Provide all supporting documents as stipulated and leave yourself enough time to apply for a visa in time! It is better to pay the VFS with a cash deposit than a cheque as they will wait for the cheque to clear before sending your documents to the BHC. This can take up to 5 extra working days depending on the bank you use - so cash is faster, you should be issued a document/receipt with your application number and barcode number. Your application number will normally start with abreviations of the VFS centre you used i.e. VIAC or IKAC for VI and Ikeja respectively. This with your date of birth can help you track progress online. If it has passed two weeks since you handed in your documents contact the centre to find out if your application is ready computer failures/delays in updating application progress may be playing a role in your application.

2. On the 30th September 2009 visa application centres were closed due to IT failures all visa applications centres in Nigeria were also closed for National day on 1 October 2009, so if you applied for a visa recently this may be affecting the length of your outcome.

3. If you are applying near the start date of your course some universities may write you are entitled to resume up to 4 weeks after the course start date. However, many do not put this on the visa letter unless you ask even though many others do so without asking - BEG THEM, they know the PBS is a new system and with the national holidays and failures they may be more sympathetic to your plea. Contact the international student advisor(s) at your university for assistance in this respect. You may be rejected if the UKBA feels the latest course start date for your intake has lapsed.

4. Students already in the United Kingdom will not need to show the maintenance and tuition fees in their account for 28 days and can benefit from an extended concession of showing funds as at the day of application until February 2010 along with the correct documents to support their application. Those outside the UK applying for a student visa, however, must show this money has been available for the full 28 days ending no more than one month before the date of their application.

5. If a student wants to study with a new Tier 4 sponsor (i.e. switch university), and they made their last application for a Tier 4 visa before 5th October 2009, they will continue to be allowed to change their sponsor (education provider/university/school) without making a new Tier 4 application! They must, however, seek permission from UKBA to change their sponsor. Please note that after after 5th October 2009, doing such will be illegal!

If you would like advice on anything relating to student visas feel free to ask me by posting on this forum.

sulaiman1:

hi

thank you for your prompt response, the first reason i was refused is that i did not show satisfactory evidence of my economic circumstance in Nigeria that i have failed to put my pay slip or tax cirtificate which i actually submited my payslip and it was withheld by the ECO, so i made a copy of my payslip and i submmited along wt the photocopy my pay slip. The second reason is that i did not provide the source of income of my cousin who is to pay my airfare. so i added his payslip too and submit. i made a fresh application since right of appeal is not given to general visitor.
hop4e to hear any advice from u.

kind regards
Sulaiman

Ah so you did NOT apply for student visa like the original poster. Okay, all the best in your application. I am an expert on student visas and although I know quite a bit about other UK visa types, I can't really advise you on what to do. As you have already handed in the application see what happens next - it sounds relatively straightforward to me and you would not have been able to send in the missing documents separately in an administrative review. It is quite bizarre that your original documents were held by the ECO. Hopefully this situation will not repeat itself!

Regards,



DegreeAngel UK Ltd
http://www.degreeangel.co.uk

sulaiman1:

hi
thank you very much for the reply. i got it after 3 days but i was refused. i ve submited another application because the reasons given were flimsy.

kind regards
Sulaiman

Don't mention it Sulaiman, I am happy to help. You mentioned you submitted another application, did you start a new one or go through administrative review? What reasons were flimsy? Sorry I just know that most people who get rejections often fall foul of this several times before they get it right by trial and error or until they are advised properly. I'd like to save you the hassle, unless you already feel you know all you need to correct this and don't need any input. All the best either way.

Regards,



DegreeAngel UK Ltd
http://www.degreeangel.co.uk

UPDATE JULY 20 (previously updated 15th July):
BEFORE YOU POST YOUR QUESTION PLEASE READ THIS FAQ SUBMISSION:
FAQ 1
What exactly do I need according to UKBA to apply for student visa (enabling more than six months full time study in UK)?
40 points consisting of the following:
• A confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) reference number (used to be visa letter), from a UKBA approved education provider (called your sponsor to make sure your course provider qualifies) and all documents used to obtain it stated in the CAS letter you received (any documentary evidence provided should be original unless otherwise stated). The course must be at an approved level (level 3 or above on NQF or equivalent in most cases). Universities electronically fill a UKBA database holding your CAS number and the documents used to assess you. If there is a discrepancy between the database and what the university told you when giving your CAS number the UKBA has the right to reject you as the onus is on you to provide the evidence not the university. This is not a good part of the system and UKBA so err on the side of caution and include all documents you submitted to apply for the course itself even if [b]not [/b]listed on the CAS letter - more is better than less. If you only include what was on the CAS letter, it is likely this will be overlooked especially if the document type missed has been regarded by UKBA as being easily/frequently faked or not requested by universities.

This equals 30 points.
• You must have evidence the maintenance costs of your education, have been held for at least 28 consecutive (continuous) days AND the date of the closing balance must not be more than one month before the date the application was lodged at a visa application centre. Maintenance costs your course fees (first year) and living costs (living costs for nine months and above are estimated as £9000 for inner London and £7200 for outside inner London). Under the points based system, UKBA cannot reject you because money came in suddenly from elsewhere, it is for non points based applications like general visitor and family visitor that the UKBA may question you more on the source of these funds. You must write your OANDA conversion rate (from www.oanda.com) and amount this equals in Pounds Sterling for the day you are applying for your visa on the statement of accounts (currenty adding this point to my fist post). This equals 10 points.

You must of course fill in the relevant form (correctly, get help if needed) and arrange to record your biometric information (photograph and fingerprints) with UKBA. See UKBA website for further details on photograph requirements and Biometrics.

FAQ 2
How long does it take to get the visa?
In May 2011 the following statistics were recorded for the Abuja office where all applications (including Lagos) are forwarded to or you can apply here directly. Please note days here refers to working days i.e. 10 days is NOT  a week and a half here, it is 10 working days meaning 2 weeks.
373 applications were processed this month.
39% of applications were processed within 2 Days.
53% of applications were processed within 3 Days.
64% of applications were processed within 5 Days.
88% of applications were processed within 10 Days (2 weeks).
95% of applications were processed within 15 Days (3 weeks).
99% of applications were processed within 30 Days.
100% of applications were processed within 60 Days (3 months).

This shows whilst some people are lucky to get back a response the same day they apply the vast majority here back between 2 weeks and 3 weeks of their application deadline and no one should really hear back after three months. If applying from Lagos, it may add 2 extra days to ship your application to Abuja. Previously, applications were processed in Lagos also, so applications here were considerably quick for many, but this was abolished some time ago it is at your discretion for which to use.

FAQ 3
How much is the visa?
N66,300 correct July 15th 2011

FAQ 4
Do I need accommodation to apply for the visa?
No you are not required to under UKBA assessment, you must shoe you have the funds to pay for accommodation. Any accommodation you arrange you must have a receipt for so that this amount can be deducted from your total cost of maintenance. It is often cheaper to stay with family and friends or in a hostel first and then find someone who has a room to let to students. DegreeAngel UK Ltd assists its students in finding such deals. Halls of residence are often expensive depending on the city and may lock you into a permanent one year contract.

FAQ 5
For my funds can I use another person’s money/account?
Yes, under certain circumstances, this “person”, must either:
• Have paid the money into your account which is held there for at least 28 days OR
• Be an official financial sponsor with letter and/or statement of accounts (i.e. a bank offering you a loan or an international company offering a scholarship/loan, please see Tier 4 policy guidance for who is classed as an official financial sponsor) OR
• Be your parent, and hold enough money to gain the maintenance points you need, you must provide evidence of the money in your parent’s name together with the link between the parent(s) named in the document(s) and yourself. A letter confirming your parent(s) named in the document(s) give permission for the you to use the money also be provided by your parent(s). Unfortunately, brothers, sisters, aunts etc do not count unless they legally have adopted you in court.

For any of these sources of other people’s money, if the amount of money doesn’t equal the full amount needed for maintenance points, you must show that you have the balance of funds necessary using appropriate evidence (bank statement including balance of account).

OFFICIAL FINANCIAL SPONSOR
An 'official financial sponsor' is an organisation that supports you to study in the UK by giving you money to cover PART or ALL of your course fees and your living costs. The UK government, your home government, the British Council or any international organisation, international company, university or UK independent school can be an official financial sponsor.

FAQ 6
Can I bring my dependents? If so must I apply for them at the same time I apply for visa and what benefits does this hold?
UKBA prefers if you provide information on the names of any dependant who is applying at the same time as you are on your form (although each dependant must complete a separate PBS (Dependant) form normally at a reduced fee if submitted at the same time as the Tier 4 form if a spouse, civil partner, unmarried or same-sex partner, or child under 18 of the yourself). Furthermore the dependant’s application must be made at the same time as the student’s application. Dependant applications that are submitted at a later date and/or applications for dependent children who are aged 18 years or over incur full charge but this does afford you time to raise money to bring the dependent over. Remember £600 per month (inside inner London) or £800 per month (outside inner London) up to a maximum of 9 months needs to be proven to be held for your dependent living costs. However, if you have an established presence studying in the UK you only need to prove up to a maximum of 2 months. Once your dependent come to UK they are eligible to work but only if your course of study is not below degree level,  (unless foundation degree course), or less than 12 months leave given to yourself (unless Government Sponsored). Work can be obtained for yourself and your dependents through www.degreeangel.co.uk


Student with established presence
A student has an established presence studying in the United Kingdom if:
• He/she has completed a course that was at least six months long within their last period of leave, and this leave finished within the last four months; or
• He/she is applying for continued study on a course where he/she has studied at least six months of that course and has been studying within the last four months; or
• He/she is applying to continue in Tier 4 as a Sabbatical Officer or as a Postgraduate Doctor or Dentist and he/she has completed a course that was at least six months long within his/her last period of leave, and this leave finished within the last four months.

FAQ 7
Should I include my previous applications for visas? Will it go against me if they are failed applications?
All UK Home Office applications are given an individual reference number to track and link past applications. You should provide details of past applications and Home Office reference number if you have it (found on any previous Home Office correspondence relating to the student).  This submission will only go against you if you have been refused for fraud or criminal activity before, have overstayed in a previous visit, have been deported, have had a previous criminal conviction against you whilst abroad. MOST PEOPLE have failed applications due to errors in their forms or lack of supporting documents or evidence of funds and the UKBA is happy to accept student sin the UK with such backgrounds without prejudice. Indeed, the average Nigerian accepted into the UK has come in after being rejected before.

FAQ 8
After my degree in UK what next for employment?
One obvious answer (and easiest), is to go back home to Nigeria or perhaps to stay in UK to do another university course. But for various reasons you may prefer to stay in the UK to work (paying back debts, not able to secure a job with your new international degree, not able to save enough for another course, not able to get a grant/sponsorship for a course etc). Here are your best fund producing options:
1) Apply for Post Study Work Visa (PSW)

Where you must score 95 points and meet all the other requirements of the Immigration Rules (i.e. no using public funds, no overstaying, fraud etc see UKBA website).

Your score must consist of:

- 75 points for your attributes, which are a UK qualification, study at a UK institution, your immigration status during UK study and/or research (being a Tier 4 general student), and the date of award of the qualification (apply with original certificate and original letter on official letterheaded paper, stamped/sealed by the UK institution confirming award of your qualification at least one month before your leave runs out and as soon as you can after receiveing your degree); and
- 10 points for English language; (satisfied by studying in the UK) and
- 10 points for available maintenance (If applying from within the UK, balance must show you have had at least £800 in your account at all times over the three-month period. If applying from outside UK, balance must show that you have had at least £2,800 in your account at all times over the three-month period. Evidence must be in the form of cash funds. If you wish to rely on a joint account as evidence of available funds, you must be named on the account along with one or more other named individual(s). For applications made either in the United Kingdom or overseas, all evidence must be dated no more than one month before the application is submitted. Do not overstay it is better to go back to Nigeria and round up the £2,800 than do this).

Upon receiving your PSW, you are entitled to work for up to 2 years in the UK for any company and/or carry out business/self employment activities (rarely less time than 2 years is given). Previously, you were able to switch when possible to Tier 1 general, the most popular conversion to go on your way to permanent stay, but this has been stopped by the government. You are now face with one of two options for the vast majority:

2a) Tier 2 General also known as Work Permit visa
The Tier 2 (General) category is for foreign nationals who have a skilled job offer to fill a gap in the workforce that cannot be filled by a settled worker.

Before you apply under Tier 2 (General), you must have:

- a sponsor; and
- a valid certificate of sponsorship.

When you apply, you are awarded points based on your:

- salary and allowances;
- sponsorship;
- English language skills; and
- available maintenance (funds).

FOR THIS CATEGORY YOU MAY ONLY WORK FOR YOUR SPONSOR.

2b) Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)
Actually you can switch in this category straight from Tier 4 student visa also! [/b]You must score a total of 95 points and meet all the other requirements of the Immigration Rules.

- Access to investment funds (25 points): You have access to not less than £200,000 or access to not less than £50,000 from:

* 1 or more registered [b]venture capital firms regulated by the Financial Services Authority;
* 1 or more UK entrepreneurial seed funding competitions listed as endorsed on the UK Trade and Investment website, or
* 1 or more UK government departments, which have made the funds available for the specific purpose of establishing or expanding a UK business.

For details of venture capital firms and seed funding competitions, please contact director@degreeangel.co.uk as we are in the process of obtaining funding for entrepreneurs.

- These funds are held in 1 or more regulated financial institutions (25 points)
- These funds are disposable (free to spend) in the UK (25 points)
- English language:  10 points:  You can speak English to the required standard
- Maintenance:  10 points: You have enough money to support yourself while you are in the UK

You and 1 other person can form an 'entrepreneurial team', which means that you can both apply under Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) and score points for access to the same investment funds. Both of you must have equal access to and be able to dispose of the money freely in the UK. If either of you has successfully applied under Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) with any other applicant in the past, based on the same funds that you are using in this application, you cannot form a new entrepreneurial team with those same funds.

THIS visa will be issued for a period of three years plus four months (sometimes two years is given initially). If in this category for five years, this visa can lead to indefinite leave to remain. Contact director@degreeangel.co.uk for more information

Dear Nairalanders

It has been a long time since I have been on this forum and after posting on a couple of topics today, I have realised a lot of people are receiving inaccurate or no advice in regards to tier 4 of the PBS system in relation to student visas in the UK. There are so many different types of visas and so many different types of applicant that this information cannot be contained in one thread lumped with every single visa the UK offers. So I am offering this thread as a platform for those who have queries relating solely to Tier 4 - the UK student visa (greater than 6 months stay for approved education).

Everyone is free to post questions on this page and even answers! But I will endeavor to answer all questions as an experienced education consultant. I realise many people are destroying their futures by following the wrong advice or following their own reasoning without looking at what the UKBA has to say about the application process, and I find this extremely upsetting. You may also post your experiences of different visa centres in Nigeria. My advice is free of charge, and will be displayed here for everyone to see as a public reference.

Happy posting!


Regards,


DegreeAngel UK Ltd
http://www.degreeangel.co.uk

sulaiman1:

hi
also got the same message while tracking my application. do u now ve an idea of what inscan at oc means

kind regards
sulaiman

It means your application is virtually finished. it does not tell you if you have been rejected or accepted. But you can start making your way to the visa collection office.

Regards,


DegreeAngel UK Ltd
http://www.degreeangel.co.uk

bimi47:

i think i made a mistake with my date of birth in my application . not sure though
what would be the implication.

Dear Bimi47,

in regards to the comment you posted above, do you mean you only realised your error now? Or does your passport/documents provide a date of birth that is not accurate? All your documents should show the same date of birth from passport to WAEC, transcript or any other document that displays your date of birth including the application form itself. Having some form of discrepancy in something as simple as your own date of birth may result not only in a refusal of student visa but a ban against applying for a visa for the next ten years due to FRAUD. Even if it was simply an honest mistake.

Unless by miracle the UKBA does not see this your best alternative to a rejection right now is if they allow you to conduct administrative review due to this error. They may be more likely to accept this is an error (or even dismiss it themselves) if it was obviously an error due to the date format being impossible. For example you are supposed to write your birthday is 23/03/1980 in dd/mm/yyyy format and for example you write 03/23/1980. Since there is no 23rd month and it closely resembles your actual date of birth they may assume it is an error and dismiss this without explanation or accept your explanation or if you write 23/03/2009 which means you are less than one year old they may also find this a reasonable mistake based on the fact you had a lapse in attention. Or perhaps you write the actual date of application they might see you misread the question.

However, it is clearly stated that you are supposed to read the application form and fill it yourself and you have signed the application form stating everything is true. They may reject you even if it was an obvious mistake (they are not supposed to use their common sense but follow procedure rigorously) such as the examples listed and have no obligation to accept your administrative review request as the mistake is not theirs. The fact that you are a Nigerian already makes them suspicious, unfortunately. I wish you all the best in your application process. Just hope they don't state fraud as a reason for refusal and then you can make a new application. But if you actually did fake your D.O.B. at some point in your life, I would not even advise you to apply again before seeking professional advice.

All the best.

Regards,


DegreeAngel UK Ltd
http://www.degreeangel.co.uk

That's okay, don't mention it. You will register first. Then you go back to collect your call up letter about a month later. Here is the Batch B timetable for foreign grads to give you an idea of the time frame:
Registration of Foreign-Trained Nigerian Graduates
4th - 15th June, 2009

Collection of Call-up letters by Foreign-trained Graduates
9th - 13nd July, 2009

Batch ‘B’ 2009 Orientation Course
14th July - 4th Aug 2009

But it is good you have kept a contact there. Keep checking the website and be nice to that person so that if there are any issues they will feel more inclined to take their time to explain to you. There are often problems. Remember to photocopy everything as there is nowhere to do it there. Hope your transcript is with you. Good luck, you will be fine. Which states are you picking? I suggest Abuja and Lagos. Abuja is easier to live, I served in Lagos and it was good as I turned to pako! But sometimes I wish Abuja had been my first choice. Anyway, there is good everywhere (but watch out for some of the northern states, there were riots when I was serving - we lost our fellow corpers - extremely saddening and frustrating).

Oh. wow. So you actually went to the Abuja office already? That's strange that they don't know the next batch then, thought you called them. September, October, November - they have no clue between these dates? Okay. Well, don't really know what to tell you. The next one is even July/August.

The website is okay. It says BATCH 'B' 2009 ORIENTATION COURSE COMMENCES ON THE 14th JULY - 4th AUGUST 2009
Registration of Foreign-Trained Nigerian Graduates is 4th - 15th June, 2009.
Collection of Call-up letters by Foreign-trained Graduates is 9th - 13th July, 2009.

So you just missed that one. Guess Batch C should be September/October for registration and then perhaps November to commence. just check the website again on the 14th of July when batch B would have entered camp. By then hopefully they will be happy to let eveyone know. If not check again when batch B camp has finished.

If the people were nice in Abuja office, you should have collected their number. So you can call them nearer the time instead of travelling.

Well when I was serving they brought out like four batches. March, July, Septemeber, December - give or take some months for each of them. So my advice for you is to just go with the flow. There are too many Nigerians who have been sitting at home waiting for NYSC and the government is only now starting to rectify it. In my view they should know when the next batch is coming but they might want to keep it secret for some reason. Since you wanted to serve in feb/march then just forget this year. When January comes check the website again. Some current corpers may know the answer on nairaland though, they often hear all these rumours - but I have to tell you many turn out not to be true.

Continue with your charity work. When you get to Nigeria go to Abuja and sign up if they have started calling foreign students on their website. But be advised that between the time you go to register and the time you go to start camp at least one month will pass, so since you are coming to Nigeria anyway there is no point in trying to fit yourself around the NYSC. It will be stressful, especially going to that Abuja office for foreign students. Jeez. Please don't cry if they insult you there for no reason. Smile! just remember it is there way of saying 'welcome'! I did meet one lovely lady there though. She was sort of like an angel. So remember where there is bad there is also good!

concrete:

na wa o! i didn't mean any harm by using that word. u guys are harsh LOL i've never denied my nigerian heritage or tried to act superior to anyone at all. i was just going by wat some of my relatives here and back home told me (that technically, if i wanted to work in nigeria, i could do so under that status).

anyway, as i said, i was born in uk and raised in canada. i have dual citizenship (uk/canada). my dad is uk born and had dual citizenship (uk/nigeria) and my mom was born in nigeria but also has dual citizenship (canada/nigeria). if that clears it up for those of you debating the terminology used

for those who are curious, i've decided to look into serving next feb/march, that way i can be better prepared. since i'll be travelling shortly to do some charity work in lagos, i've made arrangements to go abuja to confirm wat info i need to bring when i serve. and yes, i'll be serving the full three weeks in camp (like the rest of you guys)

jeez people! take it easy. i don't kno y some of u got so defensive

thanks for those who helped/answered my questions

My dear. You don't have to explain yourself!

Those with understanding and without bitterness understood you perfectly. Just like someone said on this forum technically if you come back you are an exptriate, as exptriate status is to do with residence and not ancestry. However for NYSC you will be classed as foreign student (which to me is even worse but that is the official term ). I am impressed at your interest in charity work, when I was serving I made a point of taking up a special CD that did a lot for charity and this is the only way to feel like you have achieved something. Please encourage your friends to go to Nigeria to do similar things, even if they don't want to serve and contribution that benefits Nigeria is welcome. I believe if every expat Nigerian (yes that's right i said expat!!!), came back and did a little something for a local community, Nigeria would be better in no time - we can't wait for our governement. We don't need to rely on foreign people when are own expats are capable. It will even inspire more local Nigerians too. Personally, I am proud of the way you think. You are acting more like a Nigerian than some people who were proabably insulting you for calling yourself an expat. Because nowadays, all over the world we often forget our brothers and sisters, Nigerians living in Nigeria included.

It would be nice to be thanked for what you want to do for others. But anyone who has ever done charity work knows that sadly you are not always thanked. So my only advice to you is to help others for the sake of helping them, and don't expect a thank you, or even support. If you get it, that's wonderful, but don't wait for it. God will thank you in the end and even if you don't believe in that, just remember you can't complain about your country when you have done nothing to TRY to improve it.

PS. I for one am already thanking you!

Your best bet is to teach her yourself. Maybe she just feels like she is being forced to change. I am sure you did not make it seem so important to her before marriage. You probably wanted her to marry you at any cost because you loved her so much. The two of you should be able to compromise. You should learn your food first, teach her and then also learn her food. Ask her if you can cook each others food. Like Mon-Fri she cooks the Nigerian dish you helped her learn and weekends you cook her food. It can be a bonding experience. If she also works though you might need to make it a more even split.

You said you work and that is why you cannot learn. Throughout your life have you been working? Also how long do you think it will take you to learn one dish? As long as it takes you to fly to Lagos?

Some people just don't like hypocrisy. You are saying it is so important for you to eat this dish, yet you don't know how to make it yourself. Forget being a 'man' - the excuse i know people are ready with. If you landed a job in London today and went there quickly, who would cook your Egusi for you, if you did not know how? Would you go to restaraunts (£20 per Nigerian so like £900 per month - most of your salary) or eat English food (which you would still have to learn or eat ready meals) or fly to Lagos every month (again cash and time) or starve?

Please the best leaders lead by example. As the 'leader' of your home, learn the things you want to teach others. This goes for any example i.e. housechores, respect, work-ethic, kindness, parenting, loyalty etc. Your married life will be easier if you can. Hope this helps you open your eyes and mind.

You can reserve a session by completing the following two stages:
1. Pay ONLY N5,000 into one of the accounts displayed on this website:
http://www.degreeangel.co.uk/seminars.html
2. Calling +234(0)8067833251 and choosing either the morning or afternoon session.
-Specify your teller number, the branch and bank you paid it into and your name as well.

Please note you will need to hold your teller receipt and bring it on the day as proof of purchase.

You will also need to bring photocopies of the following for us to process your application for university admission:

* SSCE CERTIFICATE (WAEC/NECO/Other equivalent)

* Your university/polytechnic certificate and transcript

* A personal statement (state your course preference and your career aspirations - we will rewrite)

* An up-to-date Curriculum Vitae

* Two letters of reference, at least one of them should be from an academic source (e.g. your teacher)

* Copy of your passport picture page

* Six passport size photos

PA/Receptionist/Secretary/Administrator

JOB PROFILE: 

Providing administrative support, customer service and other services to ensure the smooth running and advancement of an international education consultancy. You will be in direct communication with the director of DegreeAngel UK Ltd. You will need to be well-spoken, hard-working, ambitious and eager to listen and learn. You will often be responsible for specific projects so you need to be able to demonstrate the ability to work on your own under minimal supervision and to lead or instruct others. This vacancy is based in Lagos and mainly an office based role but you will quickly progress into a marketing role so you need to be flexible and free to move around Lagos and perhaps Nigeria.

TYPICAL WORK TASKS:
*General word processing
*Sorting mail and sending mail
*Dealing with telephone calls
*Maintaining library
*Email enquiries
*Creating and maintaining filing systems
*Keeping diaries and taking appointments for staff
*Using a variety I.T. packages to produce correspondence and documents
*Maintaining presentations, spreadsheets and databases
*Booking rooms/venues
*Using content management systems to maintain and update websites and internal databases
*Arranging meetings, taking minutes and keeping notes
*Invoicing
*Creating and following budgets
*Liaising with members of staff in other departments or external contacts
*Ordering and maintaining stationery and equipment supplies
*Using shorthand and audio tapes or copytyping to produce letters
*Organising and storing paperwork, documents and computer-based information.

Other duties may include (but are not limited to):
*Recruiting and training junior staff, and delegating work as required
*Market research
*Travelling with the team or manager to take notes at meetings/events, take dictation and provide general assistance with presentations (across Nigeria and to the UK);
*Arranging travel and accommodation;
*Arranging both in-house and external events.

KEY QUALITIES/SKILLS
Potential candidates will need to show evidence of the following:

    * organisational skills;
    * the ability to plan your own work, work on your own initiative and to deadlines;
    * the ability to manage pressure and conflicting demands, and prioritise tasks;
    * oral and written communication skills;
    * tact and discretion;
    * a pleasant, confident telephone manner;
    * teamwork;
    * reliability and honesty;
    * project management skills.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
Any qualifications and experience that demonstrate an in depth understanding and ability of the key responsibilities and skills listed (e.g. English, Secretarial, Mass Communication, I.T. , Marketing etc qualifications from a tertiary establishment - university/polytechnic).

DegreeAngel UK Ltd is an equal opportunities employer.

Please send your CV (no more than two pages) and a cover letter explaining why you would like this job and suit the role to:
director@degreeangel.co.uk
or
ellaoku@gmail.com (please don't email both)

Please note we will investigate any claims you make on your CV, honesty is inevitably more important to us than experience as we will train the right candidate.

Please note the director of DegreeAngel will be in Lagos, Nigeria from the 21st of May to the 8th of June.

Those who wish to book face to face consultations with her during this period should email director@degreeangel.co.uk.

Did you know that the appeal [/b]process for UK Student Visas has been [b]abolished (for those of you applying outside of the UK)?

This means all Student Visa applications made from Nigeria must be correct first time round as there are less flexible means for overturning a decision of refusal!

Equip [/b]yourself with the [b]skills [/b]you need to [b]get it right the first time by finding out from experts how to avoid common mistakes.

Come to our seminar [/b]to be held on [b]6th of June titled the UK Study Toolkit.

You will not only gain the knowledge needed for applying for visas, you will gain hints on obtaining funding and we even provide a free university application writing service on the day!

Check out the following link for more information:

http://www.degreeangel.co.uk/seminars.html

DegreeAngel UK Ltd is a UK registered private company (company number 06874260)

www.degreeangel.co.uk

Contact us at:
director@degreeangel.co.uk
or
ellaoku@gmail.com

OK. BSc's are generally 3 years (4 with industrial year and some offer two year fast-track or one year top-ups).

MSc's (taught and full time) last for 12 months (some 9 months).

BUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER STUDYING IN UK?

TIER ONE - post-study work visa:
-Post-study workers are free to look for work without having a sponsor for the length of their leave.

You must score:

    * 75 points for your attributes, which are a United Kingdom qualification, study at a United Kingdom institution, your immigration status during United Kingdom study and/or research, and the date of award of the qualification; and (United Kingdom qualification = 20, Studied at United Kingdom institution = 20,  Immigration status during United Kingdom study and/or research = 20, Date of award of qualification less than 12 months before application = 15)
    * 10 points for English language; and
    * 10 points for available maintenance (funds) - £1600 in available funds for four months before application.
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TOTAL 95 POINTS NEEDED[/center]

UK QUALIFICATION MUST BE FROM UKBA authorised education provider and be one of these:
    * A recognised UK bachelor's degree
    * A recognised UK postgraduate level degree
    * United Kingdom Postgraduate Certificates in Education (PGCEs), including Professional Graduate Diplomas in Education obtained in Scotland, are acceptable for this requirement
    * An HND qualification from a recognised Scottish institution

TAKEN AND ADAPTED FROM: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

With our help this is very achievable - to find out more contact me on director@degreeangel.co.uk. To sign up to the regular newsletter, simply enter 'subscribe' in the subject box.

Resources, ok.