₦airaland Forum

Ifesinachi22:
What were you wearing please?

A guy on suit was denied yesterday.

In your opinion what do you think a guy should wear to look like a student

Tbvh doesn't matter what you wear, just look smart and comfortable in whatever you choose to wear, prepare well and hand everything into Gods hands.

Walesherbey:
Congrats bro.
Well I actually wear a native and a leather sandals but my visa was approved.
I ain't saying you should dress anyhow but native doesn't stop you from getting your visa approved.

As I said, it can only be God.

Congratulations to you too

Chonco:
CONGRATS.

How did you resolve the No passport photograph issue? Kindly, state it for the benefit of some persons

You remember

I had to fill another form.

APPROVED ✅

PROFILE

School: BALL STATE UNIVERSITY
Program: EMDD
Scholarship: GAShip worth $32,000
Deficit: $5047
GRE: Nil
TOEFL: Nil
Bsc: International relations
Undergraduate Gpa: 3.70/4.0
Lagos consulate, Nov 6th 2020

Where do I even start?

So a friend of mine introduced me to this thread last year Nov, and since then I have been a silent reader, started reading from scratch to date.

One thing it did for me was I knew what to do next and how to go about my admission process, Was mind blowing for me, sometimes I just wish I knew about this thread back in 2015, I for don be citizen by now �

Was admitted for Fall 2020 with the same offer then corona happened, almost moved the admission to Fall 2021 cause the funding will not hold with my department for Spring 2021 but after series of emails with my CA, she advised to move it to Spring 2021 and offered to help me get another GAship.

A few weeks later Boom � she secured another position for me, she was particular about working with me (GRACE)

Then I knew it was up to me now to get my VISA and JAPA �

Next phase was to contact Fairheart, helped me cross-check everything to make sure there were no mistakes. made all the necessary payments, secured an emergency appointment, but it was canceled due to the unrest during the Endsars protest. So they reschedule me for Nov 6th.

My final mock with Fairheart the best, I remember screaming to the top my voice after the mock � only thing I had at the back of my mind was to go and get my visa, I forgot the call was still on, dude heard me screaming like a mad man �

That night was slow as f<ck, sleep no gree come, I just lay down dey think, to get an hour sleep was a struggle tbvh.

Woke up around 4:50, my alarm was for 5:00, the interview was for 7:00

After getting ready, my mum first showered some anointing on me and told me to go get my visa.

Got to the embassy at 6:50, they were still attending to those for 6:00 so I joined the line for those for 7:00, fast forward to my interview. They were 3 VO present that morning, one was very friendly and doesn't waste time with people and have been dishing approvals ear and there �
In my mind, I was praying to be interviewed by him. lucky for me, I got him.

ME: Good morning
VO: Morning

VO: What a long morning it has been.
ME: Yes it has been (smiles)

VO: Pass me your documents.
ME: there you go.

VO: Place your 4 left fingers on the scanner.
ME: I obliged

VO: Where are you going?
ME: I didn't want to sound like a robot cause I saw this guy was an easy-going person, I told him the state (Indiana)

VO: Louisiana
ME: No, Indiana

VO: Different! with a smile
ME: I know right �

VO: What Course
ME: EMDD

VO: Why this course
ME: I work with xyz and this degree will give me immense knowledge. He cuts me

VO: Where do you work again
ME: I repeated

VO: who is paying for this? Looking at my i20
ME: I have a GAShip that covers my entire tuition fee and a monthly stipend to offset my student fees and the deficit will be paid by my uncle.

VO: I will be issuing your VISA
ME: Omo I off, I couldn't hear anything again.

VO: Are you married
ME: My head was just moving left-right-left-right.

VO: Any kids
ME: head was still moving left-right-left-right.

VO: Take your passport and proceed to windows -- to make your reciprocity payment.
ME: Thank you so much.

VO: You're welcome and Good luck


PS: No travel history, No exams just GRACE.

little advice:

Dress smart, these guys are looking for people that will travel and do well for themselves academically, dress like a student. I noticed a guy wearing a native and leather slips was denied even with his travel history.

Dress how you want to be addressed!

Above all, it can only be GOD!

Go with grace!

fairheart:
You have to fill the form again. A fresh one. You will not be interviewed without a confirmation page with a passport photograph. Fill a fresh one and when you reach the stage to upload the picture, DM me with the image you have. I will help you edit it to the required size.

Ok Bro, thank you so much.

technically I will have two forms on their system? Or will the new one replace the previous one?

Hello guys, filled and completed my DS-i20 form weeks ago without the passport page, not that I didn't follow the instructions and passport size, I did all that but for some reason, my passport wouldn't upload, so I signed the page and submitted because the site stated that it was ok to come to the interview with a copy of the passport.

But I just came across a comment on the visa webpage, and I quote -effective immediately applicants who do not have their passport on the Ds-i20 page will be walked back and must complete the application before rescheduling for another interview- something like that.

My question now is, WHAT CAN I DO to correct this error before facing a VO? It's not like can edit the form again, and I also know filling a new form is out of it.


Pls, help!

Is it advisable to pay for the Sevis fee now?

UhnNah:
Don’t,you can be turned back for that! Clear your cookies,use a different browser,or a different network provider,make sure the picture wasn’t sent to you through whatsapp etc (I think it resizes the pic,not sure) download the pic directly from your email to your phone,or snap a passport size photo with your phone with the requested background and format (People have used that successfully) follow these steps one after the other,it’ll fix it!

Already signed and submitted, don't think I can edit again �

Hello guys

Please i need you'll 2 cent on this, so while filling my DS-160 form, the system did not accept my passport photo despite it being the preferred size, was told to move on and come to the interview with a copy of the passport. so my question is, hope that does not cause any misunderstanding with the VO cause my print out does not have a passport photo.

OR

Do i need to fill another form? it that even possible?

Thanks for you candid advice.

thekingofafrica:
sure

Will need this your guys contact too man

fairheart:
MY ADVICE ON FUNDING!

We have already discussed it on this thread that students should apply to schools that fits/meets their academic, financial, and environmental need (like ideal location for studies, etc). But sometimes, the unforeseen occurs, and your expectations may sometimes be higher than what the schools you applied to offered you.

There are couple of options to explore when your funding or scholarship is not as robust as you want.

There are schools that will only offer GA to international students upon arrival. Contact your school, or department and find out if this is the case. If they say you have to be on campus for GA consideration and your COA is not so high, or you are offered some scholarship, you should consider applying for the visa, with hope of getting funding upon arrival. Note that this is about making sure you have a reliable source of fund for your studies before you apply for the visa. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT!

1. Another option available is deferment. I know students from this thread that had to defer their admission so that they could work towards better offer. This may be the best option should you not have a reliable sponsor, or no full funding from the schools you applied to. A student on this thread had to consider this option 2 years ago. With information I have as at this writing, he now have full funding with considerable amount of stipend from 2 universities for next fall--with no deficit. Sometimes, all we need to get the best in life is wait. A little patience, while we reach for something better.

2. If you have admission and still waiting for funding, contact your department. The best person to contact is graduate/program coordinator.
From experience, send detailed email or make call. Be direct about assistantship. Let them know what you want. The person at the other end of the phone is a human being. Don't hide your sponsorship status. If your sponsor cannot afford the entire COA, let the program coordinator know. Be open about it. (I have seen cases where when the student open up about their financial status, the department then defer her admission and assure her she will be on their priority list for funding during next admission entry. It was the coordinator herself that notified the student that she has been offered the GA when it was time). Let them know that you are aware that coming to the United States to study is expensive but it is worth it, and that is why you are highly interested in their school. Mention that you will be an academic asset as your past and present academic, work experiences align with the goal of the department (Don't use these exact words, but talk about your qualities, and why you should be considered).

Another thing you should note is that, funding is usually competitive, and will only be offered to someone they deem have the experience that align with available assistantship duties, etc. So, your CV, GRE score, or quality of statement of purpose may play a role. In addition to this, ask if you are being on a waitlist. That is like 50-50. Waitlisting a student for GA is when the admission committee or the person in charge of funding decision wants you but they have more competitive student they hope will drop their admission so that the offer can be given to you.

3. Consider school with late deadlines. There is another option. There are schools that sets March 15, April 30, May 1st, etc for priority admission and funding decision (although not so many). If you can afford it, apply to them in addition to the one you currently have. Spread your wings.

4. Apply to all scholarship you are eligible for. Don't wait for GTA, GA, etc alone. If there are graduate scholarships, apply to them.

5. There are schools that will offer funding for Spring. If Fall 2020 no treat you well, Spring 2020, or Fall 2021 fit be your term and time.
Although new rules are coming up regarding how long F1 student stay after studies, H1B, etc, the U.S will continue to issue F1 visa. I don't believe in "the visa has finished" .

That is that.

If you have funding, start preparing for your interview. Don't assume that your funding guaranteed visa approval. No!!! You can still be refused if you don't prepare for your interview well, or you mess up the DSFORM.

P.S To one or two persons offended by my response to the student who asked whether or not a full tuition waiver from KSA is good, understand that I chose this form of response for a reason. I wasn't castigating him! If you need $30, 000 and someone offered you $20, 000, will you go and ask people on the street if the $20, 000 you're offered is good or not? It's certainly not all you asked for, but it is worthwhile; it is a lot! It is good. The student, without iota of doubt, should know the offer he got is great!

Thank you so much for this information, will be really helpful moving forward for me �

Dreemerr:
I send you PM, please reply I have a juisy information for you concerning ball state university.

Accepted your message, what's the information bro?

librangyps:
I used YouTube videos solely for tips and question format for about two weeks and scored 104 on toefl. I paid 50k for the test.

Thanks

Hello family

Silent follower of this thread for a while now.
Amazing work guys, Una too much.

Preparing for the fall semester, Ball state University.

School just sent me an email that my English proficiency which was initially marked as waived was an error and that I should upload IELTS or TOEFL result.

Which I didn't see coming!

My question is, do I still have time to write the exam before fall semester?

If YES, please how do I go about it? How much does it cost and I'm also open to materials that will prepare me as soon as possible.

Thanks