Studying abroad

Studying 

the guide for Caribbean students 

abroad

UGGLA 

Studying 

the guide for Caribbean students 

abroad 

Kenisha Russell

This publication has specifically been designed to assist prospective international students from the Caribbean. 

It seeks to provide accurate and detailed information on the subject matter covered. It is sold with the 

understanding that the parties discussed (immigration services, educational institutions, etc.) operate as 

separate entities and can therefore change procedures without prior notice. 

This will be an annual publication. The regulation for most of the subject matter is changeable, so it will be 

revised each year to incorporate these changes and other relevant developments. New editions will appear in 

October of each year. 

Anyone wishing to submit additions, corrections and or suggestions should send this information to 

caribeducationalservices@hotmail.com or to the publishing company mailing address listed below. 

Published by 

For Johan, 

without whom it would not have been possible. 

Thanks to Marie (Jenny) Jude Alerte, 

for all her hard work; 

and to my family, especially to Cecilia Rusell-Henry and 

Stacy-ann Walker for their faith in me and for loads 

and loads of emotional support. 

K.R. 

UGGLA 

KSR work & careers services 

www.ksrconsult.com 

Störa Gungans Väg 4 

12231 Enskede 

Stockholm, Sweden 

ISBN: 978-91-633-9350-1 

Swedish Library Cataloguing 

in publication Data 

A CIP catalogue record for this 

book can be obtained from the 

National Library of Sweden

table of 

contents 

INTRODUCTION • 15 

20 Glosary 

21 Terminology 

1APPLICATION GUIDELINES • 23 

Undergraduate studies • 24 

25 Why do I want to study abroad 

27 The application process 

28 

Two years in advance 

40 

Eighteen months in advance 

42 

Twelve months in advance 

Postgraduate studies • 44 

45 

48 

48 

49 

50 

51 

54 

55 

56 

57 

60 

Why postgraduate? 

Choosing a programme 

Taught master´s courses 

Research master´s courses 

Application requirements for master´s 

Doctoral degrees 

Eighteen months in advance 

Twelve to six months in advance 

Six months in advance 

Application requirements 

Personal letter to a master´s programme 

2CANADA • 63 

65 Country overview 

69 

Why Canada? 

71 

Admission and funding 

74 

General requirements 

89 

Undergraduate studies 

95 

Postgraduate studies 

96 

Canadian universities and CC 

101 Visa and immigration 

103 

Required documentation 

105 

Visa extension 

106 Work permits 

106 

Family visa 

106 

Working while studying 

109 

Work after studies 

110 

Canadian embassies in the Caribbean

113 

114 

116 

Employment: vacancy sources 

Hidden vacancies 

CV writing 

3THE UNITED KINGDOM • 121 


125 Why the United Kingdom? 

129 

131 

138 

140 

141 

142 

145 

146 

147 

148 

148 

148 

149 

152 

153 

154 

155 

England • 157 





Visa and immigration 


Application fees 

Accredited institutions 

Length of student visas 

Work permit 

Family visa 





Higher education career support 

Work patterns 

159 

161 

163 

163 

164 

Northern Ireland • 167 

Country overview 

Why England? 



English universities 

169 

171 

172 

173 

175 

Scotland • 177 

179 

181 

183 


Why Northern Ireland? 


Irish universities 



Why Scotland? 


184 

187 

188 

189 

Wales • 191 

193 

195 

196 

196 

197 

Scottish universities 





Why Wales? 



Welsh univerities 

4UNITED STATES • 199 


204 Why the United States? 

206 

206 

207 

208 

208 

209 

210 

210 

212 

212 

215 

216 

217 

217 

Community colleges • 212 


Non-degree programmes 

Undergraduate degrees 

Professional degree 

Master´s degree 

PhD programmes 

Education organizations 

Entrance tests 


Recognition of qualifications 

Application deadlines 

Living expenses 

Health insurance 

Scholarships 

223 

226 

230 

Universities • 245 

246 

248 

250 

250 

254 

276 

277 

Why Community Colleges? 

Admission process 

List of CC 

Why university? 



Admission process 

US universities 

CC or universities? 

Visa and immigration

277 

280 

283 

283 

284 

285 

286 

286 

287 

289 

291 

292 

Types of student visa 


Work permits 

Family visa 

Working after studies 

Embassies in the Caribbean 

Employment 

Resume writing 

Interviews do´s and dont´s 

Job search tools 


Work patterns 

5DENMARK • 295 


299 Why Denmark? 

301 Admission and funding 

302 General requirements 

308 Undergraduate studies 

311 Postgraduate studies 

312 Danish universities 


319 Required documentation 

320 Visa extension 


322 Family visa 

322 Working while studying 

322 Work after studies 

322 Embassies in the Caribbean 

325 Employment: vacancy sources 

325 Hidden vacancies 

327 Danish CV 

327 Higher education career support 

328 Interviews 

328 Work patterns 

6FINLAND • 331 


335 Why Finland? 


338 

342 

345 

354 

361 

363 

364 

365 

365 

366 

366 

369 

369 

370 

370 

371 

371 

Short term studies/exchange students 



Finnish universities 




Work permits 






Finnish CV 


Interviews 

Work patterns 

7NETHERLANDS • 373 


377 Why Netherlands 


380 


386 


390 

Dutch universities 


396 


397 



398 

Family visa 

398 


398 


400 



404 

Dutch CV 

405 


407 

Interview 

407 


409 

Work patterns

8NORWAY • 411 


415 Why Norway? 





432 Norwegian universities 





441 Family visas 





445 Norwegian CV 

445 Hidden vacancies 

446 Interview 

446 Higher education career support 


9SWEDEN • 451 


453 Why Sweden? 





474 Swedish universities 





481 Family visa 




10 

486 

486 

489 

490 

490 


Swedish CV 



Work patterns 

SWITZERLAND • 493 


498 Why Switzerland 


501 Tuition fees 




518 Swiss universities 








529 Employment vacancy sources 


11 

WORKING ABROAD • 535 

537 Methods of job hunting 

542 Tools of job hunting 

APPENDICES • 571 

572 Appendix A. Quick Admissions Checklist 

575 Appendix B. Banking 

580 Appendix C. Personal numbers 

583 Appendix D. Public questionnaire 

593 Resources list

Introduction 

Introduction 

15 

This work has two main 

tasks. The first is to 

update the knowledge of 

individuals that are interested 

in pursuing higher education in 

USA, UK and Canada. And the 

second is to offer different points 

of entrance into the education 

system abroad. I will review 

visa requirements; sources of 

funding; course information; 

country information; college and 

university entry requirements; 

costs and budgeting and much 

more. In addition, I hope to 

draw on a wealth of knowledge 

from various sources, to enable 

students to make a more 

informed decision and to be a 

reliable source that brings this 

information together. 

Previous experience has long 

dictated the preference of 

Caribbean nationals and our 

thought process when deciding 

to study abroad. The most 

popular places of study are 

the United States, Canada and 

England. Although this book 

will cover these countries, I am 

hoping to open your eyes to the 

possibilities of higher education, 

in other countries such as Sweden, 

Norway and Denmark. 

I know it must seem like a cliché 

to speak about globalization, 

especially in a student’s guide. 

However, European states have 

recognized that there is a growing 

community who are willing and 

that want to study outside of 

their home countries. As such 

they have introduced the so 

called ‘Bologna Process’. This is a 

process whereby Europe countries 

are working to unify and 

standardize its higher education 

qualifications. This process is to 

enable international students, 

such as interested parties from 

the Caribbean or Latin America, 

to study in Europe, without fear 

that their qualifications will 

not be recognisable. Further to 

this, I have highlighted a large 

number of courses that are taught 

in English throughout the non- 

English speaking world. For 

example in Sweden there are over 

500 Master´s courses taught in

Introduction 

17 

English. Double that amount of 

courses are available in Denmark. 

An easy comparison guide has 

also been provided, so that 

interested students can check 

degree types and qualification 

across the spectrum of countries 

listed and be able to locate 

qualifications within known 

terminology. Around the world, 

the levels of study are categorised 

in the following ways: 

• Undergraduate degree 

also known as Licence 

or Bachelors 

• Master´s degree 

• Doctorate degree or PhD 

However, within each level there 

are differences between courses, 

length of study, degree titles and 

mode of study. These differences 

can be identified within and 

across countries. These variances 

are just some of the factors that 

will be discussed and which 

all prospective international 

students should be aware of when 

choosing a programme of study. 

I am aware that some people 

may be angry because this work 

will lure our best minds away. I 

am strongly opposed to this and 

it should be noted that I am not 

advocating brain drain or I am 

not even saying that it is best to 

leave your home country where 

you have a family, a network of 

friends, and familiar surroundings 

to study abroad. 

In a document written by William 

Carter (1973) * for UNESCO, he 

asserts that [T]hose who have 

studied abroad are for the most part 

in positions of actual or potential 

leadership. They play a crucial role 

in decreasing the dependence of the 

developing countries on expatriate 

officials, advisers and specialists… 

In fact, he saw the act of studying 

abroad as a means of combating 

aid. In other words, if developing 

countries can train and educate 

their own people to similar levels 

of other countries, then they 

would stand a greater chance of 

* http://unesdoc.unesco.org/ 

images/0007/000770/077004eo.pdf 

competing on equal footing. 

Carter went on further to 

assert that study (ing) abroad is not 

a thing in itself, but must be seen 

in its proper context.The important 

words are study and training, 

not ‘abroad’. [One] utilize(s) the 

opportunity to study abroad (even 

though it may be good for its own 

sake) primarily because further 

education and training are necessary 

and the opportunities in certain 

fields are not adequate in your own 

country. This statement is as true 

now, as it was then. 

The statistics are irrefutable and 

demonstrate that many students 

from the Caribbean, for example, 

will travel abroad to further their 

education. As a consequence, 

better preparation is advised and 

is required to remove some of the 

many obstacles that students will 

face on this once in a life time 

journey. Additionally, it should be 

stated that the decision to study 

abroad should not be entered into 

lightly and that careful planning 

is required to minimize the 

financial and emotional strain. 

HOW TO USE 

THIS BOOK 

This book is divided into three 

main parts: Application Guidelines, 

Country Specific Information and 

Appendices. 

• Application Guidelines 

If you are serious about studying 

abroad and want to have the best 

experience possible, then please 

do not assume that reading only 

your chapter of interest will help 

you, don’t overlook CHAPTER 

1-APPLICATION GUIDELINES, 

which is further divided into 

two sections, undergraduate 

and postgraduate studies, which 

require keen attention depending 

on your particular path. Here you 

will find invaluable preparation 

guidelines regardless of where or 

what you want to study. These two 

sections are meant to open your 

eyes to the options available. 

• Country descriptions 

These chapters provide more 

specific information for each 

country: each chapter is then 

divided into four broad headings:

Introduction 

19 

• Country Information 

provides background information 

on the economy, geography, 

religion, language, politics and a 

preview of living in the country. 

• Admissions and Funding 

provides an overview of the 

education system, where and 

when to apply (if there is a 

central application system) 

entry requirements, language 

(taught and required), application 

procedure, recognition of 

qualifications etcetera. 

• Visa and Immigration 

explains necessary documentation, 

application processing times, 

ability to work during your studies 

or after your studies, the possibility 

of your family obtaining a visa to 

travel with you etcetera. 

• Employment 

section reviews how to, where 

and what to do to find a job. In 

addition, if the information is not 

included, this section provides you 

with vital sources where you can 

find the information that you need. 

The information that is contained 

in each country specific chapter 

are generalisations, based on an 

investigation of the requirements 

of the various higher educational 

institutions in each country. It is 

therefore the duty of the reader to 

ascertain the specific requirements 

of the institutions in which you 

have an interest. 

• Appendices 

People can sometimes view charts 

as boring things, in this volume the 

tables are an invaluable resource 

for narrowing your choice of 

programmes, assist you with 

budgets, finding contact details for 

universities and their international 

students office and finding the 

nearest embassy. 

Much time has been spent trying 

to ensure the accuracy of the of 

information provided. None-theless, 

much of the information is 

changeable and so it is integral 

that prospective students take the 

time to carefully research, read 

and assess pertinent regulations, 

especially with regards to visas, 

this will help to prevent delays and 

disappointments. 

• Recommended sites 

It is essential to add filters to any 

search engines or information that 

you request, noting the fact that 

you are an international student 

in order to get the most relevant 

and up-to-date information.Family 

members, friends or teachers may 

also be useful in gaining additional 

information. 

According to a friend of mine 

this is a book of choices, so think 

carefully and make the best 

decision for you. Studying at 

a university overseas will be a 

major undertaking for you, both 

personally and financially. But 

it is also a rewarding experience 

-intellectually, academically, 

socially and culturally. 

If you are reading this book and 

use the many resources listed here 

to assist you, my feelings are that 

you will not only make the right 

decision but that you will do well. 

All the hard questions have now 

been answered, so it is time to put 

into action all the research that you 

have been doing. 

The world 

awaits you!

Introduction 

21 

Glossary 

Terminology 

APIEL 

Advanced Placement International 

English Language Examination 

BA 

Bachelors of Arts 

BSc. 

Bachelors of Science 

CXC 

Caribbean examination council 

EU 

European Union 

GCSE 

General Certificate of 

Secondary Education / 

General Certificate of Education 

GMAT 

Graduate Management 

Admissions Test 

GRE 

General records examination 

HEI 

Higher Education Institution 

IELTS 

International English Language 

Testing System 

MA 

Master´s 

MELAB 

Michigan English Language 

Assessment Battery 

TOEFL 

Test of English as a Foreign 

Language 

UNESCO 

United Nations Economic 

And Social Council 

SAT 

Scholastic Assessment Test/ 

Reasoning Test 

WHO 

World Health Organisation 

PhD 

Doctor of Philosophy 

IEP 

Intensive English Programmes 

ESL 

English as a Second Language 

TSE 

Test of Spoken English 

ENIC 

European National Academic 

Recognition and Information 

Centre 

Certified 

Means that the university in 

your country or another official 

authority verifies by stamping and 

signing the copy, that the copy is a 

true copy of the original document. 

Degree student 

A student who is enrolled to take 

an entire degree at a particular 

university/institution. 

Exchange student 

A student sent from a partner 

institution who studies one or two 

semesters at another institution. 

The course credits are to be 

transferred back to the degree 

studied in the home country. 

Guest student 

A student who studies a semester 

or two at another university. The 

course credits are to be transferred 

back to the degree studied in 

the home country. The student 

does not come from a partner 

institution. 

Home university 

The institution to which you 

initially applied to complete 

your degree. 

Undergraduate Degree 

A degree (also called a first degree) 

is a standard programme of 

undergraduate study. The most 

common type of degree is called a 

bachelor’s, which typically takes 

three or four years to complete. 

An undergraduate, simply put is a 

college or university student who 

has not yet received a bachelor’s or 

similar degree. 

European Credit Transfer 

System (ECTS) 

ECTS is designed to give the 

same weight/recognition for 

academic achievement gained at 

all participating institution across 

Europe. ECTS can be used across a 

variety of programmes and models 

of delivery. 

Grade point Average (GPA): 

The average grade earned by 

a student, figured by dividing 

the grade points earned by the 

number of credits attempted. This 

is measure of weighting a students’ 

performance is mainly used in 

North America. 

Polytechnics 

Are universities that specialize in 

applied sciences. They usually 

offer more scientific and technical 

courses. 

Contact List 

is simply a list of persons that may be 

able t o assist you in your job search.

chapter 1 

Given that studying abroad can be 

so difficult, the question that you 

should consider carefully is... Why 

do I want to study abroad? 

Application 

guidelines

Undergraduate 

studies 

Application guidelines 

part 1 

When undertaking any 

form of higher education, 

it is important that you 

think carefully about your options. 

You must consider what you will 

achieve; the overall experience you 

want to gain; how it contributes 

LIVING IN AN 

UNFAMILIAR CULTURE, 

WITH NO FRIENDS, FAMILY 

OR CLOSE TIES... 

to your life goals; the kind of 

job market you will enter upon 

completion; where you would like 

to study; and the quality of the 

programme and how you are going 

to fund this endeavour. These 

are just a few of the questions 

that you should try to answer 

before making a final decision. 

For the majority of people from 

the Caribbean another hurdle that 

should be considered are the very 

restrictive visa requirements and 

finding ways to fulfill the various 

prerequisites. 

WHY DO I WANT 

TO STUDY ABROAD? 

It is worth reminding you 

that some undergraduate and 

postgraduate studies in Europe, 

USA and Canada take a longer 

time to complete than in the 

Caribbean. The main exception 

here is the United Kingdom, as 

many educational 

institutions are 

largely modeled 

from this system. 

As a consequence, 

it is of the utmost 

importance to 

review as many 

options as possible, 

especially because of the personal 

and financial commitment that 

is required to complete this 

undertaking. 

The commitment required to 

pursue studies abroad is also a 

compelling reason why students 

should not view this as an 

opportunity to get to travel or to 

get a visa to live abroad. Living 

in an unfamiliar culture, with no 

friends, family or close ties can be 

a daunting prospect and students 

who do not prepare thoroughly 

25

Application guidelines 27 

THE APPLICATION 

PROCESS a plan for survival 

and proceed in a realistic manner 

will face great difficulties. To 

save yourself some future 

disappointments and unnecessary 

stress, it is best to decide what it 

is that you need or would want 

from the experience. Think about 

the programme and the location, 

before committing yourself to 

studying abroad. Think about 

what is best for you, and not 

just the exciting prospect of 

living abroad. Sometimes the 

decision to study abroad is based 

on misconceptions and second 

hand information that is too 

often inaccurate. The advice here 

is simply to examine as many 

options as possible with the frame 

of mind that this experience 

is a tool that you are using to 

prepare for your future, for your 

career. Furthermore, holding 

a degree from a recognised 

institution from another country 

can grant you access to greater 

employment opportunities. With 

that said, studying abroad will 

undoubtedly provide you with a 

unique opportunity to challenge 

yourself. 

Think of this section as a 

survival test, and a method 

of develping the skills that 

will be required of you throughout 

your period of study. In general, 

to survive this process you will 

need a combination of skills, which 

include: organization, tenacity, 

communication, good research 

THIS IS A TIME 

CONSUMING 

PROCESS 

techniques, and an enquiring 

mind. Most important of all, you 

will need faith and patience. In 

order to increase your chances of 

getting funding, or even being 

accepted into the university and 

course of your choice, familiarizing 

yourself with the application and 

admissions process is integral. 

This is a time consuming process 

and not for the faint hearted. It 

should be noted that application 

dates vary from country to 

country and also by institutions. 

Some institutions have rolling 

application deadlines while others 

do not, and deadlines especially 

for international students are very 

strict. In many instances, this strict 

deadline is for your benefit, as it 

will facilitate the visa application 

process that is to follow. In 

order to increase your chance of 

receiving financial aid, you should 

also be aware that deadlines vary 

based on the giving institution. 

In the chapters relating to specific 

countries there will be more 

detailed information on closing 

dates and term time information, so 

pay close attention to these. 

In this chapter the discussion 

surrounds general and 

preparatory guidelines for 

applying to study abroad. The 

next step is the recommended 

Plan for Survival, which involves 

creating a timetable that will 

assist you through this process. 

Below are some guidelines that 

are equally important in your 

decision making process. These 

should be assessed based on 

individual need, given that there


are so many factors to consider 

before undertaking international 

study; take, for example, course 

dates, duration, eligibility, 

methods of instruction, housing 

and location. 

Two years 

in advance 

Research, 

decision making 

and preparation 

One of the many tips is to get a 

notebook that is dedicated solely to 

your interest in studying abroad. 

Any and all information with 

reference to this process should 

be entered here. This may sound 

simplistic but you will be amazed 

by how much this tool will help 

you to focus your thoughts and 

give you a motivating boost. 

• Decide on a 

country (or two) 

Review the country information 

provided in the COUNTRY 

SPECIFIC CHAPTERS and from 

other additional sources (some 

are listed in the bibliography) to 

narrow your country of choice. 

When making this decision look 

at the country’s culture, tuition 

fees, cost of living, the availability 

of financial support (scholarships, 

grants, loans, opportunity to 

work), visa processing and other 

criteria for pursuing your studies. 

In this instance, I am advocating a 

review of the country information 

first because one of the benefits of 

this work is highlighting countries 

that have tuition-free institutions. 

Concentrating on the country first 

also becomes important if that 

country offers a limited number 

of programmes that are taught in 

your native language, especially 

undergraduate programmes. 

However, the decision on where 

to study is an individual choice 

and should be based on personal 

reasons and life goals. 

• Compare and assess 

different universities 

Alternatively you could search for 

your particular course of interest, 

thereby identifying places of 

study that may be suitable. It is 

crucial to remember during this 

process of elimination, that not all 

institutions are the same, academic 

institutions vary in quality, 

reputation and overall standards. 

Consequently, this fact finding 

mission will determine how your 

time at the institution will be 

while completing your studies; the 

search determines if it was worth 

the sacrifices. You can gather a 

significant amount of information 

by contacting the institutions 

directly to request brochures and 

information booklets. For those of 

you who are able to afford the cost 

of travel, ask if it possible for them 

to arrange documents to assist you 

in obtaining a visitors visa to check 

on the institutions facilities. If you 

usually take an occasional summer 

trip abroad, another alternative for 

you is to combine that trip with 

the university visit. When you 

travel to the country of your choice 

for holidays visit the institution, 

go to the admissions office and 

explain that you are interested in 

applying to the school and would 

like a tour. Be in no doubt that 

they will try to accommodate 

you; universities and colleges 

are businesses and, therefore, the 

more students they have the more 

money they will earn. This decision 

making process is key to saving 

you money, because the application 

process itself can be expensive. 

For example, application forms for 

institutions in the United States 

can cost as much as 50 dollars 

each. Lest you forget you will also 

have to add the cost of couriers to 

send transcripts or referee letters 

and foot the bill to translate any 

required documents. 

• Check entrance 

requirements 

For students coming from 

countries that adopted the British 

school system with Cambridge A’ 

levels, or countries that use the 

Caribbean Examinations Council 

(CXC) and GCSE, if you chose to 

study in the United Kingdom or 

Canada then your qualifications, 

in most instances, will be accepted. 

If you are interested in studying 

in United States, you are required


to take standardized tests, such 

as SAT, GRE and GMAT. For 

most Scandinavian countries you 

would be required to translate 

your academic transcripts and, in 

some instances, you are required 

to take entrance tests. If your 

qualifications need translation then 

many countries have government 

approved organization(s) that 

can assess your qualifications and 

provide you with a letter stating 

its equivalent standard in your 

country of choice. 

• Consider language 

requirements 

Essentially, this book is advocating 

for students to try options outside 

of the norm and in some instance 

this means attending a university 

in a country in which the native 

language may not be the same as 

your own (Swedish, Norwegian, 

Dutch speaking countries). In 

some cases, this may be initially 

limiting in terms of programme 

and university choices but 

many of these countries, as is 

highlighted throughout this 

volume, have a wide range of 

courses taught in other languages. 

Through what is known as the 

Bologna Process many European 

universities are creating 

programmes taught in English 

or creating similar syllabuses in 

order for education across Europe 

to become more recognizable. 

Switzerland and Canada have 

several institutions with courses 

in French and, for the Dutch 

speaking part of the Caribbean, 

there is a full description of 

universities in the Netherlands 

(Chapter 7). Nevertheless, 

most programmes offered to 

international students are taught 

in English. If English is not your 

native language then you will be 

required to complete International 

English Language Testing System 

(IELTS) or Test of English as a 

Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 

some other type of language exam. 

In some cases, if you were taught 

English as a certain percentage of 

your previous education and you 

hold proof of that experience, then 

some institutions will accept that 

in lieu of these exams. Check for 

these requirements early in your 

decision making process, to avoid 

any disappointment. 

• Assess financial 

necessities 

Studying abroad is a costly 

undertaking and costs vary 

from programme to programme. 

When ‘shopping’ around for a 

place to study you should think 

about what the programme has 

to offer. It is important to have a 

clear idea of all costs, which will 

give you an understanding of 

how much money you will need. 

When contacting institutions, 

always ask for cost estimates to 

be broken down into categories. 

This information will become 

very useful if you are able to 

find sources of funding (See 

more on funding). Although 

financial aid should not be the 

only condition that you use to 

determine the best institution or 

study option, it should be given 

Free Toefl practice test site: 

www..ets.org 

careful consideration. As part 

of the decision making process, 

students should create a budget. 

A good starting point would be 

to review the estimated cost of 

living published by the various 

universities in the country of your 

choice for the previous year and 

remember to factor in the possibility 

of not being able to work or not 

finding work. This preliminary plan 

will also assist you in making a clear 

assessment of the funding required 

as well as fulfill a major criterion 

of all student visa applications. In 

the BUDGET ITEMS summary box 

there is a list of possible expenses; 

carefully consider these when you 

create your own budget. This list is 

by no means exhaustive, but it will 

provide you with a clearer picture 

of the amount of economic support 

needed to complete the course of 

study. 

• Research 

funding options 

So now you have given some 

thought to how much your 

programme of study may cost you, 

the next question you should try


to answer is: How can I pay for it? 

There are several methods * : 

• Educational loans 

The regulations vary country by 

country. In the United States, for 

example, there is an international 

student’s loan programme. One 

requirement is that you have 

a guarantor who is a citizen or 

permanent resident of the country. 

• Work study 

These can be on a university 

or college campus. Part-time 

employment that will offset the 

cost of your education while 

providing practical experience in 

your field of study. 

• Grants & scholarships 

These are monies that do not have to 

be repaid to the giving institutions. 

There are many types of grants and 

scholarships that are offerered. It is 

your responsibility to research as 

many options as you possibly can, 

* Remember to check with the international 

offices of any university you contact about the 

possibility of funding, the criteria and how much. Past 

experience dictates that even if you think that it is a 

long shot apply…you never know what will happen. 

if you want to be one of the lucky 

few to receive any sort of funding. 

Once again, it should be clear in 

your mind that you are about to 

undertake a labour intensive job that 

requires patience, but the reward, 

if you are granted the funding, will 

far surpass the effort. The trick with 

applying for any form of aid is to be 

persistent. There are a few sources 

listed here. 

Educational Grants Directory 

Written by Alan French, Dave 

Griffiths, Tom Traynor and 

Sarah Wiggins. Published by the 

Directory of Social Change in the 

United Kingdom: 

Directory of Social Change 

24 Stephenson Way, 

London NW1 2DP, 

tel: 08450 77 77 07 

Grants online 

In order to get access to this 

site, you are required to pay a 

subscription fee that gives you 

access for a limited time period. It 

is, however, possible to have access 

for a free trial period of 7 days. 

European Union (EU) Schemes 

The European Union (EU) provides 

some grants to promote the 

exchange of students and academic 

staff within Europe, such as the 

SOCRATES and LEONARDO 

programmes. The European 

Commission (EC) also makes some 

awards to students from developing 

countries. Contact the EC office in 

your country or write to: 

European Commission 

Directorate General III 

Rue de la Loi 200 

B-1049 Brussels, Belgium. 

Fund finder 

It provides a list of charities that 

help individuals and that have 

more than £500 to give away. 

Directory of Social Change 

24 Stephenson Way 

London NW1 2DP 

tel: 08450 77 77 07. 

Grants Register (Macmillan) 

Includes information on a variety 

of scholarships, fellowships and 

research grants, exchange and 

vacation study opportunities and 

professional and vocational grants. 

Rhodes scholarship 

Provides generous stipends for one 

year of study at Oxford. 

Researchers Mobility Portal 

For researchers and PhD Students: 

Advertises opportunities for 

students who want to pursue 

a PhD and for those that have 

completed a PhD but searching 

for job vacancies. In addition, 

there is a host of information 

more info: 

Directory of Grant-making 

Trusts 

www.dsc.org.uk 

www.grantsonline.org.uk 

Education grants in Yahoo 

directory: 

www.dir.yahoo.com/ 

Education/Financial_Aid/ 

Grants 

www.funderfinder.org.uk


regarding potential grants and 

fellowships. These are divided 

into three categories: under 

European Funding, national 

level and international level. This 

therefore means that the potential 

for students is extensive. 

Study Abroad 

UNESCO 

Country-by-country list of grants 

for studying in over 100 countries. 

Portal on Learning Opportunities 

throughout the European Space 

(PLOTEUS) 

PLOTEUS aims to help students, 

job seekers, workers, parents, 

guidance counsellors and teachers 

to find information on studying in 

Europe. 

Rotary Foundation International 

Awards several scholarships 

ranging from 13,000-20,000 

USD. These are available to 

undergraduate, graduate and 

qualified professionals. While 

abroad these individuals will 

act as goodwill ambassadors to 

people in the host countries. 

International agencies 

Some international organisations 

such as UNESCO and WHO 

operate schemes, usually for 

developing countries. Contact 

your own government’s ministry 

of education. 

research as many 

options as you 

possibly can 

Voluntary organisations 

Voluntary organisations such as 

religious bodies and charities 

sometimes award scholarships, 

though they can be limited in 

size and scope. Contact the 

appropriate organisations in your 

own country.There is an online 

guide to Europe’s philanthropic 

community. 

The Association of Charitable 

Foundations 

Provides links to charitable 

bodies that may have funding 

available. 

more info: 

Rhodes scholarships 

www.rhodesscholar.org 

Researchers Mobility Portal 

www.ec.Europa.eu/euraxess 

UNESCO 

www.unesco.org/education/ 

studyingabroad/networking/ 

studyabroad 

PLOTEUS 

www.ec.Europa.eu/ploteus/ 

home 

Rotary Foundation 

www.rotary.org 

Voluntary organisations 

www.fundersonline.org. 

Charitable Foundations 

www.acf.org.uk.


• Funding application tips 

1 

2 

Apply early as most are very 

competitive. 

Your application should be 

clear and concise. 

7 

It is a good idea to contact the embassy 

representative in your country. In most 

cases they will be able to provide you 

with further information, particularly 

about special agreements between 

your home country and the country in 

which you would like to study. 

3 

You should use the grant-making 

institute’s application form if it has one. 

8 

Finally, look in the most unlikely 

of places because you will not find 

funding if you do not search. 

4 

5 

6 

Try to apply to various 

sources for funding. 

Your chances will improve 

the more you apply. 

Some sources of funding may also 

cover only a portion of what you may 

need to complete your studies or for a 

specific purpose like the cost of books. 

• How do I decide? 

Another method of narrowing 

your list in order to make a sound 

decision is to assess the ranking 

of the universities in which you 

have an interest. There are several 

prestigious and well received 

organizations that rank universities 

worldwide. The QS World 

University Rankings, Princeton 

Review, and The Shanghai List 

are among the most prominent. 

The university rankings are based


on what are perceived to be the 

relative strength of the institutions. 

The QS World University Rankings 

list, for example, assesses factors 

such as the student faculty ratio, 

international faculty, international 

students enrolled among other 

factors. While the Shanghai 

ranking list is basically a research 

ranking because it mainly uses 

criteria related to research 

performance. For example, the 

DRAW A CHART 

AND WRITE A LIST OF 

PROS AND CONS... 

number of alumni who has earned 

an award, number of publications 

in highly ranked journals, citations 

and so on. Determining which 

of these to use (or any other 

university listings) is based on 

individual preferences but a 

simple online search for either of 

these organizations should yield 

relevant and useful information. 

The next suggestion may 

sound like common sense 

and unsophisticated but it is 

an effective decision making 

tool, as it allows you to review 

your thought process, (if not 

scientific) from a more objective 

viewpoint. It is simply to draw 

up a chart, as shown to the right, 

and write a list of pros and cons 

to weigh your choices. In this 

example, in this example the 

choice of university has been 

used as the listing method. You 

can create as many charts as 

you need. This should help to 

provide some measure of clarity. 

Whichever decision making 

method you chose to use, there 

is untold information. Make use 

of the internet but be wary of the 

information and, if possible, verify 

the information that has been 

gathered from other sources. 

There are some blogs/student 

forums that are dedicated to 

discussing current and past 

student’s experiences, which may 

be worth perusing. 

pros cons other options 

grants on offer 

Scholarships on oFFER 

Tuition fees 

Cost of books and SUPPLIES 

Cost of LIVING 

Respected proGRAMME 

Work experience 

On campus job


Eighteen 

months in 

advance 

Documents 

finalisation 

The last stage in this process is 

necessary to reduce stress and 

also enable you to determine 

what will be required of you as 

an international student. After 

the crucial decision has been 

made, that is which institution, 

programme, and/or country will 

most appropriately serve your 

needs, you will now need to go 

through the application process. 

Therefore, the next step is to create 

a checklist of documents that 

the application process normally 

requires and the things that you 

may need to do. * 

* Please find a quick list and an explanation 

of the role of each document in the appendix. 

• Certified academic 

transcripts 

Normally this has to be sent in 

a sealed envelope directly to 

the admissions office from your 

previous academic institution. 

Students are advised to check 

preparation costs and fees to 

send the transcripts via courier 

(or any secured delivery method) 

to the admissions office by the 

given deadlines. Bear in mind 

that there are other students who 

are applying and that there is 

normally a waiting period to have 

the transcript processed. Ttake 

this into account when creating 

your timetable. 

• Referees 

From the institution studied 

previously (extra curricula 

activities); however, if you are 

a mature student applying to 

postgraduate studies then your 

referee may include a previous 

employer. At this point you should 

consider speaking with whomever 

you decide to be your referee to ask 

for their permission and confirm 

their decision to write on your behalf 

so that you know exactly whose 

names (including correct spelling) 

and contact details are going to be 

on your application. This would 

also provide a good opportunity 

for you to explain to your referee 

the details of your chosen academic 

programme, and the possibilities of 

being contacted by someone from 

the admissions office. 

• Translation of documents 

If your documents are not in the 

native language of the country 

to which you are applying, it is 

sometimes required that you have 

the documents translated. This is a 

cost related exercise so when you 

are assessing the requirement of 

institutions be sure to check if this 

is a necessity. 

• Recognition of 

qualifications/certificates 

of equivalence 

All the countries listed within 

this volume have an institution(s) 

that provide a brief statement on 

how qualifications earned in other 

countries compare to their own 

grading system. They may explain 

which educational level and, if 

possible, which field of education 

is required. For example in United 

Kingdom that organization is 

NARIC, while in Denmark it is 

called CIRIUS. The results of the 

equivalency will assist you in getting 

admittance, scholarships and to find 

employment. 

• Evidence of 

financial support 

While completing the application 

process for entrance to 

universities, you should begin 

your search and retention of 

documents that may be used to 

prove how you will be paying 

for your studies. After notifying 

you of your acceptance, many 

institutions (unless they are 

providing you with funding) will 

ask that you provide them with 

a statement of intent on how the 

financial costs of studying will be 

met; whether from family or letters 

from a giving institution such as 

a scholarship grant and or loans 

that you have been given. This 

statement will also be necessary to 

meet visa requirements.


• Statement of purpose 

This really requires students to think 

carefully about the reason(s) that 

they have chosen to apply to that 

particular institution, the reason for 

wanting to complete the chosen area 

of study and an explanation of how 

it relates to future goals. 

• Create a resume 

and cover letter 

If you do not have a curriculum 

vitae (CV) /resume and a cover 

letter, get some assistance in 

creating these. These documents 

will be representing you, in lieu of 

an individual actually meeting you, 

so try to make a good impression. 

Twelve 

months in 

advance 

Complete 

Applications 

It is now one year before you 

would like to begin your 

programme you have done 

all the hard work (but you are 

on schedule), you have done 

your research and have all your 

documents ready or at least have 

a clear idea of the process you are 

going to use. Just be mindful that 

time is of the essence. 

• Apply for funding 

This is an excellent time to start 

putting in your applications for 

all the available financial support 

that you will need. From your 

preparation you will recognize that 

application deadlines vary, so as a 

central part of the application 

process this should be on your 

schedule list of things to do. 

Although there are a host of 

sites, or should I say because 

there are a host of sites and 

general information on funding 

(scholarships, grants, loans) 

opportunities, you may get 

lackadaisical in your pursuit of 

searching. But funding by its very 

nature is competitive and there is 

no guarantee you are going to get 

the first one for which you apply. 

This therefore means you should 

apply for as many as possible. If 

you are able to get a funding then 

it will change your experience; 

studying abroad will be a less 

stressful and a more worthwhile 

prospect. The freedom from 

economic stress will not only mean 

more study time, it means more 

time to participate in fun activities. 

• Complete Application 

Complete applications for the 

institutions of your choice, and 

start sending out the forms. This 

does not necessarily mean that you 

should stop researching and asking 

questions. During this period the 

questions should be more focused 

because, as you go through the 

preparation process and finalize 

all the necessities, you should be 

able to stop requesting generalized 

information and ask more personal 

questions that will enable you to 

better reach your goal. 

• Documentation Process 

Begin documentation procedures 

for any visa applications, 

housing and or any necessary 

travel arrangements. Applying 

for a student visa is a long and 

somewhat tedious process, but it 

would be disastrous if you were 

accepted to a programme and had 

done all that hard work but was 

unable to attend the school because 

you were denied the visa. 

You should complete thorough 

research on visa requirements and 

processing times, as is published 

by the various embassies. It is 

of utmost importance that you 

recognize that changes can be 

made to visa requirements and/or 

application forms at the discretion 

of the embassies, and without 

notice, so although this book 

contains visa information it is 

important to check and re-check 

the consulate and embassy for upto-date 

information. 

Finally, ensure that that you 

have arranged the timely 

collection and delivery of relevant 

documentation, transcripts, test 

results, and references to the 

appropriate institution. It would be 

silly to not be admitted because the 

documents are late.


Postgraduate 

WHY POSTGRADUATE? 

Postgraduate studies require 

careful consideration of 

your life goals. In some 

instances, I advocate that people 

get some work experience before 

making a final decision on a 

graduate course, mainly due to 

the fact that they are specialized 

courses. On completion, if you find 

part 2 

studies 

GET SOME WORK 

EXPERIENCE! 

This section is dedicated 

to those of you who have 

already completed a first 

degree and is considering your 

next move. Here is a guide to assist 

you in deciding if postgraduate 

study is the best route for you and, 

most importantly, to provide a 

better understanding of the many 

postgraduate degrees on offer. The 

information should be used along 

with the first section of the chapter. 

This section mainly addresses 

the differences in the application 

process between undergraduate 

and postgraduate studies. 

Consider this as a synopsis to 

assist the more mature students 

who are thinking about higher 

education. 

that you did not enjoy the subject 

matter as much as you thought, it 

will be costly, both in the economic 

sense and time wise, to make the 

transition to another field. 

One great advantage of completing 

a postgraduate degree is that 

employers will view you as a 

specialist in your field and as such 

you may gain a competitive edge 

over others without a similar level 

of education. This is nevertheless 

dependent on many factors


such as your field of study, the 

organization to which you apply, 

or just pure luck. This is because 

there are many companies that 

will hire an individual with a 

bachelor´s degree and requisite 

work experience. 

Your motivation for wanting to 

pursue a postgraduate degree, 

should therefore be clear. Weigh your 

skills base against what employers 

are looking for in a candidate. 

Instead of postgraduate studies, 

maybe a good option would be to 

enhance your degree by gaining (or 

updating) additional skills, such 

as computer courses, languages, 

or why not try to work abroad as a 

short-term self enhancement project. 

This will certainly improve your 

chances of success. 

Your motivation for completing 

a postgraduate degree should be 

clear, mostly because it will make 

the difference in your approach 

to further education. With that 

said, lets look at some of the most 

popular reasons for pursuing a 

postgraduate degree. 

A calculated 

career move 

Many people believe that further 

studies will provide them with a 

competitive edge in a challenging 

job market. It is sad to say that 

this is not always true. In some 

fields experience goes a long 

way. It is, therefore, advisable to 

research the area of work you are 

most interested in undertaking to 

identify whether a graduate degree 

will be assessed more favourably. 

A change 

of heart 

So when you started your first 

degree, or that job you thought 

you would love, you were not as 

well informed as you are now. 

Disappointed? This has happened 

to many people before, it is one 

of the most common reasons 

to complete a postgraduate 

programme. There are many 

specialized graduate programmes 

that will help you convert your 

skills from a particular career area 

to another. These include taught 

master´s, diploma or graduate 

certificates. A standard example 

of this in the United Kingdom 

is the postgraduate certificate in 

teaching; it is a one year course 

that offers school placements. 

Individuals are able to convert 

almost any degree to a teaching 

degree. Another example is the 

Common Professional Examination 

(CPE)/ Graduate Diploma in Law 

(GDL), a one year programme that 

includes all the core elements of a 

law degree. Check the options that 

are best for you. 

Job 

requirement 

In some career areas, the job 

requires a certain professional 

qualification. Examples of this 

are law, clinical psychology and 

lecturing at the university level. On 

the other hand, there are areas of 

employment in which employers 

do not specify a particular 

professional qualification. This 

is evidenced in many companies 

that run extensive graduate and 

postgraduate training schemes 

with fast track programmes to 

management. There are also areas 

where a postgraduate course 

does not put you in a more 

advantageous position, so do your 

research. 

I like the 

subject matter 

Throughout this book, it has 

been mentioned that undertaking 

further education is no easy feat. 

Although, strong motivation 

is necessary to complete a 

postgraduate course, the decision 

making process should be 

somewhat more objective than 

your mere liking of the subject 

matter. You should give thought 

to the implications of your choice 

for your life and career goals. 

Review the skill set you will 

gain by completing the course, 

ask yourself: Is this in line with 

my future career goals? Will this 

programme help me to fulfill my 

ambitions? 

more info: 

www.internationalgraduate.net


CHOOSING A 

Programme 

Broadly speaking there 

are several postgraduate 

qualifications that are 

available, including master’s 

courses, postgraduate diplomas 

and certificates and other specialist 

courses. There are, however, two main 

types of master’s degree; the first is a 

taught master’s course and the other 

is a research master’s course. 

Taught 

master’s 

courses 

There are a variety of taught 

courses, which may take the form 

of essays, project work, industrial 

training, or business placements, 

lectures, tutorials or discussion 

groups. Taught programmes 

usually include a dissertation 

(sometimes called a thesis paper). It 

is essentially a research project that 

you can work on individually or as 

part of a group. The length of time 

for completion of a taught MA degree 

is typically between 1 to 2 years. 

Master of Arts (MA) 

This is a humanities or liberal arts 

degree that covers most subject 

areas and is awarded by a large 

number of universities. This covers 

courses such as arts, history, 

languages, business, social sciences, 

as well as some science subjects. 

Master of Science 

(MSc or MS * ) 

Awarded to pure and applied 

sciences, this course is studied 

in preparation for higher 

qualifications, like doctoral studies. 

It could also be generally a way to 

improve employment prospects. 

The length of study also varies 

between 1 and 2 years. 

Master of 

Engineering (MEng) 

The Master of Engineering 

can either be an academic or 

professional master’s degree in the 

field of engineering. However, the 

type of MEng offered varies across 

some countries: 

* MSc in British Commonwealth nations and 

Europe or Ms in United States. 

• USA 

The MEng is mostly a professional 

degree offered as a courseworkbased 

graduate programme. 

• UK 

The MEng is an undergraduate 

degree with a dissertation in the 

final year. 

• Canada 

The MEng is a graduate degree 

involving coursework and a thesis 

or research paper. 

Research 

master’s 

courses 

Although in many research based 

courses there are a few taught 

modules, unlike the taught master’s 

course, sixty percent of the content 

of a research based master’s course 

is individual project work and is 

awarded on the completion of a 

research project in the subject. The 

research portion is key, as many 

students use this as preparation for a 

career in research or doctoral studies. 

A master’s degree by research is 

typically offered as a Master of 

Philosophy ( MPhil) or a Master of 

Research (MRES). 

Master of 

Philosophy (MPhil) 

The MPhil is often viewed as a 

provisional enrolment for a Doctor 

of Philosophy (PhD) as many 

students often take the decision 

to continue during this period 

of study. The course equips 

students with the necessary skills 

and methodological knowledge 

to undertake original research in 

their chosen field of study. In the 

United States, some institutions 

sometimes award candidates with 

a MPhil when they have completed 

two years of research and before 

they have defended their doctoral 

work. Students should take note 

of the fact that the demands on 

them will be great. To gain full 

completion students are expected to 

produce a project of approximately 

65,000 words with an extensive 

bibliography.


DOCTORAL DEGREES 

Master of RESEARCH 

(MRES) 

As stated on the previous page this 

degree is awarded on completion 

of a project work (dissertation), 

which is approximately 35,000- 

40, 000 words with extensive 

SEVERAL POST- 

GRADUATE 

QUALIFICATIONS 

bibliography. In the United 

Kingdom, this graduate degree is 

available in a range of academic 

disciplines. It differs from the MPhil 

in that it is more organized and 

structured by department or advisor 

that provides extensive guidance. 

Application 

requirements 

for master´s 

The Application process is similar 

to that of undergraduate studies. 

Please see previous section: 

UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES. 

This may be classified as a 

PhD (or a Dphil). This is the 

most well known research 

qualification. The normal time for 

completion is between 3-4 years, 

even allowing for differences 

between and among countries. 

Some doctoral programmes now 

include a taught element and 

it may be started immediately 

following a first degree or after 

a master´s course. But, it is the 

norm for individuals who would 

like to complete doctoral studies 

in the Arts and Humanities to first 

complete a Master´s course. 

Where should 

i study? 

As advised in the previous section, 

the choice of which country to 

study is an individually based 

decision. There are a plethora of 

factors that should be considered 

before you make a final decision; 

factors such as: 

• The academic requirements. 

• Availability of funding. 

•The type of course you are 

considering. 

•The modes of study available; that 

is, the type of postgraduate degree 

you would like to complete. 

•Visa requirements. 

• The quality of the course and the 

quality of the institution. 

• The recognition of available 

research facilities. 

• Personal considerations; if you 

are able to work on graduate 

assistantships, how you will cover 

living expenses. 

Choosing the right 

working environment 

In addition, based on the 

descriptions of the varying types of 

course you should ask yourselves 

these questions: 

• Will I be working in a 

group setting or individually? 

Completing research alone can be 

very isolating and requires a huge 

amount of motivation. You should 

give thought to the conditions 

under which you work best. 

• Make an effort to meet or 

learn more about the professors 

who will supervise your research. 

It is integral to have a good basis 

of understanding to build a


good working relationship. How 

well will you work with your 

supervisor? 

• Is funding available 

from the research councils or the 

institution of your choice? 

• The quality of the 

department that you will be 

entering. What is the research 

rating of the department? In many 

have a good 

relation with a 

past lecturer? 

countries, the research councils 

send in an assessment team, 

approximately five times per year, 

and this awarding body grants 

the institutions a rating. Consult 

the national research council’s in 

the country of your choice for this 

information. 

• Choosing the 

right institution 

To identify institutions that may be 

of interest, you can do several things: 

• Search databases and 

websites (please find details of 

some available resources at the end 

of the book). 

• By completing personal 

research in specialist publications 

and journals in your field of interest. 

• Given there are no central 

admissions office for postgraduate 

studies in most universities, 

contacting the department of 

interest for information directly 

may be a good option. 

• If you are about to 

complete your first degree or 

have a good relationship with 

a past lecturer, asking them for 

information is another route. 

When should 

I study? 

A pertinent question that many 

people ask is, when they should 

apply to postgraduate study. 

There is no right time to apply to 

a postgraduate course as this is all 

subjective and based on individual 

circumstances, life and career goals. 

Universities offer a range of modes 

of study to accommodate as many 

people’s life styles as possible, 

some of the choices on offer include 

students undertaking studies on 

fulltime, part time or distance basis. 

Also note that part time students 

make up the largest portion of the 

postgraduate population, mainly 

because at the graduate stage many 

individuals will work while they 

study. This may be a good option 

for people who are in a financially 

precarious position or for people 

who could not decide the route 

they wanted to take and, now that 

they have worked for a while, have 

a better understanding of how 

they want their career to progress. 

This approach to undertaking a 

postgraduate course should not be 

discounted as many people who 

leave directly from school may find 

that employers are hesitant to hire 

them without relevant experience. 

Outside entry level jobs, many 

employers are mostly looking 

for candidates with experience. 

Academic learning, especially at 

postgraduate level will provide 

students with great skills such 

as project management, written 

and oral communication, critical 

analysis and problem-solving. On 

the other hand, a drawback is that 

some postgraduates may develop 

a narrow focus and become 

limited to working only in their 

subject matter. 

There are pros and cons with all of 

these modes of study: 

• If you begin your 

postgraduate studies straight from 

an undergraduate programme, this 

route may be to your advantage. 

In this case you have not lost the 

habit of academic study. It would 

also be very appropriate if you 

completed a first degree in the 

same or relevant course to that you 

are about to undertake. 

• If you take a limited


amount of time off after completing 

your first degree * you can either 

work or travel. The benefits of 

working would be two-fold, in 

that you can save to fund your 

postgraduate studies. In addition, 

working and travelling may help 

you to acquire some relevant skills 

that will help you to stand out later. 

• Leaving postgraduate 

studies until later so that you 

can work full time also has its 

advantages. Financially, you may 

be in a better situation. However, 

working may also cause you to 

lose the study routine you had 

developed in undergrad, which is 

crucial for academic study. If you 

give up your work to pursue your 

studies you will have to consider 

the financial implications of this 

approach and what strategies can be 

useful for re-entry into working life. 

• And finally, working and 

studying. This offers a financial 

safety net but also puts you under 

a remarkable amount of stress. 

From my own experience, 

the juggling act of completing 

* 12-18 months, more time than this may 

create too large a gap in your CV. 

work and academic assignments 

can sometimes feel truly 

overwhelming. 

Eighteen 

months 

Now that you have answered all 

the hard questions it is time put 

into action all the research that you 

have been doing. The guidelines 

below are suggested to allow more 

preparation for choosing and 

applying to schools for further 

study. During this period you 

should begin to consider your 

options, review available courses, 

institutions and create an action plan. 

• Begin your preparation 

and make enquiries early; in many 

instances this will be advantageous 

to you getting into the right 

programme and generally enable 

you to make better decisions. 

• Consider funding 

Due to the fact that competition is 

so fierce, especially in the field of 

social sciences, getting an early start 

may just be the ticket to getting you 

funding. Institutions always make 

a point of asking how you intend to 

finance your studies because some 

departments will be reviewing 

applicants to determine how many 

(if any) are competing for awards; 

whether it is funding provided by 

the institution or publicly donated. 

Although at this stage you may 

not need a definitive source for 

the purpose of admissions. As 

international students and as a part of 

the visa process, the burden of proof 

must be met that you are financially 

capable. In some countries such as 

the United Kingdom, only students 

from the European Union are 

granted studentships by the Research 

Council. In Sweden, on the other 

hand, the Swedish Institute offers 

limited funding to students from all 

nationalities. While, in the United 

States, many institutions themselves 

offer funding. In addition, there are 

private individuals and other areas 

of funding but these vary from year 

to year. The onus is therefore on 

you to do your research. As a 

prospective international student 

contacting the consulate/embassy 

of the country where you wish to 

study, your ministry of education 

and the institution may be good 

starting points. 

Twelve to 

six months 

• Outline the content of your 

first and/or master´s degree and 

specify areas of particular interest 

related to the department in which 

you would like to study. 

• You should obtain more 

specific information, with reference 

to the type of details that are 

required for the application process 

and a clear understanding of what is 

entailed in the programme of study. 

• Look into the possibility 

of nomination for a department 

award or other available funding. 

• Try to visit the department 

of study to meet potential 

supervisors and review the


APPLICATION 

REQUIREMENTS 

facilities. As advised in the section 

for undergraduate studies, you 

can book this trip as a part of your 

annual vacation or you can ask 

the university for a letter or other 

documents to take to the embassy 

to obtain a visa for the purpose of 

visiting the campus. 

• Begin admission 

applications as soon as you 

believe that you have all the 

relevant information, bearing in 

mind visa processing times and the 

length of time institutions will take 

to notify students of acceptance. 

funding? 

• Begin funding 

applications if you have 

narrowed down your country of 

interest, it is also a good time to begin 

reviewing national newspapers and 

specialist magazines to find funding 

for various degree opportunities, 

especially for those who are interested 

in the field of medicine and science. 

Six months 

• Most universities are more 

clear about the level of funding 

that they are able to provide. 

• Many universities start the 

process of interviewing prospective 

students during this period. 

• This period is also the 

notification stage and prospective 

candidates will, probably know 

by this time how successful their 

application has been, and if there is 

funding attached. 

• Once you have been advised 

that you have a place, begin the 

documentation process for your 

student visa. Please review the 

chapter specific details for hints 

and tips on applying for your visa. 

In completing the research for 

this book and based on my own 

experience, it was found that 

many institutions do not have 

a central application system for 

doctoral studies. In addition, 

there is no ‘typical application 

system’; applications are entirely 

dependent on the institution and 

the department to which you will 

apply. You may be required to do 

any or all of the following: 

• To complete a standard 

application form. 

• Approach the course 

director to discuss opportunities. 

• Write an informal letter 

seeking information could get the 

process started. 

• Sending a proposal for 

a research project along with a 

personal statement explaining the 

merits of the project. 

These are just some of the 

methods of application open to 

you. In order to complete the 

process, you will need to be 

tenacious and be able to ask the 

right questions. 

Required 

documentation 

In order to complete the 

application process, prospective 

students will also be required 

to include some or all of the 

documentation listed below before 

they are accepted. These are as 

follows: 

• Academic transcripts from 

previous institutions 

• Copy of curriculum vitae/ 

resume 

• Academic and or work 

reference, usually with direct 

relation to programme of choice 

• Letter of motivation/ 

personal letter 

• Letters of recommendation 

• Translated documents 

(if the documents are not in the 

language of the country in which 

you would like to study). 

• Proof of language skill 

if the course will not be taught in 

your native language 

more info: 

www.internationalgraduate.net


Writing a Research 

Proposal 

A research proposal is a normal 

requirement when making 

an application for a doctoral 

degree. This is a brief proposal of 

approximately 2000 words. The 

aim of this document is to provide 

an idea of your research interests 

and intention, and your writing 

skills. 

The proposal should cover the 

following points: 

• Proposed topic. Why it is a 

significant or important area of 

study. 

• Preliminary research questions 

that will guide your process. 

• Preliminary discussion of 

your methods and approach 

• Relevant research or literature 

• Linking your area of interest to 

that of the research department 

and or supervisor to which you 

are applying. 

Recommended texts for 

proposal & research writing: 

Adamson, Arthur (1990), A students 

Guide for Assignments, projects and 

research. 

Allison, Brian (1996), Research Skills 

for Students 

Cryer,Pat (2000), The research 

student’s guide to success 

Cuba, Lee (2002), A short guide to 

writing about social science 

Dunleavy, Patrick (2003), Authoring a 

PhD: how to plan, draft, write and finish 

a doctoral thesis or dissertation 

Higgins, Robin (1996), Approaches to 

Research 

Newman, Roland (1989), Study and 

Research: A systematic approach for all 

students 

Moore, Nick (1987), How to do 

Research 

Mounsey, chris (2002), Essays and 

Dissertation 

Raimes, Ann (2007), Keys for writers: A 

brief Handbook 

The sociology writing group (1998), A 

guide to writing sociology papers 

White, Brian (2000), Dissertation 

skills for Business and Management 

Students 

Assess Financial 

Necessities 

An integral part of the process of 

deciding which institution and in 

what country you will undertake 

your studies, is approximating how 

much money you will need and 

finding a way to cover your costs. 

Below is a list of some of the areas 

of financial responsibility that you 

will have to meet. The list is by no 

means exhaustive but it will give 

you pause and time to reflect on this 

major decision. In addition, to aid in 

this process, a budget worksheet is 

included in the appendix. 

• Areas of financial 

responsability 

• travelling 

• tuition fees 

• rent: cost to live on campus 

• personal expenses: like laundry 

• health insurance 

• books and supplies 

• communication: whether 

mobilephones, cards, internet 

• transportation: buses/trains or 

car ownership 

• meals board 

• medical costs 

• utilities: gas, electricity, internet 

• taxes: on student assistantships 

and working on campus 

• bank fees, credit card 

• recreation/ entertainment 

Sources 

of funding 

• Funding through employment 

If you are able to work in the 

country which you have chosen 

to study then you should read the 

hints and tips on job searching in 

Chapter 11-WORKING ABROAD, 

or you may want to approach 

your current employer for 

sponsorship. 

• Specialised funding schemes. 

• Search for institutional 

scholarships/studentships and 

assistantships; 

• Charities and other groups 

willing to give funds; 

• Financing from loans, access 

funds and or parental contribution; 

• Doctoral studies in Europe are 

considered employment. In the 

United States and Canada, master´s 

students can sometimes work as 

research assistants.


PERSONAL LETTER TO A 

Master´s programme 

Example: 

Over the last year a series of events have occurred that has caused me 

to re-evaluate my career goals and rethink my purpose in life. After graduating 

with my MBA, I was excited to enter the corporate world and embark on a 

successful sales and marketing career. Shortly thereafter, I realized that I was not 

fully satisfied with my chosen career path and, as fate would have it, I began to 

yearn for a more fulfilling profession. During this time, a close friend encountered 

various health related issues, and I was thoroughly dissatisfied with how she 

was treated by a healthcare system that was supposedly designed to benefit the 

underserved. 

The final straw was a series of articles that I have been following in the 

Jamaica Gleaner about a HIV positive pregnant teenage girl who has not been able 

to afford basic prenatal care. As a Jamaican, I was disgusted with the handling 

of her case, and many others like her, and I decided that in order to make the 

changes I desired, I had to become a public health professional. Today’s public 

health professionals are faced with both old and new challenges. A Master of 

Public Health from the University of ABC will equip me with the skills needed to 

tackle these challenges, and make significant changes in healthcare policies and 

administration. 

Based on my research, ABC’s MPH programme provides both a 

theoretical and practical approach to the area of Public Health, which is exactly 

what I am looking for in a part-time graduate programme. Although I am 

particularly interested in using the specialized skills learnt in this programme 

for the planning, policy analysis and administration of healthcare programmes, 

I am fully aware of the other options that will be available to me in different 

areas of Public Health. In a world that is becoming increasingly more reliant on 

specially trained professionals, an advanced degree in Public Health will put me 

in a position to take advantage of the increasing demand for more well rounded 

healthcare administrators. 

While pursuing my MBA, I worked as a Graduate Research Assistant and 

was exposed to different Research Methodologies, which will assist me greatly 

during my research thesis. My Graduate Research experience has made me very 

comfortable working with various high profile faculty members, and has prepared 

me for a range of collaborative roles within the school work environment. An 

advanced degree in Public Health will compliment my MBA, and allow me to fuse 

my business background with Healthcare Administration and Policy Formulation. 

I am drawn to the University of ABC’s MPH programme largely 

because of the quality of the programme, the experience of the faculty, and the 

reputation of ABC’s Department of Public Health. This programme comes highly 

recommended and I am thrilled at the prospect of joining the University of ABC’s 

Department of Public Health community.

Canada 

James Gosling / inventor of JAVA 

chapter 2

Canada 

COUNTRY OVERVIEW 

65 

GREENLAND 

ICELAND 

Newfoundland 

and Labrador 

Quebec 

brunswick 

Nova Scotia 

ottawa 

Despite intensive immigration 

of skilled and highly 

trained peoples to Canada, 

the country is still facing a skills 

shortage. So if you have a vision 

of the career path you would like 

to pursue and, if your area of 

NOT JUST TO TRAIN 

STUDENTS BUT TO 

RETAIN THEM. 

the second largest country in the 

world, with a land mass of 9.9 

million square kilometers. It is 

situated north of the United States 

between the Atlantic and Pacific 

Oceans. The landscape is varied 

and extensive; it includes flat 

prairies, mountainous and 

coastal regions and frozen 

landscapes. 

ALASKA 

yukon 

Territory 

Nunavut 

Northwest 

territories 

british 

Columbia 

Alberta 

Saskatchewan 

Manitoba 

ontario 

UNITED STATES 

oF AMERICA 

interest is in any way related to 

a long list of skill or professional 

areas needed in Canada, then this 

country offers one of the best and 

most welcoming opportunities 

for international students. In 

fact, the government has many 

policies in place to not just train 

students but to retain them. 

These policies are designed with 

the hope that, upon completing 

your education, you will want to 

remain in the country. Canada is 

geographically large, with most 

areas being culturally diverse 

yet not demographically dense. 

Canada has been categorized as 

MOST POPULOUS CITIES = 1 million people 

Toronto 

Ontario 

Montreal 

Quebec 

Vancouver 

British Columbia

Canada 

67 

West 

coast 

British 

Columbia 

North 

Yukon 

Nunavut 

Northwest t. 

Prairies 

Manitoba 

Saskatchewan 

Alberta 

These are the five main regions 

in the country. Canada is unique in 

that it is one of the only (if not the 

only) developed nation that relies 

as heavily on primary industry 

as it does on its manufacturing 

sector. This is as a result of the 

vast natural resources which 

are spread across varied regions 

of the country. As such, many 

educational institutions reflect this 

mix of industry and manufacture. 

For example, Canadian institutes 

of higher education tend to be 

highly regarded in fields such as 

engineering because of their need to 

Central 

canada 

Ontario 

Quebec 

atlantic 

Nova Scotia 

New Brunswick 

Prince Edward Island 

New Foundland & Labrador 

continuously prepare professionals 

with expertise on the vast untapped 

resources. 

According to the International 

Monetary Fund (IMF), the 

Canadian economy is the eighth 

largest in the world (2007). Its 

GDP was approximately $1.274 

trillion, with growth of 2.7%. It 

is part of the G8 and other ‘rich 

clubs’ such as the OECD. Due to 

the world financial crisis in 2008, 

the economic growth was expected 

to slow down significantly, with 

national growth predicted at 

0.8%. The success of the Canadian 

economy is in large part due to a 

very well adjusted political climate. 

The government of Canada is a 

mix of the British parliamentary 

ECONOMY IS THE EIGHTH 

LARGEST IN THE WORLD 

and United States federal systems 

of government. There are three 

levels of government, these are 

federal, provincial and municipal, 

each having some overlapping 

responsibilities. Although the 

system of governance does reflect 

some influences from the US, 

Canadians consider themselves 

very different from Americans. 

The country is very multicultural, 

and although it has remained 

predominantly Catholic, there 

are several other faiths, including 

protestants and non-Christian 

religions. There has also been 

a growth of Islam, Hinduism, 

Sikhism and Buddhism. 

more info: 

www.gc.ca 

Canadian 

dollar 

C$ 

hdr.undp.org/en/statistics 

www.countryreports.org 

www.destineducation.ca

Canada 

WHY CANADA? 

69 

Roberta Bondar / astronaut 

If you have some interest in 

Canada but are still not sure if 

this is the place to further your 

studies, here is a list of reasons 

why Canada may be considered a 

good study destination: 

• The education system in 

Canada is one of the best 

in the world 

Qualifications from Canada are 

universally recognized and there are a 

range of institutions and certifications 

that prospective students are able 

to chose from. You might also find 

SOME OF THE LOWEST 

TUITION FEES AMONG 

ENGLISH-SPEAKING 

COUNTRIES 

it interesting that Canada has some 

of the lowest tuition fees among the 

English–speaking countries. 

• Strong government support 

Due to the Canada’s desire 

to have a more coherent and 

competitive educational system 

the government, with the backing 

of the Association of Universities 

and Colleges of Canada, is 

attempting to attract international 

students. One of the measures 

introduced is the creation of a law 

that introduced new immigration 

measures that will allow 

international students to work for 

up to one year after completing 

their education. Another incentive 

is that university students are 

able to work on campus without a 

work permit. 

• Multicultural society 

As an international student 

you will definitely not feel 

like a stranger in Canada. 

This is because Canada 

has a large multicultural 

community. Canada has 

welcomed more than 10 

million migrants over the last 

century, while simultaneously 

promoting Canadian values. The 

country has adopted a policy of 

multiculturalism which works 

to promote and preserve the 

traditions of the various migrant 

communities.

Canada 

71 

ADMISSION 

AND funding 

• Great place to 

learn a language 

As a result of the multicultural 

nature, and its history, the country is 

officially bilingual. Both English and 

French are official languages. This 

FIFTH BEST 

COUNTRY IN THE 

WORLD TO LIVE 

has earned them a reputation as a 

world leader in teaching languages 

and many international students 

opt to take a language course before 

starting their regular academic 

programme. This multiculturalism 

and strength in languages positions 

Canada as an ideal environment for 

international students. 

• Great standard of living 

Based on the Human 

development Index (2010), 

Canada was classified as the fifth 

best country in the world to live. 

It is a politically and economic 

stable country that is consistently 

striving to protect the rights of 

the citizens. 

more info: 

http://en.wikipedia.org 

In Canada higher education 

institutions are divided into 

two types: universities and 

community colleges. Universities 

provide academic and professional 

training and research programmes 

leading to degrees. Community 

colleges offer certificate and 

diploma programmes in career 

and vocational training. Academic 

transfers from community colleges 

to universities are also possible. 

Canada has a large selection 

of universities and community 

colleges with a good mix of both 

publicly and privately funded 

institutions. The universities are 

internationally recognised for high 

quality of teaching and research. 

They also maintain a high level of 

academic autonomy; that is, the 

educational system is administered 

mainly by non-governmental 

organisations. Despite the fact 

that the institutions are not 

officially ranked, the Canadian 

education system is still regarded 

as one of the best in the world. 

There are systems in place 

ensuring that high educational 

standards are consistently met. 

Recognised higher education 

institutions are given full authority 

under government legislation 

to grant degrees and other 

awards. National organisations 

also play a role in sustaining 

Canadian education standards 

by establishing membership 

requirements, which in a sense 

provides added quality control. 

The Association of Universities 

and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) 

represents universities and colleges 

and the Association of Canadian 

Community Colleges (ACCC) 

is the national organisation of 

community colleges. 

There are no national entrance 

exams. Instead, prospective 

students are assessed on an 

institution-by-institution basis. 

For more detailed information 

on admission requirements, 

application, tuition and other 

costs as well as possible 

funding, search either the online 

database or a printed version 

of the Directory of Canadian 

Universities. This information is

Canada 

73 

updated annually and features 

over 10,000 undergraduate and 

graduate programmes. For further 

information visit the Association 

of Universities and Colleges of 

Canada webpage. The Canadian 

government advises students to 

apply at least one year in advance, 

after choosing the institution 

they would like to attend. This 

early application is to facilitate 

the extensive visa process and 

to provide enough time to meet 

all the regulations necessary to 

obtain the correct permits as an 

international student. 

You should complete the 

application form for the 

institution(s) of your choice 

and submit it according to 

the instructions provided. It 

is worthwhile to complete 

application forms for several 

schools. This will provide you with 

the opportunity to choose from a 

range of institutions and places 

you in a position to take the best 

choice in the end. If the school 

admits you as a student, they will 

send you a letter of acceptance. 

You will then need this letter of 

acceptance in order to apply for 

a study permit at the embassy 

or consulate in your country. 

Presently there is no national 

central application system. Instead 

the central application systems are 

based on the province in which 

you would like to study. Links to 

the provincial central application 

systems can be found listed here 

below: 

Provincial central 

application systems: 

ALBERTA learning 

information centre 

www.applyalberta.ca 

www.alis.gov.ab.ca 

Post-Secondary Application Service 

of BRITISH COLUMBIA 

www. applybc.ca 

ONTARIO Colleges 

Application Service 

www.ontariocolleges.ca 

QUEBEC City region: 

Saguenay/Lac St-Jean region 

www.srasl.qc.ca 

Given that education is not 

regulated by the federal 

government, it then becomes 

your duty to ensure that your 

chosen school, college or 

university is accredited. If you 

are accepted to an institution 

that is not accredited, this 

will mean that your visa 

application will be denied. To 

find information on accredited 

institutions in Canada, please 

see the “more info” boxes. 

Institutions of interest: 

• cost of applying 

• tuition fees 

• health insurance 

• rent and yearly cost of living 

• language tests 

• other entrance requirements 

more info on universities 

and colleges: 

Information Centre for 

International Credentials 

www.cicic.ca 

The Association of 

Community Colleges 

www.accc.ca 

Association of Universities 

and Colleges www.aucc.ca 

National Association of 

Career Colleges 

www.nacc.ca 

more info: 

Provincial and Territorial 

Departments and Ministries 

Responsible for Education 

www.cmec.ca/educmin.en.stm 

The Government Website 

www.educationau-incanada.ca 

Bureau for International 

Education 

www.cbie.ca/index_e.htm 

Education Centre Network 

www.studycanada.ca

Canada 

75 

General 

requirements 

Language 

requirements 

Though Canada is officially 

bilingual, prospective students are 

not required to be able to speak 

both languages. The language 

requirement is largely dependent 

on the university to which you 

apply. You will be required to 

show proficiency in the language 

SHOW PROFICIENCY IN 

THE DAILY LANGUAGE 

of daily operation * . Canadian 

French language universities 

normally assess individuals 

on a case by case basis. On the 

other hand, English language 

universities have a set criteria. 

On the preceding pages you will 

find general requirements for 

English language proficiency 

certification but do remember to 

double-checked with individual 

universities. Applicants who 

have not completed three or more 

years of post-secondary work 

at a Canadian institution or at 

an institution at which English 

was the primary language of 

instruction, or have not 

been employed for a 

similar period of time in a 

position in which English 

was the primary language 

of business, will be required to 

provide certification of English 

language proficiency. 

Frank O´Gehry / architect 

* Individual departments or institutions 

may require higher scores. Test scores are valid for 

two years from the test date. Test results must be sent 

directly to the admissions office. 

Language schools: 

www.languagescanada.ca

Canada 

77 

• Accepted examinations 

and required scores: 

Test of English as a Foreign Language 

TOEFL 

• plus Test of Written English (TWE) or 

• Computer-based TOEFL plus Essay or 

• Internet-based TOEFL 

(offered through the Educational Testing 

Service, Princeton, NJ, USA) 

• 550 minimum overall score with a minimum of 50 in each section 

plus 4.0 minimum for the TWE; or 

• Computer-based minimum overall score of 213 

plus 4.0 minimum for the Essay; or 

• Internet-based minimum overall score of 90 

plus 24 minimum in Speaking and Writing sections, 

except the following Engineering departments: 

Chemical Engineering 

Civil and Environmental Engineering 

Electrical and Computer Engineering 

Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering 

Systems Design Engineering 

minimum overall 

score requirement: 

80 with minimum 

section scores of: 

22 in Writing 

20 in Speaking 

20 in Reading 

and 18 in Listening. 



MELAB 

85 minimum overall score; minimum of 80 in each section 

International English 

Language Testing System 

IELTS 

6.5 minimum overall score; minimum 5.5 in each section 

more info: 

www.ielts.org 

www.melab.ca 

www.cael.ca 

www.cantest.uottawa.ca 

Canadian Academic English 

Language Assessment 

CAEL 

Canadian Test of English for Scholars 

and Trainees 

CanTEST 

70 minimum overall score; minimum 60 in each section 

4.5 minimum overall score; minimum 4.0 in each section

Canada 

79 

• University tuition fees for 

full-time foreign students: 

General Arts and 

Science Programmes 

2006 - 2007 

Graduate tuition fees 

(per academic year) * 

2006 - 2007 

Undergraduate tuition fees 

(per academic year) * 

$1,896 - $3,549 

$8780 

$4,854 - $7,281 

$8970 

$5,735 - $19,467 

$8,233 - $14,349 

$7,260 - $9,384 

$7,843 - $12,810 

$9,078 - $20,000 

$10,068 - $12,930 

$5,650 - $26,764 

$6,900 - $16,800 

$4,170 - $7,937 

$5,573 - $8,283 

$2,000 - $7,078 

$8,489 - $11,482 

$5,500 - $21,546 

$8,000 - $15,767 

$2,600 - $33,667 

$9,248 - $17,667 

*Graduate programmes in all faculties 

*Undergraduate programmes in arts 

RECOGNITION 

OF QUALIFICATIONS 

As a part of the admissions 

requirement, some intitutions 

will ask you to have your 

qualifications assessed. There will 

also be a similar requirement if 

you try to find employment. In 

addition, given that your previous 

qualifications are from overseas, 

some higher education institutions 

will require documentation to 

check the authencity of your 

degree and its equivalence to 

Canadian educational levels. 

Foreign credential evaluation 

is processed by a specific 

organization as designated in each 

province. 

more info: 

www.cicic.ca 

www.accc.ca 

www.aucc.ca 

PROVINCE * 

Newfoundland and 

Labrador 

Prince Edward Island 

Nova Scotia 

New Brunswick 

Quebec 

Ontario 

Manitoba 

Saskatchewan 

Alberta 

British Columbia 

*Source: Statistics Canada 

www.nacc.ca 

Alliance of Credential 

Evaluation Services of 

Canada (ACESC) 

www.canalliance.org 

regulatory bodies: 

www.engineerscanada.ca

Canada 81 

• Credential Assessment and Qualification Recognition Services * 

* For credential evaluation services in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, 

Nunavut or the Yukon, you may contact any of the services listed on this page. 

ALBERTA 

• IQAS 

International Qualifications 

Assessment Service 

Alberta Immigration, 

Employment and Industry 

Tel.: +1 780 427-2655 

Toll-free in Alberta: 

310-0000 ask for 427-2655 

Fax: +1 780 422-9734 

www. employment.alberta.ca 

9th Floor, 108th Street Building 

9942 - 108 Street 

Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2J5 

Canada 

BRITISH COLUMBIA 

• ICES 

International Credential 

Evaluation Services 

Tel.: +1 604 432-8800 

Toll-Free within North America: 

+1-866-434-9197 

Fax: +1 604 435-7033 

icesinfo@bcit.ca 

www.bcit.ca/ices 

3700, avenue Willingdon 

Burnaby, British Columbia V5G 3H2 

Canada 

MANITOBA 

• ACAS 

Academic Credentials 

Assessment Service – Manitoba 

Manitoba Labour and 

Immigration 

Settlement & Labour Market 

Services Branch 

Tel.:+1 204 945-6300 

Toll-Free within North America: 

+1-800-665-8332 

Fax: +1 204 948-2148 

www.gov.mb.ca 

5th Floor, 213 Notre Dame Avenue 

Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B1N3 

Canada 

ONTARIO 

• CES 

Comparative Education Service 

University of Toronto 

Tel.:+1 416 978-2190 

Fax: +1 416 978-7022 

Costs for service 

www.adm.utoronto.ca/ces 

315 Bloor Street West 

Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A3 

Canada 

• ICAS 

International Credential 

Assessment Service of Canada 

Ontario AgriCentre 

Tel: +1 519 763-7282 

Toll-free:+1 800 321-6021 

Fax: +1 519 763-6964 

info@icascanada.ca 

Fees and Services 

www.icascanada.ca 

100 Stone Road West, Suite 303 

Guelph, Ontario N1G 5L3 

Canada 

• WES Canada 

World Education Services- 

Canada 

Tel.: +1 416 972-0070 

Fax: +1 416 972-9004 

Toll-free: +1 866 343-0070 (from 

outside the 416 area code) 

ontario@wes.org 

www.wes.org/ca 

45 Charles Street East, Suite 700 

Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1S2 

Canada 

TORONTO 

• CEFAHQ 

Centre d’expertise sur les 

formations acquises hors du 

Québec 

Ministère de l’Immigration et des 

Communautés culturelles 

Tel.:+1 514 864-9191 

Elsewhere in Quebec (toll free): 

+1 877 264-6164 

Fax: +1 514 873-8701 

renseignements@micc.gouv.qc.ca 

www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca 

255, boulevard Crémazie Est, 

8e étage 

Montréal (Québec) H2M 1M2 

Canada

Canada 83 

Health 

Insurance 

The government of Canada 

requires all international students 

to pay a fee for health insurance 

(medical insurance). As part of 

the visa process, you will have to 

provide proof that you are able to 

meet this cost. The government 

takes this burden of proof seriously 

IT IS POSSIBLE TO FIND 

SOME LEVEL OF FUNDING 

because it does not pay for the 

medical costs of foreign students. 

The cost of health coverage for 

foreign students varies between 

provinces. Contact the school at 

which you are applying to receive 

more information about medical 

coverage and health insurance. 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

Financial assistance to study in 

Canada is possible. Of the ten 

Canadian provinces, Quebec 

and Ontario seem to offer more 

substantial funding to international 

students. Funding in the other 

provinces seem to be more 

competitive because there are 

fewer scholarships on offer. But, 

it is possible to find some level 

of funding if you are willing to 

carry out the necessary research. A 

number of scholarships are offered 

by the Canadian government. For 

example, the Canadian 

Commonwealth 

Scholarship Program 

(CCSP), which 

provides aid to 

students of other commonwealth 

countries, for advanced studies 

in Canada. Information on 

this and other awards can be 

found on the Government of 

Canada international scholarship 

programs website. In addition, the 

Association of Universities and 

Colleges of Canada is a resource 

base for all universities and colleges 

in Canada. The site contains a 

wide range of information. All 

International students wishing to 

study in Canada and would like 

to apply for a scholarship, the 

following is advised: 

• contact the ministry of education 

or the Canadian embassy in your 

home country; 

• contact the Canadian bureau for 

international education; 

• review the information on 

the study in Canada website 

the official site of the Canadian 

government; 

• review the information on the 

AUCC’s website for information 

dedicated to international students; 

• and finally check with the 

universities to which you would 

like to apply, many offer private 

scholarships or other types of 

funding. 

more info: 

www.scholarships.gc.ca 

www.aucc.ca 

Listed below are some possible 

funding options, ranging from 

those offered by the provinces and 

government to private institutions: 

• Differential fee waivers 

In most cases international 

students are charged what is called 

a differential tuition. This means 

that the tuition is significantly 

higher for international students, 

in comparison to Canadian 

students. One of the main funding 

opportunities for international 

students that study in Canada 

is the differential fee waiver 

programme, where an international 

student may be granted the 

opportunity to pay the same fees 

as a Canadian resident/citizen. 

Contact individual universities 

for details or visit the awards 

section of the Canadian Bureau for 

International Education. 

more info: 

www.mels.gouv.qc.ca 

www.destineducation.ca

Canada 85 

• Ontario graduate 

scholarship programme 

(OGS) 

There are 60 places reserved by 

the government of Ontario for 

international students with high 

academic standings, the value 

of the scholarship ranges from 

$C 12,000-25,000. Applications are 

made through local rotary clubs 

and the qualified students are 

chosen by each district. Students 

are expected to apply a year in 

advance. Contact your local Rotary 

clubs or The Rotary Foundation, 

which is located at: 

One Rotary Center, 

1560 Sherman Avenue, 

Evanston, Illinois 60201, 

USA. 

Tel: (847) 866-3000 

Fax: (847) 328-8554 

• Rotary Foundation 

Ambassadorial 

Scholarships 

These scholarships aim to further 

international understanding and 

friendly relations among people 

of different countries. During the 

time abroad, Rotary scholars are 

expected to be ambassadors of 

goodwill through presentations to 

Rotary clubs and districts, school 

and civic organizations. 

• Trudeau scholars program 

The Program grants new scholarships 

every year to outstanding doctoral 

candidates in the social sciences and 

humanities. The Foundation supports 

doctoral candidates pursuing 

research of compelling present-day 

concern, touching upon one or more 

of the four themes of the Foundation. 

Trudeau Scholars are actively 

engaged in their fields, in which 

they are expected to become leading 

national and international figures. 

Application guidelines are available 

on the website of the Trudeau 

Foundation. For more information; 

contact: 

The Pierre Elliott Trudeau 

Foundation, 

1514 Doctor Penfield 

Avenue, 2nd Floor, 

Montreal, 

Quebec H3G 1B9, 

Canada 

Tel: 514.938.0001; 

tfinfo@trudeaufoundation.ca 

• Canadian institutions 

Many Canadian universities 

and a few colleges offer awards 

to international students. Some 

are for special programs, such 

as bursaries for the Diploma 

Program in Community-Based 

Development, which is offered by. 

Coady Institute 

St. Francis Xavier University 

P.O. Box 5000, 

Antigonish, 

Nova Scotia B2G 2W5 

There may also be a scholarship 

for disabled students pursuing 

studies at the University of Toronto 

and offered by The Toronto 

Rehabilitation Institute. Other 

awards are more general in nature. 

Contact the institutions you are 

interested in for information, or refer 

to one or more of the directories 

listed here under Resources. 

• The Canadian 

International Development 

Agency (CIDA) 

These awards are open to nationals 

of developing countries that 

qualify for official development 

assistance (ODA). Applications are 

made to the administering agency 

in the student’s home country; 

this is normally the ministry of 

education or at the Canadian 

diplomatic mission. The awards 

include travel to and from Canada, 

tuition fees, installation allowance, 

living and book allowance. CIDA 

administers the following types of 

awards programs: 

Bilateral Student and Trainee 

Programs 

A large number of programs are 

available for students from a 

number of developing countries. 

Multilateral Programmes 

The Canadian Fellowship 

Program for French-Speaking 

Countries.CIDA offers a 

number of awards each year for 

undergraduate and graduate 

more info: 

www.rotary.org 

www.trudeaufoundation.ca

Canada 87 

study to academically qualified 

students from 37 francophone 

developing countries. The 

program permits the countries 

to benefit from the expertise of 

Canadian universities, while 

strengthening links between 

Canada and these countries. 

Awards are for one year, 

renewable up to the normal 

duration of the degree sought. 

• Canadian Commonwealth 

Scholarship Programme 

The Commonwealth Scholarship 

and Fellowship Plan was designed 

to enable students of high 

intellectual promise to pursue 

programs of advanced study 

and research at the masters and 

PhD level in a commonwealth 

country other than their own. 

The purpose is that, upon their 

return, they could make a 

distinctive contribution in their 

own countries while fostering 

mutual understanding within the 

Commonwealth. The Canadian 

Commonwealth Scholarship 

and Fellowship Program is the 

Canadian component of the 

plan. Students must apply to 

the designated commonwealth 

scholarship agency in their home 

country. 

• United Nations 

Fellowship Program 

Academic programs and practical 

attachments for established 

professionals; channelled through 

UN agencies such as IAEA, 

UNESCO, FAO, ITU, ILO, UNIDO 

and UN New York. 

• National Research 

Council of Canada (NRC) 

Open to scientists and engineers 

who are working on challenging 

areas in the development of 

their research career but which 

are related to the NRC fields 

of interest. These research 

associateships are tenable only in 

the laboratories of NRC and the 

awards will be granted initially for 

a period of two years but they are 

renewable based on the student’s 

performance and the need of the 

council. The level of funding is 

equivalent to a regular salaried 

staff member. 

• Organization of 

American States 

Fellowships 

The OAS Regular Training 

Program (PRA) is one of the 

instruments of development 

cooperation of the Organization of 

American States. Its fundamental 

objective is to assist the member 

states with their domestic efforts 

in pursuit of integral development 

goals by supporting human 

resource development in priority 

areas, as is established by member 

states. The fellowships are 

awarded to individuals who have 

obtained a university degree and 

are qualified to pursue graduate 

level studies or research. Awards 

are for studies in any field, with 

the exception of medical sciences 

and introductory language studies 

Fellowships are granted for 3 to 12 

months and may be extended for 

a second period equivalent to the 

first and cover round-trip airfare, 

tuition fees, study materials, health 

insurance and living allowance. 

Students must apply to the 

designated agency in their home 

country. For further information, 

please contact the Organization 

of American States, Division of 

Cooperation for Development of 

Human Resources (DCDHR) of 

the Inter-American Agency for 

Cooperation and Development: 

IACD, 

Washington, D.C. 

20006-4499, 

U.S.A. 

Funding databases 

and resources 

The Canada Millennium 

Scholarship Foundation 

This scholarship was created to 

grant awards to students who are 

in financial need and demonstrate 

merit. 

Scholarshipscanada 

Is an extensive searchable database 

to find scholarships, student 

awards, bursaries and grants in 

available in Canada. 

Canada’s Natural Sciences and 

Engineering Research Council’s 

Offers scholarships and fellowship 

programmes, some of which are 

available to international students.

Canada 89 


Research Centre 

Offers information for developing 

country students on awards 

funded and administered by 

the Ottawa-based International 

Development Research Centre. 

Unesco’s Study Abroad 

Information on scholarships and 

courses worldwide: 

UNESCO, 

7, Place de Fontenoy, 

Paris, 75007 France 

ACU 

Guides for Commonwealth 

students and Graduate study 

at Canadian Universities 

fact sheet: 

Association of 

Commonwealth 

Universities, 

Woburn House, 

20-24 Tavistock Square, 

London WC1H 9HF 

Can Learn 

Provides information and 

resources for financial planning 

and budgeting. 

more info: 

www.coursesfrancophonie.ca 

www.pcbf.qa.ca 

www.cbie.ca 

www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca 

www.OAS.org 

www.cbie.ca, 

www.scholarships.gc.ca 

www.millenniumscholarships.ca 

www.scholarshipscanada.com 

www.nserc.ca 

www.idrc.ca 

www.unesco.org 

www.acu.ac.uk 

www.canlearn.ca 

Undergraduate 

studies 

There is a large variation in the 

application process for higher 

education institutions based on the 

province in which it is located. This 

section provides a brief overview 

of the application process on a 

province by province basis. 

ALBERTA 

• Applying to colleges 

and universities 

Although there is a central 

application system in Alberta, 

but not all higher education 

institutions are participating in 

this scheme. At the time of writing 

the institutions listed below were 

using the ApplyAlberta system: 

• Alberta College of Art & Design 

• Bow Valley College 

• Grande Prairie Regional College 

• Keyano College

Canada 91 

• Lethbridge College 

• Mount Royal University 

• NorQuest College 

• Olds College 

• SAIT Polytechnic 

• The King’s University College 

• University of Calgary 

• Athabasca University 

• Concordia Univ. College of AB 

• Grant MacEwan University 

• Lakeland College 

• Medicine Hat College 

• NAIT - Northern Alberta IT 

• Northern Lakes College 

• Red Deer College 

• St. Mary’s University College 

• University of Alberta 

• University of Lethbridg 

APPLYALBERTA ACCEPTS 

APPLICATIONS FOR AT 

LEAST ONE YEAR 

STUDIES 

If you do not see the uniersity you 

wish to apply to listed here, contact 

them directly. The institutions 

that are a part of the application 

system accept applications through 

ApplyAlberta for undergraduate 

academic programs that are at least 

one academic year in length and 

that lead to a certificate, diploma or 

degree. In order to determine what 

information will be required from 

you, you still need to complete 

your due diligence and research 

the institution you want to attend 

to see complete programme 

requirements. 

After creating a log in, you will 

be required to complete personal 

information and a history of your 

previous education. Thereafter 

you can select an institution and 

answer more specific course 

information, such as your expected 

start date. It would 

therefore be handy 

if you gather the 

following information 

before you start, the 

application process: 

• Your postal code and 

address 

names of all the high schools and 

post-secondary institutions you 

attended 

• High school course names and 

the marks you received 

There are no restrictions on 

the number of institutions/ 

programmes to which you can 

apply, however, it is necessary to 

give this decision some thought 

as you are required to pay a 

processing fee to each institution 

which you apply. 

BRITISH 

COLUMBIA 


and universities 

The online application system 

in British Colombia is similar 

to that of Alberta. ApplyBC is a 

centralized, online application 

service open to anyone wishing 

to apply for admission to one or 

more higher education institutions. 

Once you have created an online 

account you can log in and 

complete the required information 

as instructed. The application 

has two main sections; the first 

is called a common form, where 

you provide personal information. 

This information will be saved 

and available for use, if you 

decide to apply to more than one 

institution. The second section is 

called the institutional application 

form and you will be required to 

provide information about course 

choice, your qualifications, etc. 

Before you start completing the 

application, you may need: 

• Permanent mailing address and 

telephone number(s) 

• Emergency contact name and 

telephone number(s) 

• Email addresses 

• Names and dates of high schools 

attended 

• Names and dates of postsecondary 

institutions attended 

It is also important to note that 

although some institutions will 

allow you to apply to more than 

one programme at the same 

time, others require that you 

submit a second application if 

you wish to apply to more than 

one programme. In addition, 

institutions participating in the 

ApplyBC online application 

service offer mainly undergraduate 

programs. There is none-the-less 

a few institutions, such as the 

University of Victoria, offering

Canada 93 

a small selection of graduate 

programmes through ApplyBC. 

However, if you cannot find the 

programme you are looking for, 

you should contact directly the 

institution you want to apply 

to. The application processing 

fee is C$150 for international 

students. There is one exception 

to the central, online application 

system. International students 

wishing to apply to Vancouver 

Island University should use the 

following application form (see 

web address below). 

Vancouver Island 

University´s pplication 

form: 

https://records.viu.ca/ 

www/study/apponline.htm 

ONTARIO 

• Applying to universities 

To apply for undergraduate 

programmes based in the province 

of Ontario you can either use 

the central application online 

or request a paper version. The 

requirements and the expectations 

are the same. Using this central 

application, you can apply for 

three university/programmes. 

The base application fee is C$130. 

To add additional university/ 

programmes, the cost is C$42 for 

each university/programme. If you 

request additional services, such 

as requesting a transcript, each of 

these services will be a minimum 

of C$10. Your applications will not 

be processed without the full fee 

payment. 

After you have completed your 

research and has made the decision 

on which university/programmes 

you would like to attend. Create 

a user name and password, log 

into the central application system 

and record programme choices 

of interest including their unique 

codes. Once you have registered 

and sent your application, you will 

receive a unique reference code, 

which you will need to respond 

with university offers and to access 

your application. Students are only 

eligible to complete one application 

in any year, either online, or with 

the paper format. It is also your 

responsibility to make note of 

deadlines specific to the institution 

that you have chosen. This is 

important because all fees are nonrefundable. 


One can also complete the college 

application forms online. Once you 

have registered and completed 

the application online, you will be 

given a unique identifier number, 

which will help you to keep track 

of your application throughout 

the process. Applications for 

colleges in Ontario are accepted 

on a rolling basis, however, in 

order to complete the necessary 

immigration process, and to be 

guaranteed a place, you should 

try to send an early application. 

Applications open in October of 

each year. You should try to apply 

before the 1st February to start 

in the fall because after this date 

applications are processed on firstcome, 

first-served basis. It is also 

important to bear in mind that the 

application process ranges from 

between three to nine months. 

There is a C$95 application 

processing fee and you are allowed 

to select up to five program choices 

but you are not allowed to choose 

more than three programmes at 

any one college. All fees are nonrefundable. 

Quebec 

• Applying to universities 

In order to apply for 

undergraduate programmes in 

Quebec, it is necessary to contact 

the institution that you are 

interested in attending directly. 


The application process for 

attending a general and vocational 

college (generally known as 

Cégeps, the French acronym for

Canada 95 

Collège d’Enseignement Général Et 

Professionnel) in Quebec is quite 

daunting. These programmes are 

geared towards people whose first 

language is French or that have a 

high level of fluency in French. All 

prospective students are required 

to pass test of French as a foreign 

language before they can receive 

an official letter of admittance. 

The test is administered by 

ETS Canada. To be admitted 

to a college, you should have 

completed studies equivalent to 

year 5 of high school in Québec. 

This corresponds to eleven years 

of study. Similarly, you must also 

meet the specific requirements set 

for your chosen program of study. 

The process for applying is: 

• Complete the admission 

application form on line 

• Pay the application 

processing fee by a registered 

cheque or money order for C$80 

made to the order of SRACQ, 

to cover the cost of processing 

your application and completing 

a comparative analysis of your 

previous studies. 

• Provide the documents 

needed to establish your eligibility, 

a clear explanation of the courses 

you have completed and the 

outcomes. You should also provide 

a legible copy of your academic 

transcripts for your last three years 

of study and the related diplomas, 

if applicable. If they are not written 

in either French or English, these 

documents must be accompanied 

by a French or English translation. 

• A legible copy of your 

birth certificate indicating the 

names of your parents and place of 

birth. 

• Obtain a Québec 

acceptance certificate for studies 

(CAQ): Once you have received 

your official letter of admission, 

you should apply for a Québec 

acceptance certificate for studies. In 

order to obtain the CAQ, you must 

demonstrate that you have the 

necessary resources to cover tuition 

fees, transportation expenses i.e 

a return ticket to your country 

of origin; settling-in expenses in 

the first year (C$500), and annual 

living expenses for the duration of 

your stay. The normally processing 

time for the CAQ is approximately 

20 days. This cost of applying for 

the CAQ is C$101. In addition, 

depending on your country of 

residence, you may be required to 

complete a medical examination. 

You may apply for further 

information by contacting: 

Ministère de l’Immigration 

et des Communautés 

culturelles 

Foreign Students Service 

285, rue Notre-Dame Ouest, 

Ground floor, Suite G-15 

Montréal (Québec) H2Y 1T8 

Canada 

Tel : 514-864-9191 

more info: 

Ministère de l’Immigration 

et des Communautés 

culturelles 

www.immigration-quebec. 

gouv.qc.ca 

Postgraduate 

studies 

Most masters programmes 

in Canada have a duration of 

approximately 2 years which 

includes full-time academics and 

research. Doctoral programmes 

in Canada have a duration of 5-6 

years. The course duration of 

such programmes depends on an 

individual’s skills, the duration 

of research and time taken to 

write a dissertation. Generally, 

applicants looking to gain a 

ALBERTA & QUEBEC: NO 

CENTRAL APPLICATION FOR 

POSTGRADUATE STUDIES 

masters degree need to possess a 

good undergraduate degree from 

a recognised university. Most 

doctorate degrees require a masters 

degree; though this is not always a 

requisite. The application process 

usually requires some or all of the 

documents outlined overleaf:

Canada 97 

• reference letters, 

• written statements 

• work experience details and 

academic records are also taken 

into account. 

• standardised tests may also 

be required –such as the GRE 

or the GMAT. For specialised 

postgraduate programmes –such 

as health sciences, law 

and architecture– students 

must have already 

completed 4 years of 

university study. 

For postgraduate studies there are 

no central application systems in 

Alberta and Quèbec, but there are 

a limited number of programmes 

in Ontario and British Columbia. 

If you are not able to find a 

programme or institution 

online, contact them 

directly. 

Yves Gagnon / wind energy researcher 

Canadian 

universities 

and CC 

Northern Lights College 

Northwest Community College 

Okanagan College 

Quest University Canada * 

Royal Roads University 

Selkirk College 

Simon Fraser University 

Sprott-Shaw CC * 

Thompson Rivers University 

Trinity Western University * 

University of the Fraser Valley 

University of British Columbia 

University Canada West * 

University of Northern BC 

University of Phoneix * 

University of Victoria 

Vancouver Community College 

Vancouver Island University 

• MANITOBA (MB) 

Assiniboine CC 

Brandon University 

Canadian Mennonite Univ. 

University of Calgary 

University of Lethbridge 

• BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC) 

Adler School of Professional 

Psychology * 

Alexander College * 

BC Institute of Technology 

Camosun College 

Capilano University 

City University of Seattle * 

College of New Caledonia 

College of the Rockies 

Columbia College * 

Douglas College 

Emily Carr Univ. of Art and Design 

Fairleigh Dickinson University * 

Justice Institute of BC 

Kwantlen Polytechnic College 

Langara College 

New York Inst. of Technology * 

Nicola Valley Inst- of Technology 

North Island College 

• ALBERTA (AB) 

AB College of Art and Design 

Ambrose University College * 

Bow Valley College 

Canadian University College * 

Concordia Univ. College of AB * 

Devry Institute of Technology * 

Grande Prairie Regional College 

Grant MacEwan College 

Keyano College 

Lethbridge Community College 

Medicine Hat College 

Mount Royal College 

NorQuest Collage 

Northern AB Inst of Technology 

Olds College 

Portage College 

Red Deer College 

Southern AB Inst. of Technology 

St. Mary’s Univ. College of AB * 

Taylor Univ. Coll and Seminary * 

The King’s University College * 

University of Alberta

Canada 99 

Providence Coll. and Seminary * 

Red River Coll. of AA and Sciences 

The Salvation Army William and 

Catherine Booth College * 

University of Manitoba 

University of Winnipeg 

• NEW BRUNSWICK (NB) 

Mount Allison University 

NB Community College 

St. Thomas University 

Université de Moncton 

University of New Brunswick 

• NEWFOUNDLAND 

AND LABRADOR (NL) 

College of the North Atlantic 

Memorial University of NL 

Marine Inst. Memorial Univ. of NL 

Sir Wilfred Grenfell College 

* Selected programs only. Please 

contact the Designated Institutional 

Representative (DIR) for more information 

Nipissing University 

Northern Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Ontario College of Art & Design 

Queen’s University 

Queen’s Theological College 

Ryerson University 

Sault College of AA and Tech. 

Seneca College of AA and Tech. 

Sheridan Coll. Inst. of Tech. and 

Advanced Learning 

Sir Sandford Fleming College 

St. Clair College of AA and Tech. 

St. Lawrence College 

The Michener Institute 

Trent University 

University of Guelph 

Université de Hearst 

University of ON Inst. of Tech. 

University of Ottawa 

St. Paul University 

University of Toronto 

Knox College, 

Regis College 

• NOVA SCOTIA (NS) 

Acadia University 

Cape Breton University 

Dalhousie University 

Mount Saint Vincent University 

Nova Scotia Agricultural College 

NS College of Art and Design 

Nova Scotia Community College 

Saint Mary’s University 

St. Francis Xavier University 

Univ St-Anne-Collège de l’Acadie 

University of Kings College 

• ONTARIO (ON) 

Algonquin Coll of AA and Tech. 

Algoma University 

Brock University 

Concordia Lutheran Seminary 

Cambrian Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Canadore Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Carleton University 

Centennial Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Collège Boréal d’AA et de tech. 

St. Augustine’s Seminary 

St. Michael’s College 

Trinity College 

Victoria University 

Wycliffe College 

University of Waterloo 

Conrad Grebel University College 

Renison College 

St. Jerome’s University 

St. Paul’s United College 

Waterloo Lutheran Seminary 

University of Western Ontario 

Brescia College 

Huron College 

King’s College 

St. Peter’s Seminary 

University of Windsor 

Wilfrid Laurier University 

York University 

• PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND (PE) 

Holland College 

Maritime Christian College 

Coll. Dominicain de Philosophie 

et de Théologie 

Conestoga Coll. Inst. of Tech. 

and Advanced Learning 

Conf. Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Durham Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Fanshawe Coll. of AA and Tech. 

George Brown Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Georgian Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Humber College Inst. of Tech. 

and Advanced Learning 

La Cité collégiale 

Lambton Coll. of AA and Tech. 

Lakehead University 

Laurentian University 

Huntington University 

University of Sudbury 

Thorneloe University 

Loyalist College of AA and Tech. 

McMaster University 

McMaster Divinity College 

Mohawk College of AA and Tech. 

Niagara College 

Société Éducative de l’Île-du- PE 

Univ. of Prince Edward Island 

• QUEBEC (QC) 

Bishop’s University 

Cégep André-Laurendeau 

Cégep Beauce-Appalaches 

Cégep de Baie-Comeau 

Cégep de Chicoutimi 

Cégep de Drummondville 

Cégep de Granby-Haute-Yamaska 

Cégep de Jonquière 

Cégep de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue 

Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles 

Cégep de La Pocatière 

Cégep de Lévis-Lauzon 

Cégep de Matane 

Cégep de Rimouski 

Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup 

Cégep de Saint-Félicien 

Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe 

Cégep de Saint-Jérôme

Canada 101 

visa and 

immigration 

scientifique 

Collège François-Xavier-Garneau 

Institut Teccart (2003) inc. 

Collège Héritage 

Cégep de Saint-Laurent 

McGill University 

Coll. international Marie de France 

Cégep de Sainte-Foy 

Université de Montréal 

Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf 

Cégep de Sept-Îles 

Université de Sherbrooke 

Collège Laflèche 

Cégep de Sherbrooke 

Univ du QC à Chicoutimi, UQAC 

Collège LaSalle 

Cégep de Sorel-Tracy 

Univ. du QC à Montréal, UQAM 

Collège Marianopolis 

Cégep de Thetford 

Univ. du Québec à Rimouski, UQAR 

Collège Montmorency 

Cégep de Trois-Rivières 

Université du Québec à Trois- 

Collège O’Sullivan de Montréal 

Cégep de Victoriaville 

Rivières (UQTR) 

Collège Shawinigan 

Cégep du Vieux Montréal 

Université du Québec en Abitibi- 

Collège Stanislas 

Cégep John Abbott College 

Témiscamingue, UQAT 

Concordia University 

Cégep Limoilou 

Univ du QC en Outaouais, UQO 

Dawson College 

Cégep Marie-Victorin 

Université Laval 

École de tech. supérieure, ÉTS 

Cégep régional de Lanaudière 

Vanier College 

École nationale d’administration 

Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu 

publique 

École nationale de cirque • SASKATCHEWAN (SK) 

Champlain Regional College 

Collège Ahuntsic 

University of Regina 

École Polytechnique de Montréal 

Collège André-Grasset 

University of Saskatchewan 

HEC Montréal 

Collège de Bois-de-Boulogne 

SKInst of AppliedScience and Tech 

Inst. de Tech. Agroalimentaire 

Collège de Maisonneuve 

Institut de tourisme et 

d’hôtellerie du QC 

• YUKON (YT) 

Collège de Rosemont 

Collège de Valleyfield 

Yukon College 

Inst national de la recherche 

Collège Édouard-Montpetit 

The first step in the visa and 

immigration process to 

enter Canada as a student 

is to be accepted by an accredited 

institution. If you are not a 

Canadian citizen, a permanent 

resident of Canada or a family 

member of a foreign representative 

working in Canada, or a member 

of the armed forces of a country 

that is a designated state for the 

purpose of the Visiting Forces Act, 

you must obtain a study permit. 

A study permit is the official 

document issued by the Canadian 

embassy allowing someone 

who is not a Canadian citizen or 

permanent resident of Canada to 

study in Canada. The cost of the 

application and processing fee is 

$125.00 per person * . The Protocol 

Division of Foreign Affairs issues 

an acceptance to everyone who 

has diplomatic, consular, or 

official status in Canada and their 

family members. If you have this 

approval, you do not need a study 

permit to take courses in Canada. 

* All fees are in Canadian dollars, but you 

may be required to pay fees in local currency.

Canada 103 

There is no set processing period 

for a study permit. Due to the fact 

that the time required to process 

SOME PROGRAMMES 

DO NOT REQUIRE 

STUDENT VISA 

an application to study in Canada 

may vary at different visa offices in 

different countries. To expedite this 

process, you should apply as soon as 

you receive your letter of acceptance 

from the school. 

28 

days 

CUBA 

for 94% of applicants 

HAITI 


JAMAICA 


International students are not 

required to apply for a student visa 

for all programmes/courses. Here 

is a list of courses which do 

not require a study permit: 

• any programme of study 

that is six months or less that 

can be completed within the 

period authorized upon entry 

into Canada; 

• courses that are not academic, 

professional or vocational in 

nature that can be completed 

within the period authorized 

upon entry into Canada; 

• courses included in tour packages 

as a secondary activity for tourists 

• nursery schools or kindergartens. 

If your programme of study is six 

months or less but you intend to 

continue your studies in another 

programme you should apply for 

a study permit before going to 

Canada. This allows you to apply 

for an extension of your stay as 

a student from within Canada; 

otherwise, you will have to return 

to your home country to apply for 

a study permit from the relevant 

consulate office outside Canada. 

Required 

documentation 

You must show the officer that 

you meet the requirements of the 

Canadian Immigration and Refugee 

Protection Act and Regulations and 

that you will be in Canada for a 

temporary stay. You must also: 

• Provide some indication that you 

will leave Canada at the end of 

your studies; 

YOU MUST HAVE YOUR 

RETURN TRANSPORTATION 

• Show proof that you have 

been accepted by an educational 

institution; 

• Prove that you have enough 

money for the duration of your 

stay in Canada, to cover the cost of 

tuition fees and living expenses for 

yourself and accompanying family 

members (if any); 

• Show that you can cover the 

cost of return transportation for 

yourself and accompanying family 

members; 

• Be law abiding and have no 

record of criminal activity (you 

may be asked to provide a Police 

Clearance Certificate); 

• Not be a risk to the security of 

Canada; 

• Produce any additional 

documents requested by the officer 

to establish your admissibility; 

• Complete a medical examination, 

if required. 

• In some cases it may be necessary 

to attend an interview 

with the visa officer. 

In addition, to 

these requisites, 

students are 

required to provide the following 

documentation in support of their 

application: 

Proof of acceptance for attendance 

at a university, college or technical 

institution, a letter from the 

educational institution to show: 

• the name of the institution;

Canada 105 

• confirmation of your acceptance 

• and/or registration as a student; 

• the course of study; 

• the duration of the academic 

program; and 

• the latest date you may register. 

Proof of identity 

• a valid passport or travel 

document that guarantees re-entry 

to the country that issued it and; 

• six photos of you and your 

accompanying family members 

PROVE YOUR PRESENT 

IMMIGRATION 

STATUS 

Proof of financial support i.e. 

evidence that you can support 

yourself and accompanying 

family members while you study 

in Canada. Such evidence may 

include: 

• proof of a Canadian bank 

account in your name if money has 

been transferred to Canada; 

• your bank statements for the past 

four months; 

• a bank draft in convertible 

currency; 

• proof of payment of tuition and 

residence fees; 

• for those with a scholarship or 

those with a Canadian funded 

educational program: proof of 

funding paid from within Canada. 

If foreign exchange control 

measures exist in your country, 

you must provide proof that you 

will be permitted by the exchange 

control authorities of your country 

to export funds for all of 

your expenses. 

In addition, note that: 

• if you are not a citizen 

of the country in which 

you are applying, you 

must provide proof of your present 

immigration status in the country 

of application; 

• if the government that issued 

your passport or travel document 

requires a re-entry permit this must 

be obtained before you apply for a 

Canadian visa; 

• additional documents may be 

required, but this is based on 

individual circumstances. 

There are certain stipulations for, 

or conditions to, the study permit 

once issued. These may include 

one or more of the following: 

• the type of studies or course you 

may take 

• the educational institution you 

may attend 

• the location of your studies 

• the time and period of your studies 

• the time and place at which 

you shall report for medical 

examination or observation 

• the time and place at which you 

shall report for the presentation 

of evidence in compliance with 

applicable conditions 

• the prohibition of engaging in 

employment 

• the duration of your stay in 

Canada 

Patrick Covello/biochemist 

Visa 

extension 

The process of extending your 

student visa is fairly straight 

forward. You are required to apply 

a minimum of 30 days before the 

visa you currently holds expire. 

However, if your current permit 

expires before you receive an 

answer from the immigration 

services you are allowed to 

continue your studies under the 

condition of your previous visa 

until you have received a response. 

It is also now possible to apply 

online. 

more info: 

www.fco.gov.uk 

www.cic.gc.ca

Canada 107 

work permits 

Family visa 

If you are married or in a common 

law relationship (and you are able 

to provide proof), under current 

laws your partner may be allowed 

to live and work in Canada 

throughout the duration of your 

study. For further information 

please contact your consulate. 

Similarly, your dependent children 

are allowed to accompanying you. 

Children of parents who hold 

study or work permits are not 

required to have a study permit 

to attend elementary or secondary 

school in Canada, as long as their 

parent’s immigration document 

is valid for more than one year. 

Dependents of an international 

student whose study permit is 

valid for more than one year are 

not subject to “differential” fees. 

In order to make their transition 

back into education easier, it is 

advisable that you take two years 

of official school records with you 

(preferably in English, or with 

English translations). 

Working 

while 

studying 

As Caribbean students many of 

you may not have independent 

financial wealth and so I am sure 

if you are presented with the 

opportunity to work then you 

would want to be in a position 

to accept and perform well in a 

job. As such this information is to 

assist you with your transition into 

Canadian working life. 

First and foremost, it should be 

noted that it is possible to get a 

work permit while you study in 

Canada. However, the government 

clearly states, as a reminder, that 

your main purpose to be in Canada 

must be to study. Therefore, if you 

are no longer a student or your 

academic performance fall below 

a certain level then your work 

permit will be revoked or possibly 

cancelled when you send it in 

for renewal. Before undertaking 

your job searches please review 

the various categories under 

which you may apply. They are as 

follows: 

• Working on campus 

All students with a valid study 

permit may work on campus at 

THERE ARE SPECIFIC 

CONDITIONS FOR 

WORKING STUDENTS 

the institution where they study 

without a work permit, if you are a 

full-time student attending one of 

the institutions listed on the next 

page. 

• Working off campus 

The off campus working visa 

allows a certain category of 

international students to work 

while they study. In order to work 

off campus students must apply 

for a work permit. There are strict 

regulations that govern the right to 

work and although you may intend 

to or have already applied for a 

work permit, you should not begin 

to work off campus until you have 

received a work permit. The work 

permit allows students to work full 

time during winter and summer 

breaks but only 20 hours during 

the school term. For students to 

qualify they must be enrolled at 

a participating publicly 

funded post-secondary 

educational institution or 

in an approved program 

at an eligible privately 

funded institution. A 

clear description of the 

institutions that have participatory 

right is provided on the next page. 

It should be noted that although 

the institutions may qualify, 

some educational programmes 

are not included. Do contact the 

participating institutions to verify 

if your programme of interest is 

covered by this agreement. 

more info: 

www.workingincanada.gc.ca

Canada 109 

participating 

PUBLICLY 

FUNDED 

post-secondary 

educational 

institutions 

eligible 

PRIVATELY 

FUNDED 

post-secondary 

educational 

institutions 

public 

private 

are 

located 

have 

signed 

have 

approval 

• a college 

• a university 

• a CEGEP: collège d’enseignement 

général et professionnel in Quebec 

Operate under the same rules and 

regulations as public institutions, and 

receive at least 50 percent of their 

financing for their overall operations 

from government grants (currently 

only private college-level educational 

institutions in Quebec qualify) or 

schools which have signed an offcampus 

work agreement with their 

provincial or territorial government. 

are located in a province or territory 

that has signed a memorandum of 

understanding with Citizenship and 

Immigration Canada 

have signed an off-campus work 

agreement with their provincial 

or territorial government 

have approval from their provincial 

or territorial government to 

grant specific degrees. 

• Co-op and internships 

Any international student who 

would like to participate in coops 

or internships must apply for 

a work permit as well as a study 

permit. Do remember the rules 

and eligibility on how to apply for 

both the work and study permits. 

To be eligible for a work permit, 

you must meet the following 

conditions: 

• You must have a valid study 

permit. 

• Your intended employment 

must be an essential part of your 

program of study in Canada. 

• Your employment must be 

part of your academic program, 

certified by a letter from a 

responsible academic official of the 

institution. 

• Your co-op or internship 

employment cannot form more 

than 50 percent of the total 

program of study. 

Work 

after studies 

The Canadian government offers 

international students, who 

have graduated from one of the 

qualifying institutions listed on 

the previous page, the chance to 

gain invaluable work experience. 

This is a time limited visa that is 

determined by the duration of your 

studies. For instance: 

then 

If you studied for... 

you are not eligible for this 

program 

you may get a work permit 

for a period no longer than 

the length of time you 

studied (for example, if you 

studied for nine months, a 

work permit may be issued 

for a period of nine months) 

a work permit may be 

issued for three years even 

without the a job offer 

less than eight months 

less than two years but 

more than eight months 

two years or more

Canada 111 

• You are not eligible for 

postgraduation work 

if you: 

• study in a program that is less 

than eight months long; 

• participate in a Canadian 

Commonwealth Scholarship 

Program funded by the 

Department of Foreign Affairs and 

International Trade (DFAIT); 

• participate in a Government of 

Canada Awards Program funded 

by DFAIT; 

• receive funding from the 

Canadian International; 

Development Agency (CIDA) 

• participate in the Organization 

of American States Fellowships 

Program; 

• participate in a distance learning 

program either from abroad or 

from within Canada; 

• have previously been issued 

a Post-Graduation Work Permit 

following any other program 

of study. 

more info: 

www.cic.gc.ca 

• You may be eligible 

for the Post-Graduation 

Permit Program if none 

of the above criteria make you 

ineligible, but you must: 

• apply for a work permit within 

90 days of receiving written 

confirmation (for example, a 

transcript or an official letter) from 

your institution indicating that 

you have met the requirements 

for completing your academic 

program; 

• have completed and passed the 

program of study and received a 

notification that you are eligible 

to obtain your degree, diploma or 

certificate; 

• have a valid study permit when 

you apply for the work permit. 

This information was taken from 

the Canadian Citizenship and 

immigration website. 

Canadian 

embassies 

mailing adress 

Barbados - Bridgetown www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ The Canadian High 

The Canadian High 

Commission 

Commission 

barbados 

P.O. Box 404 

Bishop’s Court Hill 

tel: (246) 429-3550 

Bridgetown 

Bridgetown 

fax : (246) 437-7436 

Barbados 

Barbados 

bdgtn@dfait-maeci.gc.ca 

Guyana - Georgetown www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ The Canadian High P.O Box 10880 

Commission 

guyana/ 

Young & High Streets 

tel: 592-227-2081-5 

Georgetown, Guyana 

fax: 592-225-8380 

grgtn@dfait-maeci.gc.ca 

Embassy of Canada 

www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ 

Cuba - Havana 

Calle 30 No. 518 

cuba 

(esq. 7ma) 

tel: (+53-7) 204-2516 

Miramar (Playa) 

havan@international.gc.ca 

Ciudad de la Habana 

Cuba 

Delmas between Delmas 

tel: 011 (509) 2249-9000 

Haiti - Port-au-Prince 

75 and 71 

fax: 011 (509) 2249-9920 

Port-au-Prince, 

and 2249-9928 

Haiti 

prnce@international.gc.ca

Canada 113 

employment: 

vacancy sources 

mailing adress 

Canadian Embassy 

Capitán Eugenio de 

www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ 

Dominican Republic dominicanrepublic 

Marchena, No. 39 

A.P. 2054 

• Santo Domingo tel: 809-685-1136 

La Esperilla, 

Santo Domingo 

Dominican Republic 

Santo Domingo 

fax: 809-682-2691 


sdmgo@dfait-maeci.gc.ca 

Calle Villanueva No 8 

tel: 1-200-0012 / 809-586- 

• Puerto Plata 

Edificio Abraxas 

5761 

Consulate 

Puerto Plata 

fax: 809-586-5762 

canada.pop@gmail.com 

Jamaica – Kingston tel: (876) 926-1500 3 West Kings House Road High Commission 

P.O. Box 1500 

Waterloo Road Entrance 

fax: (876)511-3493 

Kingston 10 

Kingston, Jamaica 

kngtn@international.gc.ca 

Jamaica 

Trinidad and Tobago tel: 868-622-6232 

High Commission 

High Commission 

P.O. Box 1246 

Port of Spain 

Trinidad and Tobago 

Maple House, 

3-3A Sweet Briar Rd., 

St. Clair, Port of Spain, 


tel:868-O-CANADA 

Note: T&T is on the North 

American telephone system, so 

calling from outside the country is 

the same as calling to, or within, 

North America. 

fax: 868-628-2619 

pspanpa@international.gc.ca 

Although there are various 

work permit options for 

which you may qualify, 

there is no guarantee that you 

will find a job. So below are some 

helpful tips on how to secure a job. 

The chance of finding employment 

on campus will be very limited as 

you are competing with the rest of 

the student body. It is, therefore, 

advisable to start your job search 

early. Once you have received your 

letter of acceptance and have sent 

off the required documents for 

your visa, contact the institution 

you will be attending and ask 

if there are any vacancies on 

campus. Be sure to clearly state 

the areas in which you are looking 

to work. The other option in your 

job search is to target specific 

offices on campus; for example, by 

writing directly to the institutions 

bookshop, cafeteria, gym or a 

lecturer carrying out research in 

your field of intrest. If you are 

lucky enough to have a work 

permit that allows you to work off 

campus you will have to be even 

more persistent and assertive in 

the job hunt.

Canada 115 

Hidden 

vacancies 

One method of applying for jobs 

that is often overlooked is sending 

out speculative letters. Essentially, 

if there is a company that interests 

you, it may be worth your while to 

send a letter stating your skills and 

interest in the company along with 

your resume. 

Another way to find out about the 

job market is to use your networks; 

speak to family and friends. 

• Recruitment agencies 

There has been an increase in 

private employment agencies – 

some of these companies are Kelly 

Services, Adecco etcetera– that 

seek suitable employees to 

fill vacancies provided by 

employers. 

These companies are reputable 

and will be able to carry out a 

more intensive search on your 

behalf. Check “more info” boxes. 

more info: 

www.jobsincanada.ca 

www.yellowpages.ca 

Online recruitment 

services and job listings 

www.canadiancareers.com 

www.workingincanada.gc.ca 

www.canadajobsly.com 

www.jobs.ca 

Job Service provided by the 

government of Canada 

www.jobbank.gc.ca 

Labour market trends and 

links to other job sources 

www.theworkplace.ca 

www.careerboard.com 

Hospitality and service jobs 

www.cooljobscanada.com 

experience 

Careers advice and services 

www.goingtocanada.gc.ca 

Geared towards finding jobs 

on University and college 

campuses 

www.canadian-universities.net 

Monster Canada 

www.monster.ca 

Canada Job Search Tool 

www.canadavisa.com 

Jobs4Canada 

www.jobs4canada.com 

Canada Summer Jobs 

(created to assist students in 

finding the right kind of 

work experience) 

www.servicecanada.gc.ca 

Job Shark 

www.jobshark.ca 

• Newspapers 

A good place to start your job 

search is by checking the job 

pages of newspapers, for instance 

The Toronto Star is one of the 

main national newspapers. Other 

newspapers are The National Post 

and The Globe and Mail. 

It may also be good to check the 

regional newspapers of the area 

in which you plan to reside; for 

example, the Vancouver Sun or the 

Montreal Gazette. 

newspapers: 

The Toronto Star 

www.thestar.com 

The National Post 

www.canada.com/nationalpost 

The Globe and Mail 

www.globeandmail.com

Canada 117 

CV writing 

• Contact details 

Such as name, address, telephone 

number, email address DO NOT 

INLUDE biographic details 

(marital status, religion, sex, social 

insurance number or age) 

• Personal Statement 

(although optional it is advisable) 

a brief description of career goals. 

• Education 

In reverse chronological order, first 

include from the last place of study 

to the first 

• Professional skills 

Based development: outline any 

conferences attended, workshops 

in which you participated or 

career related development 

programs. 

• Skills and Abilities 

Detail any skills and or abilities 

that you have acquired through 

clubs, societies, sports , volunteer 

work or leisure activities. 

• Work experience 

Again list in reverse chronological 

order with dates names and 

location of companies. Provide 

a description of your roles and 

responsibilities in point form 

• References 

Simply state that ‘REFERENCES 

WILL BE PROVIDED ON 

REQUEST’. Employers will usually 

accept academic, work whether 

paid or unpaid and personal 

references. 

Example of a CV 

more info: 

resume samples 

www.resumeworldinc.com 

www.resource. 

educationcanada.com 

Governamental resources 

(French and English): 

www.jobsetc.ca 

workbloom.com 

www.cvtips.com 

www.canadajobs.com 

JOHN DOE 

1200 Anywhere, Any city, Any town, postcode. 

Tel: 641-834-0000 – email: johndoe@whatever.ca 

SUMMARY 

A self-starter with a strong entrepreneurial attitude combined with sound knowledge of the Financial Services 

Industry, including Investment Management, Capital Markets, Statistical Modeling, Valuation, Financial 

Management, Asset Management and Regression Analysis. Strong analytical skills with proficiency in 

computer-modeling using current statistical applications and modern modeling methodologies. 

EDUCATION 

2006 – 2010 UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO 

B.Com. Degree Program – (GPA 3.97) 

2009 THE CANADIAN SECURITIES INSTITUTE 

Canadian Security Course 

RELEVANT SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED THROUGH EDUCATION 

• Ability to assess the capital structure of a company, evaluate its financing and business needs, 

calculate the cost of capital and associated financial risk and determine asset and equity valuation 

• Acquired knowledge of statistical and economic methods, financial and capital market environments 

and an awareness of the major issues facing financial and portfolio managers 

• Knowledge of asset evaluation, market efficiency and the macroeconomic influences on asset returns, 

as well as economic factors affecting investment decisions and the securities markets 

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE 

ROLMAC CORPORATE GROUP, Toronto, Ontario 2008, 2009 

Investment Broker’s Assistant – Investment Division 

(summers) 

• Compiled statistical, industry and corporate information from both primary and secondary sources 

and utilized computer modeling to identify investment opportunities for brokers’ clients 

UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO, London, Ontario 2007 

Research Assistant – Finance Department 

(summer) 

• Conducted regression analysis related to the effects of options trading on securities prices and trends 

of high and low yield stocks, using TSE computer modeling methodology 

• Completed project two weeks ahead of scheduled deadline based on ability to manage time 

effectively and coordinate and handled multiple tasks simultaneously 

TORONTO PARKS AND RECREATION, Toronto, Ontario 2006 - 2007 

Sports Camp Program Coordinator 

(summers) 

• Developed and implemented 10 sports activities and recreational outings for 65 camp students 

• Ranked # one among 20 Sports Camp Program Coordinators for creativity in program design 

• Designed a competitive soccer program that was recognized by Parks and Recreation and 

implemented throughout the Toronto area. 

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES/COMMUNITY SERVICES 

• Coordinator, Community Support Group for Students with Special Needs 

• President’s Advisory Committee Member, University of Toronto 

• Second Year Economics Representative, University of Toronto 

• Biking, swimming, bowling, competitive chess, and Victorian art collection 

COMPUTER AND RELATED SKILLS 

Statistical and Computer Modeling Applications; Lotus Suite; Microsoft Office Suite and Internet Explorer

Canada 119 

General hints 

and tips 

• The resume should be no longer 

than two pages. 

• Students may submit a copy 

of their transcript, to provide 

employers with information on 

relevant coursework and grades. 

• Target resume to the area of work 

to which you are applying. 

• Employers often acknowledge the 

receipt of speculative letters which 

some keep on file for a limited period. 

• The layout should be 

clear, in a bold and 

legible font. 

Marlene Jennings / jurist 

more info: 

www. goingtocanada.gc.ca

United Kingdom 

121 

United 

Kingdom 

Doris Lessing / writer 

chapter 3



123 

Northern 

Ireland 

belfast 

Scotland 

Edinburgh 

Wales 

Cardiff 

England 

London 

Officially, the United 

Kingdom consists of the 

United Kingdom of Great 

Britain and Northern Ireland. 

For physical geography and local 

administrative divisions, see 

England, Wales, Scotland, and 

Northern Ireland. The capital of 

Great Britain and its largest city 

is London. As a highly advanced 

country, United 

Kingdom is a 

member of premier 

world bodies 

like the G8. The 

country is also a 

founding member 

of the North 

Atlantic Treaty 

Organization (NATO) and the 

United Nations. The country has 

a permanent seat in the Security 

Council of the United Nations. 

The United Kingdom has a highly 

developed economy that has been 

measured at US$1.833 trillion. 

Its GDP is the fifth largest in the 

world. As per 2011 estimates, 

the country had a population of 

62 million and is the third most 

populous state in the European 

Union. 

Great Britain is a constitutional 

monarchy and its constitution 

exists in no one document but is 

a centuries-old accumulation of 

statutes, judicial decisions, usage, 

and tradition. The hereditary 

monarch, who must belong to 

THE COUNTRY HAS A 

POPULATION OF 62 MILLION 

AND IS THE THIRD MOST 

POPULOUS STATE 

IN THE EU. 

the Church of England according 

to the Act of Settlement of 1701, 

is almost entirely limited to 

exercising ceremonial functions 

as the head of state. Governance 

of the entire territory, however, is 

not centralized. Since 1999 both 

Scotland and Wales have assumed 

some regional governmental 

powers through the institution 

of a parliament and an assembly, 

respectively. In addition, Northern


125 

WHY THE 

UNITED KINGDOM? 

Ireland has had home rule 

through a parliament or assembly 

at various times since the early 

20th century. The introduction of 

Scottish and Welsh representative 

assemblies has raised the question 

THOUSANDS OF 

STUDENTS HAVE FLOCKED 

THE HOME OF THE ENGLISH 

LANGUAGE TO GAIN 

MASTERY OVER IT. 

ultimately lead to the dissolution 

of the United Kingdom. 

Despite the political debate, the two 

main parties are the Conservative 

party which descended from the 

old Tory party and the Labour 

party which was 

organized in 1906 and 

is moderately socialist. 

The Liberal Democrats, 

formed by the merger 

of the Liberal party and 

the Social Democratic 

party, is a weaker third 

party. Both Scotland and 

Wales have nationalist 

parties whose goal is the 

independence of those 

respective regions. 

• Education system 

The United Kingdom has had 

a long tradition of educating 

international students and, as 

such, the standards of quality for 

UK institutions are amongst the 

highest in the world. Universities, 

colleges and schools are 

continually assessed to make sure 

they meet a strict criteria. 

of whether England should have 

its own parliament, separate 

from that of the United Kingdom, 

with powers similar to those of 

the Scottish body, or whether 

Scottish and Welsh members of 

the British parliament should be 

barred from voting on matters 

that affect England only. The 

issue is controversial, with some 

fearing that the establishment of 

a parliament for England would 

As the home of the English 

language, the country has gained a 

special status throughout the world 

as thousands of students have 

flocked the country to gain mastery 

over the language. 

John Sulston / Human Genome Project


127 

• Recognised education 

UK qualifications are recognised 

and valued all over the world - in 

DURING TERM-TIMES 

YOU CAN WORK UP TO 

20 HOURS PER WEEK 

academic institutions, in commerce, 

industry and government. This is 

a direct result of the UK’s lengthy 

tradition of high-quality education, 

its continuing commitment to 

innovation and modernity, and 

the value it places upon the 

individual. For all of these reasons 

a UK education represents a great 

investment in the future. An 

investment in opportunity, earning 

power, career advancement and 

personal fulfilment. 

• Length of study 

Undergraduate degrees in the UK 

are generally three years in length 

and taught master’s programmes 

usually span a year, compared to 

four and two years respectively in 

most other countries. Where time 

is a factor, this means you should 

be able to save on both tuition fees 

and living costs by studying here. 

• Work opportunities 

During your studies in the 

UK, you can take advantage 

of having permission to 

work. A visa means that 

you have the right to enter 

and remain as a student in the 

UK, and is nomrally granted for 

studies of 6 months or longer. 

During University term-times 

you can work up to 20 hours per 

week and during the vacation 

periods you can work full-time. 

Many international students use 

this opportunity to gain valuable 

work experience and to improve 

their English language skills. 

• People and culture 

The experience of living in a 

truly international country. The 

UK is a multicultural and multifaith 

based country. It offers 

both strong English traditions 

and a diverse mix of global 

cultures to any international 

student. It is a cosmopolitan 

society and is home to 

over a quarter of a million 

international students at any 

one time. 

• Language training 

Studying in the UK will give you 

the opportunity to improve or 

perfect your English language 

skills. English is the international 

language of business, science 

and technology, and by studying 

in the UK you will be able to 

immerse yourself in the language, 

giving you the English skills you 

need for any career path. 

• Health care 

The UK has a subsidised health 

service called the National Health 

Service (NHS). The NHS provides 

free and subsidised treatment for 

UK residents. As a student, you, 

your spouse and any children who 

accompany you to the UK as your 

dependants are entitled to free 

NHS treatment as long as you are 

enrolled in a university programme 

for more than 6 months. 

more info: 

Pound 

sterling 

£ 

Quality Assurance Agency 

for Higher Education 

http://www.qaa.ac.uk


129 

ADMISSION 

AND funding 

Norman Foster / architect 

Traditionally, students from 

the Caribbean tend to 

mistakenly regard England 

as the United Kingdom. However, 

as previously stated, the UK is 

divided into four geographic 

regions. In general the admission, 

scholarship and visa information 

for all four geographies is the 

same. These four 

regions mean that 

there are other 

options, including 

but not limited to 

England, which you 

could consider. All 

four regions are considered in 

this chapter so as to provide you 

with the information you need for 

informed decision making. 

The British higher education 

system is based on a series of 

lectures, seminars, tutorials and 

self-directed study; which exposes 

students to a wide range of 

learning techniques and provides 

added preparation for the working 

world. Students who are coming 

from Caribbean countries with 

curriculum models based on the 

British system will be familiar with 

much of the educational customs; 

for example, the British academic 

year is divided into three terms 

(autumn, winter and spring). 

Each term is approximately 10 to 

12 weeks, with 3 week breaks in 

between each term. 

THE BRITISH EDUCATION 

SYSTEM EXPOSES STUDENTS 

TO A WIDE RANGE OF 

LEARNING TECHNIQUES 

At some universities, particular 

subjects require students to 

complete a foundation course 

first adding extra time to the 

normally required three years 

for undergraduate studies. A 

foundation course consists of a 

class or a number of classes that 

bring the student up to university 

level of understanding in the 

subject area, before commencing 

core courses of the degree. Degrees 

can be awarded for study of a 

single academic subject (single 

honours), a combination of two


131 

subjects (joint honours) or a 

modular degree course which 

consists of three or more subjects 

(combined honours). * 

There is a central application 

system for all undergraduate 

programmes. So the internet is a 

good place to start your search for 

APPLYING TO STUDY 

ABROAD CAN OFTEN BE AN 

OVERWHELMING PROCESS 

information on various institutions 

and the courses offered. As 

discussed throughout this volume, 

applying to study abroad can 

often be an overwhelming process 

because of the variety of options 

available. To minimize the pressures 

of an application process, the United 

Kingdom has invested in a central 

application system that processes 

applications for individuals 

interested in higher education; it is 

called the University and College 

Admissions Service (UCAS). 

* The ‘honors’ is normally referred to as 

‘majors’ in the American school system. For instance, 

a student could take a ‘double major’ 

UCAS is not the only source for 

information on the various higher 

institutions. To find course and 

institution information for the UK, 

prospective students can search 

for courses on the British Council’s 

Education UK website and/or 

on the Hotcourses website. It is 

also possible, if you have interest 

in a particular 

institution, to 

contact: 

contact them 

directly. ** 

Universities and College 

Admissions Service 

(UCAS) 

Rosehill, 

New Barn Lane, 

Cheltenham, 

Glos GL 3LZ, 


www.ucas.co.uk 

** A list of universities found throughout the 

UK is included in this chapter. 

General 

requirements 

Higher education courses 

throughout the UK have very 

stringent entry requirements. It may 

be worthwhile to mention here that 

entry to reputable institutions in the 

country is highly competitive as a 

relatively large number of people 

apply for higher education. 

England, Wales and Northern Ireland only 

Scottish equivalent of GCSE 

taken at end of S4 (age 15) 

Scottish equivalent of A level 

taken at end of S5 (age 16/17) 

A new system of exams for post-16 

in Scotland which started in 1999. 

In completing secondary/high 

school in the UK, these are the 

types of achievements that students 

normally earn. As international 

students. You will be required to 

prove equivalency to these results: 

GCSE 

AS 

A2 A level 

GNVQ 

NVQ 

SCE Standard Grade 

SCE Higher Grade 

SCE Higher Still 

GSVQ 

SVQ


133 

Entry requirements vary by 

course and institution as such 

these are general requirements. 

For example, students applying 

to art and design courses are 

required to provide copies of a 

portfolio or examples of work. 

Therefore, you should check 

the entry requirements for each 

selected course carefully. Entry 

requirements can be checked by: 

• looking at the profile information 

in the course search window on 

the UCAS or hot courses website, 

• checking the course prospectus, 

• contacting university or college 

admissions department 

Entrance requirements 

Students should also check their 

qualifications (including any for 

which they are currently studying) 

with the universities and colleges 

they want to apply to. 

Transcripts 

Prospective students will be 

required to provide institutions 

with certificates/transcripts 

that show that they have passed 

all of the required exams. The 

institutions may ask that these be 

translated into English, if your 

country’s main language is not 

English. Also check with their 

university or college on whether 

they need the originals or certified 

photocopies. 

LANGUAGE 

REQUIREMENTS 

The United Kingdom institutions 

accept a wide range of exams to assess 

an individuals’ English language 

proficiency. Listed below are a 

few that are very prevalent in the 

Caribbean. * 

University of Cambridge 

International Examinations 

CIE 



IELTS 

Test of English as a Foreign Language 

TOEFL 

* Be aware that there are other options. 

more info: 

TOEFL 

www.ets.org/toefl 

www.ets.org/toefl/locations 

institutions that accept 

TOEFL 

www.ets.org/toefl/ukdirectory 

Tests to assess English 

language proficiency 

www.ucas.com/students/ 

nonukstudents/englangprof 

There is one fundamental 

difference in the higher 

education system in the UK: 

In England, Northern Ireland 

and Wales the undergraduate 

studies normally take 3 

years to complete, while in 

Scotland the length of study 

is 4 years. 

• GCE O Level English Language (grade C or above). 

• IGCSE First Language English (Syllabus number 0500) - grade C or above. 

• IGCSE English as a Second Language (Syllabus number 0510) - grade C or above. 

Regulated by Cambridge ESOL, the British Council and the International 

Development Programme Education Australia. Most UK HEIs require an overall 

score of 5.0-7.5, depending on the content of the course. The test report form is 

considered valid for two years and candidates receive a band score for each of the 

following skill areas: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Applicants should 

offer academic rather than general training, reading and writing modules. 

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test is offered in internet-based 

(iBT) and paper-based (PBT) formats. The TOEFL iBT consists of four sections: 

Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing, and the entire test is four hours long. 

Scores are divided according to the four sections and an overall total score is 

provided. The test is recognised and accepted in over 6000 institutions globally. View 

the complete list of universities and colleges that accept TOEFL at www.ets.org/ 

toefl/ukdirectory. Each institution will list their TOEFL score requirements on their 

website and these may vary.


135 

RECOGNITION OF 


The National Recognition 

Information Centre for the 

United Kingdom (UK NARIC), 

is an organization in the UK that 

is responsible for equivalency 

and recognition of international 

YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR 

A SCHOLARSHIP AT LEAST 

ONE YEAR BEFORE YOUR 

DATE OF STUDY 

qualifications. UK NARIC is the 

first step for anyone planning 

to study or work in the UK. UK 

NARIC is the only official source 

of comparison information and 

advice on international education 

and training systems and overseas 

skills and qualifications. 

more info: 

www.naric.org.uk 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

If you would like to apply for a 

scholarship in the UK, you are 

advised to do so at least one year 

before your proposed date of 

study. In the first instance, it is 

best to contact your Ministry of 

Education or a British 

representative office 

(British Council, 

consulate or Embassy) 

in your country of 

origin or residence, 

as they should have 

details of scholarship 

opportunities for students. All 

other information with reference to 

scholarship application is outlined 

in the first chapter. 

• Rhodes scholarship 

Funded by the sums left in the will 

of Cecil John Rhodes, the British 

diamond magnate and imperialist. 

The Rhodes Trustees have instituted 

two (2) Rhodes Scholarships tenable 

at the University of Oxford to be 

awarded to candidates from the 

Commonwealth Caribbean as 

follows: 

Elena Ochoa / artbooks publisher 

The Jamaica Rhodes Scholarship, 

available to candidates from 

Jamaica only. 

The Commonwealth Caribbean 

Rhodes Scholarship available to 

candidates from the Caribbean 

generally, excluding Jamaicans. 

After election for the scholarsip, 

a successful candidate still has to 

gain admission to the University 

of Oxford. There is no guarantee 

of admission and the award of 

the scholarship is not confirmed 

by the Rhodes Trustees until the 

scholar-elect has been accepted by a 

department/faculty of the university 

and one of its colleges. Election for 

the scholarships, once confirmed, is 

normally for two years. 

• British Chevening 

Scholarships 

Funded by the Foreign and 

Commonwealth Office. The 

aim of the British Chevening 

Scholarships scheme is to bring to 

the UK future leaders, decisionmakers 

and opinion-formers for 

a period of postgraduate study


137 

at a formative stage of their 

careers. Candidates should have 

established a proven record of 

success and should have the 

potential to rise to positions of 

power and influence in their 

chosen careers. 

CSFP is britain´s 

contribution to 

the international 

commonwealth PLAN 

• Commonwealth 

Scholarship and 

Fellowship Plan (CSFP) 

Funded by the Department for 

International Development and 

the Foreign and Commonwealth 

Office. Commonwealth 

Scholarships and Fellowships are 

offered by the Commonwealth 

Scholarship Commission in 

the United Kingdom, as part 

of Britain’s contribution to the 

international Commonwealth 

Scholarship and Fellowship Plan. 

• Commonwealth Shared 

Scholarship Scheme 

Funded jointly by the Department 

for International Development 

and participating universities 

in the UK.This scheme assists 

academically able students 

who are applying 

from the developing 

Commonwealth countries 

and who would benefit 

from higher education 

in the UK, to the 

developmental advantage 

of their home countries 

but who, for financial 

reasons, are unable to study in the 

UK and are outside the scope of 

other British government support 

schemes. 

• Overseas Research 

Students Awards Scheme 

(ORSAS) 

Funded by the Department for 

Innovation, Universities and Skills. 

These grants are for postgraduate 

students undertaking full-time 

study for a research degree 

at British higher education 

institutions. 

more info: 

Rhodes scholarship 

www.rhodes-caribbean. 

com 

Scholarship Search UK 

www.scholarship-search. 

org.uk. 

Social Change 

information for 

international students 

who wish to study in the 

UK or who are already 

studying in the UK 

www.dsc.org.uk. 

Commonwealth Shared 

Scholarship Scheme 

www.csfp-online.org 

Overseas Research 

Students Awards Scheme 

(ORSAS) 

www.orsas.ac.uk 

Robert G. Edwards / Developer of in vitro fertilization


139 

Undergraduate 

studies 

• UK colleges and 

universities 

Many UK higher education 

institutions have a limited number 

of scholarships for international 

students. However, they may be 

restricted to students studying in 

particular subject areas or from certain 

countries. Contact the institution 

where you would like to study to see 

if you are eligible. The undergraduate 

application for all institutions 

throughout the UK can be done via 

the central online application system 

on the UCAS website. The system 

makes the application process easier 

in many respects; 

• The site may be accessed 

24 hours a day 

• Applicants are able to 

complete the application online and 

may return to the application as many 

times as is required to satisfactorily 

complete the form. 

• Students are able to 

apply for up to six (6) different 

institutions and place these in 

preferential order. 

• The cost of a single 

application is £11 GBP, if you choose 

to apply to more than one course, 

university or college you need to 

pay £22 GBP when you apply. 

• Payments can be made via the 

internet, using a credit or debit card. * 

• The card does not have to 

be in your own name, but you will 

require the consent of the cardholder. 

• The site accepts UK 

and international Visa, Delta, 

MasterCard, Maestro and Electron 

credit or debit cards. 

• In addition, you can pay 

via: cheque , postal order or direct 

payment to the UCAS bank account. 

• Average tuition fees 

(2010-2011) 

more info: 

UCAS 


* If you have trouble paying via credit or 

debit card, you should contact your local British 

Council who may be able to provide alternatives. 

english 

CAREER 

BASED 

AND PRE- 

UNIVERSITY 

INDEPENDENT 

SCHOOLS 

tional 

POST- 

GRADuATe 

courses undergraduate 

£7,000 to £12,000 

£4,000 to £12,000 

foundation 

£7,000 to £12,000 

£7,000 to £9,000 

arts and 

humanities 

7,500 to £25,000 

£7,500 to £22,000 

science 

£10,000 to £25,000 

clinical 

£10,000 to £33,000 

MBA 

£4,000 to £17,000 

£4,000 to more 

AS and A 

than £34,000 

levels 

£4,000 to £6,000 

BTECs and 

other voca- 

£5,000 to £10,000 

HNC/HNDs 

£4,000 to £17,000 

international 

from £200 

to £2,000 

from £8,000 to 

£28,000 per year 

foundation 

ranges vary 

from school 

to school

United Kingdom 141 

VISA AND 

ImMIGRATION 

Postgraduate 

studies 

For postgraduate research and 

study opportunities, a great 

source of information is Prospects. 

This organisation has a range of 

information and resources for 

prospective students that are 

interested to study in the UK. 

Other options include reviewing 

institutions individually for 

admissions information. Similarly, 

you could contact universities of 

interest so that they can send you a 

prospectus, which lists the courses 

it offers. There is also the British 

High Commission in your home 

country or at least an information 

office, which usually has copies 

of prospectuses and admissions 

information for institutions 

in the UK. By contacting your 

local British Council office, you 

may gain access to a wide range 

of information as the council 

functions as a reservoir of 

knowledge on studying in the 

UK. Most recently, there has been 

a move to centralise postgraduate 

programmes in the UK. As such, 

several institutions have posted 

their information on the UK 

Postgraduate Application and 

Statistical Service (UKPASS) 

website. Prospective students 

are able to search and apply for 

postgraduate programmes by 

registering with UKPASS. This is 

a fairly new effort and so there is 

a limited number of postgraduate 

programmes listed but it is worth a 

try. If a university or college is not 

part of the scheme, you may need 

to apply directly to that institution. 

more info: 

Prospects 

www.prospects.ac.uk 

UKPASS 

www.ukpass.ac.uk 

T 

he Home Office has 

introduced a new 

points based system for 

immigration * . The system awards 

points to people from outside the 

European Economic Area (EEA) for 

skills that reflect the individuals 

previous work, educational 

and other demographic details. 

Based on this scheme students 

are classifies as being in Tier 

4. Generally speaking, foreign 

nationals are now categorised as 

belonging to five levels or tiers: 

• Tier 1 Highly skilled individuals 

• Tier 2 Skilled workers with a 

job offer 

• Tier 3 Limited numbers of 

low skilled workers 

• Tier 4 Students 

• Tier 5 Youth mobility and 

temporary workers. 

You are probably asking yourself 

about the relevance of this 

information. The point is simply to 

show the levels of restriction and 

therefore the difficulty in obtaining 

* From the research undertaken, the UK’s is 

one of the most difficult visas to acquire. The state has 

a steady flow of immigrants and because of this the 

immigration services has put in place very stringent visa 

regulations. Therefore careful preparation is integral. 

a visa. It is therefore important to 

spend sometime researching visa 

requirements. 

• How do I apply for a visa? 

The method of application for 

a visa is largely dependent on 

your country of residence. There 

are a number of ways to apply; 

for example, by post, by courier, 

in person or online. You may 

also need to call the information 

services office in your country 

of residence. If you cannot apply 

Contact your local 

British Council 

or embassy 

online you will need to fill in a 

visa application form VAF 3A - 

Student. You can get a form free 

of charge from your nearest visa 

application centre or from the visa 

application forms page on the 

website. You are required to apply 

for a student visa in the country 

for which you are a national or 

where you legally reside.


143 

Students are required to apply for 

a student entry clearance before 

gaining permission to study in 

the UK. This applies whether 

or not you are a ‘visa national’. * 

Visa nationals require a Student 

Visitor visa before travelling to the 

UK; non-visa nationals can apply 

for this permission on arrival at 

the port or airport by producing 

the required documents. People 

who enter as student visitors 

are not allowed to extend their 

stay from the UK. For additional 

information, see the Foreign and 

Commonwealth Office leaflet 

British Visa Requirements, 

Information for Students (INF5). 

For this and any other information 

regarding student visas, see www. 

ukvisas.gov.uk. If you have not 

yet travelled to the UK, a printed 

copy can be obtained free from any 

British Embassy, High Commission 

or Consulate which operates an 

entry clearance service. If you are 

* A visa national is an individual that 

requires a visa (pre-approval based on set criteria’s as 

determined by the UK government) to enter the UK 

as a tourist/in transit. Conversely a non-visa national 

is an individual who would not require pre-approval; 

instead admission is determined at the port of entrance. 

• You will also need: 

• Your passport or travel document 

• A recent passport-sized (45mm 

x 35mm), colour photograph of 

yourself taken against a lightalready 

in the UK, you can obtain a 

printed copy from: 

Visa Correspondence Section 

UK Visas 

London SW1A 2AH 

Tel 0845 010 5555 

Required 

documentation 

In an effort to increase your chance 

of having your visa approved, you 

should include as much relevant 

documentary evidence as possible. 

This will show the immigration 

officer that you qualify and your sole 

purpose for seeking entry into the 

UK is to study. If you do not, your 

application may be refused. 

more info: 

VISA CORRESPONDENCE 

SECTION 

www.ukvisas.gov.uk 

As a guide, you should include: 

• any relevant diplomas or 

educational certificates that you have 

• a letter from the university, college 

or school confirming that you have 

been accepted on a course of study 

and/or a period of research in the UK 

• a statement of charges for the course 

(or period of research if appropriate) 

• information on whether you 

are following a certain type of 

postgraduate study, such as Academic 

Technology Approval Scheme 

Certificate (ATAS) 

• bank statements, payslips or 

other evidence to show that you are 

financially capable of covering both 

your living costs and the cost of your 

education. Evidence may be in the 

form of government sponsorship 

(if appropriate) or, if you are being 

privately sponsored (for example, by 

a college in the UK), a letter from your 

sponsor with details on how they will 

support you during the programme. 

coloured background . The 

photograph should be clear and 

of good quality; not framed 

or backed printed on normal 

photographic paper and full face 

and without sunglasses, hat or 

other head covering unless you 

wear this for cultural or religious 

reasons. 

• The visa fee, which is nonrefundable. 

You would normally 

pay this fee in the local currency 

of the country from which you are 

applying. 

• Other supporting documents 

you believe to be relevant to your 

individual application. 

• Visa processing times 

The student visa processing time 

varies depending on the country 

of application. It is prudent to 

apply at least 6 months before the 

actual start of your course, as this 

will give you the opportunity to 

resolve any issues that may arise 

during the process. If you apply 

from within the UK, the service 

standard is to have a decision 

made on 75% of applications 

within four weeks.


145 

Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov / physicists inventors of the new material grafeno 

more info: 

www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk 

Visa 

application 

fees 

if you apply from 

if you apply in 

if you apply by 

outside the uk 

person in the uk 

post from the uk 

main applicant £357 £650 £220 

£220 for each 

family member 

£150 for each family 

member included on 

the main applicant’s 

application form 


member included on 

the main applicant’s 

application form 

partner or child 

aged under 18 

(if they are applying at 

the same time as the 

main applicant) 

£220 for each 

family member 


member 


member 

partner or child 

aged under 18 

(if they are applying later) 

or child aged over 18


147 

Accredited 

institutions 

So you have been accepted to a 

university in the UK, but you are 

being denied a visa, although 

you have sent in all the required 

documents. The reason may be that 

the institution to which you have 

been admitted is not recognised by 

the government. UK immigration 

permission is granted only for 

study at colleges and universities 

which are listed 

on the Register 

of Education and 

Training Providers. 

Check whether 

the institution you 

want to attend 

is on the register 

before you make your immigration 

application. If the institution is not 

on the register, your application 

will be refused. The following 

education and training providers 

are automatically included on the 

register: 

• Those that receive public funding 

• Institutions that are accredited 

through the British Council, the 

British Accreditation Council, or 

the Association of British Language 

Schools 

• Institutions that have been 

inspected and approved by 

government inspection bodies. 

the institution to which 

you have been admitted 

must be recognised by the 

government 

more info: 

www.dcsf.gov.uk 

Length of 

student visas 

LENGTH OF STAY 

ALLOWED 

TYPE OF COURSE LENGTH OF COURSE 

The full length of the course 

plus four months after the 

end of your course 

12 months or more 

Degree level or above 


plus two months after the 


Six months or more, 

but less than 12 

months 

Degree level or above 

Less than six months The full length of the course 

plus one month after the 


Course to prepare you 

for study (known as 

pre-sessional) 


plus seven days after the 


Less than six months 

Short course (not one 

to prepare you for 

study) 

12 months or more The full length of the course 

(up to a maximum of three 

years if you are 18 years old 

or above) plus four months 

after the end of your course 

Below degree level 

more info: 

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/. 

The processing period is subject 

to change without notice, so 

please see website for up-todate 

details. 

The full length of the 

course plus two months 

after the end of your course 

Below degree level Six months or more, 

but less than 12 

months 

The full length of the 

course (up to a maximum 

of three years) 

plus one month after the 


Maximum of three 

years 

Postgraduate doctors 

and dentists on a 

recognised Foundation 

programme


work permit 

149 

Family visa 

Your husband, wife or civil partner 

and the children will receive 

immigration conditions that will 

allow them to work if you are 

granted permission to enter or 

remain in the UK as a student 

for 12 months or more. This is 

the case even if family members’ 

leave is less than 12 months. They 

should make sure they have a 

copy of your passport if they are 

12 months or Less 

travelling after you, as the entry 

clearance officer will need to see 

the pages showing your name, 

entry clearance sticker and how 

long your permission lasts. 

If your permission was granted 

for less than 12 months your 

family members will not receive 

immigration conditions that will 

allow them to work. * 

* Although, this will not prevent family 

members from gaining entry through other visa 

options. 

Working 

while 

studying 

All international students who 

have been given permission to 

study in the UK (except student 

visitors) are authorised to work. If 

your application for leave to stay 

in the UK as a student has been 

successful, you should be given a 

passport sticker that allows you to: 

• Work part-time up to 20 

hours a week during term time 

and work full-time during your 

holidays 

• Work full-time at the end 

of your studies, during the period 

when your course has finished but 

your immigration permission to 

be in the UK has not yet expired 

(normally for a maximum period 

of four months). 

• Take a work 

placement with an employer 

(sandwich students), and 

• Take an internship or a 

placement with an employer to 

gain valuable work experience in 

your field of study. 

To be granted entry as a student, 

you must be able to show that you 

can afford to study and live in the 

UK without needing 

to work. You must 

be able to support 

and accommodate 

yourself and any 

dependants without 

working in the UK 

and without recourse to public 

funds. * However, when your 

means are assessed, anticipated 

income can be taken into account 

if your UK institution is a publicly 

funded institution of further or 

higher education which is itself 

providing and guaranteeing the 

employment (and has provided 

details of how much you will earn). 

Similar immigration rules apply if 

you are a sandwich student, or has 

a guaranteed job which specifies 

how much you will earn. You can 

use accumulated savings from your 

* Public funds refer to a range of social 

benefits that are granted to citizens in precarious 

financial situation, such a unemployment benefits or 

government funded housing. 

work in the UK to show you have 

the financial means to take another 

course if you wish to continue 

studying in the UK. 

YOU MUST BE ABLE TO 

ACCOMMODATE YOURSELF 

WITHOUT WORKING IN THE UK 

Work after 

studies 

Within this tier system, the 

opportunity to work after 

completing your studies is largely 

dependent on whether you meet 

the requirements for any of the 

schemes that the UK government 

operates. ** 

If applying to stay in the UK 

to work in any of the categories 

previously mentioned, there is no 

** For further information go to the Home 

Office website.


151 

need to show that you can afford to 

stay in the UK without needing to 

work. At the moment, the schemes 

that are most suitable for students 

who have finished their studies 

are: 

• International Graduates 

Scheme (IGS) 

For all those who have obtained 

a UK degree or postgraduate 

certificate or diploma on or after 1 

May 2007, or a degree completed 

before this date from a list of 

qualifying courses. This scheme 

allows most students to apply to 

stay in the UK for up to a year in 

any kind of job without needing a 

work permit, to be self-employed, 

or to set up a business. 

• Work Permit Scheme 

Is available for jobs where no 

suitable candidate of British/ 

European nationality has been 

identified for the position, and 

in occupations where there is a 

shortage of qualified workers. 

• Training and Work 

Experience Scheme 

Is work-based training for 

individuals with a professional or 

specialist qualification, or work 

experience. 

• Highly Skilled 

Migrant Programme 

Is for candidates with degrees and 

work experience along with prior 

earnings at a certain level. 

include a post-study category, 

incorporating the International 

Graduates Scheme and Fresh 

Talent to allow international 

students to work in the UK for 

two years on completion of 

their degree studies. Tier 1 will 

also include an ‘Entrepreneurs’ 

category, incorporating the current 

Innovators scheme and a ‘general’ 

category incorporating the Highly 

Skilled Migrant Programme. 

You can apply for a maximum of 

12 months under the scheme but 

will not be able to apply again 

even if you complete another 

qualification later. However, 

keep in mind that it is possible to 

qualify for another work permit 

or move into the Highly Skilled 

Migrant Programme or Innovators 

scheme. 

Points-based 

system (PBS) 

Innovators scheme for 

entrepreneurs 

Is a new points-based system 

for controlling migration, which 

is being phased in over a two 

year period (mid 2009 start) and 

will replace all of the categories 

described above. Tier 1 will 

more info: 

Home Office website 


Francis Bacon / painter


employment: 


153 


Most vacancies in the UK are 

advertised in the press by daily 

newspapers. Job adverts are 

published on sector by sector basis 

in newspapers such as: 

• The Guardian 

•The Daily Mail 

• Times 

• Evening Standard: 

• Metro (free and daily) 

• You will also find jobs 

advertised in local and 

regional newspapers - links to 

these can be found via United 

Kingdom national newspaper 

and news media guide links. 

Newspapers: 

www.guardian.co.uk 

www.timesonline.co.uk 

www.thisislondon.co.uk/ 

standard 

www.abyznewslinks.com 

• Online recruitment 


Vacancies are also advertised 

on the internet via job websites. 

Examples include: 

• Reeds 

• Milkround 

• Guardian 

• Monster 

• Work circle 

• Realworld magazine 

MOST VACANCIES IN THE 

UK ARE ADVERTISED 

IN THE PRESS 

more info: 

www.reed.co.uk 

www.milkround.co.uk 


www.monster.co.uk 

www.workcircle.co.uk 

www.realworldmagazine.com 

• Private recruitment 

agencies 

The United Kingdom has 

numerous recruitment agencies 

many operating in specialized 

business areas: For example social 

work, finance, education etcetera. 

In addition, many of these offices 

are chains and, as such, you may 

be able to locate them throughout 

the United Kingdom. Here is a 

list of examples, which is by no 

means exhaustive but offers a solid 

start: Joslin Rowe; Reeds; Adecco; 

Hays Banking Personnel; Morgan 

McKinley Associates. 

Hidden 

vacancies 

Speculative applications are quite 

common in United Kingdom 

and worth trying. As students 

access to a range of learning and 

work opportunities can found by 

networking and using personal 

contacts. To build a portfolio of 

contacts, you should join a variety 

of student organisations and 

professional bodies. Once you 

decide on your most suitable job 

role, sector and type of employer, 

make a list of organisations that 

interest you, using the best vacancy 

sites and sources. The following 

information is available at careers 

service: 

• local employers who are known 

to recruit graduates; 

• jobs and employers that 

graduates of your degree subject 

at your university have pursued 

professional institution resources - 

they may publish a list of member 

companies and industry vacancies; 

• trade associations listing member 

companies. 

more info on private 

recruitment agencies: 

www.1st4jobsinlondon. 

co.uk/agencies 

www.agencycentral.co.uk


155 

Higher 

education 

career 

support 

Most universities in the United 

Kingdom have a careers service. 

They have a wealth of knowledge 

to assist students in finding a job; 

including advice on CV and cover 

you should join a 

variety of student 

organisations 

letter writing and interview practice 

sessions, if that is what you require. 

Please browse the university 

website and make an appointment 

to go in and familiarize yourself 

with their services and the options 

available to you. 

Jobs Fairs provide students with 

the opportunity to meet potential 

employers face to face. Dress 

professionally and pre -registration 

in many instances will mean 

that you will be sent a list of 

the potential employers that are 

going to be attending; this gives 

you an opportunity to do some 

research on companies of interest 

and prep some questions. Further 

information on job fairs (times, 

dates etc) can be found in your 

careers office or online. 

Graduate recruitment has 

changed in recent years. 

Traditional approaches, like 

campus recruitment visits, are 

still important to employers, but 

organisations are increasingly 

using more creative and diverse 

approaches to reach new talent. 

Company websites are a principal 

source of information for potential 

more info: 

www.gradjobs.co.uk 

www.lgbtjobfair.co.uk 


employees and may also provide 

the main, or sometimes only, route 

for applications. The deadline 

schedule has also changed. You 

may be able to apply at any time of 

year, but it is essential to confirm 

there is a strong 

emphasis on prior 

arranged meetings 

and punctuality 

application dates if you want to 

avoid missing an opportunity. 

There are several directories of 

graduate employers published 

annually, which contain vacancies 

for the year ahead and background 

information on featured employers. 

All are available from careers 

services: 

• Prospects Directory 

• The GET Directory 

• TARGETjobs Series 

• Go Wales 

• Gradireland 

• Doctor jobs 

Work 

patterns 

Within the UK is quite formal 

and this is reflected in the formal 

style of business dress. There is 

also strong emphasis on prior 

arranged meetings, punctuality, 

handshake-style greetings and 

a direct style of negotiation. 

Average working hours: usually 

8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, 

but may vary between sectors, 

with some starting at 9am. 

Working long hours is common 

practice and it is somewhat 

expected in the corporate culture. 

In addition, working overtime 

is regarded as commitment and 

is usually unpaid. Average 

holiday entitlement is 25-30 

days per year, including public 

(bank) holidays. 

more info: 

www.gradjireland.com 

www.targetjobs.com.uk

England 

chapter 3.1 

Michael-John Harper / dancer

United Kingdom: England 

159 

country overview 

IRELAND 

WALES 

SCoTLAND 

North 

North 

West 

South West 

West 

Midlands 

yorkshire 

100km 

North 

Midlands 

East 

London 

South East 

England is the largest country 

in the UK, which includes 

two other countries and a 

province: Scotland, Wales and the 

province of Northern Ireland. Since 

the establishment of Great Britain 

in 1707, England has not had a 

separate political identity. Yet each 

has its own distinctive history, 

landscape and modern culture. 

Despite this, England is sometimes 

wrongly used in reference to 

small but 

quite populous 

the entire island of Great Britain 

or even the United Kingdom. 

Recently there has been a debate 

about the fact that there is no 

separate government or parliament 

for England. 

England is small geographically 

129,720 sq km but is quite 

populous. According to an article 

published on the Guardian’s 

website on the 18th May 2011 

by Simon Rogers, the total 

population of England is 51,809.7 

million people. England may be 

described as the southernmost part 

of Great Britain but in reference 

to the European continent it 

is in north-west Europe. It is a 

mere 35 km from France and 

is linked by a tunnel under the 

English Channel. There is strong 

variation in the landscape. While 

the south of England is mostly 

low-lying land, with hills and 

agricultural landscapes. The north 

of England is mostly covered 

in moorland and mountains. 

The capital city of England 

is London and the one of the 

most well known city in all 

of the United Kingdom. Other 

major cities include Birmingham, 

Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and 

Sheffield. The multiculturalism of 

England is a strong reflection of 

its history and the abundance of 

religious groups represented across 

the country. Although Christianity 

is the most predominant religious 

leaning, other faiths which can 

be found here include but are not 

limited to the Church of England, 

Catholic, Methodist, Muslim, 

Jewish, Sikh and Hindu.


161 

why england? 

England has one of the largest 

economies in the worlds. 

Although there is a high level of 

industrialization the country still 

retains a socialist blend of policies. 

There is a strong mix of natural 

resources such as coal, petroleum, 

natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, 

salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead and 

silica. The basic unit of currency is 

Pound Sterling (£). 

British 

Pound 

sterling 

£ 

more information: 


• Affordable option 

English degrees can take only three 

years and postgraduate master’s 

courses only one year compared to 

four and two years respectively in 

most other countries. This means 

you will save a great deal on both 

tuition fees and living costs, and 

you will be able to start working 

and earning money sooner. English 

degree courses are shorter because 

they are more intensive, and 

therefore more efficient in terms 

of your time and money. Another 

plus is that health care is often 

free for international students. As 

an international student you will 

have access to the National Health 

Service (NHS) treatment, as well 

as reduced-cost medicines, dental 

treatment and eye tests. 

• Availability of funding 

If you are willing to put in the 

work, there are literally thousands 

of scholarships and grants on 

offer by English institutions 

and other organizations, aimed 

at international students. The 

government has also made it their 

business to attract international 

students with large amounts of 

funding in place for international 

students. 

• A warm welcome 

England has been welcoming 

international students for 

generations. They have many years 

of experience of looking after your 

needs, and will give you special 

support from the moment you 

apply and throughout your time 

in England. In addition, your local 

British Council office will give 

you advice and information on 

choosing courses and help you 

with your application. Applying 

is also made easy by UCAS. Their 

role is to make applying to a 

number of institutions at the same 

time straightforward. 

• Cultural immersion 

England is steeped in history and if 

you are a history buff or if you are 

simply interested in other cultures, 

then England is a great place to 

study. Castles, medieval places, 

Shakespeare, the changing of the 

guard at Buckingham palace are 

just a few of the things that awaits.


And if you are a football buff, don’t 

forget that this is the home of the 

premier league. 

• Great service 

As a bonus, many institutions 

arrange for international students 

to be collected from the airport and 

offer guaranteed accommodation 

for their first year. You can also be 

assured of continued help, advice 

and all round cultural immersion 

throughout your period of study 

with dedicated international 

offices, international student 

societies, planned social activities, 

academic support, counsellors and 

advisers. 

• Hassle free travel 

Given the close proximity to the 

rest of the UK, studying in England 

offers the perfect opportunity 

to explore. The national air, rail, 

coach and bus networks will get 

you almost anywhere in the UK, so 

you won’t need a car, as you might 

in some countries. Discounts or 

special rates are generally available 

for students on most forms of 

transport. It’s also easy to see the 

rest of Europe. Furthermore, the 

Channel Tunnel, cheap flights and 

ferries mean that you are never 

too far away from the other great 

capital cities of the European 

mainland. What is even better is 

that because of the closeness of the 

rest of Europe many institutions 

offer work placements and periods 

of study which will further help 

you to broaden your horizons. 

• Lowest ‘drop-out’ rates 

worldwide 

It is clear that the system of 

support and other facilities offered 

to international student works 

because England has one of the 

lowest numbers of students who 

leave before the end of their course 

in the world. 


www.visitbritain.com 

Charles Kao / father of fiber optics communications 

Your unconditional offer 

letter from the university of 

your choice will enable you 

to apply for an international visa 

from the British High Commission. 

You should base the decision on 

when to apply for your student 

visa based on the processing times 

in your country of residence. I 

would recommend an allowance 

163 

admission 

and funding 

Like the rest of the UK, 

applications can be made 

at the UCAS website. 

However, prospective students 

can also obtain information on 

institutions and courses from 

EducationUKScotland or the 

British Council office in your 

country. 


www.educationukscotland.org 

www.brithishcouncil.org 

visa and 

immigration 

of at least 12 weeks prior to the 

beginning of your course. In the 

event you do not receive your 

student visa due to lack of time or 

personal circumstances you may 

contact the Admissions Office. If 

you wish, you may also be able 

to defer your unconditional offer 

from the school until the next 

academic session.


165 

English universities 

• Institute of Advanced Legal Studies 

• University of Buckingham 

• American InterContinental University 

• Bucks New University 

• Anglia Ruskin University 

• Cambridge University 

• Aston University 

• Canterbury Christ Church University 

• Bath Spa University 

• University of Central Lancashire 

• University of Bath 

• University of Chester 

• University of Bedfordshire 

• University of Chichester 

• University of London Birkbeck 

• London City University 

• Birmingham City University 

• Institute of Classical Studies 

• Birmingham University 

• Institute of Commonwealth Studies 

• University College Lincoln 

• Coventry University 

• Bishop Grosseteste Univ. College Lincoln 

• Cranfield University 

• University of Bolton 

• University of Cumbria 

• Bournemouth University 

• De Montfort University 

• Arts Institute at Bournemouth 

• University of Derby 

• University of Bradford 

• Durham University 

• University of Brighton 

• East Anglia University 

• Bristol University 

• University of East London 

• University of the West of England Bristol 

• Edge Hill University 

• Brunel University 

• University of Essex 

• Leeds Trinity and All Saints 

• Norwich Univ. College of the Arts 

• University of Leeds 

• Nottingham Trent University 

• University of Leicester 

• Nottingham, University 

• University of Lincoln 

• Plymouth University 

• Liverpool John Moores University 

• University of Portsmouth 

• University of Liverpool 

• University of London Queen Mary 

• London Business School 

• Ravensbourne College of Design 

• London Metropolitan University 

and Communication 

• London School of Economics and 

• University of Reading 

Political Science 

• The American International 

• London School of Hygiene 

University in London 

and Tropical Medicine 

• Roehampton University 

• London South Bank University 

• Rose Bruford College 

• London University College 

• Royal Agricultural College 

• University of London 

• Royal Holloway, University of London 

• Loughborough University 

• University of Salford 

• Manchester Business School 

• Scarborough Campus, University of Hull 

• Manchester Metropolitan University 

• Sheffield Hallam University 

• Manchester, University 

• Sheffield University 

• Middlesex University 

• Solent University Southampton 

• Newcastle University 

• University of Southampton, 

• Newman University College, Birmingham 

• St George’s University of London 

• Northampton University 

• St Mary’s College 

• Northumbria University 

• Staffordshire University 

• European School of Osteopathy 

• University of Exeter 

• Falmouth, University College 

• Dartington College of Arts 

• De Montfort University 

• University of Derby 

• Durham University 

• University of East Anglia 

• University of East London 

• Edge Hill University 

• Edinburgh College of Art 

• University of Edinburgh 

• Falmouth University 

• Falmouth University College 

• University of Kent 

• London King’s College 

• Kingston University 

• Lancaster University 

• Leeds College of Music 

• Leeds Metropolitan University 

• Sunderland University 

• Sussex University 

• University of Teesside 

• Thames Valley University 

• University Campus Suffolk 

• University College Birmingham 

• University College Plymouth St 

• Mark & St John 

• University of Exeter in Cornwall 

• Warburg Institute 

• University of Warwick 

• University of Westminster 

• Wimbledon College of Art 

• University of Winchester 

• University of Wolverhampton 

• University of Worcester 

• Writtle College 

• York St John University 

• University of York

Northern 

Ireland 

chapter 3.2 

Maurice Harron / sculptor

United Kingdom: Northern Ireland 


169 

Londonderry 

Antrim 

Tyrone 

Down 

Fermangagh 

Armagh 

IRELAND 

Northern Ireland, sometimes 

referred to as the ‘Emerald 

Isle,’ has some of the most 

enchanting and rugged landscape 

to be found in the United 

Kingdom. This beauty is a result 

of the moderate temperatures, 

seemingly untouched countryside 

and a regularly rainy weather. 

Northern Ireland’s land mass is 

approximately a sixth of the total 

northeast area of the island of 

Ireland itself and is 5,459 square 

northern ireland´s 

cultural life has given 

the world some of its 

finest writers 

miles. In addition, according to 

the June 2011 estimates, it boasts a 

population of 1,800,000. Between a 

quarter and a third of the island’s 

total population claim to be a part 

of the United Kingdom. 

reputation. This is unfortunate, 

for beneath that reputation lays a 

country whose beauty and charms 

should be far more well-known 

throughout the world. Within this 

relatively small section of land in 

the North Sea is a country with 

rewards that are second to none, 

where cultural life has given the 

world some of its finest writers, 

and the natural landscape is 

breathtaking. 

With its violent past 

pushed behind it in 

most recent years, 

Northern Ireland 

has been poised to 

invest huge sums into 

educating its young 

population. * Today the country has 

…a thriving economy, new industries 

and millions being invested in 

regeneration. ** 

60km 

Nevertheless, Northern Ireland 

has suffered from a sad and 

complicated a history with violence 

that has marred the country’s 

* Northern Ireland has one of the youngest 

population in Europe, with the average age being 

just 27. ‘Get a grip on your future. Study in Northern 

Ireland: its an exceptional investment’. 

www.educationuk.org/northernireland 

** Get a grip on your future. Study in 

Northern Ireland: it is an exceptional investment.


why northern 

171 

ireland? 

The industries that have shown the 

most promise, thus far, are: 

• telecommunications 

• financial services 

• manufacturing 

• computing 

• health care 

• life sciences 

Capital and largest city (2008): 

Belfast, 268,323 

Language: 

English 

Religions: 

• Presbyterian 

• Church of Ireland 

• Roman Catholic 

• Methodis 

British 

Pound 

sterling 

£ 


www.en.wikipedia.org 

• The education system 

Northern Ireland has one of the 

best education systems in the 

world, this is built on a foundation 

of continued excellence. 

• Irish education is of 

the highest international 

quality 

The quality of the Irish education 

system is a major contributing 

factor to the rapid rate of economic 

growth Ireland has experienced 

over the last few decades. 

• Ireland is a highly 

developed 

democracy 

With a modern 

economy. The Irish 

economy is particularly 

strong in the areas of 

software development, 

pharmaceuticals, 

manufacturing and 

international services 

S. Lewis, Seamus Heaney, Lewis 

MacNiece and Oscar Wilde and 

Samuel Beckett who both attended 

school in Enniskillen. 

• Living conditions 

Ireland is beautiful - much of the 

countryside remains unspoilt 

providing an excellent natural 

habitat for a flourishing flora and 

fauna. Ireland’s landscape provides 

a rich environment for the many 

outdoor leisure pursuits for which 

it is famous. Water sports, hill 

walking, rocking climbing and 

caving are just a few of the many 

activities which can be enjoyed 

when taking a break from study. 

education contributed 

to the rapid rate of 

economic growth in 

Ireland 

www. www.educationuk. 

org/northernireland 

• English speaking country 

Some of the great writers in 

English literature have come 

from Ireland. These include Carl 


www.educationireland.ie


173 

• Leisure & pleasure: 

Ireland has a young vibrant 

population. Approximately with 

40% of the population is under the 

age of 25 and this demography 

could make Ireland one of the most 

exciting places in the world to be a 

student. 

• International population 

The number of international 

students visiting Ireland is 

increasing each year. Students 

from all over the world are taking 

advantage of the high standard of 

education in Ireland coupled with 

the unique cultural experience. 

This, therefore, means that huge 

efforts are placed on making 

the experience worthwhile for 




www.brithishcouncil.org/ 

home-contact-worldwide.htm 

UCAS 


admission 

AND 

funding 




Prospective students can 

also obtain information on 


EducationUKScotland´s website 

or the British Council office in 

your country. 

Irish universities 

stranmillis road, belfast, BT9 

www.stran.ac.uk/registry@.ac.uk 

Stranmillis University College 

SDY, Northern Ireland, UK 

191 Falls Road, Belfast, N. Ireland 

www.stmarys-belfast.ac.uk/ 

St Mary´s University College 

BT12 6FE 

Student Guidance Centre 

admissions@qub.ac.uk 

Queen´s University Belfast 

Northern Ireland, BT7 1NN 

Brunswick Street Building, Belfast 

internationaloffice@belfastnet.ac.uk 

Belfast Metroppolitan University 

BT2 7GX, N. Ireland, UK 

International Students-room L142 

international@ulster.ac.uk 

University of Ulster 

Co. Londonderry, BT52 15A, UK 

Dungannon Campus, Circular Road 

tel 0845 603 1891 

South West College 

Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, Bt71 6BQ 

Bunbury Campus, Robertson Drive 

www.swit.wa.edu.au 

Southern West College 

BUNBRY, WA 6230


175 

visa and 

iMmigration 


letter from the university 

of your choice will enable 

you to apply for an international 

visa from the British High 

Commission. When applying, 

allow at least 12 weeks prior to 

the beginning of your course 

for processing as it takes time 

to organise meetings and get 

your visa authorised. In the 

event you do not receive your 

student visa due to lack of time 

or personal circumstances you 

may contact the admissions office. 

If you wish, you may also be 

able to defer your unconditional 

offer from the school until 

the next academic session. 

Robert Hill/astronomer 

It is customary for students seeking 

to study in Northern Ireland 

to travel through the United 

Kingdom and then go through the 

border and immigration vetting 

processes. This is largely due to 

the fact several universities have 

reported cases where students 

have encountered immigration 

difficulties in the Republic 

of Ireland.

Scotland 

chapter 3.3 

Margaret Ross / Professor of law

United Kingdom: Scotland 

179 


Western Isles 

orkney 

Moray 

Shetland 

Although Scotland still 

remains a part of the UK, 

it has its own devolved 

government, which is responsible 

for most of the day-to-day 

concerns of the people of Scotland. 

This includes managing health, 

education, justice, rural affairs and 

transport. The Government was 

known as the Scottish Executive 

when it was established in 1999, 

following the first elections to the 

Scottish Parliament. The current 

80km 

South Ayrshire 

Argyll 

and 

bute 

Highland 

Stirling 

Perth and 

Kinross 

Central Scotland 

Dumfries 

and Galloway 

Aberdeenshire 

Angus 

Fife 

Scotish 

borders 

ENGLAND 

Aberdden city 

a devolved government is 

responsible for most of 

the day-to-day concerns 

of the people 

administration was formed after 

elections in May 2007.The Scottish 

Government is led by a First 

Minister who is nominated by the 

Parliament and, in turn, appoints 

the other Scottish Ministers who 

make up the Cabinet. The six cities 

in Scotland are: Aberdeen, Dundee, 

Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling and 

Inverness.


Why Scotland? 

181 

Scotland is described as ‘the 

land of opportunity’. With a 

population of over 5 million 

people, the country has a highly 

skilled workforce and holds an 

enviable reputation in the fields 

of engineering, business and 

the development of innovative 

technologies. In addition, Scotland 

is known the world over for the 

high standards of its education 

system. The Scottish Parliament 

has stated its dedication and 

• Universities and colleges 

The relationship between Scottish 

institutions of higher education 

and industries has been well 

researched. Enrolling in a Scottish 

university presents an excellent 

opportunity for students to be at 

the cutting edge of innovation 

in business. This is one of the 

reasons why, given Scotland’s 

size, its universities are renowned 

as leaders in specific scientific or 

technological disciplines. 

the country has 

a highly skilled 

workforce 

commitment to education by 

giving people at all levels of 

society the opportunity to increase 

their knowledge, earning potential 

and status. 

British 

Pound 

sterling 

£ 

• Diverse economy 

Scotland does not have a single 

staple industry but has a variety, 

which makes for a more stable 

economy. Industries range from 

tourism, information technology 

to oil-related industries. Exports 

include electronics products, 

chemicals, machinery, metal 

manufacturers, textiles and whisky, 

all characterised by the enduring 

Scottish hallmark of quality. 

• Accessible means of travel 

Being a student in Scotland means 

that you have access to the rest of 

Europe. With four international


admission 

183 

and funding 

airports, the stress of travelling 

is reduced. Domestic travel is 

also made easy by the fact that 

‘Scotland is a compact country, 

with short travelling distances 

between the principal centres. 

Excellent road and rail services 

provide fast and efficient travel 

throughout the United Kingdom.’ * 

• A great atmosphere 

Scottish people are well known for 

their open and friendly manner 

to visitors and this makes for a 

spectacular experience. 

In addition, Scotland’s 

landscape, which is 

famous the world over, 

provides a spectacular 

backdrop for a wide 

variety of outdoor 

activities. This ranges 

from hiking and camping for 

nature lovers to climbing and 

snowboarding for adrenaline 

junkies. 

* Taken from: www.intstudy.com. 

• Widely available 

healthcare 

Scotland has advanced medical 

facilities. Free medical and hospital 

services are provided through the 

National Health Service for people 

employed or ‘ordinarily resident’ 

in the United Kingdom, regardless 

of their level of social security 

contributions. Private medical and 

dental care is also available, as is 

private health insurance. 

a compact country 

with short travelling 

distances between the 

principal centres 

TUITION FEE COSTS IN £ 

ARE IN THE REGION FOR: 

£7 000 to 10 000 

Undergraduate 

£8 000 to 12 000 

Graduate (taught course) 

£7 000 to 11 000 

Graduate (research) 



at the UCAS website 

but prospective students can 

also obtain information on 


EducationUKScotland´s website or 

the British Council office in your 

country. 

• Cost of study in Scotland 

The fees vary between institutions. 

For some specialist courses, such as 

art and design or medicine, the fees 

will be greater than the average 

quoted here. You should contact 

the institution of interest to find 

out the exact fees. Nevertheless this 

information is generally available 

from the institution website. It 

is important to note that the cost 

of living and tuition fees are 

significantly less than England. 



www.brithishcouncil.org


185 

Scottish universities 

University of Aberdeen 

www.abdn.ac.uk 

01224 272000 

University of Abertay 

www.abertay.ac.uk 

Tel: 01382 308000 

Bell College 

www.bell.ac.uk 

Tel: 01698 283100 Ext 259 

University of Dundee 

www.dundee.ac.uk 

Tel: 01382 383 000 

University of Edinburgh 

www.ed.ac.uk 

Tel: 0131 650 1000 

Edinburgh College of Art 

www.eca.ac.uk 

Tel: 0131 221 6000 

Edinburgh Napier University 

www.napier.ac.uk 

Tel: 0131 444 2266 

Fife College of Further 

www.fife.ac.uk 

and higher Education 

Tel: 01592 268 591 

Glasgow Caledonian University 

www.gcal.ac.uk 

Tel: 0141 331 3000 

Glasgow School of Art 

www.gsa.ac.uk 

Tel: 0141 353 4500 

Northern College 

www.norcol.ac.uk 

Tel: 01224 283 500 

Heriot Watt University 

www.hw.ac.uk 

Tel: 0131 449 5111 

Queen Margaret University 

www.qmu.ac.uk 

Tel: 0131 474 0000 

Robert Gordon University 

www.rgu.ac.uk 

Tel: 01224 262000 

Royal Scottish Academy of Music 

www.rsamd.ac.uk 

& Drama 

Tel: 0141 332 4101 

Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) 

www.sac.ac.uk 

Tel: 0131 535 4000 

Regent Walk, Aberdeen AB24 3FX 

Bell Street, Dundee DD1 1HG 

Almada Street 

Hamilton ML3 0JB 

Perth Road, Dundee DD1 4HN 

Old College, South Bridge, 

Edinburgh EH8 9YL 

Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9DF 

Craiglockhart Campus, 

Edinburgh EH14 1DJ 

St Brycedale Avenue, Kirkcaldy 

Fife KY1 1EX 

70 Cowcaddens Road, 

Glasgow G4 0BA 

167 Renfrew Street, 

Glasgow G3 6RQ 

Hilton Place 

Aberdeen AB24 4FA 

Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AS 

Edinburgh EH21 6UU 

Schoolhill, Aberdeen AB10 1FR 

100 Renfrew Street, 

Glasgow G2 3DB 

King’s Build., W Mains Rd., 

Edinburgh EH9 3JG

James Fraser / historian on celtic culture 


187 

visa and 

immigration 

St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AJ 

Glasgow G12 8QQ 

Corstorphine Campus 

Edinburgh EH12 8TS 

University Direct CorporateCommunications 

Paisley PA1 3EB 

Stirling FK9 4LA 

Glasgow G1 1XQ 

Executive Office, Ness Walk, 

Inverness IV3 5SQ 

High Street, Paisley PA1 2BE 


letter from the university 

of your choice will enable 

you to apply for a student visa 

from the British High Commission. 

Again, when applying please allow 

at least 12 weeks for organizing 

meetings and getting your visa 

authorised. If in the event of you 

do not receive your student visa 

due to lack of time or personal 

circumstances please contact the 

admissions office. They may be 

www.st-andrews.ac.uk 

Tel: 01334 476161 

University of St Andrews 

www.gla.ac.uk 

University of Glasgow 

Tel: 0141 330 2000 

www.qmuc.ac.uk 

Queen Margaret 

Tel: 0131 317 3000 

University College 

Web: www.paisley.ac.uk 

University of Paisley 

Tel: 0800 027 1000 

www.stir.ac.uk 

University of Stirling 

Tel: 01786 473 171 

www.strath.ac.uk 

University of Strathclyde 

Tel: 0141 552 4400 

www.uhi.ac.uk 

UHI Millennium Institute 

Tel: 01463 279 000 

www.uws.ac.uk 

University of the West 

Tel: 0141 848 3000 

of Scotland 

you need to 

satisfy the uk 

immigration 

rules 

able to assist you by contacting the 

embassy or finding other solutions, 

one of these may be a deferral. 

Essentially, you need to satisfy the 

immigration rules which apply to 

the UK, to study in Scotland. 


www.scotland.gov.uk


189 

Working 

while 

studying 

Scotland has many part-time 

vacancies available for students, 

particularly in the service sector. 

Working on a part-time basis will 

enable you to earn some extra 

money while you study. The work 

experience you gain may not 

necessarily be in the area in which 

you intend to seek employment 

after you complete your studies. 

It does, however, give you the 

opportunity to learn and practice 

transferable skills that will look 

good on your CV when applying 

for jobs back home after you 

graduate. 

Work after 

studies 

In the summer of 2005, Scotland 

launched the Fresh Talent 

Scheme. The Fresh Talent 

Working in Scotland Scheme 

applies to any student who 

successfully completes a HND, 

undergraduate degree course, 

master’s, PhD, postgraduate 

certificate or diploma at a 

Scottish further or higher 

education institution to apply 

to stay in Scotland for up to 

two years after completing their 

studies in order to work. There 

are no restrictions on the type of 

paid work. 


www.scotlandistheplace.com

Wales 

chapter 3.4 

Michel Kaiser / Marine biologist

United Kingdom: Wales 


193 

60km 

Ceredigion-Cardiganshire 

Pembrokseshire 

North Wales Coast 

and borderlands 

Anglesey 

and 

Snowdonia 

Carmarthenshire 

Mid Wales 

and brecon 

beacons 

ENGLAND 

Wales is approximately two 

hours west of London 

by rail or by road. 

Although it is not a long journey 

you will find that Wales is a very 

different place. First, there is a 

difference in language. Although 

English is spoken in Wales, the 

Welsh also have their own local 

language. It is one of the oldest in 

Europe, spoken fluently by about 

one in every five persons in the 

population. The landscape is also 

english is spoken, 

but the welsh also 

have their own local 

language. 

Swansea, Gower and the Vale of Neath 

Cardiff and Coast, & Valleys of South Wales 

Wye Valley 

and Vale of Usk 

very different in character from the 

countryside in the England. The 

facts and figures might lead you 

to believe that Wales is small, but 

it covers an area of around 8,000 

square miles (or 20,800 square 

kilometres). But if you were to roll 

it out flat, as the locals normally 

say, it would be bigger than Texas. 

The vast outdoor spaces offers


195 

WHY WALES? 

the opportunity for a wide range 

of experiences. This includes 

walking, cycling, climbing, golf, 

mountain biking and paragliding 

are just the beginning of the list. 

The population currently stands at 

around 3 million people, so there’s 

plenty of room to accommodate 

foreign students. 

The capital city, cardiff, 

is home to a large 

concentration of 

creative people. 

If you are a history buff then 

Wales is a great place for sight 

seeing; it has lots of castles 

(over 400 at the last count), 

the Welsh National Opera (one 

of the world’s premier opera 

companies), the largest singlespan 

glasshouse in the world (at 

the National Botanic Garden of 

Wales), and a cool flag with a red 

dragon on it. The capital city is 

Cardiff. The Romans had a fortress 

there in the first Century AD, 

but Cardiff’s a lively youngster 

really. It was officially designated 

as capital in 1955, and it is home 

to a large concentration of media 

and creative people; turning out 

award-winning productions like 

the current incarnation of the 

legendary Dr. Who series. 

British 

Pound 

sterling 

£ 

• Quality education 

The real strengths of a higher 

education in Wales lie beyond its 

world class teaching and research; 

they are found in its superb 

and safe environment, cultural 

uniqueness and an enviable life 

style at a low cost. 

• Flexibility in degree 

choice Wales offers choice and 

flexibility with most institutions 

offering second semester start 

dates for many graduate courses 

including MBA’s, MSc’s and MA’s. 

In the last two years Welsh higher 

education institutions launched 

over 100 new courses and has 

attracted over £900m of research 

funding. 

• Multicultural welcome 

Wales welcomes international 

students from some 110 countries, 

enrolling students onto 5,300 different 

courses. In 2007, international 

students enrolling in courses 

increased by 7% to over 7,000 

students, with an average of 10% of 

the student population coming from 

countries outside the EU. 

• Research in Wales 

A wealth of collaborative research 

projects have recently been 

launched in Wales including: 

The Research and Enterprise 

Partnership between University of 

Wales Aberystwyth and University 

of Wales Bangor offering the 

following joint research centres: 

• Centre for Catchment to Coast 

Research 

• Centre for Integrated Rural 

Environment Research 

• Centre for Advanced Functional 

Materials and Devices Research 

The Wales Institute of Cognitive 

Neuroscience has combined the 

expertise and resources of Swansea 

University, University of Wales 

Bangor and University of Wales 

Aberystwyth. 

The Welsh Assembly Government 

is investing in research initiatives 


www.scotlandistheplace.com


197 

that combine the expertise of 

education institutions with the 

worlds leading companies, such 

as the Institute of Advanced 

Telecommunications and the 

Institute of Life Science; both at 

Swansea University. 


UCAS 


Home office 


admission 

Llantwit Road, Treforest, 

Pontypridd, CF37 1DL 

Castle Grounds, Cathays Park, 

Cardiff CF10 3ER 

Old College, King Street, 

Aberystwyth SY23 2AX 

Bangor, LL57 2DG 

Lampeter SA48 7ED 

Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP 

Western Avenue, Llandaff, 

Cardiff CF5 2YB 

College Crescent, Caerleon, 

Newport NP18 3YG 

Plas Coch, 

Wrexham LL11 2AW 

Mount Pleasant, Swansea SA1 6ED 

Carmarthen SA31 3EP 

Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NS 

18 Custom House Street, 

Cardiff CF10 1AP 

and funding 

Welsh universities 

Each university in Wales 

offers on-line search facilities 

to find information on all 

courses. However, like the rest of 

the UK, applications can be made 


www.glam.ac.uk 

www.rwcmd.ac.uk 

www.aber.ac.uk 

www.bangor.ac.uk 

www.lamp.ac.uk 

www.swan.ac.uk 

www.uwic.ac.uk 

www.newport.ac.uk 

www.newi.ac.uk 

www.sihe.ac.uk 

www.drindod.ac.uk 

www.wales.ac.uk 

www.open.ac.uk 

visa and 

immigration 

The regulations are the same 

as the rest of the UK. Please 

see Home office website. 

University of Glamorgan 

Royal Welsh College 

of Music and Drama 

Aberystwyth University 

Bangor University 

University of Wales, Lampeter 

Swansea University 

University of Wales Institute, 

Cardiff 

University of Wales, Newport 

Glyndwr University 

Swansea Metropolitan University 

Trinity University College 

University of Wales 

Open University in Wales

United 

States 

chapter 4 

Pauline Maier / historian

United States 

201 

Vermont 

CANADA 

Maine 

Pennsylvania 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Wisconsin 

New york 

Michigan 

Washington 

N. Hampshire 

Massachusetts 

Rhode Island 

Connecticut 

Minnesota 

NorthDakota 

Montana 

oregon 

South Dakota 

Idaho 

New Jersey 

Wyoming 

Delaware 

Maryland 

West Virginia 

Virginia 

ohio 

Iowa 

Nebraska 

Nevada 

Colorado 

Utah 

Kentucky 

N. Carolina 

Missouri 

Kansas 

Tennessee 

California 

Arkansas 

oklahoma 

S. Carolina 

Arizona 

Georgia 

New Mexico 

Texas 

Florida 

Alabama 

Mississippi 

Louisiana 

MExICo 

country overview 

The United States of 

America (USA) is a federal 

constitutional republic made 

up of 50 states (48 continental 

states, plus Alaska and Hawaii, the 

two newest states) and one federal 

district - Washington, District of 

Colombia, the capital district. * 

The continental states are: 

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, 

California, Colorado, Connecticut, 

Delaware, District of Columbia, 

Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, 

Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, 

Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, 

Massachusetts, Michigan, 

Minnesota, Mississippi, 

Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, 

Nevada, New Hampshire, New 

Jersey, New Mexico, New York, 

North Carolina, North Dakota, 

Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, 

Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South 

Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, 

Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, 

Washington, West Virginia, 

Wisconsin and Wyoming. 

* Source : CIA : The World Factbook 

-- https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworld-factbook/geos/us.html 

Freedom is one of the cornerstones 

of American culture. The 

constitution limits the influence 

government has on all aspects of 

the lives of its citizens. Nowhere 

is this more evident than in the 

organisation of their capitalist 

propelled free market economy. 

As such the US has the largest and 

most technologically powerful 

economy in the world. In this 

market-oriented economy, private 

individuals and businesses make 

most of the decisions, and the 

federal and state governments 

the gap between rich 

and poor is a major 

challenge 

buy needed goods and services 

predominantly in the private 

marketplace. Despite relative 

prosperity, the gap between rich 

and poor is a major challenge. 

More than 30 million Americans 

live below the official poverty line, 

with a disproportionate percentage

United States 

203 

of these being African-Americans 

and Hispanics (BBC Country 

Profile: USA, 2007) 

On April 1, 2010 the population 

of the United States was 

approximately 301 million (consult 

the US Census Bureau website for 

the most up-to-date information). 

In May 2007, the minority 

population topped 100 million for 

the first time. The following ethnic 

groups make up the population: 

White (81%), African Americans 

(13%), Asians (5%), American 

in 2006 the overall 

population reached 

300 million 

Indians (1.5%), Native Hawaiian 

and Pacific Islanders (0.3%). 

Hispanic is not classified as a 

separate ethnic group because 

the US Census Bureau considers 

Hispanic to mean a person of 

Latin American descent, including 

persons of Cuban, Mexican or 

Puerto Rican origin, living in the 

US who may be of any ethnic 

group (white, black, Asian, etc.). 

The Hispanic/non-Hispanic makeup 

of the total U.S. population 

is, however, 85% Non-Hispanic, 

15% Hispanic (US Census Bureau, 

2007). 

The US has a constitution-based 

federal republic, with two main 

political parties: the Republican 

Party and the Democratic Party. 

The chief executive of the United 

States is the president, who, 

together with the vice president, 

is elected to a four-year term. 

A president may be elected to 

only two terms. The United 

States Congress comprises 

two chambers: the Senate with 

100 seats, and the House of 

Representatives with 435 seats. 

Unlike any other chapter in this 

volume, researching the United 

States has led to an extradordinary 

find. Unbeknownst to most 

people, there are several types 

of institutions that comprise 

the higher education system. 

These include comprehensive 

universities; research universities; 

universities * ; community colleges 

and both public and private 

institutions. The truth is that many 

Caribbean nationals have already, 

from the experiences of others 

around them, predetermined that 

the United States is a great place 

to study. The purpose here is not 

to refute or assert the merits of this 

belief. It is simply to outline, as in 

previous chapters, the application 

process, visa and immigration 

regulations, and the possibilities 

of employment. It is also to assert 

that, unlike the usual route which 

is normally to apply to a four year 

university directly, there is a second 

and, in some instances, a more 

viable option. The first route may 

be termed the traditional study 

route; that is, applying directly to 

study at a university. The second is 

the non-traditional route applying 

to community colleges. 

The chapter has been divided 

to reflect these options. Firstly, 

there will be a discussion of 

general reasons for studying in 

* Sometimes referred to as a four year college. 

the United States; the application 

procedures and other necessary 

information wether you choose 

to pursue your education at 

a community college or at a 

university. The second section 

deals specifically with community 

college admission procedures as 

well as course availablility, costs 

and qualifications that can be 

earned. The third section examines 

these factors for universities. As 

with the other chapters, the last 

two sections will be a discussion of 

visa and immigration policies and, 

finally, a look at the employment 

regulations for students. 

American 

dollar 

$ 

USD

United States 

Why the 

united states? 

205 

• Education system 

The first reason is that the US 

has a very developed higher 

education system that takes 

into account an individual’s 

economic situation and previous 

educational background. 

Essentially, students have the 

choice of studying at either 

a university or a community 

college. 

• Recognised education 

Overall, study in the US, whether 

at a university or a community 

college, means that on 

completion you will hold a very 

competitive place in the job 

market. That is 

due to the fact that international 

students who successfully 

complete their education in US are 

highly sought-after by employers 

worldwide. In addition, institutions 

in the US are consistently topranked 

in world ratings. Institutions 

such as Harvard University, 

Stanford University, Massachusetts 

Institute of Technology, are all 

world famous and welcome 


• A variety of study 

options 

Furthermore, the US offers 

international students one of the 

most exciting, rewarding and 

comprehensive array of study 

options in the world. International 

students who choose to study 

in the US have almost unlimited 

study choices. 

• People and culture 

The US is a melting pot of 

cultures, where people from 

THE U.S. HAS A VERY 

DEVELOPED HIGHER 

EDUCATION SYSTEM 

all over the world interact on a 

daily basis. One will find most 

Americans to be very hospitable, 

friendly, kind, generous and 

accepting of foreigners. Of course, 

there are exceptions, as in any 

country, but these are not the 

norm. In general, the people are 

funny, gregarious, innovative, and 

eager to learn. These are traits 

that many international students 

adopt and take home with them. 

• Campus experience 

It has been said that the friends 

you make and the experience of 

THE FRIENDS YOU 

MAKE ARE worth 

as much as THE 

education 

itself 

campus life is worth as much as 

the education itself. Many make 

friendships that last a lifetime. 

The lessons learned by living with 

others from all over the 

world are priceless. 

Jacopo Annesse / neuroanatomist

United States 

admission 

and funding 

207 

Generally speaking, the 

admissions and application 

process for institutions 

within the US depend on the final 

qualification that the individual is 

seeking to obtain. There are many 

types of qualifications that an 

individual can earn and the level 

of studies is defined by the type 

of certification offered for the 

programme, rather than 

by the type of institution 

offering it. This section will 

provide an explanation 

of some of the types of 

qualifications into which 

international students 

may be granted entry. 

there are Many 

qualifications 

that an 

individual 

can earn 

Non-degree 

programmes 

Educational programmes 

corresponding to non-university 

level technical/vocational postsecondary 

studies would include 

all technical and occupational 

programmes that lead to a degree, 

diploma or certificate below the 

bachelor’s degree. Education at 

this level would include: 

• All institutions that only 

award qualifications under the 

bachelor’s degree; 

• Programmes leading 

to certification that is less than 

a bachelor’s degree offered at 

institutions that also award higher 

degrees. 


www.act.org/compass 

www.act.org/aap 

Undergraduate 

degrees 

There are two types of 

undergraduate degrees: 

Associate’s degree 

An Associate’s degree is a twoyear 

degree awarded by technical, 

community or junior college. 

These may be further classified 

as Associate of Arts (AA) and 

Associate of Sciences (AS). 

Associate’s degrees are usually 

very practical and offer advanced 

training in technical areas, such 

as business occupations, data 

processing, nursing, engineering 

technology, and interior design. 

Bachelor’s degree 

A bachelor’s degree is a four or 

five-year degree awarded by 

colleges or universities, e.g. 

• Bachelor of Arts (BA) 

• Bachelor of Science (BS) and 

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) 

To receive a bachelor’s degree, you 

must generally: 

• complete a sequence of 

courses within a major field of 

study, called major requirements or 

upper division. 

• complete a sequence of 

courses outside your major field 

of study, called general education 

requirements known as lower 

division. 

• students must usually 

complete in total 120 units/credit 

hours in order to graduate. With an 

average course load of 15 units each 

semester, this means that a student 

can complete a bachelor’s degree in 

four years of full-time study. 

• some universities have 

additional requirements, such as a 

final research project, honors paper 

or capstone written during the final 

year of study. 


Educational Testing Service 

www.ets.org

United States 

209 

Professional 

degree 

It’s a qualification entitling the 

holder to practise a specialist 

profession as specialties such as 

law, business, medicine, dentistry 

or veterinary. Students who 

want to pursue a degree in one of 

these fields must first obtain a 

bachelor’s degree. 

Master’s 

degree 

The master’s degree usually takes 

one to two years of full-time 

study. There are two main types 

of master’s degree programmes - 

professional master’s degrees and 

research master’s degrees. 

Professional 

master’s degrees 

They are certificates of competence 

in specialised fields and often 

have some type of internship or 

fieldwork component. They provide 

a specific set of skills needed to 

practice a particular profession 

and generally lead directly to 

employment. The Master of 

Business Administration (MBA) and 

Master of Education (MEd) degrees 

are two examples of this type of 

master’s degree. 

it takes 4 to 6 years 

of full study time to 

complete a phD. 

Other types of master´s: 

MFA in Fine Arts 

MM in music 

MSW in social work 

MPA in public administration 

Research master’s 

degrees 

Generally, they are part of the 

progression to a PhD programme. 

They provide experience in 

research and scholarship and may 

involve writing a thesis or taking 

a comprehensive examination. 

Academic performance in a research 

master’s programme can determine 

whether a student is likely to be 

allowed to continue on to a PhD 

a research project 

involves original 

research 

programme. Examples of research 

master’s degree programmes are 

the Master of Arts (MA) and the 

Master of Science (MS) degrees. 

Those awarded in professional 

fields of study include: master of 

laws (LLM) and Master of Science 

in various medical specializations. 

PhD 

programmes 

The main purpose of a PhD 

programme is to train research 

scholars in a particular field. 

The doctoral degree typically 

involves both coursework and a 

major research project. It usually 

takes four to six years of fulltime 

study to complete a PhD. 

In some instances, candidates 

for doctoral programmes may 

be able to apply directly after 

they complete their bachelor’s 

degree. However, some doctoral 

programmes require students 

to complete a Master’s degree 

before they can begin the doctoral 

pogramme. 

The first two years of a PhD 

programme involve classes and 

seminars to give the student a 

comprehensive knowledge of an 

academic field. Following this 

period of study, students take 

written and/or oral examinations 

to test their knowledge. Successful 

completion of the exams and 

approval of a research project leads 

to “candidacy.” 

The research project involves 

original research and, depending 

on the field, should take one to 

three years to complete. Faculty

United States 

211 

members guide the process of 

formulating the research project 

and evaluate the resultant thesis, 

but the student carries out the 

research independently. 

Education 

organizations 

The first step in the application 

process to being accepted as a 

student is in the United States 

is deciding on the route that 

you are going to take. This is 

important because your decision 

is a factor in determining the 

application process and as such 

the requirements that you will 

need to fulfil. Education is a 

multi-million dollar business 

in the United States and, in an 

effort to attract students from 

across the world, there are 

many organizations worldwide 

that help students to apply to 

universities and colleges in USA. 

All or some of these organisations 

can be found in almost every 

country, these include: 

• Official University 

Representatives 

• Government Agencies 

• Education Agents 

• Test Preparation Centres 

• Private Counsellors 

Entrance 

tests 

There are several entrance tests 

that are used to assess prospective 

students wishing to enroll at a 

higher education institutions. The 

first two placement tests assess 

high school students’ general 

educational development and 

their ability to complete collegelevel 

work. 

High test scores along 

with good academic grades 

significantly increase the chance 

of being offered a place at an 

American university. 

COMPASS 

Computer-adaptive 

college placement test 

act 

• Other entrance exams: 

General tests (any level) 

Specific tests (graduate level) 


www.ets.org 

www.kaplan.org 

www.princetonreview.com 

Assists educators to quickly evaluate 

incoming students’ skill levels in 

reading, writing skills, math, and 

ESL, to place students in appropriate 

courses and connect them to the 

resources they need to achieve 

academic success. 

Is the most widely accepted college 

entrance exam in the United States. It 

is divided into two main sections: 

• Multiple-choice test covering four 

skill areas: English, mathematics, 

reading, and science. 

• Writing test (which is optional) and 

is used to measure skill in planning 

and writing a short essay. 

SAT 

TOEFL 

IELTS 

GRE 

Graduate Record Examination 

GMAT 

Graduate Management 

Admission Test 

LSAT 

Law School Admission Test 

MCAT 

Medical College Admission Test * 

* Source: http://www.ets.org/

United States 

general 

requirements 

213 

Recognition 

of qualifications 

There is no singular organization 

that is responsible for evaluating 

previously earned qualifications. 

It is therefore recommended 

that you contact the 

international admissions 

office (undergraduate or 

graduate) for instructions on 

what to do and how to get 

your education evaluated. 

Some institutions and schools 

perform the evaluation themselves, 

but most will refer you to a 

credential evaluation service. 

• Important points to 

remember 

• Credential evaluations are not free. 

The cost will vary according to 

the complexity of the case and the 

amount of documentation you can 

provide. The student must absorb 

the costs for these services, which 

tend to range from $50 to $100 US 

per case. 

• Obtain English translations 

of any non-English documents, 

preferably notarized, prior to 

submitting any documents to 

a credential evaluation service. 

Some may perform this service. 

evaluation costs tend 

to range from 50 

to 100 uSD per 

document 

• U.S. educational institutions 

and credential evaluation 

services evaluate applicants 

on an individual case basis. 

They look for many factors in 

making an admission decision, 

not just your diplomas. This is 

how evaluations are done for 

U.S. citizens as well. Therefore, 

you can expect that various 

institutions and services may 

evaluate you differently according 

to their criteria for admissions. 

• Even though the international 

admissions office will process 

your application, it is a good 

idea to let the prospective faculty 

advisor know that you are 

applying. The faculty may have 

a decisive role in the admissions 

decision, especially for graduate 

level studies (master’s and 

doctoral level studies), and may be 

more familiar than the admissions 

office about your capacity to do 

work in their specific subject area. 

• Credential evaluation services 

provide procedures to appeal 

their recommendations. Do not 

appeal to the U.S. Department 

of Education, the federal 

government has no role in 

credential evaluation appeals. 

Use the procedure provided by 

the credential evaluation service 

and the institution to which you 

are seeking admission. 

On the next page is a 

list of organizations 

providing evaluation 

services. 

Byron D. Tapley / Aerospace Engineer

United States 

215 

c/o American Association of 

tel.: 1-202-293 9161 

National Council on the 

Collegiate Registrars and Admission 

fax: 1-202-872 8857 

Evaluation of Foreign 

Officers (AACRAO), 

Credentials 

One Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 370, 

Washington, D.C. 20036-1110 

P.O. Box 9203 

tel: 800-517-4754 

College Station TX 77842 

fax: 512-528-9293 

Global Credential 

www.gceus.com 

Evaluators, Inc. 

1717 Massachusetts Av., N.W., 

tel.: 1-202-332 1480 

Suite 402 

telex: RCA 204856 CBOIE 

College Entrance Examination 

Washington, D.C. 20038-1480 

fax: 1-202-234 9806 

Board (The College Board) 

Office of International 

Education 

phone: (425) 487-2245 

21540 30th Drive SE, Suite 320 

fax: (425) 487-1989 

Foundation for International 

Bothell, WA 98201 

www.fis-web.com 

Services, Inc. 

info@fis-web.com 

400 Maryland Av., N.W., 

tel.: 1-202-401 0430 

International and Territorial 

Washington, D.C. 20202 

fax: 1-202-401 2508 

Services / United States 

Department of Education 

P.O. Box 5087 

tel: (212) 966-6311 

World Education Services, Inc. 

Bowling Green Station 

fax: (212) 739-6100 

New York, NY 10274-5087 

www.wes.org 

info@ wes.org 

List of institutions providing 

information on the recognition 

of studies on higher education 

Application 

deadlines 

Since you need to start the 

application process at least 12 

months in advance bear in mind 

the application deadline dates, 

which most of the time is at least 6 

to 8 months prior to the start of the 

semester. These are similar across 

the board for most institutions. 

Some institutions have rolling 

admissions deadlines along with 

the possibility of deferring for 

a semester once you have been 

accepted. 

• Fall semester: applications 

are accepted from May to June. 

• Spring semester: 

applications are accepted from 

October to November. 

• Summer semester: apply 

by the end of February * . 

* Remember dates vary by university and 

programmes especially for international applicants, 

these are rough estimates.

United States 

217 

Rent $ 400 per month 

Groceries $ 100 per month 

Utilities $ 100 per month 

Phone $ 100 per month 

Sundry $ 200 per month 

Living 

expenses 

The approximate annual living 

expenses are about $10,000, which 

includes accommodation as well 

as other daily expenses. However, 

the expenses may vary for each 

individual, depending on your 

lifestyle. Another factor to consider 

when planning your budget is the 

different cost of living by state. 

SOME STATES ARE 

MORE EXPENSIVE 

THAN OTHERS 

The main expenses can be broken 

down as the chart on your left 

shows. So, about $1000 per month 

is a good estimation. Most people 

can survive on $700-$1000 a 

month. The key here is to share 

apartments/houses so that you 

can save on the utilities, the fixed 

charge portion of the phone and to 

some extent on groceries. 

Health 

insurance 

The cost of medical insurance is 

between US $500 to $1000 per year 

for one person including doctor’s 

visit, medication, hospitalization, 

and surgery. Health care in the 

United States is very costly and 

everyone, including citizens, must 

be insured in order to cover any 

medical needs. 

Scholarships 

EducationUSA is a worldwide 

organization providing guidance 

to international students. Many 

advisers travel to countries or 

participate in fairs to promote the 

continuation of higher education in 

the United States. 

There is a huge number of 

scholarships available on the 

International Scholarship 

Database of VarsityAdmission. 

EduPASS is a website providing 

ample information on financial 

aid for international students, as 

well as, college application and 

immigration. 

You may also search scholarships on: 

• US scholarships database. 

• Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs 

• U.S. Department of State 

• The Association of 

Commonwealth Universities 

website provides a scholarships 

guide for Commonwealth 

postgraduate students offered 

by various governments, Rotary 

International, World Bank, World 

Health Organization, Asian 

Development Bank, United 

Nations, Rockefeller Foundation 

and other organizations. 

scholarships and 

fellowships: 

www.fundingusstudy.org 

www.varsityadmission.com 

www.edupass.org

United States 

219 

Sports Scholarships 

• Fast Web Scholarships for Athletes 

• National Association of Collegiate 

Directors of Athletics 

• National Collegiate Athletic 

Association 

• National Scouting Report 

• List of other sources for 

scholarships (for specific 

cases and/or interests) 

Find Financial Aid 

• Peterson’s “Find-a-School” Search 

Engine (with new financial aid 

search feature) 

• IIE Funding for US Study Online 

• InternationalScholarhips.com 

• Council of International Schools 

Scholarship List 

• OACAC List of Financial Aid 

Awarded 

to International Students 

• Fulbright programme 

Opportunities for Students 

of Engineering 

• Society of Women Engineers 

External Financial Aid Sites (with 

options for international students) 

• Chase Manhattan Bank 

• International Education Financial Aid 

• Citibank Student Loan Corporation 

• Gates Millennium Scholars 

Programme 

• College Connection Scholarships 

• Key Education Resources 

• College Scholarship Search 

• Next Student Loans 

• Educaid 

• Scholarship Experts Student Loan 

• Scholarship Resource Network 

• Fast Web 

• Federal Trade Commission: 

Scholarship Scams 

• Southwest Student Services 

Corporation 

• FinAid 

• Student Loan Network 

• Financial Aid Resource Center 

• Super College 

• Fundsnet Online Services 

• United Negro College Fund 

• International Education Finance 

Corporation 

• U.S. Bank Student Loans 

Opportunities for Students 

with Special Needs 

• American Association of University 

Affiliated Programmes For Persons 

With Developmental Disabilities 

• Exceptional Nurse 

• American Council of the Blind 

• National Attention Deficit Disorder 

Association 

• Association on Higher Education 

and Disability 

• National Center for Learning 

Disabilities 

• Children and Adults with Attention 

Deficit Disorder 

• National Information Center for 

Children and Youth with Disabilities 

• Disabilities Studies and Services 

Center 

• U.S. Dept. of Justice Americans 

with Disabilities Act 

For students from different 

cultural/ ethnic backgrounds 

• American Indian College Fund 

• Hispanic Scholarship Fund 

• American Indian Higher Education 

Consortium 

• Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities 

• American Institute for Managing 

Diversity 

• Black Collegian 

• Journal of Blacks In Higher 

Education 

• Black Excel: The College Help 

Network 

• Minority Scholarships and 

Fellowships 

• Department of Education/Office 

of Bilingual Education and Minority 

Languages Affairs 

• National Association for the 

Advancement of Colored People 

• Gates Millennium Scholars Fund 

Quality Education for Minorities 

• Hillel: Jewish Campus Life 

• Tribal Colleges, Native Studies 

Programmes, and Indian Education 

• Hispanic Association of Colleges 

and Universities 

• United Negro College Fund

Community 

Elizabeth Higginbotham / Professor of Sociology 

chapter 4.1 

colleges

United States 

223 

For many community colleges 

(also known as junior or 

two-year colleges) have 

been a comparativey unpopular 

entity in the higher education 

market. However, they provide 

a bridge to transition from high 

school to college; this means that 

expectations, with regards to 

previous academic completion and 

entrance requirements, are a lot 

less than a four year college. This 

does not necessarily mean that 

the quality of the education is any 

different from a four year college. 

They also offer courses for transfer 

toward a bachelor’s degree at a 

four-year school. 

Currently, there are 1,151 

community colleges in the United 

cC are stepping stones to 

prestigious 4-year colleges 

States; 1,004 of these are public 

institutions controlled by the state 

or local districts, and the remaining 

numbers are private. More than 11 

million students, about 44% of all 

undergraduate students, attend 

community colleges throughout 

the United States * . As students 

coming out of Caribbean economies, 

it is a costly exercise to gain a place 

in a university in the US, this is 

because of the outlay related to the 

application process and, unless you 

have done extraordinarily well in 

the entrance exam or throughout 

high school, it is very difficult to 

gain funding. Consequently, an 

increasing number of international 

students have discovered that 

community colleges are the stepping 

stones to prestigious 4-year colleges. 

In 2006, 15 percent of international 

students were enrolled in a 

community college and that figure 

has been growing steadily. Many 

people who began their higher 

education in the 

United States at a 

community college 

have continued 

their education at 

universities and gone on to make 

significant contributions and to 

achieve recognition. 

* Statistics taken from American community 

college: http://www.americancommunitycolleges. 

com/articles/consider-communitycollege.htm 

Why CC? 

Community colleges are the 

gateway to higher education in 

the United States for the following 

reasons: 

• Lower cost 

Community college tuition and 

fees average $6,500 per year, which 

is significantly lower than that of 

4-year colleges and universities. 

Students can lower the overall cost 

of a bachelor’s degree by taking 

the first 2 years of course credits at 

a community college. 

• Excellent transfer 

opportunities 

Most community colleges have 

agreements with 4-year colleges 

and universities (called articulation 

or 2 + 2 transfer agreements) which 

allow students to transfer their 

community college credits toward 

a university degree. Thus, students 

are able to attend a community 

college for 2 years of study, obtain 

an associate degree, and then 

complete 2 years at a university to 

obtain a bachelor’s degree. Many 

state universities give preference 

to qualified students who transfer 

from a community college in that 

state. 

• Flexible English 

proficiency requirements 

Community colleges provide their 

own assessment and offer IEPs to 

students who require additional 

English proficiency, TOEFL scores 

cc offer 

intensive english 

programmes 

are not always critical to the 

admissions process. As community 

colleges offer excellent IEPs and 

ESL programmes, many can offer 

more flexible TOEFL requirements. 

Moreover, some community 

colleges will accept an IELTS score 

in place of the TOEFL score. 

• Focus on teaching and 

student success 

Though community college 

lecturers do conduct research 

and publish articles and books,

United States 225 

their main focus is on teaching. 

Community college students, 

therefore, enjoy a great deal 

of personal attention from 

their professors. Additionally, 

community colleges seek out faculty 

with work experience in their 

subject area, adding a real-world 

perspective to students’ studies. 

• Small class sizes 

The average community college 

class size is between 15 and 20 

students, which allow professors 

to devote more time to individual 

students and for students to 

interact with each other. Small 

classes are highly beneficial for 

international students who may 

need to adjust to the pace of U.S. 

academic life and practice their 

English-language skills. 

• Additional practical 

training opportunity 

International students with F-1 

status are eligible to do one year of 

Optional Practical Training (OPT) 

in their field of study immediately 

following completion of an 

associates degree, and a second 

year of OPT immediately following 

completion of a bachelor’s degree. 

• Use of the latest 

technologies 

Due to their strong ties with 

business and industry, most 

community colleges are 

equipped with state-of-the-art 

technologies, classrooms, and 

facilities. Community colleges 

lead the nation in educating 

students in cutting-edge fields 

such as biomedical engineering, 

biotechnology, robotics, laser 

optics, internet and computer 

technologies, and geographic 

information systems. 

• Hundreds of programmes 

to choose from 

Community colleges offer 

programmes in all major fields of 

study which can transfer to 4-year 

colleges and universities. Majors 

range from art to political science 

to zoology. Programmes especially 

popular among international 

students currently include 

business, engineering, computer 

science, computer graphics, 

internet technology, multimedia, 

hotel management, restaurant 

management, psychology, 

accounting, early childhood 

education, and environmental 

conservation. 

• Opportunities to 

experience U.S. culture 

Community colleges have 

strong ties to their surrounding 

communities; they offer 

international students both a rich 

academic environment and a 

unique opportunity to experience 

many aspects of life in the United 

States—both on and off campus. 

• Excellent student 

support services 

Community colleges are committed 

to attracting a diverse student 

population and ensuring that all 

students succeed. The colleges 

offer a variety of support services 

and cross-cultural programmes, 

including tutoring, advising, 

career planning, study skills and 

counselling— many of which 

are designed specifically for 


Garth Fragan /coreographer

United States 

227 

Admission 

process 

• Eligibility 

Age requirement 18 years old 

and above. 

• Complete placement 

procedures/ testing: Applicants 

must take the college placement 

test before registering for courses. 

See Entrance Test (page 210). 

• All required documents 

must be returned to institution by 

the application deadline. 

• A doctor’s statement 

certifying that you are in good 

health and giving details of any 

physical or mental limitations that 

the school will need to consider in 

meeting your needs. 

480 or greater on SAT verbal.This is 

not compulsory for all community 

colleges. This is because many 

have courses in English as a second 

language. 

• Proof of spoken 

English ability 

This may be certified by a letter 

from an official of the U.S. Consulate 

of Embassy in your country. 

cc offer lots 

of programmes 

• Transcripts of all 

secondary and 

high school work 

Along with a certified English 

translation with a written 

explanation of the grading system 

used in granting the grades. 

Financial Statement 

This statement of finance must be 

signed and dated within 6 months 

of start of the semester for which 

you are applying. Please provide 

all financial information in English 

and USD currency. 

• Health Insurance 

Proof of international student 

health insurance is mandatory. 

Evidence of coverage for the F1 

student and their dependents are 

required. 

Types of courses 

offered * 

Serving so many people with so 

many different educational needs, 

community colleges offer lots of 

different programmes and you will 

be able to see them on the next two 

pages. 

• Proof of written 

English ability 

The written proficiency may be 

shown by a combined total of 550 

or greater on TOEFL or a score of 

• Complete the I-20 

Application Form 

• Complete the student 

visa (F1) 

more info: 

http://usachinacorp.com/ 

resources/Education/ 

communitycollegearticle.pdf 

* According to Connections, vol 1,# 3: The 

five most popular community college programmees 

are: registered nursing, law enforcement, licensed 

practical nursing, radiology and computer 

technologies.


special 

interest 

programmes 

• dance 

Basic skill 

programmes 

Teach academic and fundamental 

skills necessary for tomorrow’s 

job problem solving, negotiating, 

organizing, creative thinking, 

listening, and leadership. 

ADULT AND 

VOCATIONAL 

EDUCATION 

TECHNICAL AND 

JOB TRAINING 

PROGRAMMES 

• music 

• art 

• motive technology 

• aviation and aeronautics 

• building and construction business 

• electronics 

• emergency medical technology 

• police and fire department training 

• child and family studies 

• other areas with promising careers 

ABBE 

Adult Basic 

Education 

AHS 

Adult High 

School 

Comp. Ed. 

Compensatory 

Education 

ESL 

English as 

a Second 

Language 

designed for those individuals who 

would like to improve basic skills in 

reading, math, and language. 

Alternative to GED completion: leads 

to a high school diploma 

for adults with mental retardation 

or adults functioning on a level 

equivalent to mental retardation 

resulting from brain injury 

University 

transfer 

programmes 

• dual enrollment, “2+2” 

GED 

General 

Equivalency 

Diploma

United States 

231 

tuition fees * 

Studying at a US institution is an 

expensive investment, but one we 

are sure you will find worthwhile. 

For the 2006-2007 academic year, 

The College Board reported the 

following average annual tuition 

costs by type of institution: 

out of state 

residents 

list of CC 

$26,304 

Pima C.C. 

Tohono O’odham C.C. 

Yavapai College 

• CALIFORNIA 

Allan Hancock College 

American Academy of Dramatic Arts 

Antelope Valley College 

Barstow C.C. 

Brooks College 

Butte College 

Cabrillo College 

Cerritos College 

Chabot-Las Positas Community 

College District 

Chabot College 

Las Positas College 

Chaffey College 

Citrus College 

City College of San Francisco 

Coast C.C. District 

Coastline C.C. 

Golden West College 

personal expenses taken 

into account 

(lodging, transportation 

and other expenses) 

cost of studies alone 

state 

commuter 

residents 

students 

$12,294 

$2,272 

$16,357 

$16,967 

$5,836 

$33,301 

$33,085 

$22,218 

Southern Union State C.C. 

Wallace State C.C.(Hanceville) 

• ARIZONA 

Arizona Western C. 

Central Arizona College 

Cochise College 

Coconino C.C. 

Diné College 

Eastern Arizona College 

Maricopa C.C. District 

Chandler-Gilbert C.C. 

Estrella Mountain C.C. 

GateWay C.C. 

Glendale C.C. 

Mesa C.C. 

Paradise ValleyC.C. 

Phoenix College 

Rio Salado C.C. 

Scottsdale C.C. 

South Mountain C.C. 

Mohave C.C. 

Northland Pioneer College 

* Keep increases in perspective. All numbers 

are approximate figures. 

Two-year 

Public 

Community 

Colleges 

Four-year 

Public 

Institutions 

Four-year 

Private 

Institutions 

• ALABAMA 

Alabama Southern C. C. 

Bevill State C.C. 

Bishop State C.C. 

Calhoun C.C. 

Central Alabama C.C. 

Chattahoochee Valley C.C. 

C.C. of the Air Force 

Enterprise-Ozark C.C. 

Gadsden State C.C. 

George C. Wallace C.C. (Dothan) 

George Corley Wallace St. C.C. 

(Selma) 

James H. Faulkner State C.C. 

Jefferson Davis C.C. 

Jefferson State C.C. 

Lawson State C.C. 

Lurleen B. Wallace State Junior C. 

Marion Military Institute 

Northeast Alabama C.C. 

Northwest-Shoals C.C. 

Shelton State C.C. 

Snead State C.C.

United States 

233 

Orange Coast College 

College of Marin 

College of the Canyons 

College of the Desert 

College of the Redwoods 

College of the Sequoias 

College of the Siskiyous 

Compton C.C.(closed Aug 2006) 

Contra Costa C.C.District 

Contra Costa College 

Diablo Valley College 

Los Medanos College 

Copper Mountain College 

Cuesta College 

Deep Springs College 

Defense Language Inst. 

El Camino College 

Fashion Inst. of Design & Merchandising 

Feather River College 

Foothill-De Anza CC District 

De Anza College 

Peralta C.C. District 

Berkeley City College 

College of Alameda 

Laney College 

Merritt College 

Rancho Santiago CC District 

Santa Ana College 

Santiago Canyon College 

Rio Hondo College 

Riverside C.C. 

San Bernardino C.C. District 

Crafton Hills College 

San Bernardino Valley College 

San Diego C.C. District 

San Diego City College 

San Diego Mesa College 

San Diego Miramar College 

San Joaquin Delta College 

San José-Evergreen C.C.District 

Evergreen Valley College 

San José City College 

San Mateo C.C. College District 

Cañada College 

Foothill College 

Gavilan College 

Glendale C.C. 

Grossmont-Cuyamaca C.C. District 

Cuyamaca College 

Grossmont College 

Hartnell College 

Heald Colleges 

Imperial Valley College 

Kern C.C. District 

Bakersfield College 

Cerro Coso C.C. 

Porterville College 

Lake Tahoe C.C. 

Lassen College 

Long Beach City College 

Los Angeles C.C. District 

East Los Angeles College 

Los Angeles City College 

Los Angeles Harbor College 

Los Angeles Mission College 

Los Angeles Pierce College 

Los Angeles Southwest College 

College of San Mateo 

Skyline College 

Santa Barbara City College 

Santa Monica College 

Santa Rosa Junior College 

Shasta College 

Sierra College 

Solano C.C. 

South Orange County C.C. District 

Irvine Valley College 

Saddleback College 

Southwestern College 

State Center C.C. District 

Fresno City College 

Reedley College 

Taft College 

Ventura County C.C. District 

Moorpark College 

Oxnard College 

Ventura College 

Victor Valley College 

West Hills C.C. 

West Valley-Mission C. District 

Los Angeles Trade-Tech C. 

Los Angeles Valley College 

West Los Angeles College 

Los RiosC.C.District 

American River College 

Cosumnes River College 

Folsom Lake College 

Sacramento City College 

Marymount College 

Mendocino College 

Merced College 

MiraCosta College 

Monterey Peninsula College 

Mount San Antonio College 

Mount San Jacinto College 

Napa Valley College 

North Orange County C.C. District 

Cypress College 

Fullerton College 

Ohlone College 

Palo Verde College 

Palomar College 

Pasadena City College 

Mission College 

West Valley College 

Yosemite C.C. District 

Columbia College 

Modesto Junior College 

Yuba C.C. District 

Clear Lake C.C. 

Woodland C.C. 

Yuba College 

• CONNECTICUT 

Briarwood College 

Connecticut C.C. System 

Asnuntuck C.C. 

Capital C.C. 

Gateway C.C. 

Housatonic C.C. 

Manchester C.C. 

Middlesex C.C. 

Naugatuck Valley C.C. 

Northwestern Connecticut C.C. 

Norwalk C.C. 

Quinebaug Valley C.C.

United States 

235 

Three Rivers C.C. 

Tunxis C.C. 

• DELAWARE 

Delaware Technical & C.C. 

Dover 

Georgetown 

Stanton / Wilmington 

• FLORIDA 

Florida C.C. System 

Brevard C.C. 

Broward C.C. 

Central Florida C.C. 

Florida C.C. at Jacksonville 

Florida Keys C.C. 

Gulf Coast C.C. 

Hillsborough C.C. 

Indian River C.C. 

Lake City C.C. 

Lake-Sumter C.C. 

Manatee C.C. 

• ILLINOIS 

City Colleges of Chicago 

Richard J. Daley College 

Harold Washington College 

Kennedy-King College 

Malcolm X College 

Olive-Harvey College 

Harry S. Truman College 

Wilbur Wright College 

Cooking & Hospitality Institute of 

Chicago 

Fox College 

Illinois Community College Board 

Black Hawk College 

Carl Sandburg College 

College of DuPage 

College of Lake County 

Danville Area Community College 

Elgin Community College 

Heartland Community College 

Highland Community College 

Illinois Central College 

Illinois Eastern C.C. 

Miami Dade College 

North Florida C.C. 

Okaloosa-Walton College 

Palm Beach C.C. 

Pasco-Hernando C.C. 

Pensacola Junior College 

Polk Community College 

Saint Johns River C.C. 

Santa Fe C.C. 

Seminole C.C. 

South Florida C.C. 

Tallahassee C.C. 

Valencia C.C. 

Florida National College 

• GEORGIA 

Andrew College 

Georgia Dept of Tech & Adult Educ 

Athens Technical College 

Augusta Technical College 

Central Georgia Technical C. 

Chattahoochee Technical College 

Columbus Technical College 

Frontier Community College 

Lincoln Trail College 

Olney Central College 

Wabash Valley College 

Illinois Valley Community College 

John A. Logan College 

John Wood Community College 

Joliet Junior College 

Kankakee Community College 

Kaskaskia College 

Kishwaukee College 

Lake Land College 

Lewis & Clark Community College 

Lincoln Land Community College 

McHenry County College 

Moraine Valley C.C. 

Morton College 

Oakton C.C. 

Parkland College 

Prairie State College 

Rend Lake College 

Richland C.C. 

DeKalb Technical College 

Griffin Technical College 

Gwinnett Technical College 

Northwestern Tech College 

Savannah Technical College 

Southwest Georgia Tech C. 

West Central Tech C. 

Georgia Military College 

Univ Syst of Georgia (+) 

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural C. 

Atlanta Metropolitan College 

Bainbridge College 

Coastal Georgia C.C. 

Dalton State College 

Darton College 

East Georgia College 

Georgia Highlands College 

Georgia Perimeter College 

Gordon College 

Middle Georgia College 

South Georgia College 

Waycross College 

Young Harris College 

Rock Valley College 

Sauk Valley C.C. 

Shawnee C.C. 

South Suburban College 

Southeastern Illinois College 

Southwestern Illinois College 

Spoon River College 

Triton College 

Waubonsee C.C. 

William Rainey Harper College 

MacCormac College 

Northwestern College 

Springfield College in Illinois 

• LOUISIANA 

Louisiana Community 

& Technical College System 

Baton Rouge CC 

Bossier Parish CC 

Delgado CC 

Fletcher Technical CC 

Louisiana Delta CC 

Nunez CC

United States 

237 

River Parishes CC 

South Louisiana CC 

Sowela Technical CC 

Louisiana State Univ at Eunice (+) 

Southern Univ at Shreveport (+) 

• MAINE 

Andover College 

Maine CC System 

Central Maine CC 

Eastern Maine CC 

Kennebec Valley CC 

Northern Maine CC 

Southern Maine CC 

Washington County CC 

York County CC 

• MARYLAND 

Allegany College of Maryland 

Anne Arundel CC 

Baltimore City CC 

Carroll CC 

Henry Ford CC 

Jackson CC 

Kalamazoo Valley CC 

Kellogg CC 

Kirtland CC 

Lake Michigan College 

Lansing CC 

Macomb CC 

Mid Michigan CC 

Monroe County CC 

Montcalm CC 

Mott CC 

Muskegon CC 

North Central Michigan College 

Northwestern Michigan College 

Oakland CC 

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College 

Saint Clair County CC 

Schoolcraft College 

Southwestern Michigan College 

Washtenaw CC 

Wayne County CC 

West Shore CC 

Cecil College 

Chesapeake College 

College of Southern Maryland 

Community College of Baltimore 

County Frederick CC 

Garrett College 

HagerstownCC 

Harford CC 

Howard CC 

Montgomery campus 

Prince George’s CC 

Wor-Wic CC 

• MASSACHUSSETTS 

Bay State College 

Berkshire CC 

Bristol CC 

Bunker Hill CC 

Cape Cod CC 

Dean College 

Greenfield CC 

Holyoke CC 

Labouré College 

• MISSISSIPPI 

Coahoma CC 

Copiah-Lincoln CC 

East Central CC 

East Mississippi CC 

Hinds CC 

Holmes CC 

Itawamba CC 

Jones County Junior College 

Meridian CC 

Mississippi Delta CC 

Mississippi Gulf Coast CC 

Northeast Mississippi CC 

Northwest Mississippi CC 

Pearl River CC 

Southwest Mississippi CC 

• MISSOURI 

Cottey College 

Crowder College 

East Central College 

Jefferson College 

Marian Court College 

Massachusetts Bay CC 

Massasoit CC 

Middlesex CC 

Mount Wachusett CC 

New England College of Finance 

North Shore CC 

Northern Essex CCC 

Quincy College 

Quinsigamond CCRoxbury Community 

College 

Springfield Technical CC 

Stockbridge School of Agriculture 

at Univ of Mass (+) 

• MICHIGAN 

Alpena CC 

Bay de Noc CC 

Bay Mills CC 

Delta College 

Glen Oaks CC 

Gogebic CC 

Grand Rapids CC 

Linn State Technical College 

Metropolitan CC District 

Blue River CC 

Business & Technology Campus 

Longview CC 

Maple Woods CC 

Penn Valley CC 

Mineral Area College 

MO State Univ-West Plains (+) 

Moberly Area CC 

North Central Missouri College 

Ozarks Technical CC 

Ranken Technical College 

Saint Charles CC 

Saint Louis CC 

Southeast MO Hospital 

College of Nursing 

& Health Sciences 

State Fair CC 

Three Rivers CC 

Wentworth Military Academy & 

Junior College

United States 

239 

• NEVADA 

College of Southern Nevada 

Truckee Meadows CC 

Western Nevada College 

• NEW HAMPSHIRE 

Hesser College 

McIntosh College 

CC System of New Hampshire 

Great Bay CC 

Lakes Region CC 

Manchester CC 

Nashua CC 

NHTI – Concord’sCC 

River Valley CC 

White Mountains CC 

• NEW JERSEY 

Atlantic Cape CC 

Bergen CC 

Berkeley College 

Brookdale CC 

Bronx CC 

Hostos CC 

Kingsborough CC 

LaGuardia CC 

Queensborough CC 

Helene Fuld College of Nursing 

Maria College of Albany 

State University of New York (+) 

Adirondack CC 

Broome CC 

Cayuga County CC 

Clinton CC 

Columbia-Greene CC 

Corning CC 

Dutchess CC 

Erie CC 

Finger Lakes CC 

Fulton-Montgomery CC 

Genesee CC 

Herkimer County CC 

Hudson Valley CC 

Jamestown CC 

Jefferson CC 

Burlington County College 

Camden County College 

County College of Morris 

Cumberland County College 

Essex County College 

Gloucester County College 

Hudson County CC 

Mercer County CC 

Middlesex County College 

Ocean County College 

Passaic County CC 

Raritan Valley CC 

Salem CC 

Sussex County CC 

Union County College 

Warren County CC 

• NEW MEXICO 

Central New Mexico CC 

Clovis CC 

Diné College 

Eastern NM Univ-Roswell (+) 

Luna CC 

Mohawk Valley CC 

Monroe CC 

Nassau CC 

Niagara County CC 

North Country CC 

Onondaga CC 

Orange County CC 

Rockland CC 

Schenectady County CC 

Suffolk County CC 

Sullivan County CC 

Tompkins Cortland CC 

Ulster County CC 

Westchester CC 

Trocaire College 

Villa Maria College of Buffalo 

• NORTH CAROLINA 

Carolinas C. of Health Sciences 

North Carolina CC System 

Alamance CC 

Asheville-Buncombe Tech. CC 

Beaufort County CC 

MesalandsCC 

Navajo Technical College 

New Mexico Junior College 

New Mexico Military Institute 

New Mexico State University (+) 

Alamogordo 

Carlsbad 

Doña Ana CC 

Grants 

Northern New Mexico College 

San Juan College 

Santa FeCC 

SW Indian Polytechnic Institute 

University of New Mexico (+) 

Gallup 

Los Alamos 

Taos 

Valencia 

• NEW YORK 

American Academy of Dramatic Arts 

City Univ of New York System (+) 

Borough of Manhattan CC 

Bladen CC 

Blue Ridge CC 

Brunswick CC 

Caldwell CC & Technical Inst 

Cape Fear CC 

Carteret CC 

Catawba Valley CC 

Central Carolina CC 

Central Piedmont CC 

Cleveland CC 

Coastal Carolina CC 

College of the Ablemarle 

Craven CC 

Davidson County CC 

Durham Technical CC 

Edgecombe CC 

Fayetteville Technical CCForsyth 

Technical CC 

Gaston College 

Guilford Technical CC 

Halifax CC 

Haywood CC 

Isothermal CC

United States 

241 

James Sprunt CC 

Johnston CC 

Lenoir CC 

Martin CC 

Mayland CC 

McDowell Technical CC 

Mitchell CC 

Montgomery CC 

Nash CC 

Pamlico CC 

Piedmont CC 

Pitt CC 

Randolph CC 

Richmond CC 

Roanoke-Chowan CC 

Robeson CC 

Rockingham CC 

Rowan-Cabarrus CC 

Sampson CC 

Sandhills CC 

South Piedmont CC 

Southeastern CC 

Florence-Darlington Tech College 

Greenville Tech College 

Horry-Georgetown Tech College 

Midlands Tech College 

Northeastern Tech College 

Orangeburg-Calhoun Tech C. 

Piedmont Tech College 

Spartanburg CC 

Tech College of the Lowcountry 

Tri-County Tech College 

Trident Techl College 

Williamsburg Tech College 

York Tech College 

Spartanburg Methodist College 

University of S. Car.System (+) 

Lancaster 

Salkehatchie 

Sumter 

Union 

• TEXAS 

Alamo CC District 

Northwest Vista College 

Southwestern CC 

Stanly CC 

Surry CC 

Tri-County CC 

Vance-Granville CC 

Wake Technical CC 

Wayne CC 

Western Piedmont CC 

Wilkes CC 

Wilson CC 

Louisburg College 

• PENNSYLVANIA 

Bucks County CC 

Butler County CC 

CC of Allegheny County 

CC of Beaver County 

CC of Philadelphia 

Delaware County CC 

Harcum College 

Harrisburg Area CC 

Lackawanna College 

Lehigh Carbon CC 

Palo Alto College 

Saint Philip’s College 

San Antonio College 

Alvin CC 

Amarillo College 

Angelina College 

Austin CC 

Blinn College 

Brazosport College 

Central Texas College 

Cisco Junior College 

Clarendon College 

Coastal Bend College 

College of the Mainland 

Collin County CC 

Dallas County CCDistrict 

Brookhaven College 

Cedar Valley College 

Eastfield College 

El Centro College 

Mountain View College 

North Lake College 

Richland College 

Luzerne County CC 

Manor Junior College 

Montgomery County CC 

Northampton CC 

Peirce College 

Pennsylvania College of Tech 

Pennsylvania Highlands CC 

Pennsylvania Institute of Tech 

Pittsburgh Technical Inst 

Reading Area CC 

Thaddeus Stevens St School of Tech 

Univ of Pittsburgh-Titusville (+) 

Valley Forge Military College 

Westmoreland County CC 

• RHODE ISLAND 

CC of Rhode Island 

• SOUTH CAROLINA 

S. Car. Technical College System 

Aiken Tech College 

Central Carolina Tech College 

Denmark Tech College 

Del Mar College 

El Paso CC 

Frank Phillips College 

Galveston College 

Grayson County College 

Hill College 

Houston CC System 

Howard College 

SW Collegiate Inst for the Deaf 

Jacksonville College 

Kilgore College 

Laredo CC 

Lee College 

Lon Morris College 

Lone Star College System 

McLennan Community College 

Midland College 

Navarro College 

North Central Texas College 

Northeast Texas CC 

Odessa College 

Panola College 

Paris Junior College

United States 

243 

Ranger College 

San Jacinto College 

South Plains College 

South Texas College 

Southwest Texas Junior College 

Tarrant County College 

Temple College 

Texarkana College 

Texas Southmost College (partnered 

with University of Texas- 

Brownsville) 

Texas State Technical College Syst 

Harlingen 

Marshall 

Waco 

West Texas 

Texas State University System (+) 

Lamar Institute of Technology 

Lamar State College-Orange 

Lamar State College-Port Arthur 

Trinity Valley CC 

Tyler Junior College 

Marshall Community & Tech C. 

New River Community & Tech C. 

Pierpont Community & Tech C. 

SW Virginia Community & Tech C. 

WVirginia NorthernCC 

W Virginia State C & Tech C. 

Huntington Junior College 

Potomac St College of WV Univ 

• WISCONSIN 

College of the Menominee Nation 

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa CC 

Wisconsin Tech College System 

Blackhawk Technical College 

Chippewa Valley Tech College 

Fox Valley Tech College 

Gateway Tech College 

Lakeshore Tech College 

Madison Area Tech College 

Mid-State Tech College 

Milwaukee Area Tech College 

Moraine Park Tech College 

Nicolet Area Tech College 

Vernon College 

Victoria College 

Wade College 

Weatherford College 

Western Texas College 

Wharton County Junior College 

• VERMONT 

Community College of Vermont 

Landmark College 

Sterling College 

• VIRGINIA 

Richard Bland College 

Virginia CC System 

Blue Ridge CC 

Central Virginia CC 

Dabney S. Lancaster CC 

Danville CC 

Eastern Shore CC 

Germanna CC 

J. Sargeant Reynolds CC 

John Tyler CC 

Northcentral Tech College 

Northeast WI Tech College 

Southwest WI Tech College 

Waukesha County Tech College 

Western Tech College 

University of WI Colleges (+) 

Baraboo / Sauk County 

Barron County 

Fond du Lac 

Fox Valley 

Manitowoc 

Marathon County 

Marinette 

Marshfield / Wood County 

Richland 

Rock County 

Sheboygan 

Washington County 

Waukesha 

• WYOMING 

Wyoming CC Commission 

Casper College 

Lord Fairfax CC 

Mountain EmpireCC 

New River CC 

Northern Virginia CC 

Patrick Henry CC 

Paul D. Camp CC 

Piedmont Virginia CC 

Rappahannock CC 

Southside Virginia CC 

Southwest Virginia CC 

Thomas Nelson CC 

Tidewater CC 

Virginia Highlands CC 

Virginia Western CC 

Wytheville CC 

• WEST VIRGINIA 

Community & Technical College 

System of West Virginia 

Blue Ridge C & Technical C 

Community & Tech C at West 

Virginia Univ Inst of Tech 

EW Virginia C & Tech C. 

Central Wyoming College 

Eastern Wyoming College 

Laramie County CC 

Northwest College 

Sheridan College (N WY CC Dist) 

Western Wyoming CC 

• PUERTO RICO 

Huertas Junior College 

Instituto Comercial de Puerto Rico 

Junior College 

(+) : 2-year campuses

Universities 

chapter 4.2 

Joan Herbers / zoologist


Why 

university? 

The United States is a premiere 

destination for international 

students from all over the world. 

The main advantages of higher 

education in a university in the 

USA are as follows: 

• World class 

learning institutions 

The United States has more 

institutions of higher learning than 

one can study from 

russian history to 

nuclear physics 

any other country in the world. 

More importantly is the quality of 

these academic bodies. Universities 

offer top-notch education 

programmes with highly qualified 

teaching staff. The research at 

many of these universities is 

cutting-edge and often published 

in journals worldwide and the 

professors at these schools are 

leading authorities in their field. 

The list of world-class learning 

institutions in the USA is endless 

and includes, but is not limited 

to: Stanford University, Harvard, 

Yale, Cornell, California Institute 

of Technology, UC Berkeley, 

University of Pennsylvania, MIT, 

John Hopkins, and Northwestern 

University. 

• Endless study choices 

One of the best things about 

studying in the USA is the vast 

number of academic options 

offered to students. Since 

the USA is such a large 

country with vast resources, 

almost every field of study is 

available in the country. One 

can study everything from 

Russian history to nuclear physics. 

That is why so many foreigners 

choose to obtain their training in 

the USA. If you can perceive it, you 

can probably find some place in 

America to study it. 

• Worldwide recognition 

A degree or certificate from a 

college or university is useless if 

it is not recognized by employers, 

other institutions or authorities. 

Therefore, it is of the utmost 

importance to ensure that the 

degree from the school you 

choose is recognized in the place 

you plan to use it. Fortunately, 

colleges and universities in 

America are given professional 

accreditation by different 

governing bodies. These schools 

have to earn their accreditation by 

fulfilling stringent criterias. 

• Supporting industries, 

training & research 

Because of the vast wealth 

of resources in the US, the 

opportunities for practical training 

related to your field of study 

are immense. Most college and 

universities have established 

affiliations with employers and 

researchers in different fields of 

study, thereby creating an avenue 

for students to obtain hands-on 

and invaluable experience. Many 

universities even require that 

students obtain practical training 

in order to graduate. In many 

cases, these opportunities are not 

available anywhere else in the 

world. 

• Technology 

Regardless of what degree a 

student chooses to pursue in 

school, he or she will have to use 

computers and other technologies 

in order to succeed. Many 

universities incorporate the latest 

technology into their curriculum, 

encouraging students to obtain 

proficiency before they go out 

into the workplace. Specialized 

technology, such as the newest 

medical equipment in medical 

schools, allows each student to 

maximize their true potential and 

gain experience that is marketable 

in the real world. 

• Flexibility 

Since the US school system 

utilizes credit units and often 

accommodates working students, 

most schools offer academic 

programmes that are flexible in 

nature. This means that, very 

often, one can choose when to 

attend classes, how many classes to

United States 

249 

enrol in each semester or quarter, 

or which elective and optional 

classes to take. An American 

education is very conforming to 

each student’s needs. 

• Global focus 

More and more often, American 

universities are focusing on the 

global aspects of each subject, 

better preparing students with a 

worldwide view of their field. No 

longer can students merely focus 

on certain geographic areas when 

obtaining their academic training. 

Most US learning institutions 

have recognized this and offer a 

more comprehensive and global 

curriculum to meet these new 

trends. * 

* Source: http://www.usastudyguide.com/ 

benefits.htm 

Undergraduate 

studies 

Many universities now have 

online application or you may 

use the traditional method of 

requesting an application form. 

If you are not able to complete 

the online application, it is still 

important to return the required 

documents to the institutions by 

the deadlines advertised or your 

application will not be considered 

and you will lose the application 

fee. Admission to a university 

in US requires the completion of 

twelve years of elementary and 

secondary education. Application 

fees ranges from 35-50 US $. The 

fees are normally non-refundable. 

In addition to this, some institutions 

also require an additional processing 

fee for international students. 

International applicants are required 

to submit official academic records 

and certificates for secondary and 

postsecondary education. 

• Records should be 

submitted in English. 

• All records must be official 

(notarized), copies are not be 

accepted. 

• Financial support: Once 

accepted, international students are 

required to show proof of financial 

capability. 

• Interviews (If applicable) 

•Letters of recommendation 

•Statement of purpose 

scores paper-based: 500 – 550 

computer-based (CBT): 173-250 

internet-based (IBT): 61-100 

scores 5.5-6.0 

minimum score 

verbal=440 

math=440. 

more info: 

www.ets.org/toefl 

www.ielts.org 

www.collegeboard.org 

• Standardized Tests 

Minimum score requirements: 

TOEFL 

Test of English as a 

Foreign Language 

IELTS 


Language Testing 

Service 

SAt

United States 

251 

Postgraduate 

studies 

Admission requirements vary 

significantly depending on the 

university and department. Some 

institutions are very selective, while 

others accept most applicants. 

Admission committees in many 

programmes face huge amount 

of applications and have a very 

limited number of spots. Thus, the 

competition for places is fierce. 

In completing your application 

consider ways in which to impress 

the selection committee. Do not aim 

to only fulfill the entry requirements. 

For an application to be successful it: 

• Must contain evidence that 

you have excelled academically. 

It would also be good to show 

participation in non-academic 

activities. 

• Demonstrate that your 

interests are congruent to the 

programme to which you are 

applying; 

• Not contain any obvious 

mistakes or exaggerations; 

• Be easily readable. 

The following factors will be key 

in assessing your application: 

• Application forms as 

provided by the university 

• Academic eligibility, it is 

necessary to show proof of at least 

16 years of education 

• Academic records, you 

generally need to have an honours 

degree and a minimum of a “B” 

average in your undergraduate 

studies. 

• Scores from standardised 

tests such as the GRE, GMAT, and 

if applicable the TOEFL and TSE. 

• Personal statement 

(sometimes refered to as an 

application essay). 

• Recommendations 

• Interviews (if applicable) 

Graduate students applications 

are generally reviewed with an 

emphasis placed on the last two 

years of their undergraduate 

study programme. While, for 

undergraduate programmes, 

application fees average $50 USD, 

the average cost for a postgraduate 

application is $70 USD. In some 

cases, there might be additional 

charges for late application fees and 

these can be as much as $50 USD. 

The good news, however, is 

that in the United States, as a 

general rule, students in Ph.D. 

programmes do not pay tuition 

and actually receive additional 

money sufficient for a modest 

living. Typically, funding is 

specialized 

technology allows 

students to maximize 

their true potential 

provided as long as the student 

maintains good grades, does work 

(as a teaching or research assistant) 

and completes the degree within 

a given time frame (usually 

4-5 years). With that said, it is 

important to look at the specific 

programme details for more 

information. See if the department 

website or your admission letter 

says anything about guaranteed 

funding, and if so, for how long. 

Contact potential advisers in 

advance of your application. 

Contacting the faculty members 

is an extra opportunity to 

demonstrate that you are interested 

in the programme. By expressing 

interest in working with a 

particular person, you can make 

your application stand out during 

the selection process, especially if 

the professor in question is 

on the selection committee. In 

some universities, applications 

circulate between faculty 

members and prospective 

students are only admitted 

if there is a faculty member 

who has similar interests 

and would like to work with 

the applying student. This may 

be one of the reasons that some 

professors are eager to answer 

questions or to communicate with 

you. An additional benefit of being 

accepted to a graduate programme 

is that in many, if not the majority 

of schools, graduate students 

receive comprehensive health 

insurance from the university.

United States 

253 

average cost 

for a postgraduate 

application is $70 usd 

Average costs * 

US Universities fall under 

two major categories: public 

(state supported), and private 

(independent) institutions. 

International students’ tuition 

expenses at state schools are based 

on non-resident costs, which are 

still usually less expensive 

than those of private 

universities. The cost of a 

programme in a US school 

does not necessarily affect 

its quality. A brief idea 

on the difference in cost may be 

derived from the table to the left: ** 

University 

type 

private 

private 

state 

state 

cost 

high 

low 

high 

low 

average 

USD 

25 000 

15 000 

20 000 

10 000 

* Keep increases in perspective. All numbers 

are approximate figures. 

** Tuition fee differs according to the 

universities and varies widely with courses. It can 

vary from as low as $5000 a year for state universities 

to as much as $30000 per annum for some private 

universities. For more specific details, please contact 

the universities. 

Marita Bolles / contemporary music composer 

The following list of 

universities does not contain 

all the universities in the U.S., 

we only list states that are 

usually populated by caribbean 

nationals.

United States 

255 

US universities 

• ALABAMA (AL) 

Air University 

Alabama A&M University 

Alabama State University 

Amridge University 

Athens State University 

Auburn University 

Auburn University at Montgomery 

Birmingham-Southern College 

Concordia College-Selma 

Faulkner University 

Huntingdon College 

Jacksonville State University 

Judson University 

Miles College 

Talladega College 

Troy University (main campus) 

Dothan campus 

Montgomery campus 

Tuskegee University 

United States Sports Academy 

University of Alabama System 

Birmingham 

Huntsville 

Tuscaloosa (main campus) 

University of Mobile 

University of Montevallo 

University of North Alabama 

University of South Alabama 

University of West Alabama 

Oakwood University 

Samford University 

Southeastern Bible College 

Spring Hill College 

Stillman College 

• ARIZONA (AZ) 

A.T. Still Univ. of Health Sciences 

American Indian Coll. of the 

• CALIFORNIA (CA) 

Academy of Art University 

Alliant International University 

Antioch University-Los Angeles 

Art Center College of Design 

Azusa Pacific University 

Bethany College 

Bethesda Christian University 

Biola University 

California Baptist University 

California College of the Arts 

California Institute of the Arts 

CA Institute of Integral Studies 

California Institute of Technology 

California Lutheran University 

California Pacific University 

California State University System 

Bakersfield 

California Maritime Academy 

California Polytechnic State University, 

San Luis Obispo 

California State Polytechnic University, 

Pomona 

Channel Islands 

Chico 

Dominguez Hills 

East Bay 

Fresno 

Fullerton 

Long Beach 

Los Angeles 

Monterey Bay 

Northridge 

Sacramento 

San Bernardino 

San Marcos 

Stanislaus 

Humboldt State University 

San Diego State University 

San Francisco State University 

San José State University 

Sonoma State University 

Chapman University 

Charles R. Drew University of 

Medicine & Science 

Church Divinity Sch. of the Pacific 

Assemblies of God 

Arizona State University 

AZ State Univ. Polytechnic Campus 

AZ State University at the West 

Campus 

Art Center Design College 

DeVry University-Phoenix 

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ. 

Grand Canyon University 

Midwestern Univ-Glendale campus 

Northcentral University 

Northern Arizona University 

Prescott College 


Thunderbird Sch. of Global Management 

University of Arizona 

University of Phoenix 

Western International University 

Claremont Consortium of Colleges 

Claremont Graduate University 

Claremont McKenna College 

Harvey Mudd College 

Keck Graduate Institute of Applied 

Life Sciences 

Pitzer College 

Pomona College 

Scripps College 

Cogswell Polytechnical College 

Concordia University-Irvine 

DeVry University-Long Beach 

DeVry University-Pomona 

Dominican Sch. of Philosophy & 

Theology 

Dominican University of California 

Fielding Graduate Institute 

Franciscan School of Theology 

Fresno Pacific University 

Fuller Theological Seminary 

Golden Gate University 

Graduate Theological Union 

Holy Names University

United States 

257 

Hope International University 

Humphreys College 

Inst. of Transpersonal Psychology 

Jesuit School of Theology at 

Berkeley 

John F. Kennedy University 

La Sierra University 

Life Pacific College 

Lincoln University 

Loma Linda University 

Loyola Marymount University 

Marymount College 

The Master’s College 

The Master’s Seminary 

Menlo College 

Mills College 

Monterey Institute of 

International Studies 

Mount Saint Mary’s College 

National Hispanic University 

National University 

Naval Postgraduate School 

College of Law 

Western Univ. of Health Sciences 

Westminster Seminary California 

Westmont College 

Whittier College 

William Howard Taft University 

William Jessup University 

Woodbury University 

Southern Union State C.C. 

Wallace State C.C.(Hanceville) 

• CONNECTICUT 

Albertus Magnus College 

Central Connecticut State Univ. 

Charter Oak State College 

Connecticut College 

Eastern Connecticut State Univ. 

Fairfield University 

Hartford Seminary 

Holy Apostles College & Seminary 

Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts 

Mitchell College 

Post University 

Quinnipiac University 

Notre Dame de Namur University 

Occidental College 

Otis College of Art & Design 

Pacific Oaks College 

Pacific Union College 

Pacifica Graduate Institute 

Pardee RAND Graduate School 

Patten College 

Pepperdine University 

Platt College 

Point Loma Nazarene University 

Saint Mary’s College of California 

Samuel Merritt College 

San Diego Christian College 

Santa Clara University 

Saybrook Graduate School 

& Research Center 

Simpson University 

Soka University of America 

Southern California Institute of 

Architecture 

Southwestern Univ. School of Law 

Stanford University 

Sacred Heart University 

Saint Joseph College 

Southern Connecticut State Univ. 

Trinity College 

US Coast Guard Academy 

University of Bridgeport 

University of Connecticut 

University of Hartford 

University of New Haven 

Wesleyan University 

Western Connecticut State Univ. 

Yale University 

• DELAWARE 

Delaware State University 

Goldey-Beacom College 

University of Delaware 

Wesley College 

Wilmington University 

• FLORIDA (FL) 

The Baptist College of Florida 

Barry University 

Thomas Aquinas College 

University of California System 

Berkeley 

Davis 

Hastings College of the Law 

Irvine 

Los Angeles 

Merced 

Riverside 

San Diego 

San Francisco 

Santa Barbara 

Santa Cruz 

American Jewish University 

University of La Verne 

University of Northern California 

University of the Pacific 

University of Redlands 

University of San Diego 

University of San Francisco 

University of Southern California 

Vanguard Univ. of Southern Ca. 

Western State University 

Beacon College 

Bethune-Cookman College 

Carlos Albizu University-Miami 

Chipola College 

Clearwater Christian College 

Daytona State College 

DeVry University-Orlando 

Eckerd College 

Edison State College 

Edward Waters College 

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ. 

Flagler College 

FL Agricultural & Mechanical Univ. 

Florida Atlantic University 

Florida Christian College 

Florida College 

Florida Gulf Coast University 

FL Hosp. College of Health Sciences 

Florida Institute of Technology 

Florida International University 

Florida Memorial University 

Florida Metropolitan University 

Florida Southern College

United States 

259 

Florida State University 

Panama City campus 

Hobe Sound Bible College 

Hodges University 

Jacksonville University 

Jones College 

Keiser University 

Lynn University 

Miami International University of 

Art & Design 

New College of Florida 

Northwood University 

Nova Southeastern University 

Palm Beach Atlantic University 

Ringling School of Art & Design 

Rollins College 

St. John Vianney College Seminary 

Saint Leo College 

Saint Petersburg College 

Saint Thomas University 

St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary 

South Florida Bible College & 

South University 

Spelman College 

Thomas Univ. Toccoa Falls College 

Truett-McConnell College 

University System of Georgia 

Albany State University 

Armstrong Atlantic State Univ. 

Augusta State University 

Clayton College & State Univ. 

Columbus State University 

Fort Valley State University 

Gainesville State College 

Georgia College & State Univ. 

Georgia Institute of Technology 

Georgia Southern University 

Georgia Southwestern St. Univ. 

Georgia State University 

Kennesaw State University 

Macon State College 

Medical College of Georgia 

North Georgia College & St. Univ. 

Savannah State University 

Southern Polytechnic St. Univ. 

Theological Seminary 

Southeastern University 

Stetson University 

Trinity College of Florida 

Troy State Univ.-Florida Region 

University of Central Florida 

University of Florida 

University of Miami 

University of North Florida 

University of South Florida 

Univ. of South FL-Saint Petersburg 

University of Tampa 

University of West Florida 

Warner Southern College 

Webber International University 

• GEORGIA (GA) 

Agnes Scott College 

American InterContinental Univ. 

Art Institute of Atlanta 

Atlanta Christian College 

Augusta State University 

Bauder College 

State University of West Georgia 

University of Georgia 

Valdosta State University 

Wesleyan College 

• ILLINOIS (IL) 

Adler School of 

Professional Psychology 

American College of Education 

Argosy University 

Augustana College 

Aurora University 

Benedictine University 

Blackburn College 

Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing 

Bradley University 

Catholic Theological Union 

The Chicago School of 

Professional Psychology 

Chicago State University 

Chicago Theological Seminary 

Columbia College Chicago 

Concordia University-Chicago 

Berry College 

Brenau University 

Brewton-Parker College 

Clark Atlanta University 

Columbia Theological Seminary 

Covenant College 

Dalton State College 

University of Devry-Georgia 

Emmanuel College 

Emory University 

Interdenominational Theological Ctr. 

LaGrange College 

Life University 

Mercer University 

Morehouse College 

Morehouse School of Medicine 

Oglethorpe University 

Paine College 

Piedmont College 

Reinhardt College 

Richmont Graduate University 

Savannah College of Art & Design 

Shorter College 

DePaul University 

DeVry University 

DeVry University-Chicago 

DeVry University-DuPage 

Dominican University 

East-West University 

Eastern Illinois University 

Ellis University 

Elmhurst College 

Erikson Institute 

Eureka College 

Garrett-Evangelical Theological 

Seminary 

Governors State University 

Greenville College 

Hebrew Theological College 

Illinois College 

Illinois College of Optometry 

Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago 

Ill. Inst. of Art-Schaumburg 

Ill. Institute of Technology 

Illinois State University 

Illinois Wesleyan University

United States 

261 

Institute for Clinical Social Work 

John Marshall Law School 

Judson University 

Kendall College 

Knowledge Systems Institute 

Knox College 

Lake Forest College 

Lake Forest Graduate School of 

Management 

Lakeview College of Nursing 

Lewis University 

Lexington College 

Lincoln Christian College & Seminary 

Lincoln College 

Loyola University Chicago 

Lutheran Sch. of Theology at Chicago 

MacMurray College 

McCormick Theological Seminary 

McKendree University 

Midstate College 

Midwestern University 

Millikin University 

• LOUISIANA (LA) 

Centenary College of Louisiana 

Dillard University 

Grambling State University 

Louisiana College 

Louisiana State University System 

Alexandria 

Baton Rouge 

Health Sciences Center 

Shreveport 

University of New Orleans 

Louisiana Tech University 

Loyola University New Orleans 

McNeese State University 

Nicholls State University 

New Orleans Baptist Theological Sem. 

Northwestern State Univ. of LA 

Notre Dame Seminary 

Our Lady of Holy Cross College 

Our Lady of the Lake College 

Southeastern Louisiana University 

Southern University System 

Baton Rouge 

Monmouth College 

Moody Bible Institute 

National Univ. of Health Sciences 

National-Louis University 

North Central College 

North Park University 

Northeastern Illinois University 

Northern Baptist Theological Sem. 

Northern Illinois University 

Northwestern University 

Olivet Nazarene University 

Principia College 

Quincy University 

Robert Morris College 

Rockford College 

Roosevelt University 

Rosalind Franklin University of 

Medicine & Science 

Rush University 

Saint Anthony College of Nursing 

Saint Augustine College 

St Francis Medical Ctr. Coll. of Nursing 

Saint John’s College 

New Orleans 

Tulane University 

University of Louisiana System 

Monroe 

Lafayette 

Xavier University of Louisiana 

• MAINE (ME) 

Bates College 

Bowdoin College 

Colby College 

College of the Atlantic 

Husson College 

Maine College of Art 

Maine Maritime Academy 

Saint Joseph’s College 

Thomas College 

Unity College 

University of Maine System 

Augusta 

Farmington 

Fort Kent 

Machias 

Saint Xavier University 

School of the Art Inst. of Chicago 

Seabury-Western Theological Sem. 

Shimer College 

Southern Illinois Univ. System 

Carbondale 

Edwardsville 

Spertus Inst. of Jewish Studies 

Trinity Christian College 

Trinity College of Nursing & 

Health Sciences 

Trinity International University 

University of Chicago 

University of Illinois System 

Chicago 

Springfield 

Urbana-Champaign 

University of Saint Francis 

VanderCook College of Music 

West Suburban College of Nursing 

Western Illinois University 

Wheaton College 

Orono 

Presque Isle 

School of Law 

University of Southern Maine 

University of New England 

• MARYLAND (MD) 

Baltimore Hebrew University 

Baltimore International College 

Bowie State University 

Capitol College 

Chesapeake College 

Coll. of Notre Dame of Maryland 

Columbia Union College 

Coppin State University 

Goucher College 

Frostburg State University 

Hood College 

Johns Hopkins University 

Loyola College 

ML institute, College of Art 

McDaniel College 

Morgan State University

United States 

263 

Mount Saint Mary’s University 

National Labor College 

Saint John’s College-Annapolis 

Saint Mary’s College of Maryland 

Saint Mary’s Sem. & Univ. 

Salisbury University 

Soujourner-Douglass College 

Tai Sophia Institute 

Towson University 

The Uniformed Services University 

of the Health Sciences 

United States Naval Academy 

University of Baltimore 

University of Maryland System 

Baltimore 

Baltimore County 

College Park 

Eastern Shore 


Washington Bible College 

Washington College 

Villa Julie College 

MA School of Professional Psychology 

Merrimack College 

Mount Holyoke College 

Mount Ida College 

New England Coll. of Optometry 

New England Conservatory of Music 

Newbury College 

Nichols College 

Northeastern University 

Pine Manor College 

Regis College 

Salem State College 

Simmons College 

Simon’s Rock College 

Smith College 

Springfield College 

Stonehill College 

Suffolk University 

Tufts University 

University of MA System 

Amherst 

Boston 

Dartmouth 

• MASSACHUSSETTS (MA) 

American International College 

Amherst College 

Andover Newton Theological Sch. 

Anna Maria College 

Assumption College 

Atlantic Union College 

Babson College 

Bay Path College 

Becker College 

Benjamin Franklin Inst. of Tech. 

Bentley College 

Berklee College of Music 

Boston Architectural College 

Boston College 

Boston Conservatory 

Boston Graduate Sch. of Psychoanalysis 

Boston University 

Brandeis University 

Bridgewater State College 

Cambridge College 

Clark University 

Lowell 

Medical School at Worcester 

Wellesley College 

Wentworth Institute of Technology 

Western New England College 

Westfield State College 

Wheaton College 

Wheelock College 

Williams College 

Worcester Polytechnic Institute 

Worcester State College 

• MICHIGAN (MI) 

Adrian College 

Albion College 

Alma College 

Andrews University 

Aquinas College 

Baker College 

Calvin College 

Central Michigan University 

Cleary University 

College for Creative Studies 

College of the Holy Cross 

Curry College 

Eastern Nazarene College 

Elms College 

Emerson College 

Emmanuel College 

Endicott College 

Fisher College 

Fitchburg State College 

Framingham State College 

Gordon College 

Gordon-Conwell Theological Sem. 

Hampshire College 

Harvard University 

Hebrew College 

Hult International Business School 

Lasell College 

Lesley College 

Massachusetts College of Art 

MA Coll. of Liberal Arts 

MA Coll. of Pharmacy & Health Sciences 

MA Institute of Technology 

Massachusetts Maritime Academy 

Concordia College-Ann Arbor 

Cornerstone University 

Cranbrook Academy of Art 

Davenport University 

Eastern Michigan University 

Ferris State University 

Kendall College of Art & Design 

Finlandia University 

Grace Bible College 

Grand Valley State University 

Great Lakes Christian College 

Hillsdale College 

Hope College 

Kalamazoo College 

Kettering University 

Kuyper College 

Lake Superior State University 

Lawrence Technological University 

Madonna University 

Marygrove College 

MI Sch. of Professional Psychology 

Michigan State University 

Mi Technological University

United States 

265 

Miller College 

Northern Michigan University 


Oakland University 

Olivet College 

Rochester College 

Sacred Heart Major Sem. 

Saginaw Valley State University 

Siena Heights University 

Spring Arbor University 

Thomas M. Cooley Law School 

University of Detroit Mercy 

University of Michigan System 

Ann Arbor 

Dearborn 

Flint 

Walsh College 

Wayne State University 

Western Michigan University 

• MISSISSIPPI (MS) 

Alcorn State University 

Kansas City Univ. of Med. & Biosciences 

Kenrick-Glennon Seminary 


Lindenwood University 

Logan University 

Maryville University of Saint Louis 

Midwestern Baptist Theological Sem. 

Missouri Baptist University 

Missouri Southern State Univ. 

Missouri State University 

Missouri Valley College 

Missouri Western State University 

Northwest MO State University 

Ozark Christian College 

Park University 

Research College of Nursing 

Rockhurst University 

Saint Louis College of Pharmacy 

Saint Louis University 

Saint Luke’s College 

Saint Paul School of Theology 

Southeast MO State University 

Southwest Baptist University 

Belhaven College 

Blue Mountain College 

Delta State University 

Jackson State University 

Magnolia Bible College 

Millsaps College 

Mississippi College 

Mississippi State University 

Mississippi University for Women 

Mississippi Valley State University 

Rust College 

Tougaloo College 

University of Mississippi 

University of MS Medical Center 

University of Southern Mississippi 

William Carey College 

• MISSOURI (MO) 

A.T. Still Univ. of Health Sciences 

Aquinas Institute of Theology 

Assemblies of God Theological Sem. 

Avila University 

Baptist Bible College 

Stephens College 

Truman State University 

University of Central Missouri 

University of Missouri System 

Columbia 

Kansas City 

MO University of Science & Tech. 

Saint Louis 

Washington Univ. in Saint Louis 

Webster University 

Westminster College 

William Jewell College 

William Woods University 

• NEVADA (NV) 

Great Basin College 

Sierra Nevada College 

University of Nevada-Las Vegas 

University of Nevada-Reno 

• NEW HAMPSHIRE (NH) 

Antioch New England 

Chester College of New England 

Calvary Bible Coll. & Theological Sem. 

Central Bible College 

Central Christian Coll. of the Bible 

Central Methodist University 

Chamberlain College of Nursing 

College of the Ozarks 


Conception Seminary College 

Concordia Seminary-Saint Louis 

Covenant Theological Seminary 

Cox Coll. of Nursing & Health Sciences 

Culver-Stockton College 

DeVry University-Kansas City 

Drury University 

Eden Theological Seminary 

Evangel University 

Fontbonne University 

Forest Inst. of Professional Psychology 

Goldfarb School of Nursing at 

Barnes-Jewish College 

Hannibal-Lagrange College 

Harris-Stowe State University 

Kansas City Art Institute 

Colby-Sawyer College 

Daniel Webster College 

Dartmouth College 

Franklin Pierce University 

Franklin Pierce Law Center 

Granite State College 

Keene State College 

New England College 

Plymouth State College 

Rivier College 

Saint Anselm College 

Southern NH University 

The Thomas More Coll. of Liberal Arts 

University of New Hampshire 

University of NH at Manchester 

• NEW JERSEY (NJ) 

Berkeley College 

Bloomfield College 

Caldwell College 

Centenary College 

The College of New Jersey 

College of Saint Elizabeth

United States 

267 

Drew University 

Fairleigh Dickinson University 

Felician College 

Georgian Court College 

Kean University 

Monmouth University 

Montclair State University 

New Jersey City University 

New Jersey Inst. of Technology 

Princeton University 

Ramapo College 

Richard Stockton Coll. of NJ 

Rider University 

Rowan University 

Rutgers University 

Camden 

New Brunswick/Piscataway 

Newark 

Saint Peter’s College 

Seton Hall University 

Stevens Institute of Technology 

Thomas Edison State College 

College of Mount Saint Vincent 

College of New Rochelle 

College of Saint Rose 

Columbia University 

Concordia College-Bronxville 

The Cooper Union for the 

Advancement of Science & Art 

Cornell University 

Culinary Institute of America 

Daemen College 

Davis College 

Dominican College 

Dowling College 

D´Youville College 

Elmira College 

Excelsior College 

Five Towns College 

Fordham University 

Hamilton College 

Hartwick College 

Hebrew Union College-Jewish 

Institute of Religion 

Hilbert College 

Univ. of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ 

William Paterson University 

• NEW MEXICO (NM) 

College of Santa Fe 

Eastern NM University 

Institute of American Indian Arts 

NM Inst. of Mining & Technology 

New Mexico Highlands University 

New Mexico State University 

Saint John’s College-Santa Fe 


University of New Mexico 

University of the Southwest 

Western New Mexico University 

• NEW YORK (NY) 

Adelphi University 

Albany College of Pharmacy 

Albany Medical College 

Alfred University 

Bank Street College of Education 

Hobart and William Smith Colleges 

Hofstra University 

Houghton College 

Iona College 

Ithaca College 

The Jewish Theological Seminary 

of America 

The Juilliard School 

Keuka College 

Le Moyne College 

Laboratory Inst. of Merchandising 

Long Island University 

Arnold & Marie Schwartz Coll. of 

Pharmacy & Health Sciences 

Brentwood Campus 

Brooklyn Campus 

C.W. Post Campus 

Rockland Graduate Campus 

Southampton Graduate Campus 

Westchester Graduate Campus 

Manhattan College 

Manhattan School of Music 

Manhattanville College 

Bard College 

Barnard College 

Boricua College 

Briarcliffe College 

Canisius College 

Cazenovia College 

Christ the King Seminary 

City University of NY System 

Baruch College 

Brooklyn College 

City College 

College of Staten Island 

Graduate School & Univ. Center 

Hunter College 

John Jay College of Criminal 

Justice 

Lehman College 

Medger Evers College 

NY City College of Technology 

Queens College 

York College 

Clarkson University 

Colgate University 

Marist College 

Marymount Manhattan College 

Medaille College 

Mercy College 

Metropolitan College of New York 

Molloy College 

Monroe College 

Mount Saint Mary College 

Nazareth College 

The New School 

New York Chiropractic College 

NY College of Podiatric Medicine 

New York Institute of Technology 

New York Medical College 

New York University 

Niagara University 

Nyack College 

Pace University 

Parsons School of Design 

Paul Smith’s College 

Polytechnic University of NY 

Pratt Institute 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst.

United States 

269 

Roberts Wesleyan College 

Rochester Institute of Technology 

The Rockefeller University 

The Sage Colleges 

Saint Bonaventure University 

Saint Francis College 

Saint John Fisher College 

Saint John’s University 

Saint Joseph’s College 

Saint Lawrence University 

Saint Thomas Aquinas College 

Sarah Lawrence College 

School of Visual Arts 

Siena College 

Skidmore College 

State University of NY System 

Albany 

Binghamton 

Buffalo 

Stony Brook 

College at Brockport 

College at Buffalo (Buffalo State 

• NORTH CAROLINA (NC) 

Appalachian State University 

Barton College 

Belmont Abbey College 

Bennett College 

Brevard College 

Cabarrus Coll. of Health Sciences 

Campbell University 

Catawba College 

Chowan College 

Davidson College 

Duke University 

East Carolina University 

Elizabeth City State University 

Elon University 

Fayetteville State University 

Gardner-Webb University 

Greensboro College 

Guilford College 

High Point University 

Johnson C. Smith University 

Lees-McRae College 

College) 

College at Cortland 

College at Fredonia 

College at Geneseo 

College at New Paltz 

College at Old Westbury 

College at Oneonta 

College at Oswego 

College at Plattsburgh 

College at Potsdam 

College at Purchase 

Coll. of Agriculture & Tech. at 

Cobleskill 

Coll. of Agriculture & Tech. at 

Morrisville (M.ville St. Coll.) 

Coll. of Environmental Science & 

Forestry 

College of Optometry 

College of Technology at Alfred 

(Alfred State Univ.) 

College of Technology at Canton 

College of Technology at Delhi 

Downstate Medical Center 

Lenoir-Rhyne College 

Livingstone College 

Louisburg College 

Mars Hill College 

Meredith College 

Methodist University 

Montreat College 

Mount Olive College 

North Carolina Central Univ. 

North Carolina A&T State Univ. 

North Carolina School of the Arts 

North Carolina State University 

North Carolina Wesleyan College 

Peace College 

Pfeiffer University 

Piedmont Baptist College 

Queens University of Charlotte 

Roanoke Bible College 

St. Andrews Presbyterian College 

Saint Augustine’s College 

Salem College 

Shaw University 

SE Baptist Theological Sem. 

Empire State College 

Farmingdale State College 

Fashion Institute of Technology 

Institute of Tech. at Utica/Rome 

Maritime Coll. at Fort Schuyler 

Upstate Medical University 

Syracuse University 

Teachers College, Columbia Univ. 

Touro College 

Unification Theological Seminary 

Union College 

Union Theological Seminary 

US Merchant Marine Academy 

US Military Academy 

University of Rochester 

Utica College of Syracuse Univ. 

Vassar College 

Vaughn Coll. of Aeronautics & Tech. 

Wagner College 

Webb Institute 

Wells College 

Yeshiva University 

Univ. of North Carolina System 

Asheville 

Chapel Hill 

Charlotte 

Greensboro 

Pembroke 

Wilmington 

Wake Forest University 

Warren Wilson College 

Western Carolina University 

Wingate University 

Winston-Salem State University 

• PENNSYLVANIA (PA) 

Albright College 

Allegheny College 

Alvernia College 

American College 

Arcadia University 

Art Institute of Pittsburgh 

Baptist Bible College 

Biblical Theological Seminary 

Bloomsburg Univ. of PA

United States 

271 

Bryn Athyn Coll. of the New Church 

Bryn Mawr College 

Bucknell University 

Cabrini College 

California Univ. of Pennsylvania 

Carlow College 

Carnegie Mellon University 

Cedar Crest College 

Central Pennsylvania College 

Chatham College 

Chestnut Hill College 

Cheyney University 

Clarion University of Pennsylvania 

College Misericordia 

Curtis Institute of Music 

Delaware Valley College 

DeSales University 

Dickinson College 

Drexel University 

Duquesne University 

East Stroudsburg Univ. of PA 

Eastern University 

College of Medicine 

Dickinson School of Law 

DuBois 

Erie, The Behrend College 

Fayette, The Eberly Campus 

Great Valley School of Graduate 

Professional Studies 

Greater Allegheny 

Harrisburg 

Hazleton 

Lehigh Valley 

Mont Alto 

New Kensington 

PA College of Technology 

Schuylkill 

Shenango 

University Park (main campus) 

Wilkes-Barre 

Worthington Scranton 

York 

Philadelphia Biblical University 

Philadelphia University 

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary 

Edinboro University of PA 

Elizabethtown College 

Franklin & Marshall College 

Gannon University 

Geneva College 

Gettysburg College 

Gratz College 

Grove City College 

Gwynedd Mercy College 

Haverford College in PA 

Holy Family University 

Immaculata College 

Indiana University of PA 

Juniata College 

Keystone College 

Kings College 

Kutztown University of PA 

La Roche College 

Lafayette College 

Lake Erie Coll. of Osteopathic Med. 

Lancaster Bible College 

LaSalle University 

Lebanon Valley College 

Point Park University 

Robert Morris College 

Rosemont College 

Saint Francis University 

Saint Joseph’s University 

Saint Vincent College 

Seton Hill College 

Shippensburg University of PA 

Slippery Rock University of PA 

Susquehanna University 

Swarthmore College 

Temple University 

Thiel College 

Thomas Jefferson University 

United States Army War College 

University of Pennsylvania 

University of Pittsburgh 

Bradford 

Greensburg 

Johnstown 

University of Scranton 

University of the Arts 

Univ. of the Sciences in Philadelphia 

Lehigh University 


Lock Haven University of PA 

Lycoming College 

Mansfield University of PA 

Marywood University 

Mercyhurst College 

Messiah College 

Millersville University of PA 

Moore College of Art & Design 

Moravian College 

Mount Aloysius College 

Muhlenberg College 

Neumann College 

Peirce College 

PA College of Art & Design 

PA College of Optometry 

PA State University System 

Abington 

Altoona 

Beaver 

Berks 

Brandywine 

Ursinus College 

Valley Forge Christian College 

Villanova University 

Washington & Jefferson College 

Waynesburg College 

West Chester University of PA 

Westminster College 

Westminster Theological Sem. 

Widener University 

Wilkes University 

Wilson College 

York College of Pennsylvania 

• RHODE ISLAND (RI) 

Brown University 

Bryant College 

Johnson & Wales University 

Naval War College 

New England Inst. of Technology 

Providence College 

Rhode Island College 

Rhode Island School of Design 

Roger Williams University

United States 

273 

Salve Regina University 

University of Rhode Island 

• SOUTH CAROLINA (SC) 

Allen University 

Anderson College 

Benedict College 

Charleston Southern University 

The Citadel 

Claflin University 

Clemson University 

Coastal Carolina University 

Coker College 

College of Charleston 


Columbia International University 

Converse College 

Erskine College 

Francis Marion University 

Furman University 

Johnson & Wales Univ.-Charleston 

Lander University 

Graduate Inst. of Applied Linguistics 

Hardin-Simmons University 

Houston Baptist University 

Howard Payne University 

Huston-Tillotson University 

Jarvis Christian College 

LeTourneau University 

Lubbock Christian University 

McMurry University 

Midwestern State University 


Oblate School of Theology 

Our Lady of the Lake University 

Parker College of Chiropractic 

Paul Quinn College 

Rice University 

Saint Edward’s University 

Saint Mary’s Univ. of San Antonio 

Schreiner University 

Southern Methodist University 

South Texas College of Law 

Southwestern Adventist University 

SW Assemblies of God Univ. 

Limestone College 

Medical Univ. of SC 

Morris College 

Newberry College 

North Greenville University 

Presbyterian College 

Sherman College of 

Straight Chiropractic 

South Carolina State University 

Southern Wesleyan University 

University of SC System 

Aiken 

Beaufort 

Columbia 

Lancaster 

Sumter 

Union 

Upstate 

Voorhees College 

Winthrop University 

Wofford College 

SW Baptist Theological Sem. 

SW Christian College 

SW University 

Stephen F. Austin State University 

Texas A&M University System 

Baylor College of Dentistry 

College Station 

Commerce 

Corpus Christi 

Galveston 

Health Science Center 

Kingsville 

Prairie View A&M University 

Tarleton State University 

Texarkana 

Texas A&M International Univ. 

West Texas A&M University 

Texas Chiropractic College 

Texas Christian University 

Texas College 

Texas Lutheran University 

Texas Southern University 

Texas State University System 

• TEXAS (TX) 

Abilene Christian University 

Ambassador Univ. (closed spring 97) 

Amberton University 

Arlington Baptist College 

Art Institute of Dallas 

Art Institute of Houston 

Austin College 

Austin Graduate Sch. of Theology 

Austin Presbyterian Theological Sem. 

Baptist Missionary Association 

Theological Seminary 

Baylor College of Medicine 

Baylor University 

College of Saint Thomas More 

Concordia University-Texas 

Criswell College 

Dallas Baptist University 

Dallas Christian College 

Dallas Theological Seminary 

DeVry University-Irving (Dallas) 

East Texas Baptist University 

Episcopal Theological Semi. of the SW 

Lamar University 

Sam Houston State University 

Sul Ross State University 

TX State University-San Marcos 

Texas Tech University System 

Angelo State University 

Health Sciences Center 

Texas Tech University 

Texas Wesleyan University 

Texas Woman’s University 

Trinity University 

University of Dallas 

University of Houston System 

main campus 

Clear Lake 

Downtown 

Victoria 

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor 

University of North Texas 

Health Science Center at Fort Worth 

University of Saint Thomas 

University of Texas System 

Arlington

United States 

275 

Austin 

Brownsville 

Dallas 

El Paso 

Pan American 

Permian Basin 

San Antonio 

Tyler 

Health Science Center at Houston 

Health Science Center at S. Antonio 

Health Center at Tyler 

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 

Medical Branch at Galveston 

SW Medical Center at Dallas 

University of the Incarnate Word 

Wayland Baptist University 

Wiley College 

• VIRGINIA (VA) 

Averett College 

Bluefield College 

Bridgewater College 

Virginia Wesleyan College 

Washington Bible College/Capital 

Bible Seminary 

Washington & Lee University 

• VERMONT (VT) 

Bennington College 

Burlington College 

Castleton State University 

Champlain College 

College of Saint Joseph 

Goddard College 

Green Mountain College 

Johnson State College 

Lyndon State College 

Marlboro College 

Middlebury College 

Norwich University 

Saint Michael’s College 

School for International Training 

Southern Vermont College 

Sterling College 

University of Vermont 

Christendom College 

Christopher Newport University 

College of William and Mary 

DeVry University-Crystal City 

Eastern Mennonite University 

Eastern Virginia Medical School 

ECPI College of Technology 

Emory & Henry College 

Ferrum College 

George Mason University 

George Washington University- 

Virginia Campus 

Hampden-Sydney College 

Hampton University 

Hollins University 

Inst. for the Psychological Sciences 

Institute of Textile Technology 

James Madison University 

Jefferson Coll. of Health Sciences 

Liberty University 

Longwood University 

Lynchburg College 

Marine Corps University 

Vermont Law School 

Vermont Technical College 

• WEST VIRGINIA (WV) 

Alderson-Broaddus College 

Appalachian Bible College 

Bethany College 

Bluefield State College 

Concord University 

Davis & Elkins College 

Fairmont State University 

Glenville State College 

Marshall University 

Mountain State University 

Ohio Valley College 

Salem International University 

Shepherd University 

University of Charleston 

West Liberty State College 

West Virginia State University 

West Virginia University 

WV University Inst. of Technology 

WV University at Parkersburg 

Mary Baldwin College 

Marymount University 

Norfolk State University 

Old Dominion University 

Radford University 

Randolph-Macon College 

Randolph College 

Regent University 

Roanoke College 

Saint Paul’s College 

Shenandoah University 

Sweet Briar College 

US Marine Corps University 

University of Mary Washington 

University of Richmond 

University of Virginia 

Univ. of Virginia’s College at Wise 

Virginia Commonwealth University 

Virginia Intermont College 

Virginia Military Institute 

VA Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. 

Virginia State University 

Virginia Union University 

West Virginia Wesleyan College 

Wheeling Jesuit University

United States 

CC or University? 

277 

visa and 

immigration 

The choice between attending a 

CC or a University is very personal 

and should be based on careful 

thought. Just following the trend 

is no longer an option when you 

know the siginificant savings that 

you can make. Given that the 

United States has such a vast range 

of study options along with the 

information outlined here, there are 

several sources of information that 

can help prospective students to 

identify the best higher educational 

institution: 

• All About Grad Schools: 

provides a list of American 

graduate schools by subject area. 

• Gradschools: a guide to graduate 

schools by field of study, as well as 

region of the US. 

• Petersons: a searchable database 

that allows students to find 

appropriate postgraduate courses 

by choosing degree level, subject 

area and/or geographical location. 

• The Princeton Review: provides 

information on colleges and 

graduate schools, including a guide 

to ‘America’s Best Value Colleges’. 

• StudyUSA: the education guide 

for international students. 

more info: 

www.allaboutgradschool.com 

www.gradschools.com 

www.petersons.com 

www.princetonreview.com 

www.studyusa.com 

Jasper Jones / pop artist and sculptor 

The whole process of 

obtaining a visa to enter 

the USA can be quite 

daunting. The United States has a 

long history of migrants as such 

they have clearly defined visa 

regulations and once you are able 

to provide proof that you will be 

able to meet these reqirements 

then the process is normally quite 

straightforward. As a foreign 

national, you will generally need 

a visa to enter the USA for any 

length of time and for whatever 

purpose. International students’ 

visas are issued and regulated by 

the United States Citizenship and 

Immigration Service (USCIS). 

Types of 

student visa 

F-1 student visa 

The United States welcomes 

foreign students to American 

language schools, high schools, 

universities and other institutions

United States 

279 

of higher education. Thousands of 

learning institutions are approved by 

the USCIS to accept foreign students 

as full time students. 

• Eligibility 

requirements 

An applicant for a US student 

visa must go to the United 

States to pursue an academic 

programme in an institution 

recognized by the United States 

government, in other words, you 

must have a valid educational 

purpose for coming to the United 

States and be a full time student. 

It is not possible to be a part-time 

student on an F-1 visa. Once the 

visa is granted it is possible to 

stay in the US as long as you are 

enrolled in school, but it is possible 

to change schools and universities 

while being on an F-1 visa without 

leaving the country. The F-1 student 

visa is normally issued at a U.S. 

Embassy or Consulate in the 

student’s home country. 

Students may enter the United 

States multiple times if they 

hold a valid F-1 student visa. 

It is important that the F-1 

student visa holders have all the 

necessary documents and signed 

the f1 visa is issued 

in the student´s 

home country 

authorizations to avoid any 

problems at the U.S. port of entry. 

The passport must also be valid for 

a certain amount of time in order to 

be granted entry. F-1 visa holders 

can also travel freely within the 

within the US. 

• Working on F-1 

student visa: 

• Students may work on 

campus as long as they are enrolled. 

• Students may apply for 

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) 

to gain work experience in their 

field of study while being a full 

time student. 

• Students may take 

advantage of Optional Practical 

Training (OPT) once the degree is 

completed as a full time employee * . 

* Time is given for this training is normally 

one year. 

J-1 visa 

In order to take part in one of the 

J-1 visa programmes, you first 

need to find a designated program 

sponsor. There responsibility 

is to choose qualified people, 

as well as provide them with 

support throughout their time 

in the programme. You can find 

sponsors at the website below. 

As part of their duties, sponsors 

for the J-1 visa programme must 

provide participants with prearrival 

information prior to 

their departure from their home 

countries and an orientation 

upon their arrival in the United 

States. Under the rules of the 

visa, all participants must prove 

proficiency in English. A further 

requirement is that, all participants 

and any J-2 dependents (spouses 

and minor unmarried children 

under the age 21) accompanying 

them are required to have medical 

insurance. 

• Programme fees 

Unless you are in a federally 

funded exchange programme, 

sponsor organizations charge 

participants programme fees. Fees 

vary from sponsor to sponsor 

based on the exchange category, 

the sponsor’s programme, 

programme duration, etc. Be sure 

to check with your sponsor to get a 

breakdown of all costs and fees. 

• SEVIS fee 

When you are accepted into an 

exchange visitor program, the 

program sponsor will issue you 

a form DS-2019. The program 

sponsor will tell you if you must 

pay a SEVIS I-901 fee to the 

Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) or if this fee is already 

part of your program fees. If your 

sponsor pays the SEVIS fee on your 

behalf, the Sponsor will provide 

you with a receipt confirming 

payment. 

more info: 

www.j1visa.state.gov 

www.ice.gov

United States 

281 

• Activities covered 

by the J-1 

Exchange Visitor Visa programmes 

include: 

• Au-pair and nanny 

• Summer camp counsellors and staff 

• Post-graduate students 

• Government visitors 

• Medical students that seek 

experience and training as 

residents or interns. 

• Foreign scholars sponsored by 

universities as temporary faculty 

• Business and industrial trainees 

an interview at the 

embassy is required 

M1 - NONACADEMIC OR 

VOCATIONAL STUDIES 

STUDENT VISA 

The M visa is for M-1 visa holders 

for technical and vocational 

programmes who are not 

permitted to work during the 

course of their studies. 

Required 

documentation 

• Students are encouraged 

to apply for their visa early to 

provide ample time for visa 

processing. You may start the 

visa application process as soon 

as you have been accepted to a 

registered institution. As part of 

the visa application process, 

an interview at the embassy 

consular section is required 

for visa applicants from age 

14 through 79. Although 

you should start the visa 

process early, you should 

note that consular offices are only 

able to issue your student visa 3 

months or less, in advance of the 

course study registration date. 

However, even if you have the 

visa, first time student visa holders 

are advised by the Department of 

Homeland Security not to enter the 

US more than 30 days in advance 

of their course start, unless for 

events specially organized by the 

institutions. 

• Otherwise, first time visa 

holders who want to enter the U.S. 

more than 30 days prior to the 

course start date, must qualify for, 

and obtain a regular visitor´s visa. 

sevis: student & 

exchange visitor 

information system 

Documents below are normally 

required for a visa application. The 

guidelines that follow are general 

and can be abridged or expanded 

by consular officers overseas, 

depending on each student’s 

situation. 

• You will need to submit a 

SEVIS generated I-20A-B form. 

This document will be provided 

by the institution once you have 

been accepted to a programme. 

The form should be signed by 

yourself and a representative 

from the institution you wish to 

attend before the embassy will 

accept it. All students, as well 

as their spouses and dependents 

must be registered in SEVIS. Your 

school is responsible for entering 

your information for the I-20 

student visa form into the SEVIS 

system. Students will also have to 

pay an SEVIS I-901 fee for each 

programme of study. 

• A completed 

application, Nonimmigrant 

visa application 

form DS-156, together with 

form DS-158. Both forms must 

be completed and signed. Some 

applicants will also be required to 

complete and sign Form DS-157. 

On making the appointment for 

your visa you will be directed to 

the correct forms. 

• An interview at the 

embassy consular section is 

required for almost all visa 

applicants. The waiting time for 

an interview appointment for 

applicants can vary, so early 

visa application is strongly 

encouraged. During the visa

United States 

283 

work permits 

interview, an ink-free, digital 

fingerprint scan will be quickly 

taken, as well as a digital photo. 

Some applicants will need 

additional screening, and will be 

notified when they apply. 

• A passport valid for travel 

to the United States and with a 

validity date of at least six (6) 

months beyond the applicant’s 

intended period of stay in the 

United States (unless countryspecific 

agreements provide 

exemptions). If more than one 

person is included in the passport, 

each person desiring a visa must 

complete an application. 

• One (1) 2x2 photograph. 

(check for required photo format) 

• A MRV fee receipt to show 

payment of the visa application 

fee, a visa issuance fee if 

applicable and a separate SEVIS 

I-901 fee receipt. While all F-visa 

applicants must pay the MRV fee, 

including dependents, only the 

F-1 principal applicants must pay 

the SEVIS fee. 

• Students who are authorized 

for Optional Practical Training 

(OPT) must have an I-20 endorsed 

for OPT, and provide a USCISissued 

Employment Authorization 

Document (EAD). 

• All applicants should be 

prepared to provide: 

• Transcripts and diplomas from 

previous institutions attended; 

• Scores from standardized tests 

required by the educational 

institution such as the TOEFL, SAT, 

GRE, GMAT, etc.; 

• Financial evidence that 

shows you or your parents or other 

sponsors have sufficient funds 

to cover the tuition and living 

expenses during the period of your 

intended study. 

more info: 

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 

Optional_Practical_Training 

Family visa 

• Applicants with 

dependents must include: 

• Proof of student’s relationship to 

his/her spouse and children (e.g., 

marriage and birth certificates.). 

• It is preferred that families apply 

for visas at the same time, but if the 

spouse and children must apply 

separately at a later time, they should 

bring a copy of the student visa 

holder’s passport and visa, along with 

all other required documents. 

• For all visa categories: 

• Once the children reach their 

21st birthday, they are no longer 

qualified to apply as dependents. 

• If the spouse divorces the status 

holder, they will lose their legal right 

to stay under the conditions of their 

visa (i.e. F2, J2, or M2). 

• If their visa status does not 

permit employment, acceptance of 

any type of employment is a breach 

of the visa conditions and this may 

affect their legal right to remain in 

the country. To work apply for a 

change of status. 

CHILDREN WORK 

CHILDREN STUDY 

SPOUSE WORK 

SPOUSE STUDY 

DEPEN- 

DENTS 

PRINCIPAL 

STATUS 

HOLDER 

must obtain a work 

visa 

minors from 

kindergarten to 12th 

grade 

only with work visa 

F2 

F1 

qualified to apply 

for employment 

authorization document 

(EAD) from the USCIS 

can participate in full 

or part time study 

can participate in 

full or part time 

study 

ineligible to 

participate in 

full- or part-time 

classes 

ineligible to 

participate in 

full- or part-time 

classes 

J2 

J1 

can not work 

can attend a fulltime 

elementary or 

secondary school 

can not work 

can study but not 

in a university 

M2 

M1

United States 

285 

Embassies 

and consulates 

Working after 

studies 

The most common options 

applicable to graduates are: 

•Practical Training on 

an F-1 Visa: Entitled up to one 

year of post-completion practical 

training 

• Non-Immigrant H3 

Visa (Trainee): suited to those 

individuals who would like to 

train in a particular field with 

the intention of transporting the 

knowledge and training back 

to their home country upon 

completion of their visa 

• Non-Immigrant H-1B 

Visa (Specialty Occupation): 

Minimum requirements for 

obtaining this classification are: 

(a) A US employer to sponsor 

the applicant, 

(b) A US bachelors degree or 

its equivalent, and 

(c) A correlation between the 

job duties and the 

applicant’s education 

and work experience. 

Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. 

tel: 246-436-4950 

Antigua & Barbuda 

Michael 

fax: 246-429-5246 

J.B. Gorsiraweg #1 

Tel: (599-9) 461-3066 

Aruba and the Netherlands 

Willemstad 

Fax: (599-9) 461-6489 

Antilles 

Curacao 

infocuracao@state.gov 

P.O. Box 302 

tel: [246] 436-6300 

Barbados 

Bridgetown Barbados 

42 Queen Street 

Main No.: (242) 322-1181 

Bahamas 

Nassau, New Providence 

Fax: (242) 356-7174 

The Bahamas 

29 Gabourel Lane 

(501) 2-77161 

Belize 

P.O. Box 286 

www.usembassy.state.gov/belize/ 

Belize City, Belize 

embbelize@state.gov 

corner of Duke and Young Streets, 

tel. 592-225-4900/9 

British Guyana 

Georgetown 

fax: 592-225-8497 

Corner of calle Cesar N.Penson & Calle 

tel: (809) 221-2171 


L. Navarro, Gazcué DisT. , Sto.Dom 

Department 14 Rue Blenac 

(596) 63-25-00 

French Caribbean 

Fort-de-France 97206 Martinique 

P.O. Box 54, St. George’s, Grenada, 

tel: 1-(473)-444-1173/4/5/7 

West Indies 

fax: 1-(473)-444-4820, 

Grenada 

usemb_gd@caribsurf.com. 

5, Boulevard Harry S Truman 

tel: [509] 222-0200 

Haiti 

Port-au-Prince, Haiti 

142 Old Hope Road 

tel: (876) 702-6000 

Jamaica 

Kingston 6, Jamaica 

fax: (876) 702-6001 

Hotel Valmeniere, Suite 615 

Tel: 011-596-596 756-754 

Martinique & Guadeloupe 

Avenue des Arawaks 97200 

Fax: 011-596-596-756-970 

Fort de France, Martinique 

hritchie@outremer.com 

Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, P.O. 

tel. 597-472900, 597-476459 

Suriname 

Box 1821, Paramaribo 

fax: 597- 410025 

15 Queen’s Park West 

Tel.: (868) 622-6371 

Trinidad, Tobago 

Port of Spain , Trinidad and Tobago 

Fax: (868) 822-5905

United States 

employment 

287 

Resume 

writing 

• In the US the term 

‘resume’ is used instead of CV. 

• The key focus of your 

resume should be to persuade 

the employer to invite you for an 

interview. Therefore your resume 

is a marketing tool, which should 

be adapted to the market in which 

you intend to use it. 

• It is advisable to write a 

short profile of yourself, using short 

and punchy sentences, filled with 

action verbs and power words. 

• Resumes are often scanned 

by employers, so avoid using a 

bold or italic font. 

• Start by with clearly 

mentioning the objective and/or 

goal of your career. 

• The application letter 

in the USA 

• The application letter 

should be typed in a short and 

professional style. 

• Start with Dear Mr/Ms X, 

if you know the addressee’s name, 

and end your letter with Yours 

sincerely. 

• Start with Dear Sir/Madam, 

if you do not know the name of 

the addressee and end with Yours 

faithfully. 

• It is not unusual to 

mention in your letter what salary 

you are expecting. 

• Mention your telephone 

number in the last paragraph of 

your letter. 

more info: 

www.ice.gov 

DON´T 

DO 

more info: 

www.dol.gov 

www.careerbuilder.com 

Interviews do´s and dont´s 

Sit until invited to do so 

Go over the top; stay calm 

and stick to the facts 

Put anything besides the truth 

in your resume, even if there 

is an ocean in between, your 

future employer will find out 

the truth eventually 

Criticize former employers 

Smoke inside offices in the US 

Use power word and action 

verbs in your letter and resume 

Be prepared for psychological 

tests during the application 

process 

Look interested - ask questions 

Provide examples to illustrate 

your achievements 

Ask if you don’t understand 

the question 

Send a short letter after 

the interview, to thank the 

interviewer

United States 

289 

JANINE DOE 

janine.doe@hotmail.com, any street, any country, any postcode 

EDUCATION 

Master of Business Administration May 2007 

Concentration: Business 

Carry University, California Shores, CA 

Bachelor of Science (Honors) June 2004 

Major: Tourism Management 

University of the West Indies 

EXPERIENCE 

Account Manager 

2007-Present 

Johnson Software, Sunnyside, FL 

Manage accounts and maintain client relationships 

Develop and deliver cost analysis and sales proposals 

Provide product demonstrations and make sales presentations 

Graduate Research Assistant 2006 - 2007 

Carry University, California Shores, C 

Used SPSS software for data analysis 

Managed sensitive data entry activities 

Assisted School of Business faculty with research 

Trainee Manager / Honors Guest Service Manager 2004-2005 

Beautiful Morning Suites, North Carolina, NC 

Ordered supplies and Monitored inventory levels 

Headed Customer Relationship Management activities 

Scheduled staffing needs based on forecasted occupancy 

COMPUTER SKILLS 

Microsoft Word 

Microsoft Excel 

Microsoft PowerPoint 

Microsoft Access 

Windows Environment 

SPSS software 

 

ORGANIZATIONS/VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE 

National Black MBA Association 2006 

American Marketing Association 2006 

Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters 2008 

REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST 

Example of a CV / resume 

Job search 

tools 

One way to broaden one’s life 

experience while appreciating the 

American culture is to work; it 

provides contact to a variety of people 

from different venues and cultures, as 

well as to practice your English. 

International graduates have 

the privilege of working while 

studying as long as a social security 

number is granted. 


To start a pre-emptive search from 

your home country, you might check 

one of the five leading US nationally 

distributed newspapers * ; these are 

available in paper format and online. 

To search for jobs, look for JOB, 

CAREER, WORK or CLASSIFIEDS 

sections: 

* Based on circulation number in March 2006 

(refdesk.com) 

• USA Today 

• The Wall Street Journal 

• The New York Times 

• Los Angeles Times 

• The Washington Post 

Once in the country you can check 

the local newspapers and their 

websites, to narrow your search to 

your own wishes. 

newspapers 

USA Today 

www.usatoday.com 

The Wall Street Journal 

www.wsj.com 

The New York Times 

www.nytimes.com 

Los Angeles Times 

www.latimes.com 

The Washington Post 

www.washingtonpost.com

United States 

291 

• Online Recruitment 

To further facilitate your job search, 

each state has its dedicated web 

site. Here are a few links to help 

you in this task: 

• US Department of Labor 

• Best Jobs USA 

• Bilingual Jobs 

• Careers.Org 

• Careerbuilder.com 

• CareerOneStop 

• Experience 

• Google: American employment 

by state 

• Job Hunt 

• Job Web 

• The Riley Guide 

• True Careers 

• University Jobs 

• Yahoo! hotjobs 

• America’s Student Job Site 

Online recruitment services 

and job listings: 

Job search by state, advice 

on resumes, interviews 

and letters 

www.careeronestop.org 

Job Contactor 

www.jobcontactor.fi 


www.careerjet.com 

www.jobserve.us 

US Department of Labor 

www.dol.gov 

www.usatoday.com 

www.jobpostings.net 

Monster 

www.monster.com 

Examples of recruitment 

agencies: 

The Yellow Pages-USA 

www.yellowpages.com 

Adecco USA 

www.adeccousa.com 

Careers USA 

www.careersusa.com 

Kelly Services USA 

www.kellyservices.us 

Manpower USA 

www.us.manpower.com 

Randstad 

www.randstad.com 

www.jobopenings.net/ 

agencies. 

Directory to find recruitment 

agencies online near where you 

intend to live: 

www.headhuntersdirectory.com 

www.kellysearch.com 


One way of targeting the most 

appropriate agencies is to call the 

human resources department of 

companies and ask for the names 

of agencies they use for their 

hiring and temp needs. 

Call them and 

ask for the 

names of 

agencies 

they use 

for hiring 

Higher 

education 

career 

support 

While on campus, Career 

Services provides the resources 

and strategies for choosing 

a college major, developing

United States 

293 

career plans, creating a resume, 

finding internships and fulltime 

jobs, contacting alumni, 

developing graduate school plans, 

and making successful career 

transitions. 

• Work 

patterns 

Americans tend to work 

considerably more hours 

annually, taking fewer and 

shorter vacations than workers in 

other developed nations. 

•Presently, more than 25 

million Americans work more 

than 49 hours each week. 

• Of that number, 

11 million spend 60 hours or 

more at work each week * . 

• Two weeks of paid 

annual leave is standard, with 

some workers receiving three 

weeks after long periods of service. 

Bruce Logan / engineer researching on using waste water as energy 

* Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007

Denmark 

Reinhardt Møbjerg Kristensen / expert on the microscopic tardigrades 

chapter 5

Denmark 

297 


Nordjylland 

Viborg Arhus 

Ringkobing 

Vejle 

Ribe 

Fyn 

Sonderjylland 

GERMANy 

Vestjaelland 

Fredericksborg 

Roskilde 

Storstrom 

60km 

SWEDEN 

Copenhagen 

bornholm 

The Scandinavian country 

of Denmark is situated in 

Northern Europe, bordering 

the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, 

on a peninsula north of Germany. 

It also includes two major islands; 

Sjaelland and Fyn. Denmark 

consists of the peninsular of 

Jutland and over 400 islands, 76 of 

which are inhabited. The country 

has approximately 5.4 million 

inhabitants, 7% of whom are of 

foreign origin. Roughly one million 

of Denmark’s inhabitants reside 

HIGh STANDARDs 

OF LIVING AND 

HIGH INCOMES 

in the capital of Copenhagen. 

Copenhagen is located in 

the largest and most densely 

populated island of Zealand. 

Funen and the North Jutland 

islands have the second and third 

largest populated areas. 

until 2008 the country had falling 

unemployment rates * . GDP per 

capita is one of the highest in 

Europe. At the time of writing, 

the effects of the world economic 

crisis had not been determined. 

The inhabitants enjoy very high 

standards of living and high 

incomes but the public system is 

maintained through high taxation. 

According to the recent statistics 

taken from Denmark statistics, 

the country relies heavily on 

the service industry for its 

prosperity. Over 75% of jobs being 

in the service industry while 

manufacturing accounts for under 

25% with agriculture the rest. 

Traditional areas of business for 

Denmark has been in the shipping, 

trade and brewery sectors; 

however, in recent years there has 

been significant growth in banking, 

engineering, pharmaceutical, 

agricultural machinery, tourism 

and food industries. 

The OECD ranks Denmark 

among the top 10 richest 

countries in the world and up 

* The labour market participation and rates 

of employment for women in Denmark is far greater 

than most European countries. 

www.statistikbanken.dk

Denmark 

WHY DENMARK? 

299 

The main ethnic groups in 

Denmark are Faroese, German, 

Inuit and Scandinavians. The 

varying ethnic background is 

reflected in a very open culture 

where more than 10 religions are 

recognized. Denmark’s official 

site for tourist asserts that ‘the 

weather is always changeable but 

never harsh’, overall the climate 

is mild with no extremes of heat 

or cold. The months of April and 

May are mild but June to August 

WEATHER IS ALWAYS 

CHANGEABLE BUT 

NEVER HARSH 

is usually warm and sunny, with 

the autumn season being cool and 

generally pleasant. 

The Danish krone, also denoted 

by DKK, is the currency used in 

Denmark. 

more info: 

www.statistikbanken.dk 

www.visitdenmark.com 

Danish 

krone 

DKK 

• Great cultural experience 

Due to the large numbers of 

migrants residing in Denmark there 

is a varied mix of culture, which 

offers an excellent atmosphere for 

Caribbean students to learn about 

Danish lifestyles but also about 

the cultures of the various migrant 

communities. This will allow 

for invaluable insights into an 

internationally mixed way of life. 

One of the methods that you can 

use to ensure cultural immersion 

is exploring the unique housing 

options. These are as follows: 

EXPLORE THE UNIQUE HOUSING OPTIONS 

TO ENSURE YOUR CULTURAL INMERSION 

• Living with host families: 

provides total immersion in the 

language and culture. 

• Residence halls: 

(kollegiums), which allow you 

to live as a local student, foster 

independence and increase your 

knowledge of the culture through 

total immersion. 

• Danish Roommate: house 

sharing with a native.

Denmark 

301 

ADMISSION 

AND funding 

• Quality education 

Danish higher education has a long 

academic tradition that combines 

excellence with a dynamic and 

innovative culture in research as 

well as in teaching methods and 

learning environments. Since the 

1900s there have been 13 Danish 

Nobel prize winners. 

the Folkehøjskole 

dates back more 

than 150 years 

• Teaching methods 

Denmark has excelled in modern 

teaching methods. These 

include students building their 

own curriculum and interactive 

classrooms. This is one of the 

main reasons why all teaching 

is researched based; research 

is regarded as a necessary pre 

requisite for qualified teaching. 

• Funding 

Although a tuitions-based system 

was introduced in 2006, there 

are several funding options for 

international students, which 

include: 

• Scholarships and tuition 

fee waivers 

• Institutional and 

governmental scholarships for 

highly qualified students 

• Exchange/guest students 

can access a range of financial 

support schemes and tuition 

fee waivers. 

• Internationally 

recognised qualification 

In Denmark, you can earn an 

internationally recognised 

qualification or add credits to 

your national degree, while 

experiencing the Danish culture, 

society and way of living. 

• Health coverage 

The Danish National Health 

Insurance Act covers international 

students and entitles you to free 

medical cover. On arriving in 

Denmark students should apply 

for a health insurance certificate 

which becomes valid six weeks 

after you have registered with a 

local civil registration office. 

Ole Barndorff-Nielsen / statistician 

more info: 

Danish Institute for Study 

Abroad (DIS) 

www.dis.dk/About/index.php 

The Danish university 

sector includes 12 research 

universities, 5 of which 

are multi-faculty universities. * 

The remaining 7 are specialist 

universities in engineering, 

education, information technology, 

pharmacy, veterinary science 

and business. This means that 

there are plenty of opportunities 

for international students and 

researchers. The Danish higher 

education institutions are 

internationally oriented and offer 

a large selection of programmes 

and individual courses taught in 

English. 

The majority of full degree 

programmes in Denmark has 

a singular admission round 

for an autumn start each year. 

For admission, students with 

foreign qualifications must apply 

before 15 March, 12:00 noon. The 

deadline may be different if you 

are applying to enter an Englishlanguage 

bachelor’s programme, if 

you apply as a guest or exchange 

student and if you need a residence 

* These do not include specialist universities 

that focus on Drama, design and Art.

Denmark 

303 

permit for any of these. In these 

cases, you should check the 

information about the deadlines. 

You must apply before 

march the 15th 

If you wish to enroll into an 

ordinary programme of higher 

education, you must apply for 

admission via the Coordinated 

Enrolment System (KOT). KOT is a 

joint registration system where you 

can apply for admission to several 

study programmes of higher 

education listing them in order of 

priority. To apply for admission, 

download the application forms 

from the admission portal of the 

Danish Ministry of Education. 

To be admitted, your foreign 

certificate must be on a level with 

a Danish upper secondary school 

leaving certificate. For admission 

to a programme of short-cycle 

higher education it may be sufficient 

that your foreign certificate is on 

a level with an equivalent Danish 

vocational qualification. Caribbean 

students with this certification 

would have experienced an 

educational system similar to that of: 

The United Kingdom: 

The requirement for admittance 

is the General Certificate of 

(Secondary) Education (GCE) with 

minimum five courses, where at 

least two of the courses must be 

Advanced Level. 

France: 

The requirement for admittance is 

Baccalauréat (de second degré) 

The Netherlands: 

• VWO from gymnasium/ 

atheneaum 

General 

requirements 

Language 

requirements 

International students have the 

option of studying in either 

English or Danish. However, if 

you are a foreigner who want to 

apply for a bachelors programme 

taught in Danish, certain Danish 

language requirements apply. In 

this case, you need to have passed 

the Danish test for international 

students (Studieprøven i dansk 

som andetsprog) or its equivalent. 

If you would like the opportunity 

to learn Danish in Denmark, there 

are plenty of ways to get this done. 

Several options vary according 

to your needs, time, interests and 

prior qualifications. Courses maybe 

completed during the academic 

year, short intensive courses and 

summer courses are also offered 

before the beginning of the semester. 

Courses are offered by: 

1. Danish higher education 

institutions 

2. the local council 

3. private language schools or 

classes offered 

4. or the ‘Folk High Schools’ 

Another option is guided self study 

programmes. There are a few 

self taught programmes that may 

assist you in learning the language 

before you arrive in Denmark. * This 

undertaking are difficult but there 

* This is a labour-intensive method of 

learning method ad requires huge commitment and 

self discipline. 

more info: 

www.eurotalk.co.uk 

www.keylanguages.com 

www.olci.info 

are only a few sectors in which you 

may become employed without a 

working knowledge of Danish. 

Planning a summer abroad to 

attend a course in Danish may 

give be a helpful start to fitting 

into the society and getting more 

out of the experience of studying 

in Denmark. If you feel that you 

are committed enough, you can 

try to study the language before 

in your home country. For further 

information on Danish language 

courses in your home country you 

may contact the Danish Embassy 

or cultural institute in your home 

country. 

If you would like to apply to a 

Danish institute and complete your 

programme in English there are 

many available. Studying at the 

bachelor level requires a high level 

of proficiency in both written and

Denmark 305 

oral English. All lectures, exams 

and written assignments will be 

conducted in English. Therefore, 

it is necessary for students to be 

able to work in English at a high 

academic level. 

All applicants must document 

their English proficiency, 

particularly at English B-level 

equivalence. English proficiency 

at the B-level roughly corresponds 

to two years of studies during 

your upper secondary studies. 

Additional qualifications that 

demonstrate English proficiency 

will count in the applicant’s 

favour when the full application is 

reviewed * . Applicants who want to 

document their English-proficiency 

should prove that their aptitude 

in English is equivalent to the 

following minimum scores: 

TOEFL 

IELTS 

550 pts: paperbased 

225 pts: computerbased 

80 pts: internet based 

6.5 pts 

* Students that have completed a certain level 

of their education in English and have proof of this 

may be exempted from the language tests. 



CIRIUS is an authority within 

the Danish Ministry of Science, 

Technology and innovation. It is 

also the organization that assesses 

non-Danish degrees, diplomas 

and certificates and information 

about international recognition 

of qualifications. The assessment 

offered by CIRIUS is a brief 

statement of how your qualifications 

correspond to an equivalent level 

of Danish studies. It outlines 

the equivalences in educational 

level and, if possible, the field of 

education. From the date of receipt 

of your application CIRIUS will 

provide you with a response in 

approximately two months. 

more info: 

CIRIUS 

Fiolstræde 44, 

DK - 1171 Copenhagen K. 

Tel: +45 3395 7000 

www.ciriusonline.dk 

from application 

You send the application form 

and documentation to CIRIUS 

CIRIUS examines the 

documentation. You may 

be asked to provide further 

documentation. 

Check to see if your 

qualification gives access to 

higher education in Denmark: 

Foreign qualifications for entry 

to higher education. 

Contact a student counsellor 

at the educational institution 

concerned to ask whether 

you need to take any 

supplementary courses in 

order to be eligible. 

CIRIUS makes an assessment 

of your qualification. This 

normally takes 1-2 months 

from the time you send the 

application and the required 

documentation. 

You receive an assessment 

letter. If you want careers and 

educational guidance, you can 

take the assessment with you 

to the nearest guidance centre 

(Studievalg) or job centre. 

to assessment

Denmark 307 

There is also a second organisation 

that can assist with recognition of 

qualifications. It is the National 

Academic Recognition Information 

Centres ( NARIC). Unlike 

CIRIUS, their main focus is to 

compare vocational, professional 

or technical qualifications and 

to provide certification showing 

equivalency to the Danish 

educational system. 

HEALTH 

INSURANCE 

If you are staying in Denmark 

on a residence permit, that is, 

you have permission to stay for 

CONSIDER arranging 

A TRAVEL INSURANCE 

at least three months, you are 

automatically included in the 

Danish Health Insurance Scheme, 

which gives you the right to free 

medical treatment by general 

practitioners and hospitals. 

When you register at the Civil 

Registration Office, you will 

receive a personal registration 

number, which also serves as your 

health insurance number. After 

registration you will also receive a 

health insurance card. Remember 

to always bring the card to your 

doctor or dentist visits. The name, 

address and phone number of 

your doctor will be printed on 

the card. However, you may not 

receive your residence permit for 

a period of 4-6 weeks and health 

costs will only be met when 

your residency comes into effect. 

Therefore, in order to avoid an 

uncomfortable situation, you 

should consider arranging travel 

insurance, prior to leaving 

your home country. A 

general travel insurance will 

cover you against expenses 

in connection with illness, 

injuries, medical and dental 

treatment and usually also in case 

of theft. If your stay in Denmark 

will last less than three months, 

you are not automatically covered 

by the Danish Health Insurance 

Scheme. The rules applicable vary 

according to nationality. 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

Annual tuition fees for studying in 

Denmark ranges from 6,000-16,000 

Euros but the total cost is largely 

dependent on your university of 

study. However, meeting these 

costs is not an impossible task 

as there are many scholarship 

programmes offered to study 

in Denmark. In many instances 

MEETING COSTS IS NOT 

AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK 

scholarships are very competitive 

and require much research for you 

to be successful. To help weigh 

your options for funding, do 

explore the following resources: 

• Universities 

Offer various scholarships, either 

paid by the institution or other 

outside organisations. One of 

the most popular is a tuition fee 

waiver programme. Students are 

nominated by the departments 

to which they have applied. It 

is not possible to apply for this 

scholarship, because students 

are nominated by department 

members. 

• CIRIUS 

The Danish Ministry of Education 

Scholarship Scheme is open 

to highly qualified candidates 

studying for a selected number of 

programmes. In order to be eligible 

for this scholarship, you 

have to be: 

• A citizen of a country 

outside the European Union 

(EU) and the European 

Economic Area (EEA). 

• Permanently reside in a non-EU/ 

EEA country. 

• Studying in Denmark outside 

any established exchange 

programme or another kind 

of agreement, which waives your 

tuition fee. 

• Danish state 

educational support 

These funds are normally awarded 

to Danish citizens; however, 

foreign nationals may apply under 

special circumstances.

Denmark 309 

Undergraduate 

studies 

In addition to the general academic 

entry requirements, certain specific 

requirements have to be met for the 

different bachelor programmes. 

certain level of 

knowledge * within: 

Qualifications 

english 

mathematics 

chemistry 

physics 

bachelors in science 

enlglish 

mathematics 

either history 

social studies 

bachelors in social science 

contemporary history 


Danish Ministry 

of Education 

www.optagelse.dk 

english 

history 

either history of ideas 

contemporary history 

an additional language 

bachelors in arts 

* Documentation of levels and 

grades obtained within these subjects 

during upper secondary education must 

be included with your application. 

To find out whether the level 

of a foreign certificate satisfies 

the general entry requirements, 

you can contact CIRIUS or the 

educational institution where 

you wish to apply. It is up to the 

educational institution in question 

to decide, on the basis of general 

recommendations from CIRIUS, 

whether or not you fulfil the 

requirements for admission. If 

necessary, you can ask CIRIUS for 

an assessment comparing the level 

of your foreign qualification to a 

Danish entry qualification. 

In order to complete the 

application process, all 

international applicants should 

complete the online application 

form and send a printed version 

of this by regular mail to the 

university of his/her choice. 

Along with the printed version 

of the online application form, 

you should submit the following 

documents: 

• officially verified copies 

of certificates and academic 

transcripts, including your final 

grade average with an explanation 

of grading system (maximum 

grade, minimum grade, etc.) 

• if your certificate and final 

year transcripts are not yet 

available, you should submit an 

official provisional certificate and 

transcript, or an official letter 

from your home institution, with 

a listing of the remaining subjects 

and the expected grades as well as 

the expected final grade average 

• language requirements and 

accepted examinations are based 

on the university to which you 

apply. (Please see language 

requirements page 302-303) 

• one or more letters of 

recommendation from faculty 

members acquainted with your 

work in the major area of academic 

study. If too many years have 

passed since you worked with a 

faculty member, a recommendation 

from those familiar with your 

professional performance is 

acceptable. 

• documentation of your 

citizenship (e.g. copy of passport). 

• copy of your permanent 

residence permit in Denmark (if 

applicable).

Denmark 311 

• some universities require two 

passport sized photographs. 

• application form for student 

housing (if required). 

Also note the following: 

• a verification of all 

documents will be accepted only 

if certified by the institution that 

has issued the original document, 

by the Embassy or Consulate in 

your home country or by a Notary 

Public. 

• if the enclosed documents 

are not in English, officially 

verified translations must be 

included 

• forwarded documents will 

not be returned to you. Therefore, 

do not submit any original 

documents. 

All students must meet the specific 

entry requirements that apply to 

each study programme. Specific 

requirements may include the 

level of the subjects, marks, overall 

average of marks, work experience 

or any relevant vocational 

training. If you do not meet all the 

requirements you may be granted 

admittance on a conditional 

basis; such as on the condition 

that you complete one or more 

supplementary courses. 

Supplementary courses 

If you do not meet the specific 

entry requirements that apply 

to the study programme for 

which you wish to apply, you 

must supplement your entry 

qualification. Such supplementary 

courses can be taken at: 

1. higher preparatory centres 

2. adult education centres 

3. upper secondary schools 

4. schools offering two-year 

upper secondary school leaving 

certificates 

5. vocational and technical schools 

6. an access course of the study 

programme to which you would 

like to apply for your bachelor´s. 

Application guidelines and 

forms are available on: 

www.ciriusonline.dk/ 

recognition 

Postgraduate 

studies 

All Danish universities have an 

international office that provides 

information on relevant issues for 

example admission, orientation 

programmes, help in finding 

accommodation and signing up 

for health insurance to overseas 

students. As a consequence, the 

IT IS POSSIBLE TO SUBMIT AN 

OFFICIAL PROVISIONAL 

CERTIFICATE AND 

TRANSCRIPT 

transition to postgraduate study 

at a Danish university should 

be relatively painless. Danish 

Universities offer regular courses 

or special programmes in English 

and almost all postgraduate and 

PhD studies are offered in English. 

There is also the opportunity to 

study intensive Danish language 

courses while completing your core 

educational programme. Danish 

master´s degrees are two year 

courses and a PhD can be awarded 

after three years of supervised 

postgraduate study following the 

successful completion of a master´s 

degree. 

• Master´s programmes 

• Certified copy of a bachelor´s 

degree diploma 

• Certified copies of official grade 

transcripts 

• Language test 


(please see specific 

language entry 

requirement) 

• Certified detailed 

course description 

• Passport sized 

photo for your 

student card 

• Application form for 

accommodation (if relevant) 

www.studyindenmark.dk

Denmark 

313 

• All copies must be in English 

and certified. Documents that 

are faxed or scanned are not 

considered certified copies, as the 

stamp and signature on documents 

sent in these forms are no longer 

authentic. If the detailed course 

descriptions are downloaded from 

your home university’s website, 

they don’t have to be certified as 

long as the URL address is visible. 

• Prospective students should read 

the application form carefully to 

see if there are other specific entry 

requirements and documentation 

that must be provided. 

• Some 

universities 

in Denmark 

require 

prospective students 

applying for a master´s 

programme to provide GRE 

test scores if their first degree 

was taken outside the European 

Union, Scandinavia, or 

Switzerland. Test results should 

be forwarded directly to the 

school by the test center; 

copies will not be accepted. 

Danish 

universities 

Nanna Ditzel 

more info: 

www.enic-naric.net. 

www.gre.org 

furniture designer 

Fredrik Bajers Vej 5, Postboks 159 

9100 Aalborg 

www.studyguide.aau.dk 

www.en.aau.dk 

Aalborg Universitet 

Nordre Ringgade 1 

DK-8000 Aarhus C 

au@au.dk 

Aarhus University 

Solbjerg Plads 3, 

2000 Frederiksberg 

www.cbs.dk 

Copenhagen Business School 

Nørregade 10, P.O. Box 2177 

DK-1017 Copenhagen K 

www.ku.dk/english 

University of Copenhagen 

Rued Langgaards Vej 7 DK-2300 

Copenhagen S 

www.itu.dk 

IT University of Copenhagen 

Universitetsvej 1, Postboks 260, 

4000 Roskilde 

ruc@ruc.dk 

Roskilde Universitet 

Anker Engelundsvej 1 

Building 101A, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby 

www.dtu.dk/english 

Technical University 

of Denmark 

Postbox 13, Skelvej 2 

8981 Spentrup,Denmark 

www.knightsbridgeuniversity.com 

Knightsbridge University 

Katrinebjergvej 75 

DK-8200 Aarhus N 

www.teologi.dk 

Lutheran School of Theology

Denmark 

315 

University of Southern Denmark 

Odense 

Copenhagen 

Esbjerg 

Kolding 

Slagelse 

Sønderborg 

Flensburg 

Copenhagen Hospitality College 

Metropolitan University College 

University College Capital 

University College Sealand 

Næstved 

Roskilde 

Slagelse 

Storstrøm 

www.sdu.dk 

sdu@sdu.dk 

Tel: +45 6550 1000 

Fax +45 6550 1090 

Tel: +4539 20 7777 

Fax:+45 3920 8010 

Fax +45 6550 1091 

Fax +45 6550 1092 

Tel: +456550 9100 

Fax +45 6550 1093 

Phone +49 461 8050 

Fax + 49 461 805 2990 

www.hrs.dk 

hrs@hrs.dk 

Tel: +4533862200 

Fax: +45 33862299 

www.phmetropol.dk 

info@phmetropol.dk 

Tel: +4572 48 75 00 

www.ucc.dk 

ucc@ucc.dk 

Tel: +4541 89 7000 

Fax:+ 45 39 56 1236 

http://ucsj.dk 

Tel: +4572 48 1000 

Fax:+45 72 48 1005 

cfuvor@ucsj.dk 

Tel: +4572 48 2400 

Fax: +45 72 48 2405 

cfuros@ucsj.dk 

Tel: +457248 1400 

Fax: +45 7248 1405 

cfusla@ucsj.dk 

Tel: +455852 5503 

Fax 5850 2618 

cfuudlaan@ucsj.dk 

Tel: +45 +457248 1900 

Fax :7248 1005 

Campusvej 55 DK-5230 Odense M 

Øster Farimagsgade 5 A, 2. 

DK-1399 København K 

Niels Bohrs Vej 9 - 10 

DK-6700 Esbjerg 

Engstien 1 DK-6000 Kolding 

Willemoesvej 2 B 

DK-4200 Slagelse 

Alsion 2 

DK-6400 Sønderborg 

Kanzleistrasse 91-93 

D- 24943 Flensburg 

Vigerslev Allé 18 

DK-2500 Valby 

Købmagergade 62, 3 

1150 København K 

Buddinge Hovedgade 80 

2860 Søborg 

Slagelsevej 7 - 4180 Sorø 

Vordingborg Kuskevej 1B 

4760 Vordingborg 

Elisagårdsvej 5 4000 Roskilde 

Stenstuegade 1 

4200 Slagelse 

Juliesmindevej 12 

4180 Sorø

Denmark 

317 

VISA AND 

ImMIGRATION 

International Unit Rømersvej 3 

DK-5200 Odense V 

www.ucl.dk 

international@ucl.dk 

Tel: +45+45 6318 3114 

University College Lillebaelt 

Selma Lagerløfs Vej 2 

9220 Aalborg Ø 

www.ucn.dk 

ucn@ucn.dk 


of Northern Denmark 

Degnevej 16 

DK-6705 Esbjerg Ø 

http://ucsyd.dk 

Tel: +45 7266 2000 

University College South 

Degnevej 16 

DK-6705 Esbjerg Ø 

ucsyd@ucsyd.dk 

Tel: +45 7266 2000 

Esbjerg 

Lembckesvej 7 

DK-6100 Haderslev 


Tel: +45 7322 2400 

Haderslev 

Dyrehavevej 116 

DK-6000 Kolding 


Tel: +45 7322 7300 

Kolding 

Agervang 2 

DK-6400 Sønderborg 


Tel: +45 7322 7430 

Sønderborg 

Dr. Margrethes Vej 11-13 DK-6200 

Aabenraa 


Tel: +45 7322 7370 

Aabenraa 

Skejbyvej 1, 

8240 Risskov, 

Denmark 

www.viauc.com 

tlb@viauc.dk 

Tel: +45 8755 1504 

VIA University College 

Currently all Caribbean 

nationals are required to 

apply for a visa (called a 

residence permit) to live and work 

in Denmark. Essentially, Denmark 

is very keen to attract foreign students 

to the country and so that makes it 

easier than you think to apply for a 

residence permit. * Basically, as a 

foreign student, you can obtain a 

residence permit while completing 

your studies or if you are 

participating in a guest/training 

programme. As a result, Denmark 

has added some guidance notes 

as a foreign student, 

you can obtain a 

residence permit 

while completing 

your studies 

for students from countries 

outside the European Union. If 

you would like to study at an 

institute of further education, you 

* See, http://www.studyindenmark.dk

Denmark 

319 

Una Canger / linguist specializing in languages of Mesoamerica 

must apply and have been granted 

a residence permit before you 

arrive in Denmark. To be granted a 

residence permit, you must be able 

to document your: 

• Enrolment into a course of 

further education which is 

approved by a state authority 

or which is offered by a stateapproved 

educational institution 

• Ability to support yourself 

during the programme and show 

proof of being able to pay the 

tuition 

• Competency in speaking and 

understanding the language used 

to teach the course. 

The immigration rules emphasize 

that normally, students must have 

obtained a residence permit before 

entering Denmark. You can submit 

your application in your country of 

origin, or in the country where you 

have resided permanently for the 

past three months. Please see a list 

of Danish consulates located in the 

Caribbean at the end of this chapter. 

If there is no consulate situated 

in your home country, contact the 

Danish Immigration Services: 

The Immigration Service 

Ryesgade 53 

2100 Copenhagen Ø 

Denmark 

Tel: 004523308587 

Email: study@us.dk 

Although the norm is to apply for 

the residence permit outside of 

the country, in certain cases it is 

possible to submit an application 

in Denmark but this depends on 

your grounds for being in the 

country. For instance, if you were 

granted a residence permit on 

grounds other than study, then you 

can apply for a residence permit 

while in the country. If you wish 

to apply for a residence permit 

as a student, both you and the 

educational institution in Denmark 

must supply information for the 

processing of your application. 

Once you have been accepted the 

educational institution in Denmark 

will begin the application process 

by completing their part of the 

application form and attaching 

the required documents. This 

paperwork will then be sent or 

see the list of danish 

consulates in the 

caribbean 

given to you with the attached 

documents. Then you should 

complete your part of the form, 

attach the rest of the required 

documents, and submit the entire 

application to the embassy or 

consulate in the country of your 

residence. 

Required 

documentation 

* 

Applicants should submit the 

following documentation a 

minimum of 2-3 months prior 

to departure. The application 

form (ST1) contains a detailed 

description of how you and the 

* The Consulate General advises against 

making any final travel arrangements, particularly 

purchase of non-refundable air tickets for a specific 

date, prior to approval of your visa application.

Denmark 

321 

educational institution should 

complete the form and it states 

which documents you must attach. 

In addition to this, you must 

submit the following: 

• Three recent passport photos 

(see photo requirements). 

• Valid original passport and a 

copy of the passport. All pages 

must be submitted, including the 

front page. The Passport must be 

valid at least 3 months – other 

travel documents at least 6 months 

– beyond the expiration date of the 

visa. 

• Original documentation showing 

that the applicant has been accepted 

at an educational institution. Please 

note that the original acceptance 

letter MUST be submitted; 

photocopies will not be accepted. 

• Proof (original documents) 

that you can support yourself 

financially while in Denmark. A 

minimum of US$830 per month 

(bank statement, grant, approved 

loan). Funds must be documented 

in your name. 

• Notarized letter of consent from 

parents and a copy of the Birth 

Certificate if you are under 18 

years of age. 

• Fee in the equivalent of US $220. 

However, this fee is somewhat 

dependent on your country of 

residence. So this information 

should be checked in your home 

country. If you are picking up your 

Check all 

fees in your 

home country 

passport the fee will be slightly 

less. Only cash or money order 

made out to the Danish Consulate 

are accepted; no personal checks. 

• A copy of the entire application. 

• Indicate your daytime phone 

numbers on the form, in case of 

emergency. 

Visa 

extension 

The duration of your residence 

permit is largely dependent on 

the length of the study to which 

you have applied. For example, 

if you are registered to a short 

programme for about six months 

then your permit will be for six 

months. While students who are 

undertaking a degree programme 

will have a residence permit to 

cover their entire study period. 

However, students who were 

a permit may be 

valid for the 

entire schengen 

region 

previously granted a residence 

permit are eligible to apply for 

an extension. The application 

for extension must be submitted 

no sooner than two months 

before and no later than one 

month before the expiration of 

your current permit. If you are 

a student at a post-secondary 

educational programme, you may 

submit your application for an 

extension as early as four months 

before it expires. Normally, to 

be granted an extension you 

must submit your application 

in Denmark. However, the 

consulate may consider 

extenuating circumstances on an 

individual basis. If you apply for 

the extension while you are in 

Denmark, you may remain in the 

country while the application for 

the extension is being processed. 

Additionally, you are allowed to 

study and work while waiting 

for a ruling on your case. If you 

wish to visit your country of 

origin while a decision on your 

application is being made, you can 

apply for a re-entry permit valid 

for the entire Schengen region. 

more info: 

www.newtodenmark.dk 

www.denmark.dk

Denmark 

work permits 

323 

Family visa 

If you have been granted a 

residence permit as a student on a 

higher educational programme for 

three years or more, your family 

can normally accompany you to 

Denmark. It is a requirement that 

your family can support itself 

throughout the entire period, and that 

you will all live at the same address. 

However, your partner or spouse is 

allowed to work full time during his 

or her stay in Denmark. 

Working 

while 

studying 

All students from outside the 

European Union are automatically 

granted a permit to work for 

a total of 15 hours per week 

during the school term. During 

holiday months students will be 

granted permission to work fulltime; 

that is, full time work in 

June, July and August. Danish 

employers require high levels of 

qualifications for employees and so 

it is sometimes challenging to find 

part time employment. Therefore, 

prospective students would have 

to be persistent. 

Work after 

studies 

If you complete a higher 

educational programme in 

Denmark, the immigration services 

will normally grant you a grace 

period for you to find suitable 

employment. If you do find an 

organization willing to employ 

you, they are then able to apply for 

a work and residence permit on 

your behalf. 

Embassies 

in the 

Caribbean 

+53 (7) 338 128 

Paseo de Marti (Prado) 20 

Cuba 

+ 53 (7) 8668144 

Piso 4, Apt. 4 B Zona 2 

Fax: +53 (7) 338 127 

10200 Havana, Cuba 

dancons@enet.cu 

Phone: +1 (809) 732 1234 

Jose Amado Soler 49 


Fax: +1 (809) 541 2743 

Edificio Gampsa Piso 1 

Santo Domingo 

dmnconsul@maersk.com 

Phone: +509 223 2551 

35, Ave. Marie-Jeanne 

Haiti 

Fax: +509 222 5156 

P.O. Box 1334 

Port-au-Prince 

shmadsen@hotmail.com 

Phone: +1 876 923 5051 

449 Spanish Town Road 

Jamaica 

Fax: +1 876 923 5055 

Kingston 11 

rammoja@mail.infochan.com 

Phone: +1 868 624 3587 

21 Ferndale Terrace 


Fax: +1 868 627 44804000 

St. Anns 

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

Denmark 

325 

EMPLOYMENT: 

VACANCY SOURCES 

Niels Kaare Krabbe / ornithologist and bird conservationist 

Hidden 

vacancies 

There are many opportunities to 

work in Denmark and it takes an 

astute and persistent individual 

to carry out a fruitful job search. 

Unlike many other developed 

countries, the typical way to 

apply for a job in Denmark is to 

use a Cover letter and CV but 

the accompanying evidence is 

also integral to the application 

process; relevant certification, 

copies of qualification and referee 

letters from previous employers 

should be sent along with your 

application letter. 

In-depth research on the company 

to which you are applying is 

equally important as it increases 

your chance of being hired. Use 

as many resources as possible to 

find company information if you 

are seeking to send speculative 

letters. Look at company 

directories and the yellow pages. 

These are available free of cost 

in Danish libraries, for example 

The Copenhagen Business 

School Library may be a useful 

resource. It is an academic library 

which holds information on 

various types of businesses and 

career areas such as accounting, 

advertising, banking and finance, 

research the 

company to which 

you are applying 

computer science, foreign trade, 

law, marketing, statistics and 

social sciences sectors. Your 

research should be reflected in 

the fact that your application or 

cover letter must be directed to a 

specific person at the company; 

otherwise, your application may 

be discarded. 

It is important to note all other 

elements to creating a job 

application (the general rules 

on cover letters and CV) as 

presented in CHAPTER 11- 

WORKING ABROAD.

Denmark 

327 

Danish CV 

CVs should be kept brief and 

factual with work experience 

being viewed as more important 

than extra-curricular activities. 

A Danish CV should be in the 

following order: 

• Begin with your name, address, 

and contact information. 

• Business qualifications follow, 

based on the requirements listed 

in the job advertisement, with 

work experience sequenced 

to match your business 

qualifications. 

• Education. 

• Personal information, including 

date of birth, marital status, 

number of children, 

• Nationality (as a non-native it 

is advisable to clarify your work 

permit status) 

• Finally, you should briefly list 

your outside interests. 


As in most countries, job 

advertisements appear in the 

Sunday editions of the newspapers. 

The Kidon Media-Link website is a 

one stop shop for links to various 

regional Danish newspapers. The 

main newspapers for adverts are: 

• The English weekly paper 

• The Copenhagen Post 

• Jyllands-Posten 

• Politiken 

• Berlingske Tidende 

• Dansk Industri: is a weekly 

journal that covers a wide range 

of information from trade and 

industry relations and this may be 

useful in your job search. 

more info: 

www.kidon.com 

www.cphpost.dk 

www.jp.dk 

www.politiken.dk 

www.berlingske.dk 

www.di.dk 

ONLINE RECRUITMENT 

SERVICES AND JOB 

LISTINGS 

Jobbank 

www.jobbank.dk 

JobsInCopenhagen 

www.jobsincopenhagen 

Job opportunities with 

English as the main 

working language; 

Job Index Denmark 

www.jobindex.dk 

Karriere Vejviser 

www.karrierevejviser.dk 

Monster (Denmark) 

www.monster.dk 

Stepstone (Denmark) 

www.stepstone.dk 

Higher 

education 

career 

support 

Students registered at higher 

education institutions may want 

to ask for help and advice from 

the careers center located on their 

university campuses. Career 

support is offered in universities 

to graduates by student advisers 

and also by employment officers 

or labour unions. The university’s 

careers services is particularly 

focused on facilitating the 

transition from studying into 

employment and is less 

orientated towards providing job 

placements. 

more info: 

The Copenhagen Business 

School Library 

http://uk.cbs.dk/library

Denmark 

329 

Interviews 

This is largely dependent on 

the position for which you 

have applied and could be an 

individual or panel interview. 

Business dress is usually expected 

on these occasions. There is an 

increasing use of group activities 

and psychometric tests as part of 

the selection process, especially by 

larger organizations. 

Work 

patterns 

• Not unlike the Danish education 

system, the working culture is 

team-orientated and the working 

environment is characterised by 

open and informal manners. 

• The normal working week is 

37 hours and employees’ normal 

holiday entitlement is five weeks, 

although within the public sector 

this is generally six weeks. 

• Danish companies offer good 

working conditions, modern 

conveniences and technical 

equipment of a high standard. 

• Most workplaces offer continuing 

education to their employees and 

the development of qualifications 

is seen as a high priority. 

Hans J. Baagøe / 

professor researching on scandinavian bats

Finland 

chapter 6 

Markku Kulmala / Professor in Aerosol and Environmental Physics

Finland 


333 

NoRWAy 

Turkujapori 

SWEDEN 

Vaasa 

Hame 

Lappi 

Keski- 

Suomi 

oulu 

Kuopio 

Mikkeli 

Kymi 

Uusimaa 

HELSINKI 

RUSSIA 

Pohjois- 

Karjala 

100km 

Finland is a relatively 

small country in terms of 

population. It has a population 

of approximately 5.2 million 

people. However, the country has 

a land mass of 338,000 sq km which 

makes it one of Europe’s largest 

countries geographically. Located 

in Northern Europe, Finland shares 

utilizing own resources 

propelled the economy 

its borders with Sweden, Norway 

and Russia. Statistics from Finn 

facts reveal that a total of 79% 

of the population live in urban 

areas. The capital of Finland is 

Helsinki (population 561,000) but 

the Helsinki metropolitan area 

also consists of Espoo (population 

213,000) and Vantaa (population 

178,000). Other large cities include 

Turka (population 172,000 people), 

Tampere (195,000) and Oulu 

(120,800). 

Finland has been a member of the 

European Union since 1995. The 

country is a welfare state and so 

state aims to secure, for its citizens, 

equal opportunities to live a good 

life. The government also strives 

to utilize the country’s resources 

efficiently, which, when combined 

with Finnish competitiveness and 

transparency, has propelled the 

country into economic success. 

Finland has a highly industrialized 

free-market economy 

with a per capita 

output equal to that 

of other western 

economies such as 

France, Germany, Sweden and the 

UK. During the period 1995 to 

2005, Finland’s production grew by 

an average of 3.5% per year; this 

following a decade of recession. 

In 2006, the economy continued to 

expand by 3.7% but this growth 

rate fell to 2.5% in 2007. A slower 

growth rate was predicted for 2008 

but the decline was exacerbated by 

the world financial crisis. 

According to The Research 

Institute of the Finnish Economy, 

the main employment sectors are: 

• agriculture and forestry 

• manufacturing

Finland 

why finland? 

335 

• construction 

• trade, hotels and restaurants 

• transport and communications 

• financial, insurance and business 

services 

• public and other services 

Finnish culture is strong and the 

nation’s diversity is, for example, 

reflected in the various religious 

groups. The main religious 

communities include Christians, 

Muslims and practicing Jews. 

Finland also has two official 

languages; Swedish and Finnish. 

English is, however, widely spoken. 

If you decide to apply for a 

university in Finland, you should 

be aware of the fact that the 

Finnish climate is marked by 

distinctive seasonal variations. 

Winters are cold and summers 

relatively warm. In the summer, 

temperatures may often rise above 

20°C, with the highest summer 

temperatures in the Finnish 

interior (ranging from 32°C to 

35°C). Conversely, temperatures of 

-20°C are not uncommon in many 

areas during the winter. 

more info: 

Euro 

Finnfacts 

www.finnfacts.com 

Virtual Finland 

http://virtual.finland.fi 

The Research Institute of 

the Finnish Economy ETLA: 

www.etla.fi/eng/index.php 

• No tuition 

First and foremost, a great reason to 

apply to study in Finland is the fact 

that most programmes are tuition 

free. All students, no matter their 

nationality, pay no tuition once 

they are accepted to a university 

the country has sought 

to brand itself as an 

information society 

in Finland. However, all students 

will have to cover their own cost of 

living. There are several sources of 

funding to cover living expenses 

as well as the opportunity to work. 

Students may apply for, and be 

granted, a work permit. 

• Investment in education 

One of the cornerstones of the 

Finnish national development 

strategy is a strong education 

system. Finland has sought to brand 

itself as an ‘information society’ that 

educates its students to a high level. 

As a result, huge sums are invested 

in research and development. 

• Wide range of courses 

taught in English 

In 2001, a research paper published 

by the Centre for International 

Mobility (CIMO) found that a 

large number of international 

students were attracted to study in 

Finland due to the wide 

range of courses and 

academic programmes 

taught in English at 

Finnish Universities and 

Polytechnics institutes. 

Many of these courses 

are also considered to be Finnish 

areas of specialization; including 

Architecture, Art and Design, 

Russian and Baltic Area Studies, 

Information Technology and 

Engineering, and Environmental 

Science and Forestry. There are 

currently over 450 international 

study programmes in different 

disciplines, which are taught in 

English. 

• Strong culture of 

educating international 

students 

In the late 1980s and 1990s, 

Finland placed great emphasis

Finland 

337 

ADMISSION 

AND funding 

on developing several channels 

of study designed to facilitate 

international exchange 

programmes. Consequently, there 

are several multilateral exchange 

programmes currently offered 

to students who are seeking 

experience for a limited time. 

For further information, review 

CIMO’s website. 


recognised 

Finland offers degrees that are 

compatible to the international 

community, with programmes 

based on a European credit transfer 

system. In addition, on completion 

of your studies in Finland, the 

universities and polytechnics issue 

a diploma supplement. This is a 

document designed jointly by the 

Council of Europe and UNESCO. 

It provides information on the 

nature of studies completed by the 

student, a brief outline of the areas 

in which the student qualifies to 

work, the type of qualification and 

the status of the degree, that is, 

how well the student performed 

while in school. 

• Great cultural experience 

Finland is also a good 

destination for study because, 

alongside the desire to develop 

a modern education system of 

the highest level, the country 

offers international students the 

opportunity to experience its 

unique culture and to learn other 

languages while studying. The 

society is well organized and 

egalitarian, and this should give 

foreigners a lot of comfort. 

• The great outdoors 

Finally, a “Why Finland” survey 

carried out by CIMO in 2000 

found that ‘Finland’s natural 

environment, lakes, forests and 

white winters also seem to attract 

international students to the 

country. In addition to enjoying 

the natural environment, indoor 

facilities in which they worked 

were modern, with easy access to 

advanced technology. 

more info: 

CIMO 

www.finland.cimo.fi 

Since the 1980’s the Finnish 

government has had 

nationally co-ordinated 

programmes to attract international 

students to the country. If 

you would like to have the 

opportunity to study in a country 

that prioritizes education then 

Finland is the place 

to study. Finland 

has 20 university 

level institutions 

and 29 polytechnics. 

International students 

(including degree and exchange 

students) constitute about five per 

cent of the total student enrolment 

in both types of institutions. * At 

present, Finnish institutions of 

higher education offer more than 

450 study programmes in English. ** 

Some of these programmes are 

short courses that usually can only 

be taken as part of an exchange 

programme. Other broader-based 

programmes take several years to 

complete and lead to an official 

Finnish higher education degree. 

* Please review statistics provided by Centre 

for International Mobility, CIMO. 

** According to the Centre for International 

Mobility. August 15, 2008. 

Finland, has a complementary 

higher education system: 

universities and polytechnics 

similarly referred to as University 

of Applied Sciences (UAS). 

Universities provide a mix of 

faculties and, therefore, degrees 

are offered in various areas, such 

HEIs offer MORE THAN 45O 

STUDY PROGRAMMES 

IN ENGLISH 

as social sciences and business 

studies. On the other hand, 

polytechnics are universities that 

specialise in applied sciences. 

They offer more scientific and 

technical courses. If you have an 

interest in applying to study in 

Finland as a degree student, the 

first step is to make direct contact 

with the Finnish institution in 

which you are interested. The same 

procedure goes for those who are 

interested in doctoral programmes. 

Universities confer bachelor’s 

and master’s degrees and, on the 

postgraduate level, licentiate’s

Finland 

339 

and doctoral degrees. Since 2005, 

all university degrees are defined 

according to ECTS credits. A 

bachelor’s degree is worth 180 

ECTS credits and a master’s degree 

is 120 credits. The normal duration 

of a bachelor’s degree is three years 

of full-time study. It usually takes 

two additional years to accomplish 

a master’s degree. A doctoral 

degree normally takes four years 

of full-time study. Polytechnic´s 

also confer bachelor’s and master’s 

finland invests 

much in hosting 

exchange students 

level higher education degrees, 

but with a professional emphasis. 

The lower degree is worth 210-240 

ECTS credits and it takes from 3.5 

to 4.5 years of full-time study to 

complete. After three years of work 

experience, a student may take 

on the master’s degree, which is 

worth 60-90 credits. 

Short term 

studies/ 

exchange 

students * 

The main focus of this work, 

thus far, has been on long term 

studies; i.e. the completion of full 

degrees. Finland has such a rich 

history, and has invested much in 

hosting exchange students, 

that it should be considered 

an invaluable experience for 

Caribbean students. Students 

who want to enhance their 

university experience by 

living in another culture can 

consider completing some short 

courses at a Finnish university as 

an exchange student. Exchange 

programmes in Finland normally 

last between a few months and 

* For Caribbean students it is best to contact 

the university that you are interested in attending 

directly, as research has shown that there are very 

few programmes geared towards exchange with 

institutions in the region. Universities/polytechnics 

are always interested to find ways of enhancing 

current programmes, so in many instances they may 

be willing to tailor a programme. 

a year. Exchange programmes 

can be organised by applying 

to an established international 

exchange programme or done on 

an individual basis. Established 

exchange programmes are those 

that have a formal agreement 

between an institution in your 

home country and a Finnish 

institution. 

For individually organised 

programmes, students have to 

contact the institutions in which 

they have an interest directly. At 

the time of writing the Centre 

for International mobility had 

no record of any ‘ready-made’ 

academic student exchange 

programmes currently operating 

that are applicable to Caribbean 

students. Therefore, the first 

task would be to find out (if you 

have not yet done so) whether 

your home university has any 

bilateral contacts or exchange 

agreements with some Finnish 

university; that is, “independent” 

exchange agreements. If this is 

not the case, you can turn to the 

Finnish universities or polytechnics 

directly and ask whether they 

accept visiting students; that is, 

exchange students who may fall 

outside any existing agreements or 

programmes and, if they do, what 

are requirements for application. In 

this case, you may need to finance 

your exchange period, more or 

less independently, since neither 

CIMO nor the Finnish universities 

at this time offer any scholarships 

for bachelor’s or master’s level 

exchange students. 

more info on exchange 

programmes: 

CIMO 

www.isep.org 

www.finland.cimo.fi

Finland 

341 

admissions & application 

to a higher education 

institution 

vocational study academic study 

polytechnics/ 

universities of 

applied science 

(UAS) 

universities 

Central applications 

www.admissions.fi 

BACHELORS 

programmes 


www.universityadmissions.fi 

All polytechnics use this system. 

For some programmes you have to apply 

directly to a university in which you 

are interested (see list under 

Applying to universities). 

applications are 

made directly to the 

polytechnic (UAS) 

in question. 

To be an eligible applicant 

for a polytechnic (UAS) 

master’s programme, you 

need a bachelor’s followed 

by at least three years of 

relevant work experience. 

MASTERS 

programmes 



For some programmes you have to apply 

directly to a university in which you 

are interested (see list under 

Applying to universities). 

DOCTORAL 

studies and research 

applications are 

made directly to 

the university 

in question. 

Some universities may 

have fixed application 

periods for Doctoral 

studies, some may 

accept applications on a 

continuous basis

Finland 

343 

Undergraduate 

studies 

APPLYING TO 

POLYTECHNICS * 

The application process is quite 

straightforward as there is a 

central application system that 

allows students to apply online. 

The application period runs from 

January 14 to February 15 for 

students interested in an Autumn 

start and from September 1 to 12 

for students wanting to start in 

the Spring. The system allows 

for students to apply for up to 

four different programmes, in 

order of priority, in any of the 

polytechnics across Finland. It is 

advised that students consider the 

order of priority carefully; if you 

are accepted to the polytechnic of 

first choice then the selection board 

will not consider you for the other 

* This information is for programmes that are 

taught in English, for all other programmes contact 

the universities directly or the national board of 

education. 

options. However, if you are not 

granted a place in your first choice 

you will be considered for the 

others. By the time the application 

system opens, you should 

have already done preliminary 

preparations to have the necessary 

documentation, as outlined in 

CHAPTER 1- APPLICATION 

GUIDELINES and any other 

requirements specified by the 

Finnish institutions. All documents 

must be sent to the admissions 

office of the polytechnic you have 

ranked as the first choice in your 

application. In order for your 

application to be considered the 

documents should arrive at the 

institution by 22nd of February. 

The application period runs 

from January 14 to February 

15 for an Autumn start; and 

from September 1 to 12 

for Spring. 

It is also possible to submit a 

paper application. In the event 

that you do not have access to 

the internet, you can request a 

paper based application form 

from the admission offices of the 

polytechnics. This should then 

be returned to the polytechnic of 

your first choice with the required 

documents within the deadline. 

Faxed, scanned and email copies 

will not be accepted. Submissions 

outside of these dates will be void. 

your documents 

should arrive by the 

22nd of february 

The selection for Finnish 

universities or polytechnics is 

conducted on a points based 

system. International students 

will be required to complete an 

more info on exchange 

programmes: 

Undergraduate admissions 

to Polytechnics 


Undergradraduate and 

master´s level admission 

to universities 


entrance examination (see visa 

requirements for Immigration-Visa) 

in order to earn enough points 

to be granted a place. There is 

usually a 3 month notice period for 

scheduling the examinations. Some 

polytechnics have agreements 

in place so that results from one 

polytechnic may be used by 

another. 

• Documentation 

• To be eligible for a place 

in a Finnish polytechnic, 

applicants should have completed 

a secondary/high school education 

in their home country. Thus, one of 

the requirements is a certified copy 

of your school transcript. 

• Documentation of your 

citizenship (e.g. copy of passport) 

• Prospective students with a 

qualification completed anywhere 

outside Finland, and are not 

citizens of an EU/EEA-country, 

must provide proof of language 

skill. * (see Language requirements, 

page 351) 

* Taken from https://www.admissions.fi/

Finland 

345 

APPLYING TO 

UNIVERSITIES 

To apply to a Finnish university, 

visit the appropriate university’s 

website for general information. 

During the application round for 

the year 2010-2011, the Finnish 

universities listed immediately 

below used the central online 

application system. However, there 

were programmes to which it was 

not possible to apply online. If you 

cannot find a course of interest on 

the university admissions website 

then you should contact the 

institutions directly for application 

procedures and deadlines. 

Hanken School of Economics 

Lappeenranta Univ. of Tech. 

Turku School of Economics 

University of Eastern Finland 

University of Helsinki 

University of Jyväskylä 

University of Lapland 

University of Oulu 

University of Tampere 

University of Turku 

for expected testing results 

scores and other information: 

CIMO 

www.admissions.fi/ 

These universities did not 

use the central application 

system. If you are interested 

in applying for studies at the 

following universities, turn to 

the appropriate university’s web 

page for information and follow 

the instructions given there. 

Helsinki School of Economics 

Helsinki Univ. of Tech. (TKK) 

Sibelius Academy 

Tampere University of 

Technology 

University of Joensuu 

University of Kuopio 

University of Vaasa 

Åbo Akademi University 

Postgraduate 

studies 

Finland has an increasing number 

of programmes being offered 

at the master´s level. Plus, the 

quality of scientific research is 

high. Systematic professional 

research training is available 

in about one hundred graduate 

schools that are attached to 

Finnish universities and they 

cover all the main areas of 

research. Students attend toplevel 

research intensive courses 

and receive tutoring with one 

of Finland’s leading research 

teams, which work in close 

collaboration with other national 

and international research centres. 

There are no specific application 

dates for most programmes. 

Applicants should apply in good 

time and take into account that 

the academic year runs from 

September to the end of May. 

The situation is different for 

specialised fee-paying international 

programmes, which have strict 

application deadlines; generally 

during the winter or spring 

preceding the desired academic 

year of entry. 

At the time of writing, there 

were no tuition fees for 

students enrolled in bachelors 

or doctoral programmes. 

However, since 2010 the 

government has instituted 

a five year trial period 

where tuition fees can be 

charged for selected master’s 

programmes taught in English. 

The following list contains 

universities and polytechnics, 

with the programmes that 

they offer in English. Some 

of these programmes are still 

tuition free, therefore you 

should always check with the 

institutions directly if tuition 

fees are collected.

Finland 347 

MDP: Masters degree programme 

MAP: Masters of Arts Programme 

DP: Degree Program 

MSC: Master of science 

UNIVERSITIES 


• MDP Food of Life, The Science of Animal, Derived Foods 

• MDP Economy, State and Society 

• MDP Advanced Spectroscopy in Chemistry 


• MDP Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology 

• MDP Neurobiology 

• MDP Public Health 

• MDP (CBU) Public Health 


• MDP Food of Life, The Science of Animal, Derived Foods 

• MDP Economy, State and Society 

• MDP Advanced Spectroscopy in Chemistry 


• MDP Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology 

• MDP Corporate Environmental Management 

• MDP Development and International Cooperation 

• MDP Sport Science and Management; 

• MDP Sustainable M. of Inland Aquatic Resources; 

• MDP Digital Culture; 

• MDP Renewable Energy; 

• MDP Mobile Technology and Business; 

• MDP Educational Leadership; 

• MDP Entrepreneurship in Family Business; 

• MDP Music, Mind and Technology; 

• MDP Gerontology; 

• MDP Sport and Exercise Psychology. 


• MDP International Business 

• MDP Financial and Management Accounting 

• MDP Finance and Economics 

4• MDP (BCBU) Software and System’s Development in 

Global Environment 

• MDP Architectural Design 

• MDP Astronomy and Space Physics 

• MDP Barents Environmental Engineering (BCBU) 

• MDP Education and Globalisation 

• MDP Protein Science and Biotechnology 

• MDP Synchrotron Radiation Based Science and 

Accelerator Physics 

• MDP Neurobiology 

• MDP (CBU) Public Health 

• MDP Public Health Nutrition 

• MDP Information Technology 

• MDP International Social Work 

• MDP Atmospheric Sciences and Biogeochemical Cycles 

• MDP Environmental Biology and Biogeochemistry 

• MDP Health Promotion in Nursing Science 

• MDP Medical Physics and Engineering 

• MDP General Toxicology and 

Environmental Health Risk Assessment 

• MDP Clinical Linguistics 

• MDP European Forestry 

• MDP Human Geography 

• MDP Cultural Diversity 

• MDP Media Computing and Optical Technology 

• MDP Research Chemists 

• MDP Color Informatics and Media Technology 

• MDP Information and Communication Tech for 

Development 

• MSc in Photonics 


• MDP Intercultural Communication 

• MDP Nanoscience 

• MDP Biology of Physical Activity 

• MDP Wireless Communications Engineering 

• MDP Magnetic Resonance in Materials 

• MDP Nordic Technology Enhanced Learning 

• MDP Ecology and Population Genetics 


• MDP Health Sciences (Public Health) 

• MDP Health Sciences (International Health) 

• MDP Higher Education 

• MDP Social Sciences 

• MDP International Relations 

• MDP Software Development 

• MDP User Interface Software Development 

• MDP Interactive Technology 


• MDP Management of Information Technology 

• MDP Futures Studies 



• MDP Finance 

• MDP Intercultural Studies in Communication and 

Administration 

• MDP Telecommunication Engineering 

• MDP Industrial Management

Finland 349 

Lappeenranta University of Technology 

• DP Energy Technology 

• DP in Electrical Engineering 

• DP Environmental Engineering 

• DP Chemical Engineering 

• DP Mechanical Engineering 

• DP Technomathematics and Physics 

• DP Information Technology 

• DP Industrial Management 

• DP Business Administration 

Aalto University 

• MDP Accounting 

• MDP Finance 

• MDP Information and Service Management 


• MDP International Business Communication 

• MDP Strategy 

• MDP Film and Television 

• MDP Design for Theatre, Film and Television 

• MDP Textile Art and Design 

• MDP Industrial and Strategic Design 

• MDP Fashion and Clothing Design 

• MAP Graphic Design 

• MDP Space Science and Technology 

• MDP Security and Mobile Computing 

• MDP Minerals and Environmental Engineering 

• MDP Environomical Pathways for Sustainable Energy 

Systems 

• MDP Computational and Systems Biology 

• MDP Innovative and Sustainable Energy Engineering 

• MDP International Design Business Management 

• MDP Creative Sustainability 

• MDP Marketing 

• MAP Photography 

• MDP New Media; 

• MAP Applied Art and Design 

• MAP Spatial Design 

• MAP Furniture Design 

• MAP Visual Culture 

• MAP Fine Arts 

• MAP Environmental Art 

• MDP Pedagogy Design 

• MDP Sound in New Media 

• MP Communications Ecosystem 

• MP Communications Engineering 

• MP Electrical Engineering 

• MP Environmental Technology 

• MP Forest Products Technology 

• MP Foundations of Advanced Computing 

• MP Geoinformatics 

• MP Machine Learning and Data Mining 

• MP Mechanical Engineering 

• MP Micro and Nanotechnology 

• MP Mobile Computing – Services and Security 

• MP Process Systems Engineering 

• MP Radio Science and Engineering 

• MP Service Design and Engineering 

• MP Service Management and Engineering 

• MP Strategy 

POLYTECHNICS 

Arcada UAS 

• DP Media Management 

•DP Real Estate Management 

•DP Health Promotion 

Haaga-Helia UAS 

•DP International BM 

•DP Tourism 

•DP Sport Development and M. 

(starting from 2011) 

Seinäjoki UAS 

• DP International BM 

Tampere UAS 

• DP Information Tech. 


Savonia UAS 

• DP Industrial M 


JAMK UAS 

•DP Information Technology 


•DP Paper Machine Tech. 

Central Ostrobothnia UAS 


HUMAK UAS 

• DP Sign Language 

Interpreting 


• DP Youth Work and 

Social Equality ( 

starting from 2012) 

Kymenlaakso UAS 


Lahti UAS 

• DP Interior Design 

• DP International BM

Finland 

351 

APPLYING TO 

Masters STUDies 

Fill in the on-line application 

form, available only during the 

application period, print, sign, 

and return it with the required 

enclosures to: 

University Admissions Finland 

Yliopistonkatu 2 

FIN-00170 Helsinki 

FINLAND 

Students applying for a master’s 

degree programme at a university 

must also submit the following 

documents: 

• Copy of the bachelor’s (or above) 

degree certificate in the original 

language 

• Copy of the transcript of records 

of the bachelor’s (or above) degree 

certificate in the original language. 

The copies of degree certificates 

and the transcripts must be issued 

by the institution or photocopies 

certified by a Notary Public 

• If your degree certificate and 

transcript of records are not issued 

in one of the following languages: 

English, Finnish, or Swedish. The 

official translation into one of these 

languages must accompany your 

documentation. The same applies to 

all other documents with which you 

support your application. 

• Copy of your passport’s ID page 

• Passport photo 

• IELTS or a TOEFL scores must 

be sent to University Admissions 

Finland by the testing organization, 

for instructions see submitting the 

language test scores page 351-352. 

Send the enclosures with your 

application to University Admission 

Finland, not directly to the 

university. The required enclosures 

must reach University Admissions 

Finland by the given deadline. 

Do not send original certificates, 

diplomas, or other documents 

which cannot be replaced. 

Application documents mailed 

to the institutions will not be 

returned. But, the accepted 

technical support on 

your application: 

info@universityadmissions.fi 

Tel: +358 9 191 23 528 

Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (GMT+2) 

students will be required to 

present the original documents 

to the appropriate faculty before 

registration at the University. If 

false information was provided on 

the application, the right to study 

will be revoked. 

APPLying to 

DOCTORAL studies 

Universities welcome applications 

for postgraduate (doctoral) studies 

from students who have already 

completed a master’s degree 

or equivalent. The application 

procedures and the requirements 

vary according to faculties and 

institutions. They should be 

contacted directly for further 

information. 

TOEFL 

IELTS 

Language 

requirements 

There are many different ways to 

indicate language skills, depending 

on the selected study language 

and degree programme. For 

example, if your language of study 

throughout secondary or high 

school was English and you have 

applied to complete a degree in 

English, some universities will 

use your transcripts, along with 

previous testing scores, to decide 

if they require you to complete 

language tests. If you are required 

to complete the language test these 

are the accepted scores: 

with a minimum score of: 

75 (paperbased) 

90 (computerbased 

with a minimum score of 6.5 points 

with no individual score below 5.5

Finland 

353 

All students applying should 

send proof of holding the eligible 

language skills to the following 

address: * 

University Admissions Finland 

Yliopistonkatu 2 

FIN-00170 Helsinki 

FINLAND 

The admissions board must receive 

an official test report directly 

from the testing organisation. 

These test results are valid for two 

years. Language requirements 

vary between universities and 

even among different degree 

programmes within the same 

university. 

These are general requirements, 

it is your duty to check with 

individual institutions for 

specific requirements 

* Please note that the testing centre must 

send the test results directly to University Admissions 

by the application deadline. It is the applicant’s 

responsibility to make testing arrangements for her/ 

himself. 

Recognition of 


All prospective students with 

foreign secondary education 

certificate, vocational qualification 

or an academic degree, and who are 

interested in applying to Finnish 

higher education, should contact the 

admission office of the institution. 

Higher education institutions decide 

independently on the eligibility of 

foreign qualifications and determine 

how foreign studies are recognised 

as part of a degree. If, on the 

other hand, you have completed 

an academic degree or vocational 

qualification abroad and need to 

have it recognised in Finland, for 

employment-related purposes, 

contact the Finnish ENIC/NARIC 

centre at the Finnish National Board 

of Education.The National Board 

of Education represents Finland in 

the European Network of NARIC 

and ENIC networks, promoting the 

recognition of foreign qualifications. 

more info: 

National Board of Education 

www.oph.fi/recognition 

Scholarships 

The Centre for International 

Mobility (CIMO) and a number 

of other organisations grant 

scholarships for postgraduate 

studies and research in Finland * . 

CIMO awards scholarships 

for postgraduate students and 

young researchers who have 

completed a master or doctoral 

level degree, as well as for teachers 

and administrative staff from 

universities abroad. In general, 

there are two types of scholarships: 

individual scholarships, which 

young researchers may apply to 

directly, and host fellowships 

which are applied for by the 

Finnish higher education 

departments wishing to host 

researchers and postgraduates. 

* With the introduction of tuition fees for 

English-language Master’s programmes, all the 

universities have provided generous scholarship 

options for non-EU/EEA students enrolled in 

tuition-fee carrying master’s programmes. These 

institutional scholarships cannot be applied for from 

CIMO, only from the higher education institution 

that you have applied to study. 

Leena Hämet-Ahtti / botanist

Finland 

355 

Finnish universities 

Åbo Akademi University 

international@abo.fi 

admissions@helsinki.fi 


University of Joensuu 

ntnl@joensuu.fi 


intl@jyu.fi 

University of Kuopio 

intl@uku.fi 

University of Lapland 

international.relations@ulapland.fi 

studie@ulapland.fi 


international.office@oulu.fi 


intoffice@uta.fi 


international@utu.fi 


infternational.affairs@uwasa.fi, 

information@uwasa.fi 

Helsinki University of 

kv-info@tkk.fi 

Technology 

ibtm@lut.fi 

Lappeenranta University 

international.programmes@lut.fi 

of Technology 

interoff@tut.fi 

Tampere University of 

Technology 

International Office, Tavastgatan 13 

FI-20500 Åbo 

Nordre Ringgade 1 

DK-8000 Aarhus C 

International Student Services 

P.O. Box 111 (Yliopistokatu 2) 

FI-80101 Joensuu 

International Office 

P.O. Box 35 (T), FI-40014 

International Office. P.O. Box 1627 

FI-70211 Kuopio 

International Relations, P.O. Box 122 

(Yliopistonkatu ) 

FI-96101 Rovaniemi 

International Relations 

P.O. Box 8001 

FI-90014 


FI-33014 


FI-20014 


P.O. Box 700, FI-65101 Vaasa 

International Affairs 

P.O. Box 1100 (Otakaari 1, Espoo) 

FI-02015 HUT 

International and Career Services 

P.O. Box 20 

FI-53851 Lappeenranta 


P.O. Box 527 (Korkeakoulunkatu 10) 

FI-33101 Tampere

Finland 

357 

Hanken Swedish School of 

Economics and 

Business Administration 

Helsinki School of Economics 

Turku School of Economics (TSE) 

Sibelius Academy 

Åland Polytechnic 

Arcada 

University of Applied Sciences 

Central Ostrobothnia 


Diaconia University 

of Applied Sciences 

EVTEK University 


HAAGA-HELIA 


HAMK University 


Helsinki Polytechnic Stadia 

HUMAK University 


intl.affairs@hanken.fi 

opinnot@hkkk.fi 

nternational@tse.fi 

leena.veijonsuo@siba.fi 

katja.backsholm@ha.ax 

dmissions@arcada.fi 

admissions@cou.fi 

riikka.halikka@diak.fi 

international.office@evtek.fi 

admissions@haaga-helia.fi 

international@hamk.fi 

kirsi.paaso@stadia.fi 

timo.sorvoja@humak.edu 

Centre for Research and International 

Affairs, P.O. Box 479 

FI-00101 Helsinki 

Office of Studies and Registrar 

P.O. Box 1210 (Runeberginkatu 14-16) 


Office for Academic Affairs 

Rehtorinpellonkatu 3 

FI-20500 Turku 

International Centre 

P.O. Box 86 (Töölönkatu 28) 



PO Box 1010 

AX-22111 Mariehamn 

Arcada Admissions 

Jan Magnus Janssonin aukio 1 


Admissions Office, Närvilänkatu 8 

(after August: Talonpojankatu 4) 

FI-67100 Kokkola 

International Office, Maistraatinportti 2 A 


International Office, Vanha maantie 6 

FI-02650 Espoo 

Admissions Office, Ratapihantie 13 


International Relations Office 

Visamäentie 35 A 

FI-13100 Hämeenlinna 


P.O. Box 4000 (Bulevardi 31) 

FI-00099 City of Helsinki 

International Coordinator 

Annankatu 12 A 

FI-00120 Helsinki

Finland 

359 

Jyväskylä University 


Kajaani University 


Kemi-Tornio University 


Kymenlaakso University 


Lahti University 


Laurea University 


Mikkeli University 


North Karelia University 


Oulu Polytechnic - 


Pirkanmaa Polytechnic - 


Rovaniemi 


Satakunta 


Savonia University 


international@jamk.fi 

jamk(at)jypoly.fi 

international.office@kajak.fi 

annikki.pulkkinen@tokem.fi 

applications@kyamk.fi 

intoffice@lamk.fi 

intl.info@laurea.fi 

admissions@mikkeliamk.fi 

internationa@ncp.fi 

international@oamk.fiInternational. 

Office@piramk.fi 

international@ramk.fi 

int.office@samk.fi 

international.office@seamk.fi 

international.office@seamk.fi 

International Affairs Office 

P.O. Box 207 (Rajakatu 35) 

FI-40101 Jyväskylä 

P.O. Box 52 (Ketunpolku 3) 

FI-87101 Kajaani 

International office 

P.O. Box 505 

(Kauppakatu 5) 

FI-94101 Kemi 

Applications Office 

P.O. Box 111 (Salpausselänkatu 57) 

FI-45101 Kouvola 


P.O. Box 213 

FI-15101 Lahti 

Administration. Ratatie 22 

FI-01300 Vantaa 

Admissions Office 

P.O. Box 181 (Patteristonkatu 3) 

FI-50101 Mikkeli 


Sirkkalantie 13 

FI-80100 Joensuu4000 

International Relations Office 

P.O. Box 222 (Albertinkuja 20) 

FI-90101 Oulu 

Kuntokatu 4 

FI-33520 Tampere 

Jokiväylä 13 

96300 Rovaniemi 

FI-96300 Rovaniemi 

Central Administration 

Tiedepuisto 3 

FI-28600 Pori 


P.O. Box 6 

FI-70201 Kuopio

Finland 

361 

visa and 

immigration 


P.O.Box 412 (Keskuskatu 34) 

virve.hakamies@scp.fi 

Seinäjoki University 

of Applied Sciences (SeAMK) 

South Carelia Polytechnic 

Svenska Yrkeshögskolan 

Sydväst Polytechnic 

Tampere Polytechnic - 


Turku University 



Vaasa University 


FI-60101 Seinäjoki 


global@syh.fi 

Koulukatu 5 B 

FI-55120 Imatra 

P.O. Box 6 (Fabriksgatan 1) 

FI-65201 Vasa 


international.office@tpu.fi 

P.O. Box 21 (Teiskontie 33) 

FI-33521 Tampere 


int.office@turkuamk.fi 

Sepänkatu 3 

FI-20700 Turku 

Admissions Office 

hakutoimisto@puv.fi or 

Wolffintie 30 

FI-65200 Vaasa 

All students that would like to 

study in Finland for a period 

of more than three months 

are required to apply for a residence 

permit at a Finnish mission in their 

home country (Please see a list of 

Finnish Missions contact details at 

the end of this chapter). Finnish 

residence permits are normally 

granted to students who will 

undertake studies leading to a 

degree qualification or to exchange 

students who are supplementing 

their learning experience for a 

limited period of time. Residence 

permits are not normally granted 

to students who just want to 

undertake language courses. 

Linus Torvalds / inventor of Linux

Finland 

363 

• Entrance exams 

Prospective students are obliged to 

apply for a visa, if the student has 

to sit an entrance exam in Finland 

prior to being accepted at the 


and if he or she is a visa 

national; that is, a citizen 

of a country that has not 

signed an agreement on 

the abolition of visa with 

Finland. The visa only 

allows for a short stay and, as such, 

the student must usually return 

to his or her home country after 

the entrance examination in order 

to apply for the actual residence 

permit. The first residence permit 

may be granted also in Finland but 

this is subject to certain conditions 

The government of Finland 

clearly states that it does not fund 

students’ stay in Finland and so 

you are required to show proof 

that you will be able to fund 

your own studies, either through 

scholarships or other funds. 

Students are normally required 

to show proof of monthly funds 

of about 500 Euros; however, 

if the university to which you 

have applied is tuition free then 

normally the required amount 

decreases significantly. 

students are normally 

required to show a 

monthly income of 

about 500 Euros. 

In addition to proof of income, 

students will be required to show 

proof of health insurance. All 

students hoping to get their visa 

approval must show evidence of 

having health coverage: 

• For studies of less than 

two years in duration, a student 

must have private insurance 

which primarily covers the costs 

of medical treatment up to 100,000 

Euros (cost level in 2007). 

• Where the duration of 

the studies is two years or more, a 

student will usually have a home 

municipality in Finland and is 

therefore entitled to municipal 

health care services. In such cases, 

it is sufficient for the insurance 

to primarily cover the cost of 

medicines (in practice the cover 

extends to doctor’s fees and costs 

of treatment and examination), up 

to 30,000 Euros (cost level in 2007). * 

Required 

documentation 

The application should 

include the following 

attachments: 

• Clarification on studies 

completed in the language 

that the applicant’s studies in 

Finland will be. 

• Copies of all pages of the applicant’s 

passport that have entries 

• A letter of acceptance from a 

Finnish educational institution, 

showing the duration of studies, 

the language of studies, and the 

degree or vocational qualification 

* These figures must be double checked with 

your embassy as the figures are variable and subject to 

change. 

• If relevant, an account of 

previous studies or employment. 

An account of which should be 

given in full for the entire period 

following the completion of 

compulsory education 

• If relevant, a justification for 

engaging in studies that do not 

lead to a degree or vocational 

qualification; if the justification 

includes Finnish ancestry, then an 

account of the Finnish ancestry 

should be included. 

YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO 

SHOW PROOF OF HEALTH 

INSURANCE 

• Proof of means of support; for 

example, a bank statement for 

the applicant’s bank account or a 

document confirming a scholarship 

or grant to be received from an 

educational institution or other 

funds. 

• Details of comprehensive health 

insurance cover. 

• A language certificate (if 

relevant); that is, if the student will

Finland 

365 

work permits 

be studying in a language outside 

of his/her native tongue. 

• Proof from a Finnish educational 

institution that the applicant is 

enrolled/entered as present and 

proof of any completed courses if 

the applicant has already started 

his or her studies. 

• If you are an applicant under 

the age of 18, you require written 

consent from your guardians. At 

least one of the guardians must 

sign the application form. 

The Finnish Immigration Service 

gives priority to residence permit 

applications for studies so no 

requests to hasten the process 

is required. The student gets a 

decision on his or her application 

in four weeks, on average. 

However, in order to have a smooth 

and fast processing of a residence 

permit application, be sure to 

complete the application with care. 

Ensure all necessary appendices 

are attached when submitting it. 

Insufficient information will delay 

processing and decision making. 

The cost of the student residence 

permit is 100 Euros. 

Visa 

extension 

Student visas by nature are 

temporal and they are normally 

granted for one year at a time and 

based on the fact that the student is 

still registered to the university and 

has completed the required number 

of courses for the year. Applying for 

an extension is a straight forward 

process. Simply send proof that 

you are still registered at your 

university/polytechnic along with 

the previously stated requirements 

to the visa section in Finland and 

the residence permit would be 

renewed. 

more info: 

www.migri.fi 

Working 

while 

studying 

Many students in Finland 

support themselves while they 

study through part-time work. 

Caribbean students are allowed 

to work but with restrictions on 

the number of hours per week. 

It is mandatory for students to 

apply for a work permit, which 

carries an application fee. The 

applications for work permits 

should be submitted to a local 

police station, within the area that 

Tuija Pulkkinen / geologist researching on the Aurora Borealis

Finland 

367 

you reside, on arrival in Finland. It 

is only in very rare cases that this 

is not granted. Students are only 

allowed to work for a maximum 

of 24 hours per week during term 

time. It should be noted that there 

are no restrictions during vacation 

periods. However, this period 

has already been pre-determined 

by the government as 1 May–30 

September and 15 December–15 

January. For more information 

about formalities, see the web 

service of the Finnish Directorate 

of Immigration. 

Work after 

studies 

After completing your studies, the 

Finnish Migration board will only 

grant you a new residence permit 

if you are able to find suitable 

employment or to continue with 

studies in the same field. It is 

important to note that as a foreign 

national who has received a degree 

in Finland you would be eligible 

to get a residence permit which 

allows time to search for work. 

The permit can be granted as 

an extension to the resident 

permit which was held while 

completing your studies. The 

extension is, more often than not, 

granted for a period of six months. 

more info: 

Finnish Ministry of Affairs: 

http://formin.finland.fi/ 

Public 

Finnish Immigration 

Directorate: 

www.uvi.fi 

Finland Forum 

www.finlandforum.org/ 

viewtopic 

Embassies 

in the 

Caribbean 

Klonaris & Co. 

tel: (242) 362-6316 

Nassau, bahamas 

Lyford Financial Centre, Lyford Cay 

fax: (242) 362-5788 

P.O. Box N-7776 

mklonaris@klonarislaw.com 

Nassau, Bahamas 

Trident Insurance Company Limited 

tel: (+1 246) 431 23 47 

Bridgetown, 

Broad Street, 1st Floor Trident House 

fax: (+1 246) 427 57 50 

Barbados 

Bridgetown 

aleacock@sunbeach.net 

Barbados, W.I. 

Calle Francisco Pratts Ramírez #18 

tax: +1 809 563 44 04 

Santo Domingo, 

Esq. Buen Pastor, Apto. 1ª - Esq. 

consuladofinlandiard@hotmail.com 

República dominicana 

Evaristo Morales 

Hadfield Chambers 

tel: (+592) 226 4978, 225 8914 

Georgetown , 

62 Hadfield & Cross Streets 

fax: (+592) 225 7996 

Guyana 

Werk-en-Rust 

E-mail: rfields@guyana.net.gy 

Georgetown, Demarara 

Guyana 

P.O. Box 1183 

tel: +1473-439-0873 

Grenada 

St. George’s,Grenada,West Indies 

True Blue,St. George’s,Grenada 

West Indies

Finland 

369 

employment: 


Mailing address: P.O. Box 15949 


Haiti (W.I.) 

Tel: (509) 223 8091 / 8063 / 8597 


Visiting address: 

Mobile: (509) 558-0504 

Haiti 

Consulat général honoraire de 

Finlande 

gregory@compa.net 

Route Nationale #1, Route Varreux 

gregorymevs@hotmail.com 


Haiti (W.I.) 

c/o Coldwell Banker Jamaica Realty 

Tel. (+1-876) 946.00.07 

Kingston, 

86 Hope Road 

Fax: (+1-876) 978.40.30 

Jamaica 

Kingston 6 

andrew@cbjamaica.com 

Jamaica, (W.I.) 

keisha@cbjamaica.com 

coldwellbanker@cwjamaica.com 

Laqtel House 

Tel. +1-868-624 65 01 

Port of Spain, 

38-40 Sackville Street 

Fax: +1-868-625 57 67 


Port of Spain 

Trinidad 

ganty@wow.net 

Embajada de Finlandia 

admissions@mikkeliamk.fi 

Caracas, 

Apartado Postal 61.118 Chacao 

Tel. +58-212-952 4111 (8.30-16.45) 

Venuzuela 

1060 Caracas 

sanomat.car@formin.fi 

Venezuela 

www.finland.org.ve 

Hidden 

vacancies 

About a third of all vacancies are 

filled through unofficial channels 

that are not advertised publicly. They 

are found via personal networks 

or speculative applications (See 

CHAPTER 11-WORKING ABROAD: 

on how to create networks and make 

speculative applications). Making 

direct enquiries by telephone will 

usually get a better response than 

written enquiries. 

newspapers 

The Helsingin Sanomat 

www.hs.fi/english * 

Turun Sanomat 

www.turunsanomat.fi 

Details of newspapers and 

magazines 

www.kidon.com/media-link 

* Helsingin Sanomat is the most 

used channel for this purpose. You can 

read the international edition of Helsingin 

Sanomat at www.helsinginsanomat.fi/ 

english/, but the advertisements for 

vacancies are only in the Finnish edition. 

online recruitment 

services and job listings : 

Jobstep 

www.jobstep.net 

technology and commerce: 

Uratie 

www.uratie.net 

searchable database of 

jobs: 

Job Contactor 


international recruitment 

services: 

Monster 

www.monster.fi 

Stepstone 

www.stepstone.fi 

Temp Team 

www.temp-team.fi 

Finnish Career and 

Recruitment Service 

www.uranus.fi/en

Finland 

371 

Finnish CV 

The CV/ résumé should be 1 - 2 

pages including: 

• Personal and contact information 

• Relevant employment history 

and educational background in 

reverse chronological order 

• Computer and/or programming 

and language skills (if applicable) 

• Special skills and positions of 

responsibility 

• Hobbies (not always necessary) 

• DO NOT exaggerate – to a Finn 

it’s the same as lying 

• DO add letters after your name 

if you have them; Finns like 


• A summary of your life is NOT 

required 

• Copies of you certificates are 

NOT necessary 

• A photo is NOT expected 

more info: 

www.uranus.fi 

Higher 

education 

career 

support 

Alongside goverment and private 

entities such as CIMO, a range of 

training programmes are offered to 

qualified candidates. Candidates 

are not necessarily required to 

have experience, but instead the 

traineeships are linked to particular 

areas of studies. Traineeships usually 

take place during the summer (July- 

August) and run for a period of 1 

to 18 months. However, sometimes 

there are opportunities outside of 

this time frame. One of the main 

careers services for higher education 

students is Aarresaari network 

of Academic Career Services. It 

represents 19 Finnish Universities 

offering services for university 

students, graduate and employers. 

While Jobstep.net provides 

employment and information service 

for students attending polytechnics. 

Interviews 

This is largely dependent on 

the position for which you have 

applied and could be an individual 

or panel form interview. Business 

dress is usually expected on these 

occasions. There is increasing 

use of group activities and 

psychometric tests, especially 

by larger organizations. Please 

review CHAPTER 11-WORKING 

ABROAD for advice on interviews. 

Work 

patterns 

If you find a job you should be 

aware of the office hours, which 

are usually from 8am – 5pm, five 

days a week (approximately 40 

hours a week). 

The majority of annual holiday 

days are taken over the summer, 

leaving about one week for the 

winter. 

more info: 

Aarresaari 

www.aarresaari.net 

www.jobstep.net 

On your qualifications and 

documents translated to 

Finnish: 

www.enic-naric.net

Netherlands 

chapter 7 

Theunis Piersma / shorebird biologist

Netherlands 

375 


Zeeland 

Nord 

Holland 

Flevoland 

Amsterdam 

30km 

Zuid 

Holland 

Utrecht 

Noord brabant 

bELGIUM 

Friesland 

Gelderland 

Drenthe 

overijssel 

Limburg 

Groningen 

FEDERAL REPUbLIC 

oF GERMANy 

Kingdom of the Netherlands 

or the Netherlands, 

sometimes also incorrectly 

referred to as Holland. North and 

South Holland are actually two of 

the twelve provinces. These are: 

Drenthe 

Flevoland 

Friesland 

Gelderland 

Groningen 

Limburg 

North-Brabant 

North Holland 

Overijssel 

Utrecht 

Zeeland 

South Holland 

THERE ARE NOT MANY 

COUNTRIES WITH AS 

MUCH LAND BELOW 

SEA LEVEL 

land below sea level as the 

Netherlands. This, however, does 

not discourage its growth; at last 

count, the population was close to 

17 million. Yet, the Netherlands 

is classified as one of Western 

Europe’s smallest countries with 

a land mass of 13,104 sq miles. 

The official capital is Amsterdam, 

which has a population of around 

737,900, while The Hague has been 

recognised as the administrative 

capital inhabited by 465,900 

people. Other large cities include 

Rotterdam, with a population of 

600,700, Utrecht with 263,900 and 

Eindhoven 206,900 inhabitants. 

The country’s government may be 

classified as a constitutional 

monarchy * while the 

economy may be described 

as western capitalist. With 

a prosperous economy, 

they have several strong 

industries, such as: 

The Netherlands is equally famous 

for its culture and vibrancy as 

it is for being flat. There are not 

many countries with as much 

* This is a government whereby the country 

is governed by a hereditary or elected head of 

state.

Netherlands 

377 

why netherlands? 

• Agro-industries 

• Chemicals 

• Petroleum 

• Construction 

• Microelectronics 

• Fishing 

• Engineering products 

• Electrical machinery 

The internationally renowned 

‘polder model’, is an agreement 

between employers, unions, the 

government and the main political 

parties on wage moderation. It is 

often seen as the main secret to the 

Dutch socio-economic success. 

The ethnic composition of the 

country is 81% Dutch and the 

rest includes people of Turkish, 

Moroccan, Antillean, Surinamese 

and Indonesian origins. In 

addition, there are two main 

languages Dutch and Frisian 

although many people also speak 

English. A large majority of the 

population, about 42%, has no 

religious leanings but the country 

has registered Muslims (7%), 

Roman Catholics (32%) and Dutch 

reformed Protestants (13%). 

Patti Valkenburg/professor researching on use and influence of media on children 

• Large international 

student population 

The country is already host to a large 

international student population, 

which means that the experience of 

studying in The Netherlands will be 

truly international. This country will 

offer students the opportunity to meet 

a large cross culture of students and 

learn added skills for the work place. 

• History of English 

language teaching 

The Netherlands was the first 

Non–English speaking country 

to offer educational programmes 

in English (Since 1950) and they 

are designed specifically with 

to analyze and solve 

practical problems 

international students in mind. So 

the programmes offered are based 

on a wealth of experience. 

• Competence building 

The preparation for the job market 

begins from day one, because the 

education system is interactive and 

based on teamwork. In addition 

to this team based approach to 

teaching, the country has also 

received international acclaim for 

its ground-breaking problem-based 

learning system, where students 

are trained to analyze and solve 

practical problems independently 

through emphasis on self-study 

and self-discipline. 

• Comparatively low tuition 

Although the Netherlands is not 

a tuition-free state, compared to 

other European countries, tuition 

costs are relatively low. Average 

costs range from between 13,000- 

22,000 Euros for a year of study. 

This figure includes living 

costs. 

• Worldwide 

recognition 

A degree from the Netherlands 

is recognized worldwide because 

of the high levels of education 

facilities and teaching methods. 

Furthermore, Dutch international 

scientific research, educational 

institutions and long study 

programmes have been given top

Netherlands 

379 

ADMISSION 

AND funding 

marks internationally. As such, 

studying here is a great stepping 

stone to an international career. 

• Open communication 

For your own self development 

and to enable you to feel more like 

the country is 

the gateway of Europe 

an ‘insider’, you may want to learn 

some Dutch while you study. Even 

though the Netherlands is a unique 

non-English speaking country, 

where 95% of the inhabitants 

speak English. This will make 

communication during your study 

there much more comfortable 

and pleasant. The added bonus 

in learning the language is that 

you that you will be able to add 

another skill to your resume. 

• Great location 

Due to its unique geographical 

position the country has been 

called the Gateway of Europe, 

with all famous capitals, such as 

Berlin, Brussels and Paris at easy 

reach. This will also facilitate 

easier exchange opportunities 

and provide students with great 

cultural knowledge. The influence 

of various cultures is also evident 

in the fact that many programmes 

on the television are from 

neighbouring states. 

Euro 

The opportunity to gain 

a higher education 

qualification from the 

Netherlands is vast. The country 

traditionally has, among other 

things, three streams of higher 

education. These are: 

• Universities which tend to 

train students to be scientists 

and scholars, but also offer many 

programmes with a professional 

component; 

three streams of 

higher education 

• Universities of professional 

education which offer study 

programmes that are geared to 

specific professions; 

• Institutions of international 

education which offer 

postgraduate courses in English 

in a wide range of fields.There 

more info: 

study link website 

https://app.studielink.nl 

is some amount of variation in 

the admission process of the 

universities. Some institutions 

allow for online application but 

directly to the institution, while 

others have joined a centralized 

application system. If the 

institution you like is a part of this 

group then you will need to log 

on to the study link website and 

follow the application procedures 

as outlined. Here is a list of 

institutions participating in the 

centralized application system: 

Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam 

Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen 

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen 

Technische Universiteit Delft 

Technische Universiteit Eindhoven 

Universiteit Maastricht 

Universiteit Twente 

Universiteit Utrecht 

Universiteit van Amsterdam 

Universiteit van Tilburg 

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 

Wageningen Universiteit 

Courses generally begin each 

September and last till the end of 

June in the following year. A few

Netherlands 

381 

universities have some courses that 

begin in the spring, which then last 

from February to December. The 

majority of programmes offered are 

fulltime and students are expected 

to spend 40 hours a week on their 

studies. The admission process for 

international students is opened 

from the 1st February and closes 

1st of June. If prospective students 

apply outside of this application 

period it does not necessarily 

mean that the application will be 

rejected, but it may mean that the 

processing of the application may 

be delayed and this could in turn 

compromise your visa and diploma 

equivalence processing, these can 

take several months. 

General 

requirements 

To be admitted to a programme of 

higher study, prospective students 

should first conduct a through factfinding 

exercise on the institution(s) 

that offers their programme of 

interest and to clarify the method 

of application, that is whether it 

is a central or university based 

application process; or any specific 

programme requirements and the 

application deadlines. To qualify for 

admission to most programmes, you 

will be required to: 

• Complete an application form 

• Have an appropriate secondary 

school diploma. All international 

applicants who are not in 

possession of a Dutch VWO 

diploma (or a Dutch University 

or ‘HBO’ diploma) have to apply 

for their foreign diploma to be 

evaluated. Further information on 

this process can be found under 

recognition of qualification. 

• Undertake the entrance 

examinations; if your diploma 

is not equivalent to Dutch preuniversity 

standard, you are 

generally expected to take one or 

more entrance exams or courses. 

• Be proficient in Dutch or English 

(see language requirements) 

• Pay the application fee, which 

ranges from 50 to 120 Euros. 

If students are accepted some 

universities will refund this fee. 

• A photocopy of your valid 

passport 

• A CV 

• A letter of motivation 

Minimum score of 6.0 for most bachelor’s programmes. 

Language 

Requirements 



IELTS 



TOEFL 

Minimum score 550 (paper-based) / 213 (computer-based) / 79-80 (internet-based) for 

most bachelor’s programmes. 

more info: 

www.ielts.org. 

www.toefl.org. 

Cambridge Certificate of 

Proficiency in English 

CPE 

For learners who have achieved an extremely high level of skill in the English language. 

The admission process for 

international students is 

opened from the 1st February 

and closes 1st of June

Netherlands 

383 



The Netherlands Organization 

for International Co-operation in 

Higher Education (Nuffic) has 

been designated by the country’s 

Ministry of Education, Culture 

and Science as the Dutch 

recognition information 

centre for two European 

networks: NARIC and 

ENIC. Nuffic is one of the 

largest and most prominent 

knowledge centres in 

Europe in the field of 

international recognition 

of diplomas. They make 

this knowledge available to Dutch 

organizations and international 

organizations through the 

credential evaluation services. 

For further details, please contact 

Nuffic directly at: 

Nuffic 

PO Box 29777 

2502 LT The Hague 

The Netherlands 

Tel: +31 (0)70 - 426 02 60 

Fax: +31 (0)70 - 426 03 99 

HEALTH INSURANCE 

The statutory healthcare insurance is 

called the basisverzekering, or ‘basic 

healthcare insurance policy’. Dutch 

law requires that everyone who is 

considered a resident or employee 

if you are employed in 

any capacity then you 

will be required to 

have basic healthcare 

insurance 

in the Netherlands to have at least 

a basic healthcare insurance policy. 

Students under the age of 30 years, 

who are in the Netherlands solely 

for study purposes are exempt 

from the general requirement if 

more info: 

www.nuffic.nl/internationalorganizations/services/ 

diploma-recognition 

they are unemployed. However, if 

you are employed in any capacity 

then you will be required to have 

basic healthcare insurance. This 

is an unconditional requirement 

even if you work for just one hour a 

week. You might want to take this 

into consideration before starting 

a job because the basic health 

care insurance might be much 

more expensive than your private 

healthcare insurance. As such it may 

be best to arrange insurance from 

your home country. 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

There are not many scholarships 

that are geared directly towards 

people from the Caribbean so you 

may find it a bit more difficult to 

find funding but, again, finding 

scholarships or other funding 

requires patience and commitment. 

This simply means that you will 

have to write twice as many letters 

as students from other countries 

but if you are given the funding 

then it will be worth the effort. It 

is unfortunate that students from 

outside the European Union do not 

qualify for the national grants from 

the Dutch authorities. However, 

the Dutch Ministry of Education 

offers scholarships to nationals 

from a wide range of countries 

under the terms of various cultural 

agreements and other agreements 

of co-operation. 

You can also have an overview of 

the grants and scholarships for 

which foreign students are eligible 

via the grantfinder´s website.The 

website is a combined search engine 

for scholarships offered to study in 

the Netherlands, although the list of 

grants there may not be exhaustive. 

You could also contact the Embassy 

in your home country and/or 

country of residence for more upto-date 

comprehensive information 

that may be more relevant on a 

country by country basis. Below 

is an overview of the major 

scholarships available to foreign 

students in the Netherlands. 

• The Huygens scholarship 

Huygens is the scholarship 

programme of NUFFIC and

Netherlands 

385 

is exclusively for study in 

the Netherlands. It is often 

administered abroad by the local 

Dutch embassies. This scholarship 

is being transformed into a largerscale 

programme, the Huygens 

Scholarship Programme (HSP). 

Therefore the conditions 

for applying to receive the 

scholarship will also be 

changing and should be 

announced in the near future. 

These details will be available on 

the NUFFIC website . 

• Leonardo 

This is another European 

scholarship programme 

concentrating on professional 

higher education. The grant 

is given for a period of 3 to 12 

months for an internship in the 

Netherlands. The home institution 

of the student must be part of 

the Leonardo programme for the 

student to be able to participate. 

The amount and criteria for 

the grant vary according to the 

student’s home institution. You can 

either contact the school or go to 

the scholarship’s website. 

• The Netherlands’ 

Fellowship Programmes 

(NFP) 

Since this programme, which 

is funded by the Netherlands’ 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is 

scholarships are 

offered by UN organs 

meant for postgraduate students 

who have already started a career, 

students can only participate if 

they have been nominated by 

their employer. The grants can be 

used either for a master´s, doctoral 

studies, short courses, training 

courses or refresher courses in 

the Netherlands. The programme 

currently operates in 57 countries 

and is not restricted to European 

students. This scholarship is also 

administered by Dutch embassies 

in the participating countries. 

• WOTRO 

This is a scholarships programme 

for a PhD or other types of 

doctoral research. The aim of 

the scholarship is to improve 

the research environment in 

developing countries. It offers 

grants to individual researchers 

for securing appropriate research 

facilities. The doctoral project 

must be approved by both the 

local agency and a Dutch sponsor 

and the research itself must be 

related to development studies. 

The duration of the scholarship 

is up to 4 years and is carried out 

through alternating studies between 

the Netherlands and the student’s 

home country. 

• United Nations 

scholarship programmes 

The sub-organisations of the 

United Nations offer numerous 

scholarships to students from 

particular countries for study in the 

Netherlands. Information can be 

obtained from the representations 

of the specific organisations in your 

home country. 

• University scholarships 

Universities offer a wide range of 

funding and grants for outstanding 

students from various countries. 

more info: 

Grantfinder 

www. grantfinder.nl 

Huygens 

www.nuffic.nl 

Leonardo 

www.iagora.com 

NFP 

www.nuffic.nl 

WOTRO 

www.nwo.nl

Netherlands 

387 

Postgraduate 

studies 

The traditional approach is now 

changing and an increasing 

number of higher education 

competition for a 

place is fierce 

institutions in the Netherlands offer 

postgraduate degree programmes 

in English. Postgraduate degrees 

are awarded by universities; 

including universities of 

professional education, institutions 

of international education and 

private institutions. In 2002, 

the Netherlands introduced the 

bachelor-master system where 

students study for three to four 

years to earn a bachelors degree and 

nuffic: 

www.nuffic.nl 

can continue on for two additional 

years to gain a master´s degree. This 

system is unique because students 

who get a place on a bachelor´s 

programme are automatically 

registered for a master´s. Once 

a student has earned a master´s 

degree, they can then go on to 

pursue a PhD. 

For admission to a master’s degree 

programme, applicants must have 

at least a bachelor’s degree or its 

equivalent. In certain popular 

fields, the number of places is 

limited as there are quotas. This 

means that competition for a place 

is fierce. In cases, where there is 

limited space, the deciding factor 

in granting an applicant a place 

may be based on that person’s 

letter of motivation. * 

The application process usually 

requires some or all of these: 

* This is based on students with similar 

grades. 

The general deadlines for 

international students who need a 

visa and housing are: 

• April 1 

for programmes starting in 

September 

• October 15 

for programmes starting in 

February 

• Completed application form (signed and dated) 

• Officially certified Transcripts 

• Proof of English/and or Dutch proficiency 

• Letter of motivation 

• Curriculum vitae 

• Proof of additional test scores 

• Photocopy of valid passport 

• Two academic references 

• Interview report (some departments may require students to participate in an 

interview 

• Visa (relevant documents as requested by student services) 

• Letters of Exemptions (if you have completed prior studies you may be exempted 

from some aspects of the new programme)

Netherlands 

389 

There is some variation among the 

institutions, therefore in some cases 

other deadlines may apply. Please 

see the programme descriptions 

for the exact application deadline. 

Some departments will accept late 

applications, but bear in mind that 

your file is one of many that has 

to be processed. Therefore, if 

you apply after the deadlines 

enrolment may be deferred until 

the next possible start date, which 

usually means next semester. Late 

applications may also result in a 

delay in the processing of your 

registration, which could mean 

that you have to wait until after the 

start of the programme for your 

student ID. This may hinder timely 

enrolment in courses or access to 

pertinent course information. 

discussion with the professors may 

be a resourceful way of getting a 

place. Doctoral programmes are 

advertised approximately three 

networking 

is a highly useful 

tool for securing 

a place 

months in advance of the start 

date in publications such as NRC 

Handelsblad and De Volkskrant. 

It may be necessary to contact the 

admissions office at the institution 

for more details. 

To be considered for a PhD degree 

programme you need to meet the 

following requirements: 

• Proof of English 

proficiency (please check with the 

graduate school for specific TOEFL 

and IELTS requirements) 

• An internationally 

recognized high-quality master’s 

degree in a field related to your 

chosen research theme. 

• Possibly a solid PhD 

proposal (only applicable when 

specifically requested). 

What can support you in your 

application? 

• Relevant work/research 

experience in a related field 

• Experience with researchrelated 

techniques or equipment (if 

applicable). 

Doctoral 

programmes 

Competition for places for 

postgraduate programmes is 

similarly fierce and networking is 

a highly useful tool for securing 

a place. Contacting departments 

of interest and arranging informal 

more info: 

NRC Handelsblad 

www.nrc.nl 

De Volkskrant 

www.volkskrant.nl 

Wil Roebroeks / archaeologist paleontologist

Netherlands 

391 

Dutch universities 

University Leiden 

www.leiden.edu/askaquestion 

Utrecht University 

Tel.: +31 30 253 91 11 (operator) 

Tel.: +31 30 253 70 00 

http://www.uu.nl/NL 

Erasmus University Rotterdam 

University of Groningen 

Tel +31 (0)50 363 8181 

Fax +31 (0)50 363 7100 

E-mail: isd@rug.nl 

Maastricht University 

Phone: +31 43 388 2222 

Phone: +31 43 388 5388 

Fax: +31 43 388 5247 

E-mail: study@unimaas.nl 

University of Amsterdam 

T: +31 20 525 8080 

T: +31 20 525 3333 

E: info@uva.nl 

University of Technology 

Tel +31 40 247 91 11 

http://w3.tue.nlHome Address 

VU University Amsterdam 

T +31 20 59 89898 

F +31 20 59 89899 

E-mail General and 

study information: 

international@dienst.vu.nl 

Postal address 


P.O. Box 9500 

2300 RA Leiden 

Visiting address 

Gravensteen Building 

Pieterskerkhof 6 

2311 SR Leiden 


Utrecht University 

P.O Box 80125 

3508 TC Utrecht 


Postal address: 

P.O. Box 1738 

3000 DR Rotterdam 



Campus Woudestein 

Burgemeester Oudlaan 50 

3062 PA Rotterdam 



PO Box 72, 

9700 AB, Groningen, 



Broerstraat 5, Groningen 

Academiegebouw, 2nd floor, 

room 231 

P.O. Box 616 

6200 MD Maastricht 



Minderbroedersberg 4-6 

6211 LK Maastricht 


UvA Service and Information Centre 

(SIC) 

Binnengasthuisstraat 9 

1012 ZA Amsterdam 


P.O. Box 513 

5600 MB Eindhoven 

Den Dolech 2 

5612 AZ Eindhoven 

Main building VU University 

Amsterdam 

De Boelelaan 1105 

1081 HV Amsterdam 

The Netherlands

Netherlands 

393 

Open Universiteit Nederland 

Radboud University Nijmegen 

P.O. Box 9102 

6500 HC Nijmegen 


University of Twente 

Delft University of Technology 

Tilburg University 

Wageningen University 

www.leiden.edu/askaquestion 

Email: info@ou.nl 

Tel.: +31 24 361 61 61 

Fax: +31 24 356 46 06 

Internet: www.ru.nl/english 

el +31 (0)53 489 5424 

Fax +31 (0)53 489 3844 

Email international@so.utwente.nl 

http://intoffice.utwente.nl 

T: +31 15 27 89111 

F: +31 15 27 81855 

E: info@tudelft.nl 

Phone:+31 (0) 13 466 9111 

Email:Tilburguniversity@uvt.nl 

tel: +31 317 480 100 

fax: +31 317 484 884 

info@wur.nl 

I 

P.O. Box 2960 

6401 DL Heerlen (NL) 

P.O. Box 9102 

6500 HC Nijmegen 



PO Box 217 

7500 AE Enschede 



Postbus 5 

2600 AA Delft 



Tilburg University 

PO Box 90153 

5000 LE Tilburg 


Post address: 

P.O. Box 9101 

6700 HB 

Wageningen 



Stevinweg 1 

2628 CN Delft 



Warandelaan 2 

5037 AB Tilburg 



Costerweg 50 

Building no. 400 

6701 BH 

Wageningen 

The Netherlands

Netherlands 

visa and 

immigration 

395 

All international students who 

are from non-EU countries 

and who would like to 

study in the Netherlands require 

a visa to enter and remain in the 

country. All information regarding 

the legal entry of foreigners is 

outlined in what is refered to as the 

Aliens Law. It is advised that you 

obtain the document and read the 

information thoroughly. The three 

most common visas required for 

foreign students are: 

the procedure is 

lengthy and will take 

about three to six 

months or longer 

• A short-stay visa (VKV) – for 

visits of up 3 months stay, issued 

by the Dutch embassy; 

• An authorization for temporary 

stay for visits that are more than 3 

months stay (MVV), issued by the 

Dutch embassy; 

• A residence permit issued by the 

Alien Registration Office in the 

Netherlands after one’s arrival in 

the country (VTV); 

The universities in the Netherlands 

offer far-reaching assistance to 

students who need to complete the 

visa process. Some universities go 

as far as offering qualified students 

financial assistance in the form of a 

grant to cover the cost of their visa 

application. 

Another service that many higher 

education institutions offer is 

assistance to expedite the visa 

process by applying for it on your 

behalf. Ask your future 

host institution about 

this process. Remember, 

you may not, under any 

circumstances, collect an 

MVV in the Netherlands; 

not even if your host 

institution in the Netherlands 

initiates the application on your 

behalf. MVVs can only be collected 

at the Dutch embassy or consulate in 

your home country (or the country 

in which you legally reside). 

If your host institution applies for 

an authorization for temporary 

stay for you via the shorter 

procedure, you have to pay a 

handling fee of 250 Euros. If 

you apply for an authorization 

for temporary stay yourself, you 

have to pay a handling fee of 433 

Euros. Paying the fee does not 

automatically mean that your 

application will be successful. 

The fee is also non-refundable; it 

will not be returned even if your 

application is unsuccessful. 

The first step in the visa process 

is to apply for an Authorization 

for temporary stay (machtiging 

tot voorlopig verblij, MVV). It 

is extremely important to have 

this visa before entering the 

Netherlands. You can apply for 

an MVV at the Dutch embassy or 

consulate in your home country or 

the country in which you legally 

reside; that is the country in which 

you have resided for more than 3 

months. The procedure involves 

completing an application form 

along with all relevant documents. 

The procedure is lengthy and will 

take about three to six months, 

sometimes even longer. Therefore, 

as outlined in CHAPTER 1, create 

a timetable and ask for all relevant 

information during the application 

process in order to avoid delays 

due visa issues. As soon as you 

have your acceptance letter you 

should apply for your visa. 

After entering the Netherlands, 

students that are intending to stay 

for longer than three months are 

mandated to obtain a residence 

permit (verblijfsvergunning). If 

you are not a visa national but 

have entered the country and will 

remain there for more than three 

months, you are still required 

to apply for a residence permit. 

You or your host institution 

(university or university of 

applied sciences) has to apply 

for your residence permit within 

five days of your arrival in the 

Netherlands. 

It is important for you to arrive 

with the correct visa. If you are in 

the Netherlands on a short-stay 

visa, you can never be issued a 

residence permit. Be sure to have 

the correct document in your 

possession. A short-stay visa is for 

stays for three months or less, or an

Netherlands 

397 

Ben L. Feringa/Professor of Molecular Science 

MVV if you intend to stay for more 

than three months and if your 

nationality requires it. 

Required 

documentation 

The documents that are usually 

required for the MVV are as 

follows: 

• A valid passport 

• Non-criminal record. 

• Proof that you are no risk to 

public order, national peace or 

security. 

• Sufficient means of support, 

for example, earned income or 

scholarship 

• Tuberculosis tests. 

• Civic integration examination 

more info: 

www.internationalstudy.nl 

board pass grade or proof of 

exemption. 

• Health insurance with a Dutch 

insurer that covers your stay. 

• Proof that you are enrolled in an 

educational institution that has an 

agreement with the Immigration 

and Nationality department (IND). 

• You have sufficient long term 

means of support. 

• You are aware your stay is of a 

temporary nature. 

Student visas are approved under 

certain conditions, therefore your 

residence permit will only remain 

valid if you are: 

• Participating in a foundation 

course for the purpose of enrolling 

in a full degree programme. The 

residence permit will be valid for 

a maximum of 12 months. It is not 

possible to extend this visa for 

another period of preparation, after 

the prep year. However, you may 

apply for a regular study permit; 

• A student at a higher education 

institution. This residence permit 

will be valid until the end of the 

academic year, until September 1st. 

This visa may be extended once 

you provide proof of continued 

enrollment. 

• A student doing a traineeship, 

the residence permit will be valid 

for a maximum of 12 months. It is 

not normally possible to extend it. 

Visa 

extension 

Given that the residence permit 

for students are normally 

granted for one year intervals, 

students undertaking a degree 

programme will be required to 

extend the permit at least once. 

This may be done by sending 

the relevant documents and 

fee to the immigration services. 

Nevertheless, the IND usually 

sends a reminder letter with the 

relevant forms three months 

before the expiration of current 

permits. It is integral that the 

extension process is started before 

the expiration of any current visa 

or you may be presented with 

unliveable consequences.

Netherlands 

WORK PERMITS 

399 

Family visa 

You are not allowed 

to be accompanied by 

any family members 

The Netherlands have very 

restrictive unification regulations, 

therefore you are not allowed to 

be accompanied by any family 

members (including your spouse 

or dependent children) during 

your study period. As a matter of 

fact, it is one of the conditions for 

obtaining a student visa. 

Working 

while 

studying 

There are two options if you want 

to work while you study; you are 

allowed to work either ten hours 

a week year-round or full-time 

during the months of June, July 

and August. You are not allowed 

to undertake both. You will need 

a work permit if you want 

to take paid work alongside 

your studies and your 

employer must apply for this 

permit on your behalf. 

Work after 

studies 

If you have successfully completed 

your programme of higher 

education in Netherlands and 

would like to remain there after 

graduation, the IND has made it 

possible to extend your stay for a 

period of one year to search for a 

job. In order to make use of this 

search period, you need to apply for 

a change in the purpose of stay. 

Once this one year extension is 

granted, it will be made valid by 

an endorsement entered on your 

residence permit. During the search 

period you are not allowed to ask 

for any state benefits. However, in 

order to pay your own way while 

searching for a long term job, you 

may work freely in any capacity. 

No additional work permit is 

required for this purpose. After 

the search period ends, if you have 

not found work you must either 

apply for a change of purpose 

visa on other grounds or leave 

the country. In searching for 

employment be aware that there 

are two main options available to 

you for gaining a long term visa. 

The first method is to seek 

employment as a regular labour 

migrant . If during this period 

you are able to find employment, 

you may apply for a residence 

permit as a regular labour migrant, 

which is valid for five years. To do 

this, you must have a contract of 

employment. As a labour migrant 

there is no wage prerequisite like the 

highly skilled migrant scheme, but 

your employer is not allowed to pay 

you less than the required minimum 

wages stated by Dutch law. Your 

employer will then need to apply 

for a work permit on your behalf. 

In addition, the employer will need 

to prove that there is no Dutch or 

other European citizen capable and 

available to take the job. 

The second method is to apply as 

a highly skilled migrant, that is 

a job based on the qualifications 

you have recently obtained. The 

new residence permit with the 

purpose ‘verblijf gedurende 

zoekjaar afgestudeerde’ (seeking 

work after graduation) is meant to 

enable graduates to search for a job 

as a ‘highly skilled migrant’. This 

is a new points system that was 

instituted to attract qualified people 

to the economy. As a highly skilled 

migrant you need to earn at least 

25,800 Euros gross a year but your 

employer does not need to apply 

for a work permit on your behalf. 

Once you have a work contract, 

you are able to apply for this visa 

yourself. This makes the ´highly 

skilled migrant program´a more 

attractive option among employers. 

more info: 

www.workpermit.com/ 

netherlands/employer.htm

Netherlands 401 

Embassies 

in the Caribbean 

Barbados 

Tel. 00-1-246-436-1101 

Tel. 00-1-246-233-6047 mobile 

P.O. Box 263 

Fax. 00-1-246-4260484 

Bridgetown 

E-mail: agittens@nortonlilly.com 

Barbados 

Open: Monday-Friday 08:00-16:00 

Belize 

Tel. 00-501-2232953 or 00-501-223- 

2954 ; Fax 00-501-223-2989 

P.O. Box 2201 

E-mail: mchulseca@btl.net 

Belize City 

Open: Monday-Friday 08:30-12:00 and 

Belize, C.A. 

13:30-17:00 

Cuba 

Tel. 00-53-7-2042511 

Fax 00-53-7-2042059 

Apartado 2282 

E-mail: hav@minbuza.nl 

Havana 


Commonwealth of Dominica 

Tel. 00-1-767-4483221/ 4483841 

Fax 00-1-767-4483124 

E-mail: astaphans@cwdom.dm 

P. O. Box 75 

Open: Monday-Friday 08:00-13:00 and 

Roseau 

14:00-16:30 


Tel. (+1 809 262-0320 

P.O. Box 855 

Fax. (+1 809 565-4685 

Ens. Piantini 

E-mail: STD@minbuza.nl 

Santo Domingo 

Dominicaanse Republiek 

Grenada 

Tel. 00-1-473-4403459/1627 

Fax 00-1-473-4406605 

E-mail: grantjo@caribsurf.com 


Guadeloupe 

Tel. 00-590-387500/501 

Fax 00-590-387508 

GVH Boîte Postale 2324 

E-mail: christian.vivies@wanadoo.fr 

97187 JARRY CEDEX 


Guadeloupe 

and 14:00-16:30 

c/o Norton Lilliy Barbados Limited 

2nd Floor Atlantis Building 

The Shallow Draught 

Bridgetown 

Barbados 

12 Cor Baymen Avenue & Calle Al 

Mar 

Belize City 

Belize, C.A. 

Calle 8, No 307 

Entre 3ra y 5ta Ave Miramar 

Havana 

65 King George V Street 

Roseau 

Embassy Santo Domingo 

Max Henriquez Ureña #50 

(tussen Av. Lincoln en Av. Churchill) 

St. Martin’s, Lucas Street 

St. George’s 

G.V.H. s.a. 

Immeuble Frégate 

Z.A.C. de Moudong Sud 

97122 Baie-Mahault 

Guadeloupe


Republic of Haiti 

B. P. 2395 


Jamaica 

Department of Martinique 

B. P. 519 

97206 Fort-de-France – Cedex 

Federation of St Kitts and Nevis 

P. O. Box 877 

Basseterre 

Sint Christopher & Nevis W. I. 

St LuciaP.O. 

Box 1020 

Castries 

Saint Lucia W. I. 

St. Vincent and the Grenadines 

P. O. Box 1639 

Kingstown 

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago 

P.O. Box 870 

Port of Spain 

Tel. 00 509 221 3620/222 0955/221 

2472/ 424 6394 (cel) 

Fax 00 509 222 09 55 

E-mail: robin@padberg.cc 


For information make a call to 

Embassy Havanna 

Tel. 00-53-7-204-2511 

Fax 00-53-7-204-2059 

E-mail: hav@minbuza.nl 

Tel. 00-596-633004 

Fax 00-596-634265 

E-mail: jp.dormoy@plissonneau.com 


and 13:00-16:15 

Tel. 00-1-869-4654477 

Fax 00-1-869-4650588 

E-mail: coopersk@caribsurf.com 


Tel. 00-1-758-4522811/ 4523592 

Fax 00-1-758-4588007 

E-mail: peterd.mc@candw.lc 


Tel. 00-1-784-4562822/4577955 

Fax 00-1-784-4572432 

E-mail: netherlandsconsulate@ 

vincysurf.com 

Open: Monday- Friday 08:00-16:00 

Tel. 00-1-868-6251210/ 1722/2532 

Fax 00-1-868-6251704 

E-mail: info@holland.tt / tradeinfo@ 

holland.tt 

Website: www.holland.tt 


(visiting hours), 

8.30-17.00 (by phone or appointment) 

Route National 1 

Parc Industriel SHODECOSA 

Rue 4 (en face Bldg. 33) 


44-46 Avenue Maurice Bishop 

97200 Fort-de-France ´ 

Wilking Building, 1st Floor 

Church Street 

Basseterre 

St. Christopher & Nevis W. I. 

C/O Minvielle Chastanet Ltd 

9-11 Bridge Street 

Castries 

Saint Lucia W. I. 

Halifax Street 

Kingstown 

St. Vincent & the Grenadines 

Trinre Building 

3rd Floor 

69-71 Edward Street 

Port of Spain


employment: 


Dutch CV 

The cover letter, although many 

people speak English, should 

be written in Dutch even if the 

position does not require it. It 

should be a typed letter, preferably 

one page long and in A4 format. 

Dutch employers really favour a 

concise, direct and professional 

style. For layout, begin your 

letter with your reasons for 

applying. The bulk of the content 

should state what attracts you 

to the company and your work 

experience/professional qualities. 

On a final note, it is always good 

to mention that you would like to 

be considered for an interview at 

their convenience. The CV itself 

should be: 

• Length: 1-2 pages maximum 

• Format: A4 European standard 

• Layout: Contact information: 

name, address, phone, email, fax 

• Personal details: date of birth, 

gender, marital status, nationality 

• Education: names of schools, 

colleges, universities, work 

placements and awards and 

honours. 

• Work experience in reverse 

chronological order – start with the 

most recent work experience first: 

dates, companies, titles, duties 

• Languages: level of fluency 

(spoken/written) . 

• Computer skills: proficiency in 

software packages, internet etc. 

• Hobbies: Are highly valued in 

the Dutch marketplace so take time 

in listing relevant activities. 

MENTION THAT 

YOU WOULD 

LIKE TO BE 

CONSIDERED FOR 

AN INTERVIEW 

Once complete, proof read your 

letter and CV several times for 

errors as inaccuracies will go against 

your chances for being selected. If 

you are now ready to go out into 

the working world, send your 

CV either by email as a MS word 

attachment (widely accepted) and 

by conventional mail as a back up. 

Hidden 

vacancies 

Sending a CV and a letter of 

application is the most common 

method of application. It can also 

be a good idea to call beforehand 

with a list of questions. It is 

important to start networking 

type out your 

application 

letters in 

dutch! 

early, as 80% of new graduates 

get their first job by speculative 

application or networking. If an 

employer has no vacancies, they 

will usually keep speculative 

applications on file for a period of 

six months. 

• Work placements 

and internships 

Gain invaluable work experience 

while you study. The Netherlands 

provides an excellent opportunity 

for this. Given that there are 

well developed structures in 

place, specifically in the areas of 

Information Technology, Business 

and Engineering. To find a 

placement, speculative applications 

are normally useful but it is also 

necessary to have a working 

knowledge of Dutch. 

volunteering: 

www.volunteerabroad.com 

www.markt.nl/en


• Exchange programmes 

Formal exchange organisations 

are useful ways of getting 

work experience. You could try 

organizations such as: 

• IAESTE 

The International Association 

for the Exchange of Students for 

Technical Experience 

Organises course-related 

placements for engineering, 

science and technology students. 

• AIESEC 

Association Internationale 

des Etudiants en Sciences 

Economiques et Commerciales 

A student-run organisation that 

offers placements to business and 

economic students. 

• Casual work 

There are a lot of opportunities for 

casual work in the Netherlands, 

especially temporary seasonal 

work in the hotel sector. 

Jobs are widely advertised in the 

media and are also accessible 

through recruitment agencies. 

more info: 

www.iaeste.org/countries 

www.aiesec.nl 

newspapers 

Algemeen Dagblad 

www.ad.nl 

De Telegraaf 

www.telegraaf.nl 

Saturday edition 

De Volkskrant 


Intermediair 

(targeted at students and 

graduates) 

www.intermediair.nl 


www.nrc.nl 

Kidon Media-Link 


Interview 

The interview process is generally 

lengthier in the Netherlands 

than most European countries, 

with two or three interviews 

involved. Referees are usually 

contacted at the first interview 

stage, and assessment centres 

and psychological tests are often 

part of the selection process. 

Interviews have a definitive focus 

on personality and motivation. 

For further advice on preparation 

techniques for interviews review 

CHAPTER 11 –WORKING 

ABROAD. 

Higher 

education 

career 

support 

The student affairs office at your 

institution can give you the 

addresses or they might even have 

their own job agency to assist you 

in the search for a job. But if this 

doesn´t work, you could always try: 

• The annual edition of The 

Holland Handbook is a useful text 

for finding information on work in 

The Netherlands. 

• The Intermediair Oriëntatiegids 

Editie Starters is a source of 

company and labour market 

information. 

• Job fairs or ‘Banenmarkten’ 

are only used occasionally for 

recruitment and are organised 

by recruitment agencies and 

universities. A well-known one 

is the annual fair, ‘Intermediair. 

Carrieredag’, which is held in 

Amsterdam at the end of February 

or the beginning of March (well 

advertised in the media). 

more info: 

www.hollandhandbook.nl

Netherlands 

409 



www.amsterdam.info/ 

students/work-agencies 

www.monsterboard.nl 

www.studentenbaan.nl 

www.jobpool.nl 

Manpower Worldwide 

www.manpower.com 

Unique Multilingual Services 

www.unique.nl 

Expatica 

www.expatica.com 

Undutchables (recruitment 

agency for internationals) 

www.undutchables.nl 

Work 

patterns 

Average working hours: 

the Dutch working week is, on 

average, between 33-35 

hours, which is slightly less than 

other EU countries. The working 

week in the Netherlands begins 

around Monday lunchtime, 

although the rest of the week 

adheres to an 8.30-9am to 5.30-6pm 

schedule, excluding weekends. 

A minimum of 20 days’ holiday is 

the norm although most companies 

offer between 20-25 days per year. 

Public holidays include New 

Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter 

Sunday and Monday, Queen’s Day 

(30 April), Ascension Day, Whit 

Sunday and Monday, Christmas 

Day and Boxing Day. 

The Intermediair 

Oriëntatiegids 

Editie Starters 

www.intermediair.nl

Norway 

chapter 8 

Else Mundal / professor of old norse philology

Norway 

413 


Finnmark 

Troms 

Nordland 

Nordtrondelag 

SWEDEN 

Sortrondelag 

Scon og Jordane 

Hedmark 

oppland 

Hordaland 

oslo 

Elemark 

Austagder 

Rogaland 

Vestagder 

100km 

FINLAND 

Russian 

FEDERATIoN 

Situated on the northern edge 

of Europe, bordering the 

North Sea and the North 

Atlantic Ocean, the Kingdom of 

Norway is approximately one third 

larger than the United Kingdom 

(UK) but has approximately one 

twelfth of the population at 4.6 

million people. Norway is a 

mountainous country featuring 

inland mountains, rolling hills, 

Norway has been 

ranked as one of the 

strongest economies 

forest, fjords, and 50,000 coastal 

islands. Only 4% of the land is 

cultivated. 

The climate varies according to 

location and the season, ranging 

from -20 degrees celsius in winter 

to 25 degrees celsius in summer. 

Coastal areas enjoy a more 

moderate climate, whereas the 

lowlands experience colder winters 

but warmer summers. 

Norway is a Constitutional 

Monarchy with a parliamentary 

form of government. One of 

the most striking features of the 

country is that it ranks first in 

the Human Development Index 

and has a per capita GDP that is 

second in the world. Norway has 

a mixed economy; that is, there 

is both free market activity as 

well as government intervention. 

This method of economic 

control has worked very 

well and Norway has been 

ranked as one of strongest 

economies with one of the 

highest standards of living 

in the world. However, the 

cost of living is very high. 

Major industries: 

oil 

gas 

fishing 

shipping 

Shortage occupations: 

engineers 

finance and management consultants 

public relations professionals 

sales professionals

Norway 

415 

why norway? 

Major companies: 

Statoil 

Norsk Hydro 

Telenor 

Aker 

Orkla 

Aker Kvaener 

Total E&P Norge 

ExxonMobil 

Yara International 

Esso 

Norwegians have been described 

as individualistic but easy going 

with amiable personalities. 

There are two principal forms of 

language in Norway: Bokmål, 

derived from city-based dialects 

and Nynorsk, derived from 

countryside dialects. The 

culture is an interesting mix of 

traditions handed down from the 

Vikings and the Sami, plus other 

global influences due to modern 

internationalization. 

Norwegian 

Krone 

(NOK) 

• Tuition free 

Norway is a tuition free country. 

The only fee that students are 

required to pay is a semester 

fee of approximately 600 NOK. 

This fee will cover on campus 

visits to the doctor and a student 

identity card. Generally, if you 

enter Norway as an exchange 

student you should not have to 

pay any fees. However, there are 

some private institutions, special 

programmes and specialized 

master´s programmes that charge 



recognised 

qualification 

Norway has adopted 

the European Credit Transfer 

System (ECTS) and studies are 

internationally compatible. 

• Dynamic research 

Universities in the country carry 

out cutting edge research in 

various fields, and this has had a 

strong impact on the educational 

system, which for the most part, 

can be described as research based. 

• Great outdoor pursuits 

Studies can be combined with 

thrilling outdoor adventures, such 

as experiencing first hand Aurora 

Borealis, the midnight sun, fjords, 

and the lush mountains provide a 

beautiful sight. Students can also 

enjoy skiing, water rafting and 

climbing or simply sit back and 

enjoy the fresh air. Any student who 

chooses to study in Norway have a 

great opportunity to not only pursue 

quality higher education but also 

enjoy unique natural sights. 

universities carry out 

cutting edge research 

in various fields 

• Economical 

housing choice 

Student welfare organisations on 

campus provide reasonably low cost 

housing, ranging from 240-450 Euros 

per month. These accommodations 

come well equipped and fully 

furnished. Most importantly, 

all international students are 

guaranteed university housing.

Norway 

417 

ADMISSION 

AND funding 

• Free language courses 

All international students are 

offered courses in Norwegian as 

part of their study programme. 

• Continued 

internationalisation 

The government is continuously 

working to internationalise 

the educational system. With 

approximately 12,000 international 

students registered, colleges and 

universities are constantly 

working to adapt to and 

facilitate their needs. 

Øyvind Østerud / politolog researching on war and international conflicts 

The Norwegian public 

education system consists 

of six universities, five 

specialised university institutions, 

and twenty-five state university 

colleges. There are also a small 

number of private institutions but 

the majority of students in Norway 

(approximately 90 %) attend 

state institutions. All institutions 

of higher education are subject 

to the authority of the Ministry 

of Education and Research. The 

independent government body, 

the Norwegian Agency for Quality 

Assurance in Education (NOKUT), 

is responsible for assessing 

the quality of each institution 

and its programmes. Through 

generally, students at 

state universities and 

university colleges 

do not pay tuition 

a combination of evaluation, 

accreditation and recognition of 

quality systems, institutions and 

course provisions, NOKUT is able 

to supervise and help develop 

the quality of higher education in 

Norway. 

Generally, students at state 

universities and university 

colleges do not pay tuition 

fees. This is true for all levels, 

including undergraduate studies, 

master´s programmes and Ph.D. 

programmes but state universities 

and university colleges may have 

tuition fees for a few specialised 

programmes. Typically, these 

programmes are at the master´s 

level. The normal requirement, 

however, is that students pay a 

fee of NOK 300-600 each semester. 

This fee will have to be paid in 

full in order to take any 

exams. Paying the fee also 

grants you membership to 

the local student welfare 

organisation, which in 

turn entitles you to several 

benefits. These benefits 

may include on-campus 

health services, counseling, access 

to sports facilities and participation 

in cultural programmes. It also 

allows you to get an official

Norway 

419 

student card that, among other 

things, qualifies you for reduced 

fares on most forms of public 

transport and cheaper tickets to 

various cultural events. Most 

private institutions, on the other 

hand, have tuition fees for all their 

programmes and courses. The fees 

are usually significantly lower than 

those of comparable programmes 

in most other countries. One 

consolation here is that foreign 

students do not pay higher tuition 

fees than Norwegian students. 

For information on programmes 

for international students, see 

the study in Norway website. 

For admission to postgraduate 

degrees, check the information 

on the web sites of the individual 

institutions. The application 

process for international students 

is from January 15 to March 15 

for the courses beginning in 

August. Some institutions can 

have different pre-qualification 

deadlines so you should check 

prospective universities. Usually, 

the academic year begins in August 

and runs for 10-11 months. The 

downside for Caribbean nationals 

that may want the opportunity 

to study in Norway is the fact 

that instruction for all bachelor’s 

degree programmes is done in 

Norwegian. Prospective applicants 

with the good qualifications and 

who are admitted would, therefore, 

need to complete a Norwegian 

language course that lasts up to 

one year. This course must be 

successfully completed in order to 

start your bachelor’s degree, there 

are however some exceptions, see 

Language requirements, page 420. 

The application process for 

international students is from 

January 15 to March 15 for 

the courses beginning in August 

more info: 

www.studyinnorway.no 

General 

requirements 

Norwegian 

level III 

LANGUAGE 

REQUIREMENTS 

• Norwegian proficiency 

requirements 

The official language of instruction 

at institutions of higher education 

in Norway is Norwegian. To 

attend regular courses and degree 

programmes, a good command 

of the local language is necessary. 

The minimum requirement 

for attending regular degree 

programmes where Norwegian is 

the language of instruction is either: 

with a minimum pass of 3.0 from a 

Norwegian language programme for 

foreign students. 

Norwegian 

level III Norwegian level III, with a minimum 

pass of 3.0 from the summer courses 

in Norwegian language offered by the 

University of Oslo 

BERGENSTESTEN 

Test in Norwegian, higher level, 

the so called Bergenstesten,with a 

minimum score of 450.

Norway 

421 

• English proficiency 

requirements 

A good command of English 

is required for all students in 

a university and university 

college. Applicants to degree 

programmes who are not native 

speakers have to document their 

knowledge of English by taking 

one of the following internationally 

recognised tests: 

TOEFL 



IELTS 



Service 

APIEL 

Advanced Placement 


Language Examination 

University of 

cambridge 

exams 

with a minimum score of 

500 (paperbased) or 170 

(computerbased). 

with a minimum score of 5.0 points. 

with a minimum 3 points. 

First Certificate English 

Certificate in Advanced English 

Certificate of Proficiency in English 

When looking at each country’s 

educational system, one’s 

command of the English language 

is a special consideration. For each 

country, the GSU-list * indicates 

if there is an English language 

skills requirement and, if it is 

not a requisite, which country’s 

nationals may be exempted. 

Applicants from countries where 

English is a first foreign language, 

or studied over a period of 

minimum 7 years at compulsory/ 

upper secondary school, are 

exempted from taking the English 

language test. The applicants must 

document this or provide proof 

of having taken a recognised test. 

In exceptional cases, applicants 

may provide proof of English 

proficiency in other ways. This 

includes: 

melab 



with a minimum of 85 points. 

* The GSU-list outlines the higher education 

entrance qualifications required for international 

students.

Norway 

423 

• Applicants who have 

obtained a bachelor’s degree with 

English as the language of instruction 

are exempted from the test. 

•Applicants who have 

passed a Cambridge A-level 

examination in English may be 

exempted. 

For further Information contact 

your university of interest or: 

The Norwegian Agency 

for Quality Assurance in 

Education (NOKUT) 

Postboks 1708 Vika, 0121 

Oslo 

Telephone: + 47 21 02 18 00 

Telefax: + 47 21 02 18 01 

more info: 

NOKUT 

postmottak@nokut.no 

www.nokut.no 



The Norwegian Agency for Quality 

Assurance in Education (NOKUT) 

grants general recognition of 

foreign higher education. Please 

see contact and further details here 

to the left and “info box”. 

HEALTH 

INSURANCE 

If the duration of your stay in 

Norway is more than one year 

you automatically become insured 

under the National Insurance 

Scheme. Residency in Norway is 

AFTER ONE YEAR YOU 

BECOME A MEMBER 

OF THE NATIONAL 

INSURANCE SCHEME 

automatic when you register as a 

student at a Norwegian institution 

of higher education and is granted 

a student visa. If the duration of 

your stay in Norway is between 3 

and 12 months you should apply 

for membership in the Norwegian 

National Insurance Scheme to gain 

health services coverage. The form 

must be sent to the insurance office 

in the municipality in which you 

are staying. 

Students who do not become 

a member of the Norwegian 

National Insurance Scheme 

are required to have sufficient 

insurance coverage from their 

home country. 

In addition, some institutions 

provide on campus health services. 

The semester card which you 

receive after registration may entitle 

you to free medical treatment with 

the institution’s student health 

services. This treatment usually 

does not apply to medicines or to 

medical tests taken off campus. The 

cost of medicines is only covered if 

you are either hospitalised, suffer 

from a serious disease and are 

member of the Norwegian National 

Insurance Scheme, have a European 

Health Insurance Card or have 

another form of insurance which 

covers these costs. 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

• Young Guest and 

Doctoral Researchers’ 

Annual Scholarships for 

Investigation and Learning 

in Norway (YGGDRASIL): 

The YGGDRASIL mobility 

programme offers funding for 

international PhD. students and 

young researchers. As of the 

academic year 2009-2010, the 

Research Council of Norway is 

offering mobility grants to highly 

qualified, international PhD. 

students and young researchers 

from 25 countries in connection 

with research stays, of one to 

ten months, in Norway through 

the YGGDRASIL Mobility 

Programme. The mobility 

programme takes its name from 

Yggdrasil, the immense ash tree 

from Norse mythology whose 

branches extend throughout 

the world and into the heavens. 

The programme encompasses 

all subjects and disciplines. To 

learn more and find details on 

eligibility, visit the website of The 

Research Council of Norway.

Norway 

425 

• Quota scheme 

The Norwegian government 

provides scholarships for students 

coming from developing countries, 

countries in Eastern Europe and 

countries in Central Asia through 

the Quota Scheme. The objective 

of this scheme is to promote 

internationalisation of higher 

education. Currently, the scheme 

provides full scholarships 

for a total of 1 100 students, 

of which 800 are from 

developing countries 

and 300 from Eastern 

Europe and Central Asia. 

Each year universities 

and university colleges 

in Norway allow for a certain 

number of quota students. The 

scheme normally includes courses 

taught in English at master´s 

and PhD level in addition to 

certain professional degrees. In 

order to find out which courses 

are available under the scheme, 

please contact the institutions 

directly. The application deadlines 

vary according to the course and 

institution. To learn more about 

the quota scheme and find out 

if you are eligible to apply, visit 

the The Norwegian Centre for 

International Cooperation in 

Higher Education (SIU) website. 

• Norad’s Programme for 

Master´s Studies (NOMA) 

(former Norad Fellowship 

Programme and The Norwegian 

Capacity-Building Programme): 

APPLICATION DEADLINES 

VARY ACCORDING TO 

THE COURSE AND 

INSTITUTION 

Norad’s Programme for master 

studies provides scholarships for 

students of developing countries 

to pursue a master´s or diploma 

programme at institutions in the 

south. The aim of all educational 

activities within the NOMA 

is to educate their staff in the 

public and private sectors as 

well as those working in NGOs 

in the south. The master´s 

programmes in the south will be, 

to a greater extent, developed in 

close collaboration with other 

Norwegian institutions. Around 

110 students are accepted into the 

programme every year. 

• Norwegian State 

Educational Loan Fund 

Support from the Norwegian State 

Educational Loan Fund consists of 

a loan and a grant that will cover 

the costs of studying in Norway. If 

you have children with a residence 

permit who live with you in 

Norway, you may be eligible for 

further support. If you work while 

you are a student, the support may 

be reduced. You need admission to 

a Norwegian educational institution 

in order to apply for financial 

support and you need a residence 

permit before any support is paid. 

To learn more about the loan fund 

and find out if you are eligible, see 

the Norwegian State Educational 

Loan Fund website. 

more info: 

The Research Council of 

Norway 

www.forskningsradet.no 

The Norwegian Centre for 

International Cooperation 

in Higher Education (SIU) 

http://siu.no 

Norwegian State 

Educational Loan Fund 

www.lanekassen.no

Norway 

427 

more info: 

www.nokut.no 

Undergraduate 

studies 

For international students to fulfil 

the basic entrance requirements, 

they should have completed 

a secondary education, at an 

advanced level, that is equivalent 

to the Norwegian secondary 

school exam. For students from 

some countries at least one year 

of pre-university studies at the 

university level is required. This 

decision is taken on an individual 

basis, therefore, applicants are 

advised to consult the institutions 

directly. Norway currently has a 

list of country-specific requisites, 

which is compiled in a document 

called the GSU-list (formerly SIS 

list). The GSU-list outlines the 

level of education applicants of 

a specific country need for entry 

into Norwegian higher education. 

The list also includes other 

requirements such as proficiency 

in English. For further information 

ENGLISH TEST 

REQUIREMENTS 

COUNTRY 

not required 

3 University of London GCE A-levels 

Bahamas 

not required 

University of Cambridge Local 

Barbados 

Examinations Syndicate, UCLES, with 

3 GCE A-levels 

required 

Bachillerato + 1 year university 


education 

required 

Certificado de Fin de estudios 

Cuba 

Secundarios/Bachillerato + 1 year 

university education 

required 

3 University of London GCE A-levels 

Guyana 

required 

Baccalaureat II 

Haiti 

required 

Bachillerato + 1 year university 

Honduras 

education 

General Certificate of Education 

not required 

with 3 GCE A-levels 

Jamaica 

General Certificate of Education, 3 

required 

A-levels 

Trinidad & Tobago

Norway 

429 

regarding your country please 

check the GSU list or the institution 

directly 

In addition, some study 

programmes have separate 

admission requirements for 

specialist subjects or fields of study. 

Please check with the institution 

for information about these special 


When applying to study in 

Norway, the following documents 

must be included in your 

application: 

• An official certified copy 

of your passport; 

• official credentials 

in original language with a 

certified translation to English or 

a Scandinavian language. This 

should preferably be sent directly 

to the school from the issuing 

institution; 

• English/Nowegian 

language proficiency test score 

(original or certified copy). See 

language proficiency requirements 

on page 419 to 421; 

• a one-page statement of 

purpose, in English or Norwegian, 

giving reasons for applying to the 

institution of choice, background, 

activities, course work in progress, 

and educational objectives; 

• an official copy of your 

(or your parents) bank statement 

showing that you have at least 

NOK 85 000. In lieu of this, you 

may submit an official document 

proving that you have been 

granted financial aid (grant/ 

scholarship); 

• and a recent photograph. 

Postgraduate 

studies 

Masters 

programmes 

Admission requirements are decided 

by each university and university 

college based on an academic 

evaluation of the application. 

Applicants to the masters 

programmes normally should 

have obtained an undergraduate/ 

bachelor’s degree or equivalent of at 

least 3 years’ duration. The degree 

must include courses equal to at 

least one and a half years of full-time 

studies in a subject relevant to that of 

the programme applied of interest. 

Qualified applicants normally must 

have at least a second class honours, 

or the equivalent, to be considered 

for admission. 

you must have at least a 

second class honours 

Therefore, applicants for a masters 

degree programme are required to 

have the following in order to be 

considered: 

• A bachelor’s degree 

comparable to a Norwegian 

bachelor’s degree, or a period of 

study at higher education level 

considered comparable with a 

Norwegian bachelor’s degree; 

• an English language 

proficiency test, please see 

proficiency in English (p. 420); 

•documentation that 

you are able to support yourself 

financially. 

International students should 

apply from early December, 

one year prior to the anticipated 

year of entry. 

Further information about the 

application process and application 

forms will be available on the 

institutions website in early 

September. 

The application process 

has two steps: 

1. Complete the online application 

form and send it off. 

2. Send in the attestation form, this 

is simply a document outlining 

the reasons you are qualified for 

the programme to which you 

are applying with the following 

documents: 

• A recent copy of your CV 

• Official certified copy of 

passport 

• Official credentials in 

original language with a certified 

translation to English or a 

Scandinavian language. This should 

preferably be sent directly to the 

institution from the issuing body.

Norway 

431 

• A one-page statement of 

purpose, in English or Norwegian, 

giving reasons for applying to the 

institution of choice, background, 

activities, course work in progress, 

and educational objectives. 

• A recent photograph 

• If you have a valid 

Norwegian language test you 

may apply to a master’s degree 

programme taught in Norwegian. 

Please send an e-mail to 

international@admin.uio.no with 

“SFM-norsk mastergrad” in the 

subject line 

It is also important to note that: 

• Admission to a master’s degree 

programmes is very 

competitive. 

• An academic record that 

satisfies the basic entrance 

requirements does not 

guarantee admission. 

• Due to a limited capacity, 

students admitted to a master’s 

programme are not guaranteed 

access to Norwegian language 

courses at all universities 

• Late applications will not be 

considered. 

DOCTORAL 

Programmes 

The Doctoral Degree (PhD) is 

awarded after three years of 

study following completion of a 

master’s degree or a professional 

degree/programme. Doctoral 

programmes, which are essentially 

research programmes, are offered 

by all university-level institutions, 

some state university colleges and 

a few private institutions. 

The degree is made up of a 

training component equivalent to 

no less than 30 studiepoeng/ECTS 

(1 semester of full-time study) and 

a dissertation. The dissertation is 

write a statement of 

purpose with reason 

for applying 

an independent piece of scientific 

work that meets international 

standards within its subject area. 

If the dissertation is approved, 

it has to be defended at a public 

disputation. 

The formal entrance qualification 

for the PhD. study is a master’s 

degree (2 years research master), 

or a corresponding degree from 

professional training schools (e.g. 

psychology, dentistry, medicine, 

law), or equivalent qualifications. 

A number of PhD. programmes 

are designed as a four-year 

programme where 25 per cent of 

the time is reserved for teaching 

lower level courses. Institutions 

offer mainly two types of doctoral 

degrees: 

• Organised degree 

The “organised” doctoral degree is 

called PhD. (philosophiae doctor). 

This degree includes obligatory 

formal training and supervision, 

in addition to the dissertation, 

which is the main focus of the PhD. 

This simply means that students 

are required to take some courses 

organized by the university and 

that the research is part of a bigger 

project. 

• Free degree 

The second type is a free doctoral 

degree which is called Dr. Philos. 

(doctor philosophiae). No formal 

training or supervision is required 

for this degree, and it is typically not 

part of the institutions’ formal PhD. 

programme or Research schools. The 

scientific status and merit of the 

two degrees is the same. 

more info: 

www.siu.no

Norway 

433 

Norwegian universities 

Agder University College (Hia) 

Ph: +47 38 14 1000 

Fax: +47 38 14 1001 

www.uia.no/en 

The Norwegian University 

Ph: +47 64 96 5000 

of Life Science 

Fax: +47 64 96 5001 

www.umb.no 

Akershus University College 

Ph: +47 64 84 9000 

Fax: +47 64 84 9001 

io@hiak.no 

www.hiak.no 

Aalesund University College 

Ph: +47 70 16 1200 

Fax: +47 70 16 1300 

www.hials.no 

Bergen University College 

Ph: +47 55 58 7500 

Fax: +47 55 32 6407 

post@hib.no 

www.hib.no 

Bergen School of Architecture 

Ph: +47 55 36 3880 

Fax: +47 55 36 3881 

adm@bergenarkitektskole.no 

www.bergenarkitektskole.no 

University of Bergen 

Ph: +47 55 58 0000 

Fax: +47 55 58 9643 

www.uib.no 

Norges Informasjonsteknologiske 

Ph: +47 22 05 3920 

Fax: + 47 22 05 3930 

opptak@nith.no 

www.nith.no 

Folkehogskolne Karl Johansgt. 

Ph: +47 23 35 5370 

Fax: +47 22 35 5380 

if@folkehogskole.no 

www.folkehogskole.no 

Gjovik University College 

Ph: +47 61 13 5100 

Fax: +47 61 13 5170 

postmottak@hig.no 

www.hig.no 

Bods University College 

Ph: +47 75 51 7803 

Fax: +47 75 51 7551 

international@hibo.no 

www.hibo.no 

Serviceboks 422, N-4604 

Kristiansand Norway 

P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432 Aas 

Norway 

Institutveien 24, Kjeller Norway 

N-6025 Aalesund Norway 

P.O. Box 7030, N-5020 Bergen 

Sandviksboder 59-61a, Bergen 

P.O. Box 7800, N-5020 Bergen 

Hogskole Schweigaardsgate 

14, 0185 Oslo 

12, 0154 Oslo 

P.O. Box 191, Teknologivn. 

22, 2802 Gjovk 

International Office No.8049 Bods 

Norway

Norway 

435 

Buskerud University College 

Harstad University College 

Hedmark University College 

Lillehammer University College 

Norges Kreative Fagskole 

Molde University College 

University of Nesna 

Norwegian University of Science 

and Technology NTNU 

Norwegian School of Economics 

and Business Administration 

Norwegian School of Management 

Ostfold University College 

Trondheim and Sor-Trondelag 

Ph: +47 32 86 9500 

postmottak@hibu.no 

www.hibu.no/english 

Ph: +47 77 05 81 00 

Fax: +47 77 05 81 01 

postmottak@hih.no 

www.hih.no 

Ph: +47 62 43 0000 

Fax: +47 62 43 00 01 

www.hihm.no 

Ph: +47 61 28 8000 

post@hil.no 

www.hil.no/hil 

Ph: +47 81 56 8090 

Email: info@norgeskreativefagskole.no 

Web: www.norgeskreativefagskole.no 

Ph: +47 71 21 4000 

Fax: +47 71 21 4100 

post@himolde.no 

www.himolde.no 

Ph: +47 75 05 5800 

Fax: +47 75 05 7900 

postmottak@hinesna.no 

Ph: +47 73 59 5000 

Fax: +47 73 59 5310 

postmottak@adm.ntnu.no 

www.ntnu.no 

Ph: +47 55 95 9000 

Web: www.nhh.no 

Ph: +47 46 41 0000 

Email: info@bi.no 

www.bi.no 

Ph: +47 69 21 5000 

Fax: +47 69 21 5002 

postmottak@hiof.no 

www.hiof.no 

Ph: +47 73 55 9000 

Fax: +47 73 55 9051 

postmottak@hist.no 

www.hist.no 

Pb.235, 3601 Kongsberg 

Havnegt 5 - 9480 Harstad 

Fellesadminstrasjonen N-2418 

Elverum Norway 

2626 Lillehammer 

(Campus Kristiania) 

P.O. Box 2110, N-6402 Molde 

Norway 

8700 Nesna 

No. 7491 Trondheim Norway 

Helleveien 30, No. 5045 Bergen 

Nydalsveien 37, Oslo Norway 

N-1757 Halden Norway 

University College N-7004 

Trondheim Norway

Norway 

437 

University of Stavanger Kitty 

Stord/Haugesund University 

College 

Telemark University College 

University Graduate Center 

The University Centre 

University of Tromso 

Vestfold University College 

Volda University College 

Oslo University College 

University of Oslo 

Nord-Trondelag Univ. College 

Telemark University College 

NIFU Step Studies in Innovation, 

Research and Education 

Ph: +47 51 83 1000 

Fax: +47 51 83 1050 

post@uis.no 

www.uis.no 

+47 53 49 1300 

Fax: +47 53 49 1401 

Email: postmottak@hsh.no 

Web: www.hsh.no 

Ph: +47 35 02 6200 

Fax: +47 35 57 5002 

Email: postmottak@hit.no 

www.hit.no/english 

Ph: +47 64 84 4700 

Fax: +47 63 81 8146 

Email: post@unik.no 

www.unik.no 

Ph: +47 79 02 3300 

Fax: +47 79 02 3301 

Email: post@unis.no 

Ph: +47 77 64 4000 

http://uit.no 

Ph: +47 33 03 1000 

Fax: +47 33 03 1100 

www.hive.no 

Ph: +47 70 07 5000 

Email: post@hivolda.no 

www.hivolda.no 

Ph: +47 22 45 2000 

Fax: +47 22 45 3065 

Email: postmottak@hio.no 

www.hio.no 

Ph: +47 22 85 8200 

Email: international@admin.uio.no 

www.uio.no 

Ph: +47 74 11 2000 

www.hint.no 

Ph: +47 35 57 5300 

Fax: +47 35 57 5002 

www2.hit.no 

Ph: +47 22 59 5100 

Fax: +47 22 59 5101 

Email: post@nifustep.no 

www.nifustep.no 

Kiellands Hus Kristine Bonnevies 

Vei 30, 4021 Stavanger 

P.O. Box 5000, N-5409 Stord 

P.O. Box 203, N-3901 Porsgrunn 

Norway 

P.O. Box 70, N-2007 Kjeller 

Norway 

Svalbard P.O. Box 156, 9171 

Longyearbyen Norway 

9037 Tromso 

Raveien 197 Horten 

International Office Box 500, 

No-6101 Volda 

Norway 

Postboks 4 St. Olavs Plass, 

0130 

Norway 

P.O. Box 1081 Blindern No-0317 

Oslo N 

orway 

Serviceboks 2501, No.7729 

Steinkjer 

Kjolnes Ring 56 

N-3914 Porsgrunn 

Norwary 

Wergelandsveien 7, 

N-0167 Oslo

Norway 

visa and 

immigration 

439 

Norwegian laws on 

international students are 

clear; all students who plan 

to stay in Norway for more than 

three months are required to apply 

for a student’s residence permit. 

Required 

documentation 

When you apply for a student 

residence permit you must submit 

the following documents: 

• An application form for 

student residence with a passport 

photograph. 

• A copy of your passport. 

• Documentation of admission 

to an approved educational 

institution. 

to download application 

form from either: 

www.udi.no 


• The letter of acceptance from the 

institution which must contain the 

following information: 

1. The applicant’s name 

2. Institution´s name 

3. The course/programme to which 

the applicant has been admitted 

4. The duration of the 

course/programme must be fulltime 

and approved for financial 

support from the Norwegian State 

Educational Loan Fund. This also 

applies for students who have 

financing from other sources and 

do not intend to seek support from 

the Loan Fund. 

• A plan of study 

• Documentation of housing: 

Approved documentation with 

a copy of a lease agreement for 

a house, an apartment or a room 

issued by a private person or 

company. Apartments or rooms 

provided by the institution’s own 

student housing organisation must 

also be documented with a lease 

agreement. 

• Proof that you are able to 

financially cover your period of 

study. The required amount for 

the school year 2011/2012 is 500 

NOK per day. If you plan to attend 

an institution or programme that 

has tuition fees, you must also 

document ability to finance this 

extra cost. 

As a general rule, the Norwegian 

Directorate of Immigration 

requires the money to be 

deposited in a Norwegian bank 

account and this account must 

be in the applicant’s name. If 

the school has set up an account 

for students, the student may 

transfer his/her funds to this 

account. Documentation in this 

you may apply for 

A part-time work 

case should include a statement 

from the school confirming the 

correct amount is deposited to 

the account, or a bank statement 

showing a balance for the correct 

figure. If you do not have the 

required sums then you may apply 

for part-time work in Norway and 

submit this as additional proof of 

economic independence. 

Financial guarantees from a third 

person are not accepted, whether 

this person is a resident in Norway 

or another country. In special 

cases financial guarantees from 

an applicant’s parents may be 

accepted if they are Norwegian 

residents. Furthermore, the 

documentation requirements will 

vary from country to country and 

are subject to change * . 

For students who live outside 

Norway, the processing time 

to apply for your first student 

residence permit is approximately 

seven months. You should 

schedule appointments 

properly. The application 

fee for a residence permit 

is currently 2 500 NOK. 

However, you do not need to pay a 

separate fee for the part-time work 

permit. 

* For more information, contact the 

Norwegian Foreign Service mission closest to you (for 

details of missions located in your home country, see 

page 439)

Norway 

441 

work permits 

Visa 

extension 

Yes, you may renew your student 

resident permit. You can do this 

by submitting an application for 

renewal at least one month before 

your current permit expires. The 

application must be submitted 

to the police in the district 

where you live. The police may 

approve the application if it is 

clear that the requisite conditions 

have been met. The following 

documentation needs to be 

enclosed with your application for 

a renewal: 

• a report from the school 

providing details on your study 

and progress 

• a statement from the school 

clarifying whether part-time work 

will be an obstacle to your studies 

and a some recommendation 

on how many hours they 

think you should work. 

• The other documents 

included with the first 

residence permit. 

Shwan Dler Qaradaki / videoartist 

Family visas 

It is possible to apply for a visa for 

your immediate family members 

to join you while you study. 

Immediate family is described 

by the Norwegian Directorate 

of Immigration as children, 

spouses, cohabitants who have 

lived together for more than two 

years and cohabitants who have 

or are expecting a child together. 

The requirements for the visa are 

that you should be registered at a 

you are allowed 

several employers 

university college or a university. It 

is however, unlikely that your family 

members will be granted a residence 

permit if you have less than one year 

left on your studies. Furthermore, in 

order for your family to obtain the 

visa, it will be necessary to prove 

that you are capable of providing 

them with financial support and you 

should all reside at the same address 

throughout your study period. 

Working 

while 

studying 

When you are granted your firsttime 

residence permit as a student, 

you are also granted a part-time 

work permit automatically. This 

permit allows you to work up to 20 

hours per week during the semester 

and take on full-time employment 

during ordinary holidays. The 

permit does not limit you 

to any particular type of 

employment and a student 

is allowed to have several 

employers. 

It is not a general requirement to 

have a work contract. However, 

if you are looking to fully, or even 

partially, cover the subsistence 

requirements by working while you 

study, you need to have a contract 

of employment, with a clear outline 

of work hours and expected salary, 

as part of your documentation to 

process your visa.

Norway 

443 

Work after 

studies 

There is now a visa for highly 

skilled individuals in Norway. 

Therefore, as students that have 

recently completed your studies/ 

research in the country, you may 

apply and be granted a residence 

permit for up to six months (a 

job seeker period). During which 

time you can work as an unskilled 

worker, but at the end of this 

period it is expected that you 

would have found employment 

as a skilled worker or specialist. 

If not, you will not qualify for a 

highly skilled migrant visa, as set 

out under the visa conditions. 

Francis Trading Agency Ltd, 

Phone: +1 268 462 4555 

Rioa Building, 

Fax: +1 268 462 0849 

High Street, St. John’s 

fta@candw.ag 

www.ab.gov.ag/gov_v2/index.php 


Dockendale 

House West 

Bay Street, 


Mail-address 

P.O. Box 

CB-13048, 

Nassau, 

Bahamas 

Phone: +1 242 322 4270 

Fax: +1 242 322 4280 or 

+1 713 735 1172 

norwegianconsulate@moyell.com 

Cell: +1 242 454 2891 

www.bahamas.gov.bs 

Sea Freight Agencies (B’DOS) Ltd, 

Phone: +1 246 429 9688 

James Fort Building, Hicks Street, 

Fax: +1 246 429 5107 

Bridgetown, Barbados 

fos@caribsurf.com 

www.barbados.gov.bb 


Lifestyle Building, 

6 Fort Lane, 

Roseau 

Mail address 

P.O. Box 2323, 

Roseau, 

Dominica, W.I. 

Grand Anse, 

Phone: +1 767 449 8300 

Fax: +1 767 448 1733 

E-mail: grellg@cwdom.dm 

www.dominica.gov.dm 

Phone: +1 473 444 3012 

St. Georg’s, Grenada, 

Fax: +1 473 444 2853 

West Indies 

netherlands@caribsurf.com 

www.gov.gd 

214 Bamboo Drive, 

Phone: +592 22 67531 

Meadow Brooks Garden, 

Fax: +592 22 64733 

Georgetown, 

elancar2000@hotmail.com 

Guyana 

www.gina.gov.gy 

Kingsport Building, Third Street, 

Phone: +1 876 757 1414 

Newport West, Kingston, Jamaica 

Fax: +1 876 937 5825 

W.I. 

grantley.stephenson@kwljm.com 

lurline.haliman@kwljm.com) 

www.jis.gov.jm 

Meridian Med. Cons., 

Phone: +1 869 465 7699 

S. Indep. Sq. Bass., St. Kitts 

cabelawrence@sisterisles.kn 

Embassies 

in the 

Caribbean 

Antigua and Barbuda 

The Commonwealth of 

The Bahamas 

Barbados 

Dominica 

Grenada 

Guyana 

Jamaica 

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Norway 

445 

employment: 


Mail-address: 

Phone: +1 758 452 2214 

Saint Lucia 

P.O.Box 169, Castries, St. Lucia, W.I 

Fax: +1 758 453 1394 

Visiting-address: 15 Bridge Street, 

barnardsons@candw.ls – att: George 

Castries, St. Lucia 

A. Noon 

c/o Sprott Bros Ltd., Bay Street, 

www.stlucia.lc 

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 

Phone: +1 784 45 71 1121 

Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines 

sprottbros@caribsurf.com 

www.gov.vc 

Phone: +597 472275, 477805, 

Surinam 

van Roosmalenstraat 30, Paramaribo, 

Suriname 

474431 

Fax: +597 474408 

sunecon@sr.net 

Twin Island Shipping Agencies Ltd. 

Phone: +1 868 625 4384, 625 3332 


Jardine House, No 10 French Street, 

Fax: +1 868 623 9318 

Woodbrook, Port of Spain, 

stuarttisal@carib-link.net 

Trinidad, W.I 

www.gov.tt 

Norwegian 

CV 

see Swedish CV 

Hidden 

vacancies 

Sending speculative applications 

is a common way to apply for 

jobs in Norway. Details on 

where to find lists of companies 

for speculative applications 

can be found in Kompass, the 

Norwegian Yellow Pages (in 

Norwegian) and Randburg. 

Remember to make a followup 

call to the companies after 

submitting your application. In 

some sectors, it’s not unusual to 

visit a company unannounced 

to ask for a job. Remember to 

take your CV, with references 

and transcripts, and ask to speak 

with someone in personnel or 

management. 

Newspapers 

Nortrade 

www.nortrade.com 

Norway Post 

www.norwaypost.no 

Aftenposten 

www.aftenposten.no 

www.randburg.com 

• Job application 

In general, the job application process 

in Norway includes submitting the 

cover letter and CV, followed by an 

interview. Psychometric testing tends 

to only be used for senior level posts. 

Applications may be written in either

Norway 

447 

Norwegian or English; although 

Norwegian is preferable, especially 

for graduate level employment. 

When submitting an application, it is 

a good idea to attach copies of letters 

of reference, qualification certificates 

and grade transcripts. 



Finn Jobb 

www.finn.no/jobb 

JobbDirekte 

www.jobbdirekte.no 

JobNew 

www.jobnew.no 

NAV 

Norwegian Employment 

and Welfare Organisation 

www.nav.no 

Norske-Aviser 

www.norske-aviser.com 

Career Norway 

recruitment agency 

www.careernorway.com 

Interview 

Please review information 

contained in CHAPTER 

11-WORKING ABROAD , for 

interview techniques. 

Higher 

education 

career 

support 

• Stepstone Norway 

Contains some graduate 

opportunities, searchable by sector, 

occupation and country. 

• University of Oslo 

careers service: 

Provides links to graduate 

employers. In addition, the careers 

service offers guidance to students 

by providing: 

•Assistance with identifying 

your strengths and areas of 

expertise; 

• help establishing which 

types of jobs are most suitable for 

you; 

• advice on actual job 

applications and CVs; 

• provision of vacancy 

listings and access to a job search 

database: Along with general tips 

and advice on job searching. 

Please check your university to 

find out whether they have a 

careers service office. Lists of 

careers fairs, job hunting events 

and contact details of executive 

search firms and temporary 

staffing agencies are available in 

Going Global. 

• Learn Norwegian! 

Regardless of whether you are 

looking for a professional job or a 

part-time job, the most important 

factor for your success is to know 

Norwegian. Although many 

Norwegians master English quite 

well, the fact is most employers 

prefer to be able to communicate 

with their employees in Norwegian. 

Therefore, it is helpful to learn 

Norwegian as soon as possible. 

Norwegian classes are offered at: 

The University of Oslo 

Oslo Voksenopplæring 

tel. 23 47 00 00 

Migranorsk 

tel. 22 40 48 80 

AOF 

tel. 23 06 18 70 

Aftenskolen 

tel. 22 42 67 27 

Folkeuniversitetet 

tel.22 47 60 50 

more info: 

Stepstone Norway 

www.stepstone.no 

University of Oslo careers 

service 

www.sio.no 

Going Global 

www.goinglobal.com

Norway 

449 

Work 

patterns 

Working hours are usually 8am to 

4pm and based on a Monday to 

Friday schedule but can sometimes 

vary according to the sector. Some 

sectors may require employees to 

start at 7am and others at 9am. 

Working over 40 hours per week 

is regarded as overtime and is 

usually paid at almost time-anda-half 

rates. The average holiday 

entitlement is between 21 and 

25 days annually. 

Anne Spurkland / physician

Sweden 

chapter 9 

Hanna Dahlkvist / cellist

Sweden 

453 


NoRWAy 

Goteborg 

Scara-borg 

Alvs-borg 

Halland 

Jamtland 

Varmland 

Kopparberg 

Norrbotten 

Vasterbotten 

blekinge 

Khristianstad 

Malmohu 

Gavleborg 

Vasteras 

Stockholm 

orebro 

Linkoping 

Jonkoping 

Kalmar 

Vasternorland 

Uppsala 

FINLAND 

Stockholm 

ESToNIA 

LITHUANIA 

LATVIA 

Sweden is one of the northern 

most countries in Europe 

with 15% of its surface 

north of the polar circle. It is the 

third largest country in Western 

Europe with an area larger than 

California and nearly as large 

as France or Spain, but has a 

relatively small population of just 

over nine million. The majority 

of the Swedish population lives 

in the south of the country with a 

third living in or near Stockholm, 

Gothenburg and Malmö. 

The capital, Stockholm, 

is located on the east side 

of the country with a 

population of around 1.8 

million. Sweden´s National 

Atlas provides more 

information on the geography of 

Sweden. * 

In 2006, following the recovery 

of its export trade industry, the 

Swedish economy was deemed 

healthy. Much of Sweden’s 

prosperity comes from its success 

as a major exporter of industrial 

and rich natural resources, which 

has established the country as a 

major global player. ** Sweden’s 

major exports are: 

• machinery and transport 

equipment; 

• paper products; 

• chemicals; 

• iron and steel; 

• electrical and computer 

equipment. 

the majority of the 

swedish population 

lives in the south 

of the country 

The fruits of this economic success 

have been well distributed among 

the population; perhaps more 

evenly than in any other country. 

Sweden is known worldwide for 

its high general standard of living, 

with publicly financed systems of 

economic security for everyone in 

100km 

* For geographic and demographic 

information on Sweden, see the Sveriges National 

Atlas 

** See the Organisation for Economic Cooperation 

and Development,

Sweden 

455 

why sweden? 

all phases of life. Out of a total 

177 countries and territories 

across the world that are rated in 

the Human Development Index, 

Sweden is among the top ten in 

a comparative measure of life 

expectancy, education and living 

standards. * In turn, this high socioeconomic 

performance spill over in 

many other areas of Swedish life. 

The Economic Intelligence Unit 

ranks Sweden in first place out 

of 67 countries after reviewing 60 

indicators such as political culture, 

civil liberties and the functioning 

of government. ** 

The transformation during the 

past century in Sweden has been 

extremely radical. Today, the 

country is a modern, sophisticated, 

internationalized society. In 

addition, most Swedes are 

quiet with a proud but low-key 

disposition. 

The currency used in Sweden is the 

Swedish Krona, denoted by (SEK). 

* See the most recent Human Development 

Index 

** See the entire list of Economic Intelligence 

Unit Report 

more info: 

Swedish 

Krona 

(SEK) 

Sveriges National Atlas 

www.sna.se 

Organisation for Economic 

Co-operation and 

Development 

www.oecd.org 

Human Development Index 

www.hdr.undp.org/en 

Economic Intelligence Unit 

Report 

www.countryanalysis.eiu. 

com 

• Availability of funding 

If you require funding, there are a 

variety of options available. The 

Swedish Institute grants hundreds 

of scholarships every year to help 

foreign students make their stay in 

Sweden more affordable. Sweden’s 

public spending on education is 

the OECD’s highest, at 4.9% of 

GDP and, because it costs a lot to 

live in Sweden, foreign students 

can work while studying. 

universities have 

sought to balance 

academic work with 

real life experiences 

• English unofficial 

second language 

English is widely spoken and 

understood by Swedes; Swedes 

learn English from an early age 

and you can find many television 

programmes, newspapers and 

other documents published in 

English. Swedish universities 

offer 500 master´s programmes 

taught in English and aimed 

at international students. In 

addition, the prevalence of 

English enables students to be 

better at adapting to the new 

environment. 

• Large international 

student population 

Sweden attracts a large population 

of international students, which 

means that their universities have 

extensive experience dealing with 

the specific needs of foreign 

students. International 

offices strive to make 

your stay as rewarding 

as possible, from the 

moment your application is 

accepted. 

• Hands on experience 

Swedish universities have sought 

to balance academic work with 

real life experiences. As such 

cooperation between academia 

and industry forms an integral 

part of many Swedish master´s 

programmes, giving you a distinct 

advantage over your peers when 

entering the job market.

Sweden 

457 

ADMISSION 

AND funding 

• Quality guaranteed 

As with all goods produced, 

and services provided, under 

the Swedish brand, the highest 

standards are guaranteed. Swedish 

universities have a reputation 

for rigorous quality control, 

with nationally certified degrees. 

Sweden has one of the most 

ambitious educational evaluation 

programmes in Europe which is 

aimed at maintaining the country´s 

competitive edge in education 

globally. 

swedish campuses 

are among the most 

progressive worldwide 

• Cutting edge research 

Sweden is known worldwide for 

its innovation, creativity, cuttingedge 

research and independent 

thinking. The society is 

technologically advanced and 

bold enough to experiment with 

new concepts and ideas; they 

have a trend setting culture. They 

are also highly revered within 

the international sphere for early 

adoption of new technologies. 

• A modern approach 

There is a modern approach to 

learning, where student-teacher 

relations are informal and easygoing. 

Professors are addressed on a 

first-name basis and are usually 

accessible outside lecture hours. 

As a student, you have the ability 

to influence your own studies; 

your ideas and opinions count. 

Consequently, Swedish campuses 

are among the most 

progressive worldwide, 

with an emphasis on 

equality, democracy and 

cultural awareness. 

• Nobel Prize 

If you want to study in a country 

that excels in learning, there is no 

better place than the home of the 

Nobel Prize. This award is only 

given to exceptional stalwarts. 

more info: 

www.nobelprize.org 

Until the autumn semester 

2010 Sweden was a tuition 

free country. However, 

as of Autumn 2011 tuition 

fees apply to students who are 

not citizens of the EU, EEA or 

Switzerland. The new fee system is 

applicable only to bachelor’s and 

master’s programmes and courses. 

Doctoral programmes are normally 

viewed as employment, thus if 

you gain a position you will be 

generously rewarded. Universities 

have been allowed to set their 

own fees, and these vary between 

SEK 80,000–140,000 per academic 

year for most subjects. However, 

the tuition is somewhat higher for 

courses such as art, medicine or 

pilot programmes. 

Sweden has a central application 

system that allows for an 

uncomplicated process. This 

system can only be accessed 

online. It is run by an organisation 

responsible for university studies 

in Sweden. It provides prospective 

students with the opportunity to 

apply for up to eight programmes 

(ranked in order of preference) 

with one application. This means 

that you can apply for several 

programmes or courses offered by 

different Swedish universities with 

the same application. In addition 

to the general requirements that 

Studera prompts students to fulfil, 

some programmes have other 

specific entry requirements. If 

that is the case, these application 

requirements will be explained in 

the programme descriptions on 

the university website. It is then 

the duty of the applicant to ensure 

that all required documents arrive 

at Studera before the application 

deadline. Documentation should 

be sent to: 

University Studies in 

Sweden 

FE 1 

SE-833 83 Stroemsund 

SWEDEN 

more info on the 

central application system: 

www.studera.nu

Sweden 

459 

Jesper Waldersten / illustrator 

The decision on whether to 

accept an applicant rests with the 

institutions. Make sure you satisfy 

all the necessary requirements 

before submitting an application. 

If you are not sure, contact the 

department responsible for the 

programme in which you have an 

interest directly. After the deadline 

passes, each institution will assess 

your application, based on their 

in-house selection procedures. 

Decisions are usually made based 

on various criteria, such as grades 

obtained, results from previous 

courses and degree projects. 

Given there are so many courses 

from which to choose, before logging 

in to the system, you can do a 

search to find degree programmes 

of interest to you, use the search 

function at the Study in Sweden 

webiste. Each programme or 

individual course has a unique 

application code. After you have 

found one or more programmes that 

you would like to apply to, you can 

then proceed to the central application 

system, in order to register the chosen 

programme (s). An added benefit of 

checking the courses at the Study in 

Sweden website is that you can learn 

the application codes and this is a 

good way to later check that you have 

applied to your intended programme 

choice. The current application 

processing fee is 900 Swedish Kronor. 

Application deadline : 

March 15 of each year 

The Swedish academic year 

is divided into two semesters. 

The autumn semester stretches 

from the end of August until the 

middle of January. The spring 

semester begins in the middle 

of January and ends mid-June. 

Some universities also offer single 

subject courses during the summer 

months (June-August). Application 

deadline for international students 

is March 15 of each year; this is 

largely to facilitate the long visa 

process. This deadline is rigidly 

enforced and all documents 

received outside of this deadline 

will not be considered as part of 

the application.

Sweden 

461 

General 

requirements 

LANGUAGE 

REQUIREMENTS 

Some students may be exempt from 

formal language tests. They are: 

• Students with a bachelors 

degree from a university where 

English is the main language of 

instruction, in accordance with 

the recommendations in the latest 

edition of International Handbook 

of Universities. 

• Students with a bachelors 

degree (equivalent to a Swedish 

kandidatexamen) where English is 

the main subject. 

• Students with 30 higher 

education (HE) credits from a 

Nordic country where the language 

of instruction of the course is 

English. 

more info: 

www.studyinsweden.se 

Examples of tests used 

and minimum scores: 

TOEFL 



IELTS 



Service 

EFL 

Cambridge examination 

Melab 



scores: 500-550 (paper-based test) 

173-213 (computer-based test) 

61-79 (internet-based test) 

5.0-6.0 (no band lower than 4.5-5.0) 

grades A or B 

85 - 90 points 

• Swedish 

Students who would like to 

complete a full degree in Swedish 

are required to show written 

and oral skills meeting the level 

required for upper-secondary 

education. This prerequisite may 

be shown by completing the 

nationwide test of Swedish for 

university studies (TISUS.) 



The national agency for services 

to universities and university 

colleges undertakes evaluation 

of completed foreign uppersecondary 

education. They may be 

contacted at: 

Verket för högskoleservice 

Box 24 070 

104 50 Stockholm 

Tel: 08-725 96 00 

Fax: 08-725 96 01 

Recognition of higher academic 

degrees is undertaken by Swedish 

NARIC, a section of the National 

Agency for Higher Education

Sweden 

463 

(Högskoleverket), which can 

provide you with a document that 

briefly outlines the equivalence 

of your qualifications to Swedish 

degrees. The purpose of this 

recognition process is to make it 

possible for individuals to use 

qualifications from other education 

systems without losing the real 

value of these qualifications. The 

Department of Qualifications 

Recognition, conducts this work 

and any applications or enquiries 

should be addressed to them 

directly. This service is free and 

can make things easier for any 

it is often necessary 

to have original 

documents translated 

or copies attested 

more info: 

Verket för högskolservice 

www.vhs.se 

registrator@vhs.se 

admissions officer. It will also 

prove useful in your job search. 

When getting your qualifications 

assessed by Högskoleverket, it is 

often necessary to have original 

documents translated or copies 

attested/notarized. Attested or 

notarized copies are those that 

are signed and stamped by an 

official body; for example, an 

employment office, the police or 

a human resources department in 

Sweden. In the case of applications 

sent from abroad, copies must be 

attested by the higher education 

institution where the 

applicant studied or by 

the Swedish Embassy or 

Consulate in their home 

country or country of 

residence. If documents are 

not in Swedish or English 

you will be required to 

have them translated. 

Translation services are carried 

out by a host of agencies. Contact 

the Swedish Embassy or consulate 

in your country for a list of 

recommended translation agencies. 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

• STINT 

The Swedish Foundation for 

International Cooperation in 

Research and Higher Education 

has a scholarship programme for 

foreign students pursuing master´s 

programmes in Sweden. STINT 

has invited a number of foreign 

universities to nominate candidates 

to the programme. 

• The Swedish 


Cooperation Agency (Sida) 

Funds the Linnaeus-Palme 

programme, part of which 

offers teachers and students 

in developing countries the 

opportunity to come to Sweden. 

The programme is administered 

by Sweden’s International 

Programme Office for Education 

and Training. Students cannot 

apply directly for scholarships. The 

programme offers the framework 

for cooperation between a 

Swedish university and one in the 

developing world, part of which 

involves student exchange. 

• The Swedish Institute 

(funding for PhD) 

The first step in applying for this 

scholarship is to obtain a letter 

of invitation from a Swedish 

university that is willing to accept 

you. In addition, your application 

must be supported by a contact 

person at your home university. 

Applications must be submitted 

online with enclosures as digital 

documents. You must register as 

one of the following categories in 

your application: 

• Part of PhD: enrolled as a PhD 

student at your home university. 

• Research: holder of a PhD 

degree. 

When applying under either of 

these categories, applicants are 

required to submit the following 

supporting documents: 

• Letter of invitation 

(Mandatory): Signed by a professor 

or head of department at the host 

university in Sweden. The letter 

must state that you are invited as 

a student/researcher within an 

ongoing or planned cooperation 

between the host institution and

Sweden 

465 

your home institution. This should 

not be more than two pages. 

• Two letters of 

recommendation (Mandatory): 

From professors/academic 

supervisors, describing the interest 

your cv should not 

be more than 

two pages 

of cooperation and long term 

impact of a study/research visit to 

Sweden as well as confirming the 

applicant’s status (holder of a PhD 

degree, or registered PhD student). 

The letter should also evaluate 

the applicant’s English language 

proficiency. This is not necessary 

for students/researchers working 

in Swedish language. These letters 

should be sent to the: 

The Swedish Institute 

Box 7434 

103 91 Stockholm 

Sweden 

All documents or the envelope 

should be marked with the 

reference number of your 

confirmed application. This should 


• Copies of university 

degrees (Mandatory): Copies 

of the highest degree obtained, 

translated into English and 

certified by the university. 

• Research proposal 

(Mandatory): A research 

proposal describing the 

scientific quality of the 

project as well as its 

originality, methodological 

approach and relevance. This 

should not be more than five 

pages. 

• CV of the applicant 

(Mandatory): Outlining your 

previous studies, degrees and 

English language proficiency. This 

should not be more than two pages. 

• CV of the intended 

supervisor/contact person in 

Sweden (Mandatory): This should 


• List of publications 

(Optional): This should not be 

more than two pages. 

• Personal motivation 

(Mandatory) : Expected long term 

impact and goals, choice of Sweden 

as your study/research destination 

and reasons for seeking financial 

support. This should not be more 

than one page. 

•It is also mandatory that 

Students use the application forms 

provided by the institute. It may be 

found on the Institute of Sweden’s 

website. 

more info: 

Swedish institute 

www.si.se 

Danica Kragic / professor of robotics

Sweden 

467 

Undergraduate 

studies 

The downside to applying for 

study in Sweden as a foreign 

national is that the undergraduate 

options are limited because, for 

the most part, these programmes 

require a very good command 

of written and spoken Swedish. 

Though a growing number 

of undergraduate courses are 

being made available in English, 

in order to make them more 

accessible, a full undergraduate 

programme is still not an option 

for most foreign students 

who do not speak Swedish. 

However, you can overcome this 

language barrier by applying to 

a Swedish language programme 

to learn the language and then 

transfer to the undergraduate 

programme after a year. These 

courses may be found at SENSUS 

Study Association or the Workers’ 

Educational Association. * The 

local employment office can also 

help with such enquiries. 

In the following two pages is a list 

of undergraduate programmes on 

offer that are taught in English. 

Admission is very competitive 

and spaces are limited. The full 

contact details and websites links 

for the institutions are available in 

the table ‘Swedish Universities’ at 

the end of this section. In other to 

gain a place in an undergraduate 

programme, all applicants must 

fulfill the requirements set out on 

page 469. 

more info: 

Study Association 

www.sensus.se 

Worker´s Educational 

Association 

www.abf.se 

* See the Study Association or the Workers’ 

Educational Association websites 

SUBJECT 

PROGRAMME NAME 

UNIVERSITY 

ECTS level 

Business and 

Social Sciences Analytical Finance 

Mälardalen University 180 BA 

180 

Jönköping University 

Business and IT Management 

180 

Lund University 

Development Studies 

180 

Stockholm School of Economics 

Economics and Business 

180 

Malmö University 

European Studies 

180 


Human Rights 

240 

Umeå University 

International Business 

180 

Mälardalen University 

International Business Management 

180 

Dalarna University 

International Business Marketing 

180 

Iönköping University 

International Economics and Policy 

180 

Iönköping University 

International Management 

180 



180 

Växjö University 

International Sales & Marketing 

180 

Dalarna University 

International Tourism Management 

180 

Växjö 

Marketing 

180 


Peace and Conflict Studies 

Humanities 

English: Language, Literature & Culture Dalarna University 

180 

180 


English studies 

90 


Foundation course in Swedish

Sweden 

469 

SUBJECT 

PROGRAMME NAME 

UNIVERSITY 

ECTS level 

Blekinge Institute 

Humanities 

Literature, Culture and Digital Media of Technology 

180 BA 

Interdisciplinary 

Studies 

Ecotechnology 

Mid Sweden University 180 

Industrial Engineerig: International 

180 

Borås University 

Business Engineering 

Natural Sciences Biology 


180 


Chemistry 

Technology 

Computer Engineering 


180 

Kristianstad University College 

Computer Software Development 

Blekinge Institute 

Electrical Engineering: Emphasis in 

180 

of Technology 

Telecommunication 

180 

Mid Sweden University 

Electronics 

180 

Gothenburg University 

Software Engineering and Management 

entrance 

requirements 

• Completion of an uppersecondary 

school programme 

conferring eligibility for 

university studies from your 

home country which corresponds 

in level to the equivalent Swedish 

programme. 

• Proficiency in English (both 

written and oral) equivalent 

to that required on completion 

of Swedish upper-secondary 

education. Universities and 

university colleges will normally 

entrance requirements 

are established 

independently 

require verification in the form 

of an international proficiency 

test certificate. (see language 

requirements page 460-461). 

• For courses taught in Swedish 

written and oral skills in Swedish 

corresponding to the level of 

Swedish required on completion 

of a Swedish upper-secondary 

education. This is generally 

assessed by the national Swedish 

test, TISUS. 

• Meeting specific 

entrance requirements 

Entrance requirements for a 

particular course or programme 

are established independently at 

each academic institution. These 

requirements vary and you will 

need to contact the institution 

directly for exact details. 

Admission to all undergraduate 

education is limited. All study 

programmes and courses 

have a fixed number 

of places, which are 

usually exceeded by the 

number of applicants. 

Every university and 

university college has 

its own selection procedure. The 

criteria, though it may vary from 

institution to institution, usually 

include: grades obtained, results 

from previous courses, assessment 

of work samples, interview results, 

special admission tests and work 

experience.

Sweden 

471 

Postgraduate 

studies 

Master’s 

Programmes 

The good news is that if you 

would like to complete a master´s 

degree, Sweden is an excellent 

choice as the universities offer 

over 500 master´s programmes 

in English. Before you apply 

for a master´s programme, you 

should have completed a course 

of study leading to a degree or 

diploma equivalent to 180 ECTS, 

which is three years of full-time 

undergraduate study. To meet the 

entry requirements for the master 

(second cycle studies) you must: 

more info: 

International Handbook 

of Universities 

www.unesco.org/iau/ 

directories/handbook.html. 

• Have been awarded a 

bachelor´s (equivalent to a 

Swedish Kandidatexamen) from 

an internationally recognised 

university. The Higher Education 

Institution (HEI) must be 

listed in the latest edition of 

the International Handbook of 

Universities. * 

• Be able to demonstrate 

proficiency in English by means of 

an internationally recognised test; 

for example, TOEFL, IELTS or the 

equivalent. Check the website of 

the HEI where you would like to 

study for more information about 

language requirements. Some 

students may be exempt from 

submitting formal test evidence 

(See Exemptions, section language 

requirements, page 460-461). 

• Specific entry requirements: 

In addition, to the requirements 

described above, there may 

be specific entry requirements 

stipulated by a HEI and/or 

department. You can find more 

information directly from the HEIs. 

* See International Handbook of Universities 

at http://www.unesco.org/iau/directories/ 

handbook.html. 

• Required documentation 

Supporting documents should 

be submitted with the online 

application. You must submit the 

following documents (stamped 

and signed copies) once you have 

completed your online application: 

• Cover sheet 

• Certificates and diplomas 

from previous education at an 

internationally recognised 

higher education 

institution 

• Transcripts of completed 

courses and grades 

(including course list). 

If possible, sort them in reverse 

chronological order; that is, the 

most recent should be on top of 

the file. 

• Proof of English language skills 

• Proof that you meet the specific 

entry requirements 

• A copy of the page in your 

passport with your personal data 

and photograph or some other 

document of identification 

• Do not send the original 

documents, unless you are 

requested to do so. No 

original documents, apart 

from documents requested 

by an admissions officer, will be 

returned. 

• All documents, copies and 

scanned documents supporting 

your application must be stamped 

and signed by the issuing 

institution, or a notary public. If 

this is not done, your application 

will not be processed. 

do not send original 

documents unless 

it is requested 

• All documents should be 

in the original language or in 

officially certified translations 

into Swedish, English, French or 

German, if the original documents 

are in a language other than the 

Scandinavian languages 

Sort the documents in the 

prescribed order and send them 

in a single envelope to the address 

indicated on the cover sheet. Only 

send one set of documents. Avoid 

using staplers, paper clips, and do

Sweden 

473 

not print on both sides of a page. If 

the specific entry requirements of a 

higher education institution and/or 

department include a dissertation 

or essay, send these directly to the 

HEI. Only submit the required 

documents that are listed; do not 

send letters of recommendation 

unless they are specifically required 

by the university to which you are 

applying. 

in some cases, a master´s 

degree is required 

Doctoral 

Programmes 

Some 19,000 people are enrolled 

as research students in Sweden. 

Around 3,800 were granted 

doctoral or licentiate degrees in 

2006. The average PhD student is 

enrolled in his or her late twenties 

or early thirties. Research in 

Sweden has an international 

approach and exchange is seen 

as an integral part of the system. 

About 20% of all research students 

have a non-Swedish background. 

Research students from other 

countries are primarily represented 

in the fields of medicine, the 

natural sciences and technology. 

Applications to postgraduate 

studies should be sent directly 

to the institution where you 

wish to study; contact the 

department concerned for further 

information. It is important to 

note that admission to 

doctoral programmes 

is restricted and 

universities or 

university colleges 

may only admit students who have 

funding for the entire study period. 

To be admitted to doctoral 

programme, a student must hold 

a university degree equivalent 

to a bachelor’s degree with a 

major in the same subject as the 

intended postgraduate subject of 

study. In some cases, a master´s 

degree is required. The major 

must include a paper, sometimes 

called a thesis, presenting the 

results of independent research. 

A mere university degree is not 

always sufficient for admission 

to postgraduate studies. Other 

specific conditions for eligibility 

exist in each subject. There is also 

an assessment of the applicant’s 

suitability and capacity to 

complete doctoral studies. Many 

departments have no formal 

admission requirements with 

regard to Swedish language skills. 

However, it may be helpful to 

take some classes in Swedish. The 

student must also have a very good 

command of English. Individual 

institutions set their own 

requirements for proficiency in the 

English language, but in almost all 

cases this will involve achieving 

a specific minimum score on the 

TOEFL test or its equivalent. 

Cynthia de Wit / Professor studying the effects of contamination in the arctic

Sweden 

475 

Swedish 

universities 

Chalmers University 

of Technology 

University College of Dance 

Dramatiska Institutet- 

University College of Film, Radio, 

Television 

Goteborg University 

Halmstad University 

Gotland University 

Jonkoping University 

Karlstad University 

Kristianstad University 

Linkoping University 

Lunds University 

Lulea University of Technology 

Ph: +46 31 772 1000 

www.chalmers.se 

Ph: +46 8 459 0500 

Fax: +46 8 459 0510 

info@danshogskolan.se 

danshogskolan.se 

Ph: +46 8 55 57 2000 

Fax: +46 8 55 57 2005 

kansli@draminst.se 

www.draminst.se 

Ph: +46 31 773 1056 

Fax: +46 31 773 5126 

ess@qu.se 

www.qu.se 

Ph: +46 35 16 7100 

Fax: +46 35 14 8533 

ia@ia.hh.se 

www.hh.se 

Ph: +46 498 29 9900 

Fax: +46 498 29 9962 

www.hgo.se 

Ph: +46 36 10 1000 

Fax: +46 36 15 0812 

info@hj.se 

www.hj.se 

Ph: +46 54 700 1000 

Fax: +46 54 700 1460 

information@kau.se 

www.kau.se 

Ph: +46 44 20 3000 

Fax: +46 44 12 9651 

www.hkr.se 

Ph: +46 13 28 1000 

Fax: +46 13 14 9403 

www.liu.se 

Ph: +46 046 222 0000 

Fax: +46 046 222 4720 

www.lu.se 

Ph: +46 0920 49 1000 

Fax: +46 0920 49 1399 

www.ltu.se 

Se-412 96 Goteborg, 

Sweden 

Brinellvagen 58, 

Box 27043, 102 51 Stockholm, 

Sverige 

Borgvagen 22 115 53 

Stockholm Sweden 

Erik Dahlbergsgatan 11B 

Kristian IV: 

s vag 3, 

Halmstad 

Cramergatan 3, 

S-621 57 Visby 

Hogskoleomradet, 

Gjuterigatan 5 

SE-651 88 

Karlstad Sweden 

SE 291 88 Kristianstad 

581 83 Linkoping 

Box 117, 221 00 Lund 

971 87 Lulea

Sweden 

477 

Malardalen University 



Stockholm University 

Swedish University of Agricultural 

Sciences 

Umea University 

University of Gavle 

Malmo University 

University of Kalmar 

Orebro University 

Sodertorn University College 

Vaxjo University 

Uppsala University 

University of Skovde 

Ph: +46 21 10 1300 

Email: info@mdh.se 

Web: www.mdh.se 

Ph: +46 771 975 000 

Web: www.miun.se 

Ph: +46 771 975 000 

Web: www.miun.se 

Ph: +46 08 16 2000 

Web: www.su.se 

Ph: +46 018 67 1000 

Email: webbredaktionen@slu.se 

Web: http://www.slu.se 

Ph: +46 90 786 5000 

Fax: +46 90 786 9995 / 5488 

Web: http://www.umu.se/english 

Ph: +46 026 64 8500 

Fax: +46 026 64 8686 

Web: www.hig.se 

Ph: +46 046 665 7000 

Web: www.mah.se 

Ph: +46 0480 44 6000 

Email: postinfo@hik.se 

Web: www.hik.se 

Ph: +46 19 30 3000 

Web: www.oru.se 

Ph: +46 08 608 4000 

Fax: +46 08 608 4010 

Email: info@sh.se 

Web: www.sh.se 

Ph: +46 470 70 8000 

Fax: +46 470 832 17 

Web: www.vxu.se 

Ph: +46 18 471 0000 

Web: www.uu.se 

Ph: +46 500 44 8000 

Fax: +46 500 41 6325 

Email: info@his.se 

Web: http://www.his.se/english/ 

P.O. Box 883, 

S-721 23 Eskilstuna 

S-871 88 Harnosand 

Sweden 

S-891 18 Ornskoldsvik 

Sweden 

SE-106 91 Stockholm 

Sweden 

Box 7070, 750 07 

Uppsala 

SE-901 87 Umea 

Sweden 

801 76 Gavle 

SE-205 06 Malmo 

Sweden 

SE-391 82 Kalmar 

SE-701 82 Orebro 

Sweden 

141 89 Huddinge 

SE-351 95 Vaxjo, 

Sweden 

P.O. Box 256, 

SE-751 05 Uppsala 

Sweden 

P.O. Box 408, 

SE-541 28 Skovde, 

Sweden

Sweden 

visa and 

immigration 

479 

If you are going to Sweden 

to study for more than three 

months, you will need a 

Swedish visa or residence permit. 

Students who are accepted by a 

Swedish University are advised 

to apply for the visa as early as 

possible. The visa application and 

decision making process, which 

is conducted by the Swedish 

Migration Authority in Sweden, 

not the Embassy, can take time. 

There is normally a congestion 

of students applying for the 

requisite visa to start in the autumn 

semester each year. Some of this 

delay is due to staffing restrictions 

during the months of July and 

August which causes the Embassy 

to only accept a limited number of 

interviews for the period. If you 

wish to arrive in time for the start 

of the academic year, please apply 

for your student visa or residence 

permit as early as you can. 

more info: 

www.swedenabroad.se 

Required 

documentation 

When you apply for a residence 

permit you must use the 

appropriate forms; that is, the 

residence permit for students and 

doctoral students, No. 105031. 

All the application forms can be 

downloaded from the Swedish 

Migration Board website. You 

should enclose copies of the 

following documents: 

• Copies of your passport, 

showing your identity, the validity 

of the passport and any permit 

required to spend time in a country 

other than your home country. 

• Two passport-sized 

photographs which are taken with 

you looking straight ahead and are 

not older than six months. 

• A certificate stating that 

you have been enrolled for fulltime 

study. 

• A certificate stating that 

you have comprehensive health 

insurance valid in Sweden if you 

intend to study for a period of less 

than one year. 

• A bank statement showing 

that you have your own funds to 

support yourself (in English). Or: 

the current cost for 

a student residence 

application is 1000 sk. 

• A document showing 

that you have been awarded a 

scholarship or similar (such as a 

foreign study grant) with details of 

the amount and the period during 

which you will receive the money. 

Or: 

• A document showing 

that you have been awarded a 

study grant or a salary (applies to 

doctoral students) with details of 

the amount and the period during 

which you will receive the money. 

Please note that the embassy or 

consulate where you submitted 

your application could require 

further documents. Visit 

swedenabroad´s website, contact 

the embassy or consulate for more 

information. If you are granted 

a residence permit you will be 

required to take your passport to 

the embassy when you collect your 

permit. This also applies 

to applicants who want an 

extension of their permits. 

Applications for the permit 

should be submitted to 

the Swedish embassy or a 

Swedish consulate in your 

home country or in the country 

in which you are a permanent 

resident. A list of consulates in the 

Caribbean can be found at the end 

of this section. The current cost 

for a Student residence application 

is 1 000 Swedish Kronor but this 

may change. The application wait 

period is normally 6 months. 

Visa 

extension 

When you apply for an extension 

you should use the same original

Sweden 

481 

WORK PERMITS 

application form for the student 

visa. At this time students are 

required to show acceptable proof 

of study results; satisfactory 

academic performance is a 

pre requisite for extending the 

residence permit. 

• Satisfactory results, 

As defined by the migration board, 

means that you must acquire at 

least 30 higher education credits 

per academic year or at least 15 

higher education credits per term 

if the teaching is conducted in 

English. 

• Financial support 

You must also show that you have 

been able to financially support 

yourself during your stay in 

Sweden. A bank, statement, for 

example, can be used as proof of 

financial stability. 

The application for an extension 

of your residence permit can be 

submitted to any of the Migration 

Board permit units. You can also 

apply for an extension of your 

permit to either the Migration 

Board website or by post. You do 

not need any photographs when 

applying for a permit extension. 

Family visa 

It is possible for your family 

to accompany you while you 

undertake your studies in Sweden. 

The application procedure is 

very straightforward. You can 

just include them on your own 

application for your student visa as 

taking your family 

is a possibility 

a co-applicant. This will however, 

mean that you will be required to 

meet a stronger financial burden. 

That is you will be expected show 

additional funds for your spouse 

of at least 3500 SEK per month and 

for a child(ren) there must be proof 

of at least 2100 SEK per month 

throughout your period of study. 

Working 

while 

studying 

Once you have been granted a 

residence permit and you are 

enrolled as a student at a Swedish 

university or university 

college, then you are allowed 

to work without applying 

for an additional work 

visa. Although, legally 

it is possible to work, 

part-time jobs are very limited, 

especially if your Swedish skills 

are lacking. But a good place to 

start your job search is actually 

at your university, these are very 

competitive because there are 

usually a few positions available in 

every department for teachers and 

course assistants. 

• Full-time study 

In addition, you will need to prove 

that you have been enrolled for 

continued full-time study and that 

you still have the requisite financial 

security. 

more info: 

Swedish Migration Board 

www.migrationsverket.se 

Additional funds per month: 

• for your spouse: 3500 SEK 

• for a child(ren): 2100 SEK

Sweden 

483 

Work after 

studies 

There were significant changes made 

to the regulations with regards to 

employing non-European nationals 

in 2008. Once you have found a job 

the application process for obtaining 

a work permit is very straight 

forward: 

• Receive a written offer of 

employment. 

• Your employer sends the job 

offer to the concerned trade union 

for approval of salary and working 

conditions. 

• After approval, the trade 

union sends it back to the 

employer. 

• The employer should then 

provide you with a copy, you 

should then submit it when you 

apply for the work permit. 

• Apply for a work permit at the 

Swedish Migration Board. 

If applicable, apply for family work 

and residence permits. 

• Collect your work permit at the 

Swedish embassy or consulate. 

Embassies 

in the 

Caribbean 

more info: 

www.sweden.se 


P.O. Box CB 11000 


Cable Beach 

Manor Hotel 

West Bay St., 

Nassau 

Bahamas 

Tel: +1 242 327 79 44 

Fax: +1 242 327 77 82 

Email: wiberg@mail1.coralwave.com 

West Indian International Tours Ltd 

Worthing, Christchurch 

Barbados, 

The West Indies 

Barbados 

Tel: +1 246 435 7051 

Fax: +1 246 435 7071 

Email: swedishconsulate@wiit.net 

Embassy of Sweden 

Calle 34, No 510, between 5th and 

7th Ave. 

Miramar, Havanna 

Cuba 

Tel: +53 7 204 28 31 

Fax: +53 7 204 11 94 

ambassaden.havanna@foreign. 

ministry.se 

emb.suecia@enet.cu 

Pablo Casals No.4, Piantini, 

Santo Domingo 

www.swedenabroad.com/havanna 

The Dominican Republic 

Tel: +1 809 616 3000 

Fax: +1 809 549 6112 

dominicana@consuladosueco.com 

Visa applications through Spanish 

Embassy 

Tel: +1 809 535 1615 

Fax: +1 809 535 15 50 

citavisado@yahoo.com

Sweden 

485 

Dominica 

Grenada 

Guyana 

Haiti 

Jamaica 

Antigua and barbuda 

St. Kitts and nevis 

St. Vincent and 

The grenadines 

St. Lucia 

Trinidad 

Tel: +1 767 448 2181, 255 1111 

(dir) 

Fax: +1 767 448 5787 

Email: gerry.aird@whitchurch.com 

Tel: +1 473 440 3578, 

+1 473 440 0128 

Fax: +1 473 440 4172 

Email: wilkinson@spiceisle.com 

Tel: +592 225 41 07 

Fax: +592 226 65 23, 225 09 19 

georgetownsweden@banksdih.com 

Visa: contact Hollands embassy in 

Georgetown, Tel: +592 2 27 40 85 

Fax: +592 2 25 89 95 

Tel: +509 3800 7272 

gfouchard7@yahoo.com 

Visa pplications through the French 

Embassy 

Tel: +509 222 09 51/52/53 

Fax: +509 223 56 75 

Tel: +1 876 922 58 60 

Fax: +1 876 922 48 11 

sweden.consulate.jm@cwjamaica.com 

T: +46 8 405 10 00 

F: +46 8 723 11 76 

ud-ksa@foreign.ministry.se 

Tel: +1 758 450 01 90 

Fax: +1 758 450 01 91 

Email: royalknight@candw.lc 

Visa applications through the French 

Embassy 

Tel: +1 758 455 60 60 

Fax: +1 758 455 60 56 

E-mail: frenchembassy@candw.lc 

Tel: +1 868 625 34 26/35 

dob@neal-and-massy.com 

Visa applications via Dutch Embassy 

Tel: +1 868 625 12 10/17 22/25 32 

E-post: info@holland.tt. 

Consulate 


c/o Whitchurch 

P.O. Box 771 

& Co. Ltd 

Roseau, 

Old Street, 

Dominica, 

Roseau, Dominica 

the West Indies 

c/o Wilkinson 


& Wilkinson 

P.O. Box 800 

Chambers 

St. George’s, 

Lucas Street, 

Grenada, 

St. George’s, 

Västindien 

Grenada W.I. 

Thirst Park 


Georgetown, 

P.O. Box 10194 

Guyana 

Georgetown, 

Guyana S.A, 

West Indies 

28, Rue Goulard 


Place Boyer, 

P.O. Box 164 

Pétion-Ville, 



Haiti, W.I. 

c/o Myers, Fletcher & Gordon 

21 East Street, Kingston 


Office of Swedish 

Ambassadors 

Stationed in Stockholm 

(KSA) 

103 39 

STOCKHOLM 

Rodney Bay 


Waterfront 

P.O.Box RB 2500 

Seagrape Crescent, 

Rodney Bay 

Castries, 

Waterfront 

Saint Lucia 

Seagrape Crescent, 

Rodney Bay 

Castries, Saint 

Lucia, W.I. 

63 Park Street, 

ort of Spain, 

Trinidad

Sweden 

employment: 


487 

Swedish CV 

Your CV should be no longer than 

two pages and can be written in 

either chronological or reverse 

chronological order. It can also 

be written in either first or third 

person. The CV can be relatively 

comprehensive but do not write 

long blocks of text; bullet points 

with a couple of lines of text are 

often the norm. 

Heading 

Curriculum Vitae 

Meritförteckning 

You normally use a heading for 

your CV. In Swedish a CV can be 

called both Meritförteckning and 

CV, though nowadays CV is the 

most commonly used. 

Personal Information 

It is usually only your name and 

surname(s), Address, Contact 

telephone number/s, fax and 

email. This doesn´t need a 

heading on its own and is often 

just written on the top of the CV 

(see example, page 488). 

Professional Experience 

Arbetserfarenheter 

Company name and sector. Dates, 

duties, achieved goals, etc.. Use 

the order that is better for you 

depending on the experience 

you want to emphasize: from the 

oldest to the newest, or vice versa. 

Read more about the two ways of 

organizing your work experience 

in these two kinds of resumes. 

Studies 

Utbildning 

List all levels of your studies. 

Title, place, city, dates of studies 

(it’s better to list these in a 

chronologically inverse order). 

Under this section you can 

also include courses, seminars, 

congresses or conferences that are 

relevant in relation to the position. 

Long or prestigious courses are 

also interesting. Point out its 

duration in hours. Do not write 

down the ones that are not relevant 

or not recent. 

Languages 

Språk 

Which ones and what is your level: 

high, medium or low. Point out if 

you can translate, speak or write. 

Computer Skills 

Dator erfarenhet/färdighet 

Programmes 

applications 

database 

Internet, etc. 

Miscellaneous 

Övrigt 

Other relevant information that 

you don’t know where to put, 

such as geographic and job 

mobility, driver’s license (pointing 

out the category), having a car, 

etc. Explaining your hobbies is 

something that you should usually 

try to do because that is something 

which tends to come up at the 

personal interview. It has the effect 

of pursuing your personality. 

See an example of a Swedish 

CV on the next page 

Gunnar Broberg / historian researching on animal´s relation to humans

Sweden 489 

Namn: 

Personnummer: 

Adress: 

Mobiltelefon: 

Telefon: 

E-post: 

PERSONLIGA EGENSKAPER 

Jag är en utpräglad lagspelare, men kan också ta initiativ och komma 

med förslag till lösningar. 

UTBILDNING 

• 2000-2005 Civilingenjörsutbildning inom byggteknik på KTH 

• 1998-2000 Studier i matematik, svenska och engelska på Komvux 

• 1995-1998 Utbildning i arkitektur från Libanon 

ARBETSLIVSERFARENHETER 

• 2006-2010 Arbete på byggföretaget Exet som byggnadsingenjör 

• 2004-2005 Arbete som busschaufför parallellt med studierna 

SPRÅK 

Svenska, engelska och spanska i tal och skrift 

ÖVRIGA MERITER 

• BD-körkort 

• 2008-f.f. Lagledare i basket för tjejlaget i Mellanstads bollklubb 

INTRESSEN 

Mina intressen är resor, mat och sport. Jag spelar fotboll i Mellanstads 

bollklubb och missar inte gärna en allsvensk hemmamatch med vårt lag. 



(job adverts are in Swedish) 

Jobb24 

www.jobb24.se 

JobFinder 

www.jobfinder.se 

Merajobb 

www.merajobb.se 

Monster 

www.monster.se 

Stepstone Sweden 

www.stepstone.se 

Hidden 

vacancies 

Speculative applications are quite 

common in Sweden and are worth 

trying; write in Swedish whenever 

possible. Networking by using 

personal contacts is also becoming 

a popular way of finding work. In 

recent years it has been common 

to see job seekers advertising their 

availability and competencies in 

local and national newspapers. 

Newspapers 

Some vacancies are advertised in 

the press. 

• The daily newspaper, Dagens 

Nyheter has the largest number 

of job adverts. The main days 

for publishing job adverts are 

Thursdays and Sundays. 

• Svenska Dagbladet and Dagens 

Industri have more businessorientated 

vacancies. 

• You will also find jobs advertised 

in local and regional newspapers 

- links to these can be found via 


newspapers 

www.dn.se 

www.svd.se 

www.di.se 

www.kidon.com/media-link

Sweden 

491 

• Private recruitment 

agencies 

Private recruitment agencies have 

been operating in Sweden since 

1993. You can find some of them 

linked to the Swedish Employment 

Services website, a general search 

in the yellow pages or online. 

trade unions are well 

established part of 

employment 

Higher 

education 

career 

support 

Most universities have a careers 

service (sometimes called 

Arbetslivscenter, Karriärservice 

or even Career Service). At small 

universities these services are 

generally managed by students. 

At the larger universities there will 

be professional career advisers. 

These centres offer guidance and 

counselling, CV checks, career 

seminars, job bulletins and job fairs. 

The following larger universities 

provide career information in 

English on their websites: 

• Gothenburg University Business 

School Careers Service 

• Lund University 

Careers Service 

• Stockholm University 

Careers Service 

Work 

patterns 

Trade unions are a well established 

part of employment in Sweden 

and most workers will belong to 

one. The conditions of employment 

are decided between employers 

and trade unions by collective 

agreement. The working week is 40 

hours; this is the maximum allowed 

under law, with a minimum of 25 

days in paid holiday. There is no 

national minimum wage, although 

certain sectors may set their own 

minimum wage. 

more info on careers 

services: 

www.hgu.gu.se 

www.lu.se 

www.sb.su.se

Switzerland 

chapter 10 

Mario Botta / architect

Switzerland 

495 

GERMANy 

basel-Landschaft 

Schaffhausen 

Thurgao 

basel-Stadt 

Zurich 

Aargau 

Solothurn 

bern 

Appenzell Inner-Rhoden 

Jura 

AUSTRIA Sankt Gallen 

LIECHTENSETIN 

Glarus 

Nidwalden 

Zug 

Luzern 

Schwyz 

Bern 

FRANCE 

Neuchatel 

Vaud 

obwalden 

Uri 

Fribourg bern 

Graubunden 

Vaud 

Ticino 

Geneva 

Valais 

ITALy 

50km 


Switzerland is situated in 

the central Alpine region 

of Europe, adjoining Italy 

in the south, Austria and the 

Principality of Liechtenstein in the 

east, Germany in the north and 

France in the west. It is without 

direct access to the sea. The total 

land mass is approximately 41,300 

sq. km. The Alps, which is situated 

in the south of the country, reach 

switzerland is very 

important as a country 

for travel and transit 

heights of over 4,000 m (highest 

point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m). In 

the west and north is the Jura 

mountains range. Between the Alps 

and the Jura lies a hilly, denselypopulated 

central plateau. Thanks 

to its position in the Alps – that 

is, at the cross-roads formed by 

the Gotthard, Furka and Oberalp 

passes - Switzerland is the source 

of several major European rivers. 

These include the Rhine, the 

Rhone, the Inn (Danube) and 

the Ticino (Po). Switzerland is 

important as a country for travel 

and transit, and this has been 

crucial in determining the course of 

its history. 

In 2010, Switzerland’s permanent 

resident population amounted to 

approximately 7.8 million people 

and foreign nationals accounted for 

approximately 21 % of this figure. 

The average density is 

about 184 inhabitants 

per sq. km. Zurich and 

Berne are the cantons 

with the largest number 

of inhabitants; Geneva, 

Basel and Zurich are the 

most densely-populated cities. 

The largest cities (suburbs 

included): 

Zurich 1,101,700 

Geneva 493,400 

Basel 486,100 

Berne 343,800 inhabitants. 

The constitution of Switzerland 

guarantees the exercise of 

political rights in the form of 

a direct, federative democracy.

Switzerland 

497 

The constitution also confers 

sovereignty - that is, supreme 

political power - on the 

population, which elects 

a parliament. The Swiss 

parliament, in turn, elects the 

members of the government, 

called a Federal Council. The 

country also has a legislative 

body, the Federal Assembly, 

which is composed of two equal 

The economy is 

classified as one of 

the most capitalist 

in the world 

chambers. The Council of States, 

with 46 members representing 

the cantons, and the National 

Council, with 200 members 

allocated according to the strength 

of the party. 

There are currently four main 

political parties: the Swiss People’s 

Party, the Radicals, the Social 

Democrats and the Christian 

Democrats. 

For much of the twentieth 

century Switzerland has been the 

wealthiest country in Europe. 

Swiss residents enjoy low tax 

rates, in comparison to the 

rest of Europe, with similarly 

high standards of living. Yet, 

unlike many European states, 

residents are required to have 

insurance against unemployment, 

occupational accidents and 

occupational illness. 

A 2005 survey by the Swiss 

Federal Statistical Office 

found that the average 

Swiss spent just over a 

third of their household 

budget on taxes and 

insurance. Nevertheless, the 

strong economic performance of 

Switzerland could make studying 

there rewarding experience. The 

country’s economy is classified as 

one of the most capitalist in the 

world and it boasts high levels of 

stability and modernization. 

The main industries are: 

• Pharmaceuticals 

• Banking and Insurance 

• Watch production 

•Tourism 

• Mechanical and Electrical 

Engineering 

The country has high levels of 

freedoms in all areas of life, and in 

1981 an equality law was passed 

to ensure equal rights between 

men and women. The country is 

a collage of various languages, 

religious leanings and ethnic 

differences. This adds to the rich 

cultural tapestry that makes the 

country unique. 

Switzerland’s currency is the Swiss 

franc (CHF). The Euro is also 

becoming increasingly accepted. 

However, transactions are mostly 

done in Swiss francs. 

more info: 

www.swissworld.org 

Swiss 

franc 

(CHF)

Switzerland 

why switzerland? 

499 

Kurt Wüthrich / chemist researching on proteins 

• Accessible education 

Educational programmes in 

Switzerland are largely accessible 

by a wide cross-section of 

people and foreigners make up 

a high percentage of the student 

population. As such, choosing 

Switzerland as your place of 

study means you will meet and 

associate with people from all over 

the world. This kind of diversity 

is good; it can give you a very 

global outlook and an impartial 

understanding of life. 

• Multicultural & 

multilingual country 

Switzerland is a multilingual 

country with many people being 

able to speak French, German, 

Italian, Romansh and another 1% 

of the population speaking other 

languages. If your core interest is to 

learn several languages, or if you 

would like to learn a new language 

or two while you study, Switzerland 

is a great option to consider. 

• Funding for 

postgraduates 

Through the Federal Commission 

for International Students, the 

government provides a small 

number of scholarships to foreign 

postgraduates only. These help 

students undertake research in 

fields that are particularly strong 

areas for Swiss universities. 

you will meet people 

from all over 

the world 

• Balance academic with 

hands-on experience 

Since Switzerland is a European 

business hub, several courses 

have links with locally based 

businesses, which give these 

programmes an advantage that 

cannot be beaten. Special strengths 

are in banking, machine tool and 

precision engineering. Other 

strengths include chemical and 

pharmaceutical engineering as well 

great hotel and tourist education 

departments. The country has 

been very successful in attracting 

the investment of foreign multinationals 

and businesses; and this 

is one of the reasons for its huge 

banking sector. The knock-on 

effect of the wealth attracts some 

of the most respected academics 

in European universities who look 

to enjoy the high wages 

and comfortable lifestyle 

Switzerland offers. 

• Doctoral students 

Doctoral study is 

considered to be 

employment and therefore PhD 

students are paid members of the 

workforce. 

more info: 

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 

Switzerland 


www.swissinfo.org

Switzerland 

ADMISSION 

AND funding 

501 

At the time of writing, 

Switzerland had 12 

recognised traditional 

universities (10 cantonal 

universities and 2 federal institutes 

of technology), 9 universities of 

applied sciences, 14 universities 

of teacher education, and further 

university−level institutions 

supported by the Confederation. 

The institutions supported by the 

Confederation are principally: 

• Graduate Institute of 

International and Development 

Studies in Geneva (Institut 

universitaire des hautes 

études internationales et du 

développement). 

• The Graduate Institute 

for Advanced Public 

Administration (Institut 

de hautes études en 

administration publique) in 

Lausanne. 

• The Graduate Institute Kurt Bösch 

(Institut universitaire Kurt Bösch) 

in Sion and the Distance Learning 

University Switzerland FS−CH. 

Generally, these institutions have 

a three term academic year. Each 

term covers several months and 

ranges from early September 

to December, late January to 

early May, and late May to July 

respectively. 

There are also a number of private 

universities and educational 

institutes in Switzerland. The 

courses and degrees offered at such 

universities are not recognized 

in Switzerland. Therefore, it is 

doubtful that they will have 

international recognition. Among 

international 

students are not 

accepted to medical 

programmes 

the courses and qualifications 

offered many are of dubious 

value, for which reason students 

are advised to clarify, in advance, 

whether these institutions are 

recognised by the Swiss Education 

Board. As international students 

you will need to ensure that any 

educational institution that you 

attend is reputable. The advice here 

is simply to check the reputation of 

your chosen institution carefully. 

In addition, international students 

are not accepted to medical 

programmes in Switzerland. This 

decision is based on the fact that 

a high number of Swiss students 

apply for these programmes and 

there is not enough available space 

to place the local applicants. These 

places are limited and, as a result, 

very competitively sought after. 

The average cost for international 

students to study in Switzerland is 

set out in the table to the right. In 

addition to tuition fees, prospective 

students will have to consider 

living expenses. In the 2011-2012 

period these expenses averaged 

between CHF 19,000. - and 29,000.- 

per year. 

more info: 

www.switzerland.isyours.com 

Tuition 

fees 

FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS / PER YEAR 2011/2012 / IN CHF 

USI 

ZH 

SG 

NE 

LU 

LA 

GE 

FR 

BE 

BS 

ETHZ 

EPFL 

8000 

1578 

2340 

1580 

1570 

1160 

1000 

1610 

1310 

1,400 

1,288 

1,266

Switzerland 

503 

General 

requirements 

The admission requirements for 

attending a Swiss institution is 

very different from that of 

other countries reviewed 

in this book. Prospective 

students can check on the 

Swiss conference of rector’s 

site for specific entrance 

requirements, which may 

vary according to your 

previous country of study 

and the university you 

would like to attend. Although 

students from the Caribbean may 

find it a great opportunity to 

study in Switzerland, those who 

lack the necessary language base 

will find it difficult to attend a 

university in Switzerland if it is not 

for the purpose of postgraduate 

education. There are not very many 

undergraduate programmes taught 

in English. However, if you are a 

native English speaker, do not be 

deterred by this as more courses 

are now being offered in English. 

In some instances, candidates 

who do not completely fullfil the 

admission requirements, but show 

promise maybe asked to complete 

a university entrance examination. 

These examinations are held twice 

per year in Fribourg. Check with 

the working language 

of the heis is based on 

the canton in which 

they are situated 

the university of your interest for 

examination dates and further 

information. 

Vorbereitungskurse auf das 

Hochschulstudium VKHS 

Rue de Rome 1 

CH-1700 Fribourg 

Tel. +41 (0)26 347 16 16 

Fax +41 (0)26 347 16 17 

E-mail: info(at)vkhs.ch 

more info: 

www.vkhs.ch 

LANGUAGE OF 

INSTRUCTION 

Due to Switzerland’s unique 

geographic position, language 

plays an important role in the 

functioning of the institutions. 

Unlike any other country discussed 

in this book, the universities in 

Switzerland usually have a main 

language of instruction and daily 

operation (working language); this 

is largely based on the canton in 

which the university is situated. 

As such, a major decision in 

whether to admit international 

students to a Swiss university is 

dependent upon that individual’s 

ability to study in the working 

language. You will find below a 

list of these institutions and their 

working language. In addition, 

included in this chapter is an 

extensive listing of the institutions 

along with contact details. 

Universities and institutes located 

in the German speaking part of 

Switzerland: 

Basle (BS) 

Bern (BE) 

Lucerne (LU) 

St Gall (SG) 

Zurich (ZH) 

Federal Institute of Technology in 

Zurich (ETHZ) 

Universities and institutes located 

in the French speaking part of 

Switzerland: 

Geneva (GE) 

Lausanne (LA) 

Neuchâtel (NE) 

Federal Institute of Technology in 

Lausanne (EPFL) 

The University of Fribourg (FR) 

is situated in a bilingual canton. 

Therefore, courses are offered in 

both German and / or French. 

Since 1996, the Italian speaking 

part of Switzerland has had its own 

university with the founding of 

Università della Svizzera italiana 

(USI) in Lugano. 

To be admitted to a Swiss 

university, students are asked 

to submit their certificates and 

proof of qualification. These have 

to be recognised in equivalence 

by the university to which you

Switzerland 

505 

seek enrolment. The university 

decides whether to recognise 

the certificate and determines if 

the applicant is qualified 

to be admitted into 

the programme. More 

information on the process 

for assessment of your 

certificate can be found 

below or on the respective 

university’s website. 



• Swiss ENIC 

The Recognition Information 

Centre is the department 

responsible for evaluating and 

recognizing qualifications. The 

main role of the Swiss ENIC is to 

provide information on foreign 

higher education systems and 

on the recognition of academic 

qualifications. However, unlike 

any other centre of recognition 

discussed in this volume, there 

are very strict rules governing the 

capacity in which the centre is able 

to act. Please pay close attention to 

the details set out here: 

Firstly the department states 

unequivocally that they issue 

(non-binding) recommendations 

you may apply to an 

applied sciences 

and/or a teacher 

training university 

on the recognition of Swiss and 

foreign academic diplomas 

The information that they hold 

is primarily concerned with 

academic diplomas. If you would 

like a non-academic professional 

diploma to be assessed, address 

your enquiries to the responsible 

public authorities, associations or 

institutions according to 

the profession in question. 

Otherwise, non-academic 

professional diploma enquiries will 

be referred to those bodies by the 

centre. 

Depending on their legal status, 

these bodies may also be able to 

make recognition decisions. 

• Universities of 

Applied Sciences 

For students who are interested in, 

or concerned with, universities of 

applied sciences – that is, technical 

training, economics, design, social 

work, arts music, theatre, 

applied linguistics and applied 

psychology – enquiries must be 

addressed to the Federal Office 

for Professional Education and 

Technology. They will forward 

enquiries concerning the nonacademic 

tertiary sector to the 

appropriate bodies. 

• Universities of 

Teacher Training 

In addition, if you have an enquiry 

concerning studies at universities 

for teacher training (teaching 

professions and educational 

therapists) it should be addressed 

to the Swiss Conference of 

Cantonal Ministers of Education. 

more info: 

www.bbt.admin.ch 

www.edk.ch 

Health 

Insurance 

It is important to note that all foreign 

students, who intends on staying in 

Switzerland for longer than three 

months must have health insurance; 

this is obligatory. Students who 

are nationals of any state that 

provide international mutual aid 

are exempted from this obligation. 

Other students can be exempted 

if they have equivalent insurance 

coverage in their home country. 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

• Governmental 

scholarships 

The Swiss government provides 

scholarships solely for the 

purpose of postgraduate study; 

this is somewhat unfortunate for 

more info: 

Health insurance coverage 

for international students 

in Switzerland: 

www.crus.ch/dms

Switzerland 

507 

students who wish to complete 

a first degree in Switzerland, but 

there are other available funding 

on offer. The government award 

approximately 240 scholarships 

per year. Eligibility for an award is 

largely dependent on your country 

of origin; scholarships are offered 

to foreign students on the basis 

of reciprocity or within 

the frame of a scholarship 

pool, these are based 

on ongoing mulitlateral 

or bilateral agreements. 

Scholarships are granted 

to postgraduate candidates 

from both industrialized 

and developing countries. 

Candidates should, in the first 

instance, find out from their own 

country’s authorities whether they 

are entitled to a governmental 

scholarship. Another option is to 

approach the Swiss embassy or 

consulate. Further details can be 

found at the Swiss Department of 

Foreign Affairs webpage. 

• University scholarships 

The majority of Swiss universities 

offer funding. International students 

are generally not eligible during the 

first academic year. On completion of 

the first academic year, international 

students are welcome to apply for 

scholarships and other types of 

funding. The degree of funding, that 

is whether partial or full financial 

aid, is however based on individual 

academic performance. A full or 

government 

scholarships are 

offered to foreign 

students on the basis 

of reciprocity 

partial scholarship usually varies 

from CHF 3,000 to CHF 15,000. 

To find out whether a particular 

Swiss university offer scholarships 

to foreign students, check with 

the mobility centres of the Swiss 

universities. 

• General funding 

Provided by various governmental 

and non-governmental organizations 

in Switzerland. Research grants at 

SCIDEV webpage. 

• Exchange programmes 

Global Development Network 

Supports researchers working in 

developing countries by providing 

a range of funding information 

services, including up-to-date 

news of grants, fellowships and 

other funding opportunities, 

especially relevant to social science 

researchers. 

more info: 

Department of Foreign 

Affairs 

www.eda.admin.ch 

Swiss universities 

www.crus.ch 

www.swissuniversity.ch 

SCIDEV 

www.scidev.net/grants 

Global Development 

Network (GDNet): 

www.twas.org (see under 

activities - fellowships) 

www.gdnet.org

Switzerland 

509 

Undergraduate 

studies 

In order to qualify for a place 

at a Swiss institute of higher 

education, international students 

are required to show that their 

level of secondary education 

corresponds to that of a Swiss 

student, in regards to school 

subjects, number of hours, and 

length of schooling. To fulfill this 

criteria your qualifications: 

• must be the highest possible 

upper secondary school-leaving 

certificate in the issuing country, 

• must entitle the holder to general 

access to university studies, 

• must, as a rule, be attained in an 

unabridged course of schooling in a 

school class, 

• must be in one of the following 

streams: classical languages, 

modern languages, humanities and 

social sciences, or mathematics and 

natural sciences, 

• must qualify as general 

education. General education 

is characterized as: 

First language 

Second language 

Mathematics 

Natural sciences 

Humanities and social sciences 

Elective 

more info on 

UNDERGRADUATE studies: 

www.crus.ch 

www.enic-naric.net 

more info on 

POSTGRADUATE studies: 

www.uni-programme.ch 

native language 

optional 

required for all subject areas 

• biology 

• chemistry or physics 

• geography 

• history or economics 

• law 

extra subject from category 2, 4 or 5 

Nonetheless, the decision 

on admittance is solely the 

responsibility of each university. In 

line with this, each university has 

set their own application deadlines. 

More detailed information on more 

specific entry requirements based 

on your country of residence can 

be found at the CRUS/Swiss ENIC 

Web site. 

Postgraduate 

studies 

MASTER’S 

PROGRAMMES 

As with the bachelor’s level 

programmes, each universities 

decides individually on the 

conditions and requirements that 

are acceptable from individuals 

with bachelor’s degrees not 

obtained in Switzerland. Most 

master’s programmes, as listed 

in the database available at the 

Rectors conference of Swiss 

universities webpage, but it is also 

good to check for programmes 

at the institution in which you 

are interested directly. Futher 

information may also be accessed 

by writing to: 

Rektorenkonferenz der 

Schweizer Universitäten 

(CRUS) 

(Abteilungsname) 

Postfach 607 

CH - 3000 Bern 9

Switzerland 511 

• List of master´s 

programmes taught 

in English 

Abbreviations; 

CAS: Certificate of Advanced Studies 

EM: Executive Master 

EMBA: EM of Business Administration 

EMBL: EM of Business Law 

MA: Master of Arts 

MAS: Master of Applied Studies 

MBA: Master of BusinessAdministration 

MSC: Master of Sciences 

diploma 

MSC 

MAS 

MAS/EM 

MSC 

MAS 

MSC 

MA 

MSC 

MBA 

MSC 

MAS 

MSC 

MAS 

universities and subjects 

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne EPFL 

• Bioengeneering 

• Chemical & Biochemical Engineering 

• Communication Systems 

• Computational Science and Engineering 

• Computer Science 

• Electrical and Electronic Engineering 

• Energy Management and Sustainability 

• Financial Engineering 

• Global Supply Chain Management 

• International Postal Management 

• Life Sciences and Technology 

• Management, Technology and Entrepreneurship 

• Molecular and Biological Chemistry 

• Nuclear Engineering 

• Tunnelling 

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ETHZ 

• Applied Geophysics 

• Applied Mathematics 

• Atmospheric and Climate Science 

• Biology 

• Biomedical Engineering 

• Biotechnology 

• Chemical and Bioengineering 

• Chemistry 

• Comparative and International Studies 

• Computational Biology and Bioinformatics 

• Computational Science and Engineering 


• Earth Sciences 

• Electrical Engineering and Information Technology 

• Energy Science and Technology 

• Environmental Engineering 

• Environmental Sciences 

• International Supply Chain Management 

• Management, Technology, and Economics 

• Materials Science 

• Mathematics 

• Mechanical Engineering 

• Medicinal and Industrial Pharmaceutical Sciences 

• Micro and Nanosystems 

• Natural Hazards Management 

• Nuclear Engineering 

• Physics 

• Physics: High Energy Physics 

• Process Engineering 

• Robotics, Systems and Control 

• Security Policy and Crisis Management


diploma 

MSC 

MAS 

MSC 

MAS 

Specialized MSC 

MAS 

Specialized MSC 

MSC 

MAS 

MBA/EMBA 

MSC 

MA 

MAS 

MSC 

BA 

MSC 

MAS 

MSC 

EMBA 

MSC 

EMBA/EMAS 

EMBA/MAS 

MSC 

MAS 

MA 

MAS 

MA 

MSC 

MAS 


• Statistics 

• Sustainable Water Resources 

• Urban Design 

University of Basel 

• Animal Biology 

• Drug Development Sciences 

• Epidemiology 

• Infection Biology 

• International Health 

• International and Monetary Economics 

• Molecular Biology 

• Peace and Conflict Transformation 

University of Bern 

• Business Administration: Rochester-Bern 


• Climate Sciences 


• Ecology and Evolution 

• Economics 

• English Linguistics 

• International Law and Economics 

• International and Monetary Economics 

• Languages and Literatures in English 

University of Fribourg 

• Biology 

• Chemistry 


• Cross-Cultural Business Practice 


• Geography: Global Change and Sustainability 

• ICT-Management 

• Physics 

• Utility Management 

University of Geneva 

• Business Administration 

• Economics 

• Ecumenical Studies 

• English Language and Literature 

I• nternational and European Security 

• International Trading, Commodity Finance & Shipping 

• Physics 

• Standardization, Social Regulation and Sustainable Development 

• Statistics 

• Toxicology


diploma 

MSC 

MAS 

MSC 

MAS 

MSC 

MSC 

MAS 

MSC 

MA 

MSC 

ML 

MA 

MBA/MAS 

EMBA/MAS 

MA 

EMBL/MAS 

MA 


University of Lausanne 

• Actuarial Science 

• Behaviour, Evolution and Conservation 

• Economics 

• Finance 

• Healthcare Management 

• International and European Economic and Commercial Law 

• Management 

• Management and corporate Finance 

• Management of Technology 

• Medical Biology 

• Molecular Life Sciences 

• Sport Administration and Technology 

University of Lugano 

• Communication: Communication, Management and Health 

• Communication and Economics: Corporate Communication 

• Communication and Economics: Marketing 

• Economics: Banking and Finance 

• Economics: Finance 

• Economics: Management 

• Economics and Communication: Financial Communication 

• Economics and Communication: International Tourism 

• Informatics: Applied Informatics 

• Informatics: Applied Mathematics and Computational Science 

• Informatics: Distributed Systems 

• Informatics: Embedded Systems Design 

• Informatics: Geometric and Visual Computing 

• Informatics: Intelligent Systems 

• Informatics: Software Design 

• Informatics and Economics: Management & Informatics 

University of Luzern 

• Law: Transnational Legal Studies Program 

University of St. Gallen 

• Banking and Finance 

• Business Administration 

• Business Administration: Financial Services and Insurance 

• Business Administration: Omnium Global 

• Economics 

• European and International Business Law 

• International Affairs and Governance 

• Quantitative Economics and Finance 

• Strategy and International Management



diploma 

University of Zurich 

• Art Market Studies 

• Biology: Behavioural Sciences 

• Biology: Developmental Biology 

• Biology: Ecology 

• Biology: Geneticser of Science 

• Biology: Human Biology 

• Biology: Microbiology 

• Biology: Molecular and Cellular Biology 

• Biology: Neurosciences 

• Biology: Plant Biology 

• Biology: Quantitative Biology and Systems Biology 

• Biochemistry 

• Economics and Business Administration: Banking and Finance 

• Economic s and Business Administration: Economics 

• Economics and Business Administration: Management and Economics 

• Environmental Sciences 

• Informatics: Multimodal and Cognitive Systems 

• Informatics: Software Systems 

• International Sports Organisations 

• Medical Biology 

EM/MAS 

MSC 

MAS 

MSC 

CAS 

MSC 

• Palaeontology 

• Quantitative Finance 

Beatrice Weder di Mauro / Economist 

DOCTORAL 

PROGAMMES 

To access information regarding 

doctoral programmes, you can 

log onto the Swiss universities 

website. Where it is possible to 

search for doctoral programmes 

by discipline or by university. 

The site also allows prospective 

students to combine their chosen 

programmes with the university 

at which it is available. The main 

criteria that is used to determine 

eligibility for a PhD programme, 

is the completion of a master’s 

degree or equivalent from a 

recognised or accredited university. 

Similar to the bachelor’s and 

master’s programmes, conditions 

for acceptance vary among 

universities, and interested 

students should check the 

admission requirements of their 

prospective university. 

more info: 

www.swissuniversity.ch.

Switzerland 

519 

Swiss 

universities 

german 

Eidgenössische Technische 

Hochschule Zürich ETHZ 

Universität Basel 

Tel. +41 (0)44 632 56 53 

Fax +41 (0)44 632 10 77 

www.admission.ethz.ch 

el. +41 (0)61 267 30 23 

Fax +41 (0)61 267 30 35 

www.unibas.ch 

Zulassungsstelle 

HG F 21.3 

Rämistrasse 101 

CH - 8092 Zürich 

Studiensekretariat 

Postfach 

Petersplatz 1 

CH - 4003 Basel 

Universität Bern 

Universität Luzern 

Universität St. Gallen 

Universität Zürich 

french 

Ecole polytechnique fédérale de 

Lausanne EPFL 

Université de Genève 

Tel. +41 (0)31 631 39 11 

Fax +41 (0)31 631 80 08 

www.imd.unibe.ch 

Tel. +41 (0)41 228 55 10 

Fax +41 (0)41 228 55 05 

www.unilu.ch 

Tel. +41 (0)71 224 21 11 

Fax +41 (0)71 224 21 16 

www.unisg.ch 

Tel 044 634 22 17 

Fax 044 634 49 01 

www.uzh.ch 

Tél. +41 (0)21 693 43 45 

Fax +41 (0)21 693 30 88 

www.epfl.ch 

Tél. +41 (0)22 379 71 11 

Fax +41 (0)22 379 79 34 

www.unige.ch 

Hochschulstrasse 4 

CH - 3012 Bern 

Pfistergasse 20 

Postfach 7979 

CH - 6000 Luzern 7 

Dufourstrasse 50 

CH - 9000 St. Gallen 

Ressort Studierende 

Kanzlei 

Rämistr. 71 

8006 Zürich 

Service aux étudiant-e-s 

AA-DAF BP 1229 (Bâtiment BP) 

Station 16 

CH - 1015 Lausanne 

Uni-Dufour, Bureau 222 

24, rue Général-Dufour 

CH - 1211 Genève 4

Switzerland 

521 

visa and 

immigration 

Service des immatriculations et 

inscriptions 

Unicentre 

CH - 1015 Lausanne 

Service académique 

26, av. du 1er Mars 

CH - 2000 Neuchâtel 

Admission et inscription / Zulassung 

und Einschreibung 

Miséricorde 

Av. de l’Europe 20, Bureau 1222 

CH - 1700 Fribourg 

Segreteria generale 

Via Lambertenghi 10A 

CH - 6904 Lugano 

The visa application for 

residing in Switzerland 

may be classified as twotiered 

process. The first part of 

the application is to apply for an 

entry visa from your home country 

and then a residence permit once 

you have arrived in Switzerland. 

Once you have confirmation of 

acceptance by a Swiss university, 

contact the Swiss embassy in your 

country for information on entry 

formalities for Switzerland. 

the time of year. You are advised 

to file your application at least two 

months before your planned visit to 

Switzerland. This is the minimum 

required time because the decision 

on your visa application can take as 

long as 4 months. 

Scholars and students may be 

authorised to stay in Switzerland if: 

• The applicant is not 

accompanied by other family 

members 

•The applicant 

Tél. +41 (0)21 692 21 00 

Université de Lausanne 

Fax +41 (0)21 692 21 05 

www.unil.ch 

Tél. +41 (0)32 718 10 00 

Université de Neuchâtel 

Fax +41 (0)32 718 10 01 

www.unine.ch 

french and 

german 

Tél. +41 (0)26 300 70 20 

Université de Fribourg / 

Fax +41 (0)26 300 97 90 

Universität Freiburg 

www.unifr.ch 

italian 

Tel. +41 (0)58 666 40 00 

Università della Svizzera italiana 

Fax: +41 (0)58 666 46 47 

www.unisi.ch 

almost all caribbean 

nationals require 

a student visa 

The Swiss Foreigner’s Office is the 

only competent authority to issue 

a student authorization. Each file 

will be reviewed in Switzerland. 

As most demands are submitted 

during peak periods, a backlog 

can delay the applications. 

Consequently, the processing of 

a visa application may take up 

to two months or even longer in 

individual cases, depending on 

intends to attend 

a university or an 


offering higher education 

•The school 

programme and the duration of the 

studies are specified clearly 

• The director of the school 

certifies that the applicant is able to 

follow the courses 

• The person seeking 

to enter Switzerland on a 

foreign passport provides proof 

of financial means to cover 

anticipated expenses in connection 

with the intended study period in 

Switzerland.

Switzerland 

523 

All Caribbean nationals, (with the 

exception of Antigua, Barbados, 

Bahamas, Dominica, Granada, 

St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and 

St. Vincent and Grenadines) are 

required to apply for a student 

visa. Below you will find the 

general requirements for an 

entry visa. Please note that 

these requirements may change; 

you should request up-to-date 

information from the consulate in 

your home country. 

The information 

that follows was 

taken from an actual 

application form for a 

student visa in 2010. 

Required 

documentation 

The application procedure for the 

student visa cannot be completed 

by post. Students applying for a 

student visa are required to visit 

the embassy or consulate general 

in their country of residence. To 

process the visa application, you 

will need: 

• Three application forms: 

Application for authorization to 

enter Switzerland - duly filled in 

either by typewriter or with a blue 

or black ballpoint pen, in English, 

German, French or Italian, dated 

and signed by the student (can 

be downloaded from the Swiss 

immigration website) 

students must go to the 

embassy or consulate 

in their country 

• four recent passport 

photos in colour, according to 

specific instructions published 

on the homepage, with white 

background, size 3.5cm x 4.5cm 

• photocopies of the first 6 

pages and all visas and stamps in 

the passport 

• letter of acceptance by the 

chosen school (one original and 

two copies) 

• proof of sufficient funds 

(one original and two copies), 

which may be, for example, a bank 

guarantee or bank certificate 

• certificates/diplomas, 

certified by a notary public and 

translated into French or German 

(1original and two copies) 

• three CV (curriculum 

vitae), signed by the student 

• three study plans, signed 

by the student 

• three plans for the 

future; for example, professional 

developments intended by the 

student after having finished the 

studies in Switzerland, explanation 

as to how the student thinks his 

future is going to benefit from 

these studies. The plans must be 

signed by the student 

• The enclosed declaration, 

signed personally by the student in 

front of a Swiss consular officer 

• Complete address in 

English and your native language, 

including postal code and phone 

number, where documents should 

be returned, or where the applicant 

can be reached for further 

information 

• If the teaching language is 

English, valid proof of proficiency 

is required 

• The visa fee is 60 Euro. 

Only the exact amount is accepted 

and is non-refundable in case of 

refusal or withdrawal. Please be 

aware that the Consulate General 

may charge a fee for a language 

interview in French, German or 

Italian. 

• According to the Swiss 

authority, all the foreign applicants 

should show a recent medical 

exam; results should be no older 

than three months. If the applicant 

is under medication treatment 

or medication, a medical health 

report must be issued by the doctor 

for the insurance registration in 

Switzerland. 

If you have succesufully obtained 

a student visa, then the next step 

is to apply for a residence permit. 

This can only be done in person 

on arrival in Switzerland. Similar 

documentation is required to 

process the residence permit as 

is required for processing the 

students visa.

Switzerland 

525 

work permits 

On arrival in Switzerland, 

you will have to apply to the 

police department dealing with 

foreigners, to obtain a residence 

permit. You must present yourself 

within ten days of arrival to the 

appropriate police department in 

the town where you will be living 

with following documents: 

• a valid passport, with a copy 

and the original of your entry visa 

• confirmation that you 

have been accepted by a Swiss 

university 

• a guarantee of sufficient 

financial means to support yourself 

during your studies (e.g. bank 

statement) 

• statement concerning your 

address in Switzerland 

Visa 

extension 

Based on the prevailing division 

of government services between 

the federal government and the 

cantons, the cantonal authorities 

are responsible for the extension 

of visas or the granting of aliens 

police residence permits. For this 

reason, you are required to address 

your enquiries regarding visa 

extensions directly to the cantonal 

migration authorities responsible 

for your area of residence. The 

procedure is similar to that of 

obtaining your previous residence 

permit. 

more info: 

www.bfm.admin.ch 


Manuela Pfrunder / designer 

Working 

while 

studying 

The student resident permit does 

not give you the right to work. In 

the case of a summer internship, 

the local authorities have to be 

informed and they have to agree 

beforehand. 

Work after 

studies 

Upon the completion of your 

studies, you cannot work in 

Switzerland automatically. If a 

company recruits you, they need to 

apply for another type of residence 

permit for you and obtain it 

beforehand. Non-EU-citizens can 

only get a work permit if their 

employer proves they could not fill 

the respective position with a Swiss 

or EU citizen. This can become a

Switzerland 

527 

complex and bureaucratic process 

for both employer and employee. 

There are some exceptions to this 

rule for highly qualified and or top 

executive management positions. 

If a company wants to hire you, 

they must send you an official 

offer of employment. If you accept 

the offer, your employer then 

applies for a residence permit in 

the local canton’s police section 

for foreigners. If the residence 

permit is approved, your employer 

will send you a pre-authorisation 

processing a work 

permit may take 

several months 

for a residency permit in addition 

to your employment contract. 

You are then required to present 

these documents in the formal 

application for the actual residency 

permit. 

The process of a work permit 

application can take several 

months and there are no 

guarantees that a permit will be 

issued. An employer might say 

they will be able to get a permit, 

but the ultimate decision will be 

made by the Swiss authorities. 

The decision on whether or not a 

permit will be granted depends 

on a variety of criteria such as the 

type of job, your qualifications and 

nationality, among other factors. 

Within the limits prescribed legally, 

individual cantonal authorities 

have a large degree of freedom, so 

the ultimate decision could depend 

on the official’s mood when your 

application is examined. 

more info: 

www.crus.ch 

Embassies 

in the 

Caribbean 


P.O. Box N-4938 

Nassau 

Bahamas 

Consulate 

Goodman’s Bay 

Corporate Centre 

West Bay Street 

Bahamas 

phone: 001 242 302 2151 

fax: 001 242 302 2101 

christian.coquoz@lodh.com 

Nassau 

Bahamas 

24, Cane Garden Heights 

St. Thomas 

Barbados 

Barbados 

phone: 001 246 425 32 81 

fax: 001 246 425 32 82 

barbados@honorarvertretung.ch 


Apartado postal 

604 

La Habana 11300 

5ta Avenida n 

o. 2005 

entre 20 y 22, 

Miramar, Playa 

La Habana 11300 

Cuba 

Cuba 

phone: 0041 31 324 18 46 

0053 7 204 26 11 

fax: 0041 31 324 18 49 

0053 7 204 11 48 

hav.vertretung@eda.admin.ch 

www.eda.admin.ch/havana 


Apartado postal 

3626 

Santo Domingo 

Dominican 

Republic 

Jimenez Moya 71 

(Churchill esq. 

Desiderio Arias) 

Santo Domingo 

Dominican 

Republic 

Dominica 

phone: 001 809 533 3781 

001 809 534 6944 

fax: 001 809 532 3781 

sdd.vertretung@eda.admin.ch 

www.eda.admin.ch/santodomingo

Switzerland 

529 

employment: 



Torre Ing-Bank, 

phone: 0058 212 267 95 85 

Embajada de Suiza 

piso 15 

fax: 0058 212 267 77 45 

Venezuela 

car.vertretung@eda.admin.ch Eugenio Mendoza Apartado 62.555 

Chacao 

y San Felipe 

www.eda.admin.ch/caracas 

Caracas 1060 A 

La Castellana 

Venezuela 

Caracas 1060 


Venezuela 

Haiti 

phone: 0041 31 322 18 46 

Rue Ogé 12, Boîte Postale 

15164 

3e étage 

00509 2257 98 62 

6140 Pétion-Ville 

Place Saint-Pierre 

00509 2257 05 03 


6140 Pétion-Ville 

fax: 0041 31 322 18 49 

Haïti 


00509 2257 63 77 

Haïti 

ppc.vertretung@eda.admin.ch 

www.eda.admin.ch/portauprince 


Jamaica 

phone: 001 876 948 9656 

Swiss Stores Ltd. Swiss Stores Ltd. 

P.O. Box 171 

107, Harbour Str. 

fax: 001 876 922 8403 

Kingston 

Kingston 

swissco@mail.infochan.com 

Jamaica W.I. 

70, Dundonald Street 

phone: 001 868 623 7816 

Trinidad & tobago 

Port of Spain 

001 868 627 7226 


fax: 001 868 625 9729 

portspain@honorarvertretung.ch 

As a non-national of 

Switzerland, or of the 

European Union, it may be 

very difficult to find employment 

or even to gain the correct permits. 

In Switzerland, non-nationals 

typically work either as seasonal 

workers in tourism or, if highly 

qualified, in information 

technology and financial 

services. According to 

Swiss World, One in 

four of the wage earners 

in Switzerland is foreign. 

The Swiss economy could not 

function without foreign workers. 

Mainly manual workers and 

helpers are needed, for example 

in the building trade and the hotel 

business. Foreign specialists are 

also needed: technicians, engineers, 

scientists and computer scientists. 

Therefore, if you have the 

necessary skills and education then 

you are in a great position. Here 

are some handy tips for applying 

to work in Switzerland. 

Applications, are usually, made 

by submitting a CV and cover 

letter along with copies of relevant 

certificates and referee letters. 

You should create two versions 

of your CV: a local-language CV 

(German, French or Italian) and 

an English CV. When applying 

to international companies, 

you should submit your CV in 

English or, if no language has been 

manual workers 

are needed 

specified, submit it in English and 

in the local language of the area 

where the organisation is based. 

The structure of a Swiss CV 

should be chronological, reverse 

chronological or functional and 

should include personal details, 

education and qualifications. 

Swiss employers attach great 

importance to work experience; 

you should mention all practical 

experience, including internships. 

more info: 

www.swissworld.org

Switzerland 

531 

• Language skills, computer 

literacy and extracurricular 

activities/interests should also be 

included. 

• A photo is often 

attached to the top lefthand 

corner. 

• On a separate 

sheet, include two or 

three references. 

• Also include copies of 

your diplomas and testimonials 

from former employers. 

A typical problem encountered by 

non-nationals who want to work 

in Switzerland is the restrictions 

on permits to work in Switzerland. 

You can improve your chances 

by learning the language of the 

canton where you would like to 

work. Also note that the German 

speaking Swiss are more likely to 

use English, than the French or 

Italian speakers. 

• Where can I work? 

Major industries: 

banking 

insurance 

tourism 

pharmaceuticals 

watch production 

electrical and mechanical 

you may encounter lots 

of restrictions on 

permits to work 

engineering 

logistics 

Recent growth areas: 

microtechnology 

biotechnology 

Shortage occupations: 

communication system engineers 

biotechnologists 

economists 

finance specialists 

lawyers 

German language teachers 

Major companies: 

Nestlé 

Credit Suisse 

Glencore 

Novartis 

Roche 

ABB 

Adecco 

UBS 

Swiss Re 

Swatch 

Zurich Financial Services 


Due to the multilingual nature 

of the country, Switzerland 

has no national newspaper 

and jobseekers should refer to 

popular newspapers in their 

geographic area or languages of 

choice. Vacancies are published 

in newspapers and specialised 

journals. The vacancy sections 

in newspapers usually appear on 

Wednesdays or Thursdays, as well 

as in the weekend editions. 


For a list of registered recruitment 

agencies in French or German 

contact: 

Swiss Staffing 

Stettbachstrasse 10 

CH-8600 Dübendorf 

Tel: 044 388 95 40 

Fax: 044 388 95 49 

newspapers in french: 

www.letemps.ch 

www.tdg.ch 

www.24heures.ch 

newspapers in german: 

www.nzz.ch 

www.tages-anzeiger.ch 

www.weltwoche.ch 

newspapers in italian: 

www.cdt.ch

Switzerland 

533 

Higher education 

careers support 

Due to the difficulties one may 

encounter in trying to gain 

permission to work in Switzerland 

as international students, the 

careers services office at your 

institution of study may assist 

with your preparation for the 

job market; for instance, with 

interview techniques and CV 

writing. However, unless you have 

specialized skills, it is doubtful that 

that they would assist you in a job 

search to remain in the country. 

But even so, if you have gotten 

this far then you will know that 

persistence can pay off. 

more info: 

Swiss Staffing: 

info@swissstaffing.ch 

www.swiss-staffing.ch 

Work 

patterns 

Average working hours 

About 42 hours per week * 

Holidays 

full-time employees are entitled to 

20 days of paid leave per year, plus 

8 or 9 public holidays (this varies 

according to the canton). 

Average graduate starting salary 

85,000 Swiss francs (FH Schweiz, 

2007). 

Working practices 

Swiss companies are generally 

traditional and hierarchical, with 

workers normally expected to 

project a low-key, modest image in 

the workplace. 

* Swiss World, 2008 

persistence 

can pay off 



Espace-Emploi 

www.espace-emploi.ch 

Jobnet Switzerland 

www.jobnet.ch 

Monster 

www.monster.ch 

Portail Emploi 

www.portail-emploi.ch 

Stepstone 

www.stepstone.ch 

Job 20-30 

www.job20-30.ch 

Telejob 

www.telejob.ethz

Working abroad 

535 

Working 

abroad 

chapter 11 

As a prospective student who 

will be residing in a foreign 

country, completing your 

degree in a timely manner should 

be foremost on your minds. If 

you overstay your allotted time of 

study, or if you accept a job that 

does not allow you to perform 

well in school, you may lose your 

visa. With that said, being able to 

support yourself throughout your 

studies is a necessity. This next 

chapter is essentially dedicated 

to discussing one of two ways 

of surviving living and studying 

abroad. The first method of 

survival is to have your living 

expenses funded through grants or 

scholarships, funding is discussed 

in CHAPTER 1: APPLICATION 

GUIDELINES. The second is to 

find gainful employment. It is 

no surprise then that studying 

is largely incumbent on having


537 

the necessary finances. As such, 

students without the necessary 

financial means should start their 

job search as early as possible. 

Starting the job search early has 

a secondary function. If you are 

for students 

without the 

necessary 

financial means 

able to find employment prior to 

submitting your visa application 

(or while it is being considered) 

some countries allow this to be 

calculated as part of the financial 

burden of proof, necessary for visa 

issuance * . 

* This regulation should be checked at the 

embassy when you will apply for your student visa. 

It is possible for you to make a strong case for your 

employment to be considered as financial security. 

This is especially true , if the proposed employment is 

in a field related to your area of study and you have a 

signed and certified contract from the employer. 

The first part of this chapter will 

be on the various Methods of job 

hunting and how you can use 

available resources to make your job 

hunting successful. Each country 

specific chapter contains more indepth 

job search sources particular 

to that country. The second section 

will discuss and evaluate the Tools 

of Job Searching, such as resumes, 

standard application forms and the 

job letter. 

this chapter 

section 1 

various 

methods of 

job hunting 

• how to use 

available 

resources 

section 2 

tools of job 

searching 

• resumes 

• application forms 

• job letter 

Methods of 

job hunting 

These are some of the most 

common places to start 

your job searching: 

• Personal contacts 

• Employers/companies of interest 

• Classified ads 

• National and local newspapers 

• Professional journals 

• Trade magazines 

• Internet resources 

• Professional associations 

• Labour unions 

• State employment service offices 

• Government departments 

• Community agencies 

• Internships 

• Private employment agencies 

and career consultants 

• School career planning and 

placement offices 

book: 

What Color Is Your 

Parachute? 

Richard Bolles

Working abroad 539 

• Hidden vacancies 

A common misconception about 

job searching is that all vacancies 

will be either advertised or easily 

located. Unfortunately, that could 

not be more wrong. I bet that you 

did not know almost half of all 

jobs are filled before getting to 

the advert stage? This is because 

the employer may be lacking in 

the resources (finances, time etc.) 

necessary to advertise the post. 

The fact that you now know this 

should give you an added boost of 

confidence to realise that if you are 

persistent then you may have the 

opportunity to have one of these 

unadvertised positions. 

In searching for hidden vacancies, 

an opportunity that should 

be considered is applying for 

apprenticeships , internships or 

work placements. It may be that 

an employer has not yet thought 

about taking on a trainee so it is a 

good idea to approach employers. 

There are many institutions that 

offer these positions but if you 

accept a position then it should be 

paid or it defeats the purpose of 

adding extra financial security to 

your visa application. That is not 

to say that I am discouraging you 

from gaining international work 

experience. If you feel capable 

of surviving without the added 

economic support, then consider 

taking an unpaid position to gain 

work experience. I should add that 

sometimes unpaid work is a means 

of opening new job opportunities. 

• Networking 

Networking means getting to 

know people who can help you in 

your job search. If an employer 

is told that you are a suitable 

candidate for an availabe position 

from someone they already 

know, you stand a better chance 

of being called to an interview, 

even before they advertise. It is 

therefore essential that you tell as 

many people you know that you 

are looking for a job. You may be 

thinking you are just a student and 

that the people you know are not 

in a position to assist with finding 

a job. This is not true. Just about 

every one that you have ever met 

in your life is a potential contact: 

friends, family, previous teachers. 

These are a few guidelines for 

building your network. 

• Participation in a wide 

range of organisations will almost 

guarantee a ready made contact list; 

• Asking friends and family 

if they know about any jobs. Tell 

them what kind of job you are 

looking for and the hours that you 

want to work; 

• Even before you get to 

your university campus you can 

ask in the international students’ 

office or contact lecturers within 

your field of specialisation on the 

university campus. 


All countries have an assortment of 

national and regional newspapers. 

Yes, it is great for news but best 

of all, most if not all newpapers 

have job advertisements on 

particular days of the week. This 

is a vital source of job searching 

and also a means of assessing 

the job market. Two links that 

maybe of great assistance is Kidon 

Media and the Paper Boy; these 

are directories of newspapers and 

other news sources. Both of these 

sites have information for all the 

countries discussed. In addition 

to newspapers, students should 

also consider trade journals. These 

are specialist journals with focus 

on particular careers or vocational 

training. To find out more about 

trade journals, go to the library 

and search for regional or national 

trade directories. An example of 

this is Kelly’s index in the United 

Kingdom. 


A recruitment agency is an 

organisation that place jobseekers 

in positions advertised by their 

clients (employers). Depending 

on the position offered, this may 

involve the recruitment agency 

sending the jobseeker for an 

interview at the clients offices, or 

supplying the client with the CV’s 

of prospective candidates. Some 

agencies are also responsible for 

choosing the candidate for the 

position themselves. Recruitment 

agencies specialise in certain types 

of work, within certain sectors, 

or in particular geographic areas


541 

or all of the above. The employer 

pays the agency to assist them in 

filling a particular vacancy within 

their organisation. Therefore you 

should not be asked to pay the 

agency for finding you work. If any 

agency ask for payment, maybe 

they are not being honest with you. 

There are advantages in using an 

agency; these are: 

• Specialist agencies may 

be able to offer advice about their 

sector. 

• You can work through 

staffing and contracts agencies to 

gain varied short-term experience 

with several employers. 

• You may be able to set up 

work in advance of your arrival in 

a new town. 

However, you will only be able 

to experience these benefits if 

you follow the general rules for 

working with the agencies. These 

are: 

• Supply the agencies with a CV 

that is targeting a particular work 

sector; 

• Tell the agency about any 

important factors. For example, the 

maximum amount of hours you are 

allowed to work as a student; 

• Tell the agency if you 

don’t want them to send your 

CV to particular companies or 

industries. For instance, your 

student visa may forbid you to 

work in a hospital etc; 

• Keep checking with the 

agency for progress; ring or call on 

a regular basis. 

more info: 

Kidon- Media Link 


The Paper Boy 

www.thepaperboy.com 

• Online recruitment 


An invaluable tool for 

international job seekers is online 

career websites and job listings. 

Most sites allow users to post 

personal CV´s and search job 

databases by industry, location, 

job title or all of the above. Once 

an appropriate match has been 

identified, the firm or headhunter’s 

contact details are 

usually made available. It is fair 

to state that information is one of 

the most important resources at 

the moment. 

Although you may want to find 

a job, you should use reputable 

sites where your information 

and identity will be protected. 

There are many reputable sites. 

Maybe you could also ask the 

international office or admissions 

office for a list of job sites that are 

popular with students. 

There are a few general sites listed 

here; however, within the country 

specific chapters you will find 

more country relevant sites. 

• Work Abroad: international job 

advertisement and postings 

• Jobs abroad: useful tips for job 

searching abroad 

• Transitions Abroad: provides 

articles and varying information 

about working and interning 

internationally 

• The International Association 

for the Exchange of students for 

technical experience (IASTE). 

provides technical internships. 

• The European Career Guide 

more info: 

Work Abroad 

www.workabroad.monster.com 

Jobs abroad 

www.jobsabroad.com 

Transitions Abroad 

www.transitionsabroad.com 

IASTE 

www.iaeste.org 

European Career Guide 

www.Eurograduate.com


543 

• Higher education 

career support 

This office is dedicated to assisting 

students with various aspects of 

career guidance. The main goal 

of the career´s office in most 

universities is to equip students 

with the necessary skills to find 

suitable and gainful employment 

at the end of their studies. 

Consequently, they provide 

students with assistance and advice 

on interview, job search and job 

application techniques. Alongside 

this service, some universities assist 

students with finding vacancies 

while they study. As such, they may 

have a job board where companies 

and businesses advertise. In a few 

universities, there is an online 

database set up to offer recruitment 

services both during and after your 

study period. This is becoming the 

norm and so interested students 

should remember to check on all 

relevant services. Never forget to 

check with department heads, to 

see if they have research positions 

or whether they are in need of a 

general dogsbody to do grunt work 

for them. 

It has been proven that the most 

successful job searcher is one that 

uses a combination of job seeking 

methods. Contacting lots of 

employers will mean that you may 

also have lots of rejections but do 

not give up too easily. Make a list of 

employers you have contacted, the 

position to which you have applied 

and the response that you got. 

This will help to keep track of your 

applications. 

Tools of 

job hunting 

Before starting your job search 

it may be necessary to do some 

ground work. Traditionally all 

one required for applying for 

a job is a CV and a cover letter. 

But, the growth in technological 

innovation has meant that more 

and more organisations offer 

the possibility of completing a 

standard application form online. 

Like the traditional methods 

of application these standard 

applications also have rules of 

‘Do’s and Don’ts.’ The relevance 

of this information is two fold. 

Firstly, most universities currently 

have standard application 

forms online. So a requirement 

of applying for admissions is 

mastering this new format. 

Secondly, it is a necessary skill 

for applying for jobs, if you need 

to work while you study and you 

will definitely need it after you 

have completed your studies. 

Knowing how to create a 

marketable impression of your 

experiences that will allow you 

to stand out from the crowd is a 

skill, whether it is in the form of 

a CV or a standard application. It 

is not too early to start learning 

and as long as you will need to 

work, you will need to know how 

to apply for jobs. The necessary 

tools that will be discussed here 

are speculative job letters for 

hidden vacancies; cover letters 

for an advertised post; CV’s 

and standard application forms, 

as well as a brief discussion of 

interview techniques. 

how to 

market 

yourself?


545 

Speculative letters 

Speculative letters are a great way 

to contact employers, to note your 

interest in working for them. A 

speculative letter is an unsolicited 

application. This method is used 

mainly if you have an interest in 

working for a particular company 

or field and you would like to 

target your applications. This 

is a good way to get noticed 

if the company to which you 

have applied has a vacancy that 

matches your competencies. The 

difference between the unsolicited 

application and responding to 

a job advertisement is that the 

recipient will not be expecting 

your letter. Speculative letters, 

therefore, need to quickly 

persuade the reader to take you 

seriously and should be clear in 

terms of what you want. 

• Essential content 

for a speculative letter 

Who are you, and why are you 

writing to them? 

Say what prompted you to write. 

Establish any common ground, 

for example, if their name was 

given to you by a common contact, 

or if you have previously met. If 

prompted by an article on them or 

their organization in the press, say 

so. This is much more impressive 

than being one of 50 names you got 

out of Yellow Pages! 

What do you want? 

Get to the point early on in the 

letter. Are you after some advice, 

or are you looking for a job, or 

work experience? What are your 

timescales? 

Why are you interested in 

this organization? 

Show you have done your 

research. The letter should be 

tailored to the employer, not one 

of 50 generic letters sent out to a 

range of organizations. 

What you can offer? 

If seeking work experience, what 

can you do? Although it is good to 

be open to anything, suggest some 

areas of particular interest to you. 

You will impress employers if you 

have some degree of focus. 

What sort of work could you do 

for them? (If seeking a job) 

Why would recruiting you be an 

advantage to them? 

If you want to arrange a meeting to 

pick their brains, have you already 

demonstrated active interest in 

their organization for them to take 

the time to meet you? 

What happens next? 

Say how you intend to follow up 

the letter; for example, perhaps 

you intend to telephone them in a 

week’s time. 

Leave the door open. 

They know, and you know, what you 

want is a job, or work experience. 

But if this is all you ask for and they 

cannot help you, you need to provide 

them with another option. 

Cover letters 

The information and process for 

completing a cover letter is similar 

to a speculative letter, in that both 

require candidates to grab the 

attention of the reader. Unlike a 

speculative post this is normally 

advertised, which means that you 

are competing against others for 

the same position. Therefore, to 

get called to an interview, you 

need to convince the employer that 

your skills and personality will 

be a good match for the available 

position. The cover letter is the 

medium you will use to say why 

you above all other candidates 

should be given this opportunity. 

In fact, your cover letter should 

answer the question, why should I 

hire you? 

• First paragraph 

This initial paragraph should 

immediately state your reason for 

writing. This is a brief outline; and 

should be done in 2-3 sentences. 

Points to cover: 

Why you are writing and the 

position you would like to be 

considered for. 

From your thorough research, you 

need to provide examples of why 

you are interested in this position 

or organization.


547 

First and surname 

Full address 

Telephone/mobile phone 

Name and job title of the recipient 

Name of the company 

Full address 

Date 

Reference (for instance newspaper advertisement or phone call, date) 

Headline of the letter (for instance the name of the open vacancy / post) 

Opening paragraph aims to arouse the interest of the reader. Clarify your interests 

towards the position and company. Tell what kind of strengths you have regarding the 

job for which you are applying. 

Body paragraph: (Do not exceed four paragraphs and the length of 1 page) 

• Explain why you should be invited for a job interview. 

• Write the covering letter from employers’ point of view. 

• Reflect what kind of information the employer would like to know about you 

• Regarding the job opportunity he/she is offering 

• Let your motivation and enthusiasm to be seen and heard. 

• Please state your ‘know how’and give examples of it. What kind of skills 

and strengths do you have for the opportunity you are applying for? Use a positive 

and descriptive style. 

• Use action verbs such as established, managed, executed, organized … 

• Avoid phrases and long list of adjectives, tell what did you learn and how. 

• Be concise and focus on the relevant issues. 

• Avoid excessive repetition between your CV and covering letter. 

Closing paragraph: expresses your desire for a personal interview. 

• Your salary expectation (only on request!) 

• A polite way to end the letter is also to point out that if you wouldn’t be selected 

time, you would be glad to be taken into consideration in their future recruitments. 

(In case of a speculative application: say when you are going to contact them) 

• Check the linguistic form and spelling! 

• Close in a friendly and personal way. 

Complimentary close 

Signature 

Clarification of the name 

Enclosure(s): 

Example of speculative cover letter 

The goal is to make a connection. 

Do this briefly and specifically or 

leave it out; sweeping statements 

will not work. 

• Second paragraph 

This next paragraph should fully 

outline why you are qualified. 

Discuss your most relevant 

experiences and qualities as they 

relate to the position for which 

you are applying. Using specific 

examples to support your points, 

bring the attention of the reader to 

your experiences, accomplishments 

or about general qualities you have 

exhibited, which would make you 

the ideal candidate. This is not a 

one size-fit all document as this 

paragraph should change according 

to the job description. This is 

usually the longest paragraph of the 

letter. You may break this paragraph 

into two if it looks too lengthy or if 

your points work best in separate 

paragraphs. Points to ponder: 

The first sentence should be 

a hard-hitting opener. It is 

a quick introduction, which 

is accomplishment-oriented


549 

and directed at the skills and 

qualifications needed for the 

duration of your studies. 

The body of the paragraph should 

provide evidence to back up what 

you have just claimed. Cite specific 

academic achievements/jobs/ 

internships/activities/projects 

and accomplishments associated 

with those experiences. Use your 

resume to come up with some 

specifics, but NEVER reiterate 

passages from your resume word 

for word. Strong examples are 

important! 

The final sentence is a summary of 

what you have discussed above. 

• Final paragraph 

As in any letter the final paragraph 

should provide a short summary 

of your expectations. It should 

be no more than 2-4 sentences. 

You should refer to the other 

documents that you have 

submitted as part of the application 

process, such as references and 

enclosed resume. Then make a 

statement on how appreciative 

you would be to be granted an 

opportunity to show what you 

can do. It is vital that you thank 

the reader for his/her time and 

consideration. 

Example of advertised job post 

FAO: Recruiting manager 

Company name 

Company address 

Company postcode 

Recruiting manager’s name 

Your full name 

Your street address 

Any country 

Any post code 

I came across the THE JOB TITLE position advertised on the PLACE WHERE YOU 

FOUND ADD and became excited about the possibility of joining such an energetic and 

forward-moving organization. I am just as resourceful, creative and driven, and will 

be able to make a valuable contribution to the progressive team. Please find enclosed a 

copy of my CV for your perusal. 

During high school I was Captain of the football team, I played an integral role in motivating 

my team-mates, organizing fundraising events to equipment for the squad while 

maintaining a 3.9 GPA. In addition, I have actively participated in my schools debate 

team, Rotary club and Red Cross. From these experiences I have learned that I posses 

keen instincts and is able to offer strategies to quickly effect change and improvement. I 

am equally at ease working as a team member or independently, and enjoy a role where 

I can foster motivational relationships with colleagues. I believe that that the role of JOB 

TITLE HERE, is an excellent match for my skills and previous experience. 

I am most interested in professional areas where my SKILL HERE and SKILL HERE will 

be fully utilized. I would welcome the chance to discuss with you personally the value I 

can offer to a progressive team. 

Thank you for your time and I look forward to our conversation. 

Cordially, 

Your Name 

Enclosure 

Date


551 

RESUME/CV 

WRITING 

The CV is where your work and 

other relevant experience is laid 

out in a more outline-type form. 

Along with the cover letter, which 

is more literary and personal, 

it should clearly highlight the 

link between your interest and 

that of the employer, through a 

record of your previous work and 

participation in other relevant and 

competency building activities. 

It should show exactly what 

they can expect from you and 

why they should hire you of all 

the candidates applying. The 

presentation and content of CVs 

vary by country as well, so take 

into account the notes that have 

been prepared in the specific 

country chapters. Below are some 

general rules to ensure that your 

CV does not go into the trash. 

There are two main types of 

CVs the chronological and the 

functional. A chronological 

CV, as the name suggests, is a 

demonstration of your work 

and academic history in order 

of occurence. It has the effect of 

indirectly showing your level of 

commitment. This is because it 

is very evident from this type of 

CV the length of time you have 

committed to each position. A 

functional CV, on the other hand, 

is for people with limited work 

experience or who had unstable 

work history. Functional CV’s 

are good because it concentrates 

on the skills and competencies 

required for a specific job role. So 

the person reading this CV will be 

able to easily pinpoint your level 

of familiarity and expertise with 

the role being offered. There are 

examples of both types of CV in 

this chapter. 

what content 

to include? 

personal details 

career objectives/ 

personal profile 

education 

work experience 

interests, 

responsibilities 

and achievements 

referees 

• Personal details 

Include contact information, 

name, address, telephone numbers 

and email address. Normally 

you are not required to put your 

nationality, date of birth, religion, 

marital status or gender. 

• Career objectives, 

personal profile 

A personal profile is a great 

idea for people with some work 

experience and is seeking to 

change careers or direction; it is 

most often used with skills based 

format or several years work 

experience. For younger more 

inexperienced people, including a 

career objective, is a good idea. It 

tells the employers you are focused 

and have a goal. 

• Education 

• List pre-university 

qualifications, for example A’ 

Levels and other access courses. It 

is also a good idea to summarise 

earlier qualifications, especially 

if they have no relevance to the 

position you are applying; 

• Explain in reasonable

Working abroad 553 

detail, the modules, projects, 

dissertations and placements that 

are most relevant to the position 

for which you are applying; 

• Include key achievements, 

average marks for 1st, 2nd year and 

expected or achieved overall grade, 

any awards for academic work; 

• Consider the transferable 

skills you have gained, for example 

communication, research, team 

working etcetera; 

• International qualifications 

may need a brief explanation. 

This level of detail outlined here 

is based on several factors; that is, 

whether you are applying for a job 

or if the CV is for the admissions 

office. In addition, it is based on 

your qualifications. For instance, 

if you have a master´s degree and 

several years of work experience, 

it would not be necessary to put 

your secondary school results. It 

will be understood that these basic 

qualifications have been achieved. 

On the other hand, if your higher 

qualification is a bachelor´s degree, 

it may be a good idea to list earlier 


• Work experience 

• Include most recent first 

or you can split into relevant 

and other work experiences to 

emphasise relevant work even if it 

is not in date order. Nevertheless, 

all of this is dependent on the CV 

format you are using; 

• All jobs and voluntary 

work can be used when describing 

your experience, include 

achievements and emphasise 

relevant skills developed; 

• You can group similar jobs 

together; for example, 3 jobs in 

retail with different employers. 

• Interests, 

responsibilities and 

achievements 

• Include knowledge of 

computer programmes, and 

language skills with level of 

competency; 

• Include all extra curricula 

activities, place in order of relevant 

skills acquired; 

• What you do in your spare 

time, keep this short and identify 

the skills you demonstrate through 

the activity; for example, as a 

member of an organization you 

could point out that this taught 

you interpersonal, motivational 

and or team working skills. 

INCLUDE 

ALL EXTRA 

ACTIVITIES 

• Referees 

• As a part of any employment 

process you will be required to 

submit at least one referee. As stated 

above, talk to referees to verify their 

availability and willingness to act as 

your referee. Tell them the type of 

academic programme or posts you 

are applying for. It would also be 

good if you could give them a copy of 

your CV. 

• Usually two referees are 

required. You can choose them 

from different areas of your life. 

For instance, academia, or maybe 

a co-coordinator from an extra 

curricula activity, or a recent 

employer. Give name and full 

contact details.


555 

Hints and tips to 

target your CV 

The hints provided here are to 

make your CV stand out from the 

rest. 

• Ensure you have 

done extensive research on the 

institution or organization to which 

you are applying. 

• Check the requirements, 

job description for specifications on 

essential skills for the job role. 

• Organise your CV in a 

manner indicating that you have 

the qualifications and experience 

required. In so doing, you can 

emphasize how your experience 

and skills have equiped you to 

fulfill the essential criteria of 

the job. A good way to ensure 

that you do this for every job 

application is by using CARE. 

This exercise is also a good way to 

prepare for interviews. 

book: 

How to write a Great CV 

Paul Mcgee (2006) 

C 

A 

R 

E 

Circumstances 

Describe a 

particular event (one 

line on the situation); 

Action 

What did YOU do; 

Results 

What was the 

outcome. For 

example, increase 

sales by x%, came top 

of class etc.; 

Evaluation 

What did you 

learn; what would you do 

differently. 

• Avoid vague and 

generalised statements; be specific. 

• Use examples to present 

this evidence in your CV. 

• Use active words to describe 

your skills and achievements. 

• On your right is a list of 

action words that will help you to 

demonstrate your competency: 

Action 

words 

Publicized 

Reconciled 

Recruited 

Referred 

Reinforced 

Reported 

Resolved 

Responded 

Solicited 

Specified 

Spoke 

Suggested 

Summarized 

Synthesized 

Translated 

Wrote 

Interpreted 

Interviewed 

Involved 

Joined 

Judged 

Lectured 

Listened 

Marketed 

Mediated 

Moderated 

Negotiated 

Observed 

Outlined 

Participated 

Persuaded 

Presented 

Promoted 

Proposed 

Convinced 

Corresponded 

Debated 

Defined 

Developed 

Directed 

Discussed 

Drafted 

Edited 

Elicited 

Enlisted 

Explained 

Expressed 

Formulated 

Furnished 

Incorporated 

Influenced 

Interacted 

Communication 

/ People 

Skills 

Addressed 

Advertised 

Arbitrated 

Arranged 

Articulated 

Authored 

Clarified 

Collaborated 

Communicated 

Composed 

Condensed 

Conferred 

Consulted 

Contacted 

Conveyed 

Planned 

Prepared 

Programmed 

Projected 

Qualified 

Reconciled 

Reduced 

Researched 

Retrieved 

Determined 

Developed 

Estimated 

Forecasted 

Managed 

Marketed 

Measured 

Netted 

Assessed 

Audited 

Balanced 

Budgeted 

Calculated 

Computed 

Conserved 

Corrected 

Data / 

Financial 

Skills 

Administered 

Adjusted 

Allocated 

Analyzed 

Appraised

557 


Management/ 

Leadership 

Skills 

Analyzed 

Appointed 

Approved 

Assigned 

Attained 

Authorized 

Chaired 

Considered 

Consolidated 

Contracted 

Controlled 

Converted 

Coordinated 

Decided 

Delegated 

Developed 

Directed 

Eliminated 

Emphasized 

Enforced 

Enhanced 

Established 

Executed 

Generated 

Handled 

Headed 

Hired 

Hosted 

Improved 

Incorporated 

Increased 

Initiated 

Inspected 

Instituted 

Led 

Managed 

Merged 

Motivated 

Navigated 

Organized 

Originated 

Overhauled 

Oversaw 

Planned 

Presided 

Prioritized 

Helping Skills 

Adapted 

Advocated 

Aided 

Answered 

Arranged 

Assessed 

Assisted 

Clarified 

Coached 

Collaborated 

Contributed 

Cooperated 

Counseled 

Demonstrated 

Diagnosed 

Educated 

Encouraged 

Ensured 

Expedited 

Facilitated 

Familiarized 

Furthered 

Guided 

Helped 

Insured 

Intervened 

Motivated 

Prevented 

Provided 

Supplied 

Supported 

Volunteered 

Referred 

Rehabilitated 

Represented 

Resolved 

Simplified 

Teaching 

Skills 

Adapted 

Advised 

Clarified 

Coached 

Communicated 

Conducted 

Coordinated 

Critiqued 

Developed 

Enabled 

Encouraged 

Evaluated 

Explained 

Facilitated 

Focused 

Guided 

Individualized 

Informed 

Instilled 

Instructed 

Motivated 

Persuaded 

Simulated 

Stimulated 

Taught 

Tested 

Trained 

Transmitted 

Tutored 

Technical 

Skills 

Adapted 

Applied 

Assembled 

Built 

Calculated 

Computed 

Conserved 

Constructed 

Converted 

Debugged 

Designed 

Determined 

Developed 

Engineered 

Fabricated 

Fortified 

Installed 

Maintained 

Operated 

Overhauled 

Printed 

Programmed 

Rectified 

Regulated 

Remodeled 

Repaired 

Replaced 

Restored 

Solved 

Specialized 

Standardized 

Studied 

Upgraded 

Utilized 

Produced 

Recommended 

Reorganized 

Replaced 

Restored 

Reviewed 

Scheduled 

Secured 

Selected 

Streamlined 

Strengthened 

Supervised 

Terminated 

Creative 

Skills 

Acted 

Adapted 

Began 

Combined 

Composed 

Conceptualized 

Condensed 

Created 

Customized 

Designed 

Developed 

Directed 

Displayed 

Drew 

Entertained 

Established 

Fashioned 

Formulated 

Founded 

Illustrated 

Initiated 

Instituted 

Integrated 

Introduced 

Invented 

Modeled 

Research 

Skills 

Analyzed 

Clarified 

Collected 

Compared 

Conducted 

Critiqued 

Detected 

Determined 

Diagnosed 

Evaluated 

Examined 

Experimented 

Explored 

Extracted 

Formulated 

Gathered 

Inspected 

Interviewed 

Invented 

Investigated 

Located 

Measured 

Organized 

Researched 

Reviewed 

Searched 

Solved 

Summarized 

Surveyed 

Systematized 

Tested


559 

Scheduled 

Screened 

Submitted 

Supplied 

Standardized 

Systematized 

Updated 

Validated 

Verified 

JOHN DOE 

johndoe@hotmail.com 

Any street, Any country, any post code 

Personal Statement / Career Aim 

This is optional, but if you do include it, don’t waste space by writing anything 

generic. Keep it brief (three or four lines max). Tailor this section to the role and 

company you are applying to. 

Processed 

Provided 

Purchased 

Recorded 

Registered 

Reserved 

Responded 

Reviewed 

Routed 

EDUCATION 

University Attending 

University Attending 

• Module name 

• Module name 

• Previous relevant courses 

May 2007 

June 2004 

EXPERIENCE 

Job Title 

Employer, Location 

• Duties, responsibilities, skills 



June 2007 to present 

Inspected 

Logged 

Maintained 

Monitored 

Obtained 

Operated 

Ordered 

Organized 

Prepared 

Job Title 


Job Title 








2004-2005 

2003-2004 

Collected 

Compiled 

Corrected 

Corresponded 

Distributed 

Executed 

Filed 

Generated 

Incorporated 

Organizational 

skills 

Approved 

Arranged 

Catalogued 

Categorized 

Charted 

Classified 

Coded 

Example of reverse chronological CV 

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING 

• Training course • Professional exam (Grade, if applicable) 

INTERESTS 

• List of hobbies, leisure pursuits, sports etc. you 

are involved with outside of work and education. 

• Also include any positions of responsibility 

(non-academic) at university/college/school. 

• Include any volunteering work and/or 

involvement with the community. 

REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST 

COMPUTER SKILLS 

• Microsoft Word 

• Microsoft Excel 

• Microsoft PowerPoint 

• Microsoft Access


561 

Jane Doe 

5 Any Street, Any town, Anywhere, Any Postcode 

Tel.487648612 • Mobile 77324561 

janedoe@email.com 

PERSONAL STATEMENT/ CAREER OBJECTIVE 

This is optional, but if you do include it, don’t waste space by writing anything generic. Keep it brief (three or 

four lines max). Tailor this section to the role and company you are applying to. 

SKILLS & ACHIEVEMENTS 

Effective communication 

Demonstrate skills used under a general heading. You can refer to skills gained in more than one job. Always 

support your claims with an example. 

Problem Solving 



Team Work 



Ability to Manage, Plan and organize Workload 



EDUCATION 

University 

List relevant courses-providing brief explanations if necessary 

High School/College 

A summary of courses and grades 

EXPERIENCE 

Job Title 




date of completion 

date of completion 

date from – date to 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

• List computer programs that you are able to use or courses previously taken. 

• List any other relevant professional courses. 

• Also include any positions of responsibility (non-academic) at university/college/school. 

• Include any volunteering work and/or involvement with the community. 

• List of hobbies, leisure pursuits, sports etc. you are involved with outside of work and education. 

Example of a functional CV 

Standard 

Application Forms 

Many organisations are now 

providing standard application 

forms. There are online versions 

as well as paper based standard 

applications. The focus here is 

online application. Based on the 

responses provided, employers 

are able to narrow candidates 

for interviews by searching for 

key words. According to Agcas 

(2007), this is a ‘more transparent 

and scientific approach‘. So, 

in order to fulfill the essential 

criteria when completing the 

application form there are a few 

things that you should consider. 

• Print off the form, read it 

through thoroughly so that you 

can get a clear picture of what is 

required; 

• Make sure that you 

obey the instructions; e.g. many 

employers specify the use of 

upper case throughout or word 

limits; 

• Prepare any long 

answers, spell check it and then 

copy paste; 

• Pay attention to 

REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST


563 

your spelling and grammar 

throughout. Many employers will 

automatically reject candidates 

who are weak in these areas; 

• Get someone to read 

through your answers. Someone 

else will quickly notice mistakes 

that you have missed or occasions 

where you have not made 

yourself clear; 

• Make the best of yourself 

but be honest. You may be 

required to talk about what you 

have written at an interview; 

• Upon completion, print the 

form once again, double checking 

spelling and that you have entered 

correct contact details, etc.. 

The standard application form 

normally mirrors the information 

that is included on a CV; the main 

headings are: 

• Education 

List your education in reverse 

chronological order, so start with 

the last one first. Taking time to 

highlight modules or courses that 

are relevant to the role to which 

you are applying. 

• Employment/work 

experience 

List your jobs in reverse 

chronological order by title Describe 

your responsibilities or achievements 

in your roles, bearing in mind the 

skills the employer is seeking. You 

can group together or prioritise some 

experiences if space is limited. Check 

the list of action words (pages 555- 

558) for suggestions about useful 

expressions to use. 

be honest! 

• Interests and 

achievements 

Similar principles apply as for 

your work experiences. Emphasise 

key words that demonstrate 

evidence of your skills. Focus 

on demonstrating appropriate 

behaviours rather than seeking 

to impress an employer with an 

amazing achievement. 

• Competency-based 

questions 

Some recruiters ask competencybased 

questions. These ask the 

applicant to provide detailed 

answers, based on personal 

experience, to demonstrate 

competence in a skill required 

in the role to which you apply. 

Before you respond, consider 

whether the question is closed, 

asking for specific, quantifiable 

information, or whether it is open. 

Then you can decide the direction 

of your response. An example of 

a competency based question is 

Think of a time when you have had to 

influence others to do something they 

were reluctant to do. What was the 

situation? How did you do it? What 

was the outcome? There is often a 

word limit attached to the answer. 

The employer is looking for a clear, 

succinct and disciplined answer. 

For this question you should try to 

Briefly outline the situation. 

Explain what you did in terms 

of the skills and processes that 

YOU used in some detail; describe 

a positive outcome or personal 

learning point. 

There is likely to be a series of 

questions covering a range of 

personal skills such as problem solving,


565 

teamwork and communication; avoid 

using the same scenario twice. Draw 

on the breadth of your work, personal 

life and study to provide a variety of 

answers. 

• Personal statements 

Many application forms require 

you to complete a personal 

statement in support of your 

application. This is quite similar to 

a cover letter, the only difference 

is that employers may ask you to 

give a direct response to questions 

they have provided.You might 

be asked to give your reasons for 

applying and other information 

relevant to the job specification. 

Your personal statement should 

relate directly to the specifications 

of the role to which you are 

applying. It is important that 

you address all the points in the 

specification in the order in which 

they appear. Imagine this being 

used as a checklist by the person 

short-listing. Address each point 

on the job specification in a clearly 

themed paragraph: 

a) In your first sentence you 

might make a short STATEMENT 

summarising how your skills match 

the skills required for the job. 

b) The next few sentences 

should provide a concrete 

EXAMPLE of the assertion(s) you 

have just made. 

c) A final sentence that 

shows REFLECTION will add 

depth to the point you are 

making. 

Here is an example of how to 

answer. A popular question 

especially in a multicultural 

setting, is asking candidates about 

their commitment to promoting 

equal opportunities. A great 

answer would be: 

‘I have always tried to 

ensure in my personal and work 

life that I am sensitive to and 

inclusive of the cultures and 

circumstances of other people. 

In 2006, I worked as a mentor to 

a group of students on the Aim 

Higher project to encourage pupils 

from non-traditional backgrounds 

to consider university. I designed 

projects and activities that 

recognised and focused on the 

diverse experience within the 

group to ensure participation. 

The programme was successful 

for the pupils and a rewarding 

learning experience for me. 

The experience showed me that 

working together with mutual 

respect is more productive and 

rewarding. Another popular 

question is, why you are applying 

for the job and what attracted you 

to the organisation? In response to 

this, you should enssure that your 

statement: 

• uses language and 

phrasing that show enthusiasm for 

both the role and the organization; 

• provides a brief summary 

of how your set of skills matches 

the post advertised; 

• shows that you have done 

your research on the company; 

• highlights their strengths 

as an employer. 

• References 

The same rules apply as for a 

regular CV. Here you may need 

to state your referees’ full contact 

details. Remember to ensure 

referees are agreeable and let them 

know that they may be contacted. 

• And finally 

Before sending the form, ask 

someone to check through it as you 

may not be able to see your own 

mistakes. It is also a good idea to 

keep a copy of your application 

and job advertisement details in 

case you need to prepare for your 

interview. 

EDITING - IS THIS 

THE BEST I CAN DO? 

No discussion regarding the job 

application process would be 

complete without you asking 

yourself, is this best I can do? 

Many people, after spending a 

great amount of time on working 

on one or the other of these 

documents, do not feel the urge 

to double check them. However, 

consider it wasted time if you do 

not do the following: 

• Edit 

Do not expect to produce a 

wonderful CV or cover letter at 

your first attempt. You will need to 

make a few drafts. Each should be 

an improvement on the last. Be self


567 

critical; the aim is to end up with a 

piece of work that is easy to read, 

looks attractive and communicates 

the distinct benefits of employing 

you to a prospective employer. 

There are a few simple steps to 

follow: 

• Keep re-writing until you 

are satisfied; 

• Check your spelling and 

grammar; 

• Check again for 

unnecessary material; 

• On completion, show it to 

someone whose advice you trust 

and listen to what they have to say, 

welcome constructive criticism. 

• Own your 

accomplishments 

Own what you have 

accomplished. For example, avoid 

using terminology that reduces 

your worth this experience gave 

me the opportunity to... or worse, 

these goals were met by me. You do 

not want to sound like everything 

happened to you or was done by 

some other entity. Make yourself 

the active subject of every 

sentence, use phrases such as, 

in this experience I developed/ 

reinforced/learned/etc.. The 

point is simply to use action 

words. But, that does not mean 

every single sentence should 

start with I so vary your syntax 

accordingly. 

• Avoid colloquial 

(informal writing) 

You want to sound professional, 

and objective. Therefore, it 

is advisable to break down 

contractions, it sounds better if you 

write I have instead of I’ve. 

• Restrict pages 

The purpose of the cover letter is 

to get the personel officer to be so 

interested that s/he really wants 

to read your resume! If the letter 

is spilling onto a second page, it’s 

time to tighten your points and 

edit the fluff. 

• Interest them 

Your tone should be upbeat, 

professional and informative. They 

want to know what you can do 

for them, so sell yourself and your 

skills in a positive way. Keep that 

in mind as you write and proofread 

each paragraph. 

INTERVIEWS 

If you have followed the 

suggestions and guidelines listed 

above then this is the next step. 

The final part of the quest to find 

employment is the interview. 

If you have been invited to an 

interview then you should feel 

very proud, because it simply 

means that you have followed the 

guidelines and this has attracted 

the attention of the right people. 

Although you have made it this far, 

do not become complacent because 

having a letter of invitation to an 

interview simple means that you 

need to start preparing. There 

are different types of interviews, 

these are: telephone, one-to-one, 

group and competency based/ 

behavioural interviews. The tips 

below cover these various types. 

• Interiew preparation 

(hints & tips) 

• At the point of deciding 

that you want to apply for a 

particular company, you should 

start extensive research about the 

company - products, services, 

markets, competitors, trends, 

current activities, priorities. On 

being invited to an interview the 

research should continue, but more 

specific to the role to which you 

have applied; 

• If you have prepared, as 

discussed in the above, then you 

will be prepared to answer the type 

of questions you may be asked; 

be able to say why you want the 

job, what your strengths are, what 

contributions you can make to the 

company etcetera; 

• Although many people 

do not recognize this as important, 

it is integral to prepare some 

questions to ask at the interview. 

This shows your interest in the 

company, that you are prepared 

and it makes you a more 

memorable candidate; 

• Likewise, request a copy 

of the company’s employment 

terms and conditions or employee 

handbook before the interview, in 

order to save time covering routine 

matters during the interview;


569 

• Depending on the type of 

the job to which you are applying, 

you will have some idea of the 

criteria on which the employer 

is assessing candidates. For 

example, if you are applying for 

a marketing job then one of the 

skills based that employers will be 

assessing is communication skill. 

So it is important to assemble 

hard evidence of what you have 

a first 

impression: 

just once! 

achieved in the past. This proof 

will put you ahead of those who 

merely talk about what they are 

able to do; 

• Make sure your CV is up 

to date, looking very good and 

even if already supplied to the 

interviewer take a couple of copies 

with you. One for the interviewer, 

one for you and a spare in case the 

interviewer brings a colleague in to 

the interview; 

• Within the context of the role 

that you have applied, review your 

personal goals and be able to speak 

openly and honestly about them and 

how you plan to achieve them; 

• As discussed above 

contact potential referees and 

explain the position to which you 

are applying, and whom may 

contact them, also provide them 

with an up-to-date copy of your 

CV and cover letter and or the 

application form that you have 

submitted to the company; 

• A first impression can 

only be made once, therefore you 

should consider what to wear and 

even seemingly inconsequential 

things like your nails, should look 

clean and tidy.

Appendices

Appendices 

Quick admissions 

checklist* 

573 

topic where to find out time it takes 

Study programme 

Examine the available study 

programmes. 

See the various country specific 

chapters as they contain sites for 

international study programmes and 

courses. 

Variable. To avoid disappointment, 

make some second 

choices as well. 

Accreditation 

Make sure that the programme of 

your choice is an accredited programme. 

If it is not, it does not 

necessarily mean that its quality is 

not up to par, but it may mean that 

the degree is not formally recognized 

outside of your country of study. As 

a consequence, it would be a waste 

of valuable time and resources entering 

such a progrmme. 

Before making a final decision on 

an insitution 

Check the institution 

Check whether the institution of your 

choice appears on the list of government 

recognised institutions and 

is therefore allowed to recruit international 

students. If it is not then 

you may be denied an entrance visa 

because your institution of study is 

not recognized. 

Before making a finial decision 

on an institution. 

Scholarships 

Contact the embassy in your country 

of interest or the international 

relations office of your chosen place 

of study to find out about scholarship 

and exchange opportunities. 

See also, various websites and other 

scholarship sites as listed throughout 

this volume 

Variable 

Requirements 

Contact your chosen institution to 

ask for more information about 

admission requirements, language 

requirements etc. Clearly explain that 

you are an international student and 

enquire about special requirements.. 

Early as possible 

Admission 

If the programme is suitable and 

you meet the requirements, follow 

the institutions procedure for gaining 

admission 

Variable 

Immigration regulations 

At the same time, check which immigration 

regulations apply to you. You 

will find this information at the various 

embassy and consulates listings 

in the country specific information: 

From collecting the required 

documents to receiving your 

actual visa (if needed) may take 

up to 6 months

Appendices 

575 

Banking 

topic where to find out time it takes 

Gather all the documents which the 

immigration authorities require in 

your case. If you need an entry visa, 

ask your host institution if they can 

arrange it on your behalf. If not ask 

what type of assistance they can 

provide for you, whether in the form 

of advice or more substantive assistance 

in the form of documentation. 

Documents 

Variable 

Ask the host institution about arranging 

a place for you to live or providing 

you with the contact details for 

relevant persons that may be able to 

assist you to find reasonable accommodation 

Housing 

Variable deepending on chosen 

country of study, some require 

proof of insurance before issuing 

a student visa. 

Check whether your will be required 

to purchase health insurance. Check 

varying carriers to find the best and 

most flexible deals as a student. 

Health insurance 

* Although this information is listed in the country specific information. This like other 

requirements are changeable and so it is advisable to contact institutions of interest directly. 

Before leaving home 

It is integral to find out before leaving your home country, the procedures for 

transferring money internationally and how much it will cost. After setting 

up your new bank account, it will then be easier to arrange the transfer of 

your funds from your home bank, once you have provided your new bank 

details. 

Why open an international account? 

• Managing your finances 

• Easier to budget & plan 

• Proof of payment in a dispute 

• Proof of finances for visa purposes 

• Reduces the cost of transferring between banks 

• Dangerous travelling with large sums of cash 

• Most bank currently issue debit, visa or mastercards which translate to 

online payment options and a more time effective method of bill payment 

Opening an account 

As an international student one of the requirements will be to show 

that you have enough funds to cover you living expenses throughout 

your period of study. Consequently, as a part of the visa processes some 

countries require that you open and maintain a bank account. Sometimes, 

this is easier said that done. There have been a lot of changes in banking 

regulations with the goal of limiting money laundering and international 

terrorism, therefore as with most things relating to studying abroad, this 

will require patience. 

Many banks now offer services for opening accounts line or by phone, 

however as an international student, you should prepare for a face-to-face 

meeting. This is because they would be dealing with unfamiliar documents. 

Some schools have relationships with various banks, where they refer their

Appendices 

577 

international students. So to make the process easier you should ask your 

international student office to recommend a bank. The upside of getting such 

a recommendation is that you know that they have experience of dealing 

with international student accounts, which means that things will go more 

smoothly. 

osing an account 

Normally, I would advise you to shop around, however, given that opening 

an international student account may prove difficult maybe your choices 

will be limited. I can only advise that different accounts carry different 

fee structures and expectations, so spend some time reading through the 

documentation provided by the bank. In addition, if you have a large 

sum of money, for countries where you are required to show that you are 

financially capable of covering the entire period of study, it may be a good 

idea to open a savings account transferring only your budgeted monthly 

expenses to your current account. This has the effect of ensuring better 

money management and a savings account will give you higher return on 

the remaining amounts. The procedure for opening an account varies by 

country, and sometimes banks. Below is a country by country breakdown of 

required documents for opening a student bank account. 


• Proof of identity – passport /national identity card 

• Confirmation of your overseas address in the form of one of the following: 

a) your original letter of admission from your UK 

education institution or Universities and Colleges 

b) residential address confirming your place for study 

c) a letter of introduction for UK banking facilities from 

your education institution 

United States 

• Proof of Identity: passport, state driver’s license or another form of ID. 

• Proof that you are a student: Copy of school ID or letter of admittance 

• Copy of your visa, 

• Other immigration documents such as I-20, and your I-94 

Canada 

Canada is the only country with advertised services for opening an account 

before your actual arrival in the country. This is an efficient method by which 

you can wire your funds. All banks have different procedures for doing 

this, so ask the bank you choose to outline their procedures. Consider the 

following steps: 

• Do your research and choose a bank within close proximity to where you 

will be living and or your place of study. 

• Fax the bank of your choice a copy of your passport and your estimated 

date of arrival. 

• Include a signed letter explaining your requirements along with your 

request for a student bank account. An account will then be opened in your 

name, with a deposit only restriction on it. 

• The bank will then fax information regarding your account number and the 

bank’s information for wire transfer. Following this, you will be able to wire 

transfer money into your new account. 

• Upon your arrival in Canada, take your passport into a branch of the 

bank. You will be asked to sign signature cards. With this completed, all 

restrictions will be removed from your account, and your funds will be 

there, ready for use. 

Denmark 

• Proof of identity – passport 

• Copy of your visa 

• Personnummer (CPR)- This is an identification number that is issued by the 

Burgerservice (citizens office) to everyone that has been granted residency in 

the country. This proves that you are in the country legally.

Appendices 

579 


a) your original letter of admission from the Danish education 

institution to which you have been admitted residential address and 

confirming your place for study. 

b) a letter of introduction for Danish banking facilities from your 

education institution. 

Finland 

• Passport 

• Additional photo ID 

• Proof of address: it is best to take a document proving both your current 

address in Finland and your address in your home country. 

• Finnish personal ID number: This is an identification number that is issued 

by the Finnish tax office to everyone that has been granted residency in the 

country. This proves that you are in the country legally. 

• Residence permit 

Netherlands 

• Valid identification (passport, identity card) 

• Letter of acceptance from your university 

• Rental agreement stating your address in the Netherlands 

• Take a copy of your Dutch national ID number, which is referred to as 

(Gemeentelijke Basis Administratie, BSN citizen number) 

Norway 



• Personnummer- Identification number issued by the Norwegian tax office 

to everyone that has been granted residency in the country. It proves that you 

are in the country legally. 

Sweden 



• Personnummer- This is an identification number that is issued by the 

Swedish tax office to everyone that has been granted residency in the country. 

This proves that you are in the country legally. 


a) your original letter of admission from the Swedish education 

institution to which you have been admitted residential address 

confirming your place for study. 

b) a letter of introduction for Swedish banking facilities from your 

education institution. 

Switzerland 



• Confirmation of current address 

• Due to liberal banking laws, Switzerland is maybe the easiest country in which 

to open an account. But, it is advisable to check out a post office account. They 

have a feeless credit card and much lower fees than a regular bank. You can 

just pick up an application form at any post office and ask about ‘Studentset’. 

The most important advice that 

I can give here is that you ensure 

that you take enough money to 

cover your living expenses 

for at least two weeks. If you 

plan for all eventualities, there 

will be no need to panic...and 

this will definitely reduce the 

stress of coming into a new 

environment.

Appendices 

581 

PERSONAL NUMBERS 

Most countries have a unique identification number that has several roles, 

such as one or all of the following. The card is used to identify you for medical 

care, government services, opening bank accounts, paying your salary, buying 

a house, insurance, registering for utilities and much, much more. Below is a 

brief guideline of where and how to obtain this number: 

Canada 

The Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a nine-digit number that you need to 

work in Canada or to have access to government programmes and benefits. 

Contact a service Canada centre. 

www. servicecanada.gc.ca 


Referred to as a National Insurance number (NIS). Contact the Department 

for Work & Pensions. 

www. dwp.gov.uk 

United States 

Referred to as a Social security number. Contact the Social Security 

Administration 

www.ssa.gov 

Denmark 

Referred to as a CPR. Contact the Burgerservice center. To find one located 

near you: 

www.kk.dk 

Finland 

Referred to a as Personal ID number (henkilötunnus). Contact a local tax 

office. 

www.vero.dot.fi 

Netherlands 

Everyone who will be residing in the Netherlands for four months or longer 

must register with the Gemeentelijke Basis Administratie (GBA) (Municipal 

Personal Records Database). Please be sure to bring your original notarised 

birth certificate when registering with the Municipal Personal Records 

Database. Please notethat copies will not be accepted. 

www.bsnweb.nl 

Norway 

If you are going to stay in Norway for more than six months you should 

register with the National Registry so that you can be awarded an 11 digit 

identity number (your date of birth plus a 5 digit personal number). This is 

done at the local tax assessment office (“Likningskontor”). The number is 

required for opening a bank account, obtaining a student card. 

www.norway.no/styresmakter 

Sweden 

Referred to as the Swedish personal number (personnummer) issued by 

the tax authority. There is no deadline on when one needs to apply for a 

personnummer but it will be impossible to operate in the society without it. 

www.skatteverket.se 

Switzerland 

Referred to as a social security number. It is necessary to apply for a social 

security number eight days after arrival in Switzerland at a local citizens 

office. These are referred to as Kreisbüro or at Einwohnerkontrolli. 

Important facts on the next page!!!

Appendices 

583 

PUBLIC 

QUESTIONNAIRE 

• The most important factor 

to keep in mind is that it 

will be impossible to work 

without this unique identifier 

numbers. 

• If the main language of the 

country in which you will be 

studying is not in your mother 

tongue, remember to ask for 

your statements and other 

communication from the bank 

in a language which you can 

understand. 

• Universities are a business 

and as such they are there to 

serve you, so ask for help 

and advice!!! 

KAMIEKA MURPHY 

Kamieka, what propelled you to go abroad to study? 

As an undergraduate at the University of the West Indies, my professional 

ambition had always been to pursue doctoral studies in an area related to 

Caribbean culture and history. Although I had a pretty clear idea of what I 

wanted to do, I hardly knew how to get there; that is, what would be required 

of me, which schools to look into, who I should be speaking with and so on. 

Things changed when I met a lecturer who had studied in the UK as well as 

in the US. We met several times and he helped me compare the advantages 

in studying in either of the two countries. He also helped me identify schools 

that boasted strong departments in my area of interest. If I were to pinpoint 

one major factor that propelled me to act on my desire to study abroad, it 

would have been the encouragement and direction I got from my lecturer’s 

own experience. 

How would you describe your experience of the application 

process? 

Once I identified a shortlist of schools, the application process became much 

easier and quite intriguing. I researched the schools but also the immediate 

surrounding community in terms of social scenes and safety to get a feel of 

what it would be like to live in the various locations. For the most part, the 

process was a smooth one. I had no hiccups with getting the applications 

along with supporting documents submitted. Although I applied for and got 

acceptance letters for schools in Canada, the UK and the US, my final choice 

in the end was a US based graduate education. Making the decision was very 

hard and the choice was made after consulting with my lecturer who, once 

again, helped me weigh the pros and cons of each choice. In the end, I chose 

the US based school because they offered full funding to cover tuition costs 

and teaching assistant position to help defray living expenses. One major

Appendices 

585 

consideration that was also a plus in favor of the US based school is that 

given the location, it would have been much easier and cheaper for me to fly 

back home to see family and friends during breaks. 

How did you cover the costs of funding, housing and other 

related expenses? 

The scholarship awarded by the school arranged for all my tuition related 

costs to be remitted. Then for the first three years of my doctoral programme, 

the living expenses were covered by the teaching assistantship. This 

assistantship had a three year limit so I had accessed the maximum amount 

allowed to a graduate student and would not have been eligible for any other 

year. By the fourth year, however, I had completed my comprehensive exams 

that qualified me to teach as an adjunct professor in my field of study and, as 

a result, be in the position to cover these expenses. 

considering the prospects. There are so many reasons to take on this venture. 

The most obvious would be the opportunity to study under the mentorship 

of professors who have fresh ideas and different perspectives. It is a chance to 

become more exposed to a new academic environment that not only challenge 

some of the assumptions we may arrive with but also help consolidate our 

vision of the Caribbean and even how we see ourselves as intellectuals and/ 

or professionals. 

Kamieka Murphy 

PhD. candidate in Atlantic World History 

Clark University 

Worcester, U.S.A. 

Is there anything that you have now learnt about studying 

abroad that you may not have been aware of before, but 

would like to share with prospective students? 

I would say the most important lessons I have learnt and would want to 

pass on to someone else is that the wider school community and social 

environment do matter. You want to focus and do well in school but it is also 

equally important to ensure that you will be in a comfortable and engaging 

environment. The first couple of months being abroad in a new place can 

be boring and even depressing if you know no one there. A strong and 

active school community or social environment can help you adjust quickly. 

Moreover, the sooner you adjust, the better you will be at performing well 

academically. 

Overall, do you think the choice to study abroad was a 

beneficial experience? 

I would highly recommend studying abroad to anyone who is even remotely

Appendices 

587 

Rochelle, what propelled you to go abroad to study? 

My decision to go to Sweden to study at Stockholm University was based 

on the desire to experience a new country. I had already been interested in 

the idea of studying abroad, however, my interest to study in Sweden began 

when a friend mentioned her intention to study there and encouraged me to 

do the same. 


process? 

The application process was quite simple and straightforward. They had a 

central application system via the internet (studera.nu). The website gave 

all the necessary information and I simply filled out a form online and 

sent in my academic transcript. I got the opportunity to study in England 

and Sweden; and I chose Sweden as it would be a new country for me to 

explore. In addition, I found the visa process to be quite easy as long as you 

fulfilled the requirements of the Swedish migration board, with regards 

to the documents required. In Jamaica only few persons apply for visas 

to Sweden, and so there was no hassle. The response for the visa came in 

about four weeks. 

cultures. Studying in a foreign country also gives one the chance of meeting 

wonderful people and interacting with them. 




I think that students should be willing to adapt and accept new cultures which 

sometimes may be completely different from their home and be willing to 

experience new adventures. I have come to the realization that while I might 

not be able to embrace diversity to the fullest, I can definitely say I have come 

to respect other people’s way of life. 

Rochelle Simone Lawrence 

Master´s in Materials Chemistry 

Stockholm University 

Stockholm Sweden 



My parents covered all the necessary expenses for my studies abroad. 

However, some of my friends were a part of the Eramus programme which 

funded their expenses. 



I think that studying in Sweden was an enjoyable and beneficial life experience. 

I would encourage other students to study in foreign countries, as it gives 

you an opportunity to become more open-minded, and tolerant of different

Appendices 589 

SHORNA, what propelled you to go abroad to study? 

My aunt lives in the United States and had encouraged me to apply to 

colleges here so I did. Even though I applied to several universities in 

America I still applied to the two universities in Jamaica. However, I got 

accepted to several universities in America with scholarships and grants 

before I heard from the two universities in Jamaica. Also, a number of my 

schoolmates from high school were applying to study here as well. 


process? 

I applied to my first undergraduate program while I was in high school in 

Jamaica. I took an after school pre-college prep program (AQUEST) which 

introduced me to a number of colleges in the United States. The program 

was interesting in that it had several of the college recruiters visiting to talk 

to the students about preparing for college and the application process. 

My college prep instructor was available and assisted those students who 

needed help with completing the applications especially when it came to 

the financial part of the process. 

I applied to several colleges in the United States and then chose the one 

which offered me the most financial aid. I took the SAT exam which is a 

standardized college entrance examination. At the time of application, most 

colleges accepted what is called a ‘common application’. The application 

process required demographical information, an essay as to why you 

wanted to attend that specific college or one that describes the applicant, a 

high school transcript, SAT scores and your family financial status. Some 

schools required that the applicants forward their high school transcript to 

an external organization that converted their grades to that of an American 

high school graduate at the students’ expense. 



Once you are accepted into the college and have shown proof that you are 

able to cover your financial expenses for the duration of your studies in 

the United States an I-20 is issued. The next step is the visa process. The 

applicant completes the visa form, pays the necessary fees and gets a date 

to go to the embassy. On the day of the visa interview, the applicant takes 

the I-20, letter of acceptance, bank statements or financial proof with them. 

Having an I-120 does not guarantee that you will be given a visa. It is up to 

the discretion of the immigration officer 

The first school I attended offered room and board as part of the tuition, so 

I did not have any problems where housing was concerned. When living 

on campus you are assigned a roommate. This person may become your 

best friend or your worst enemy because of similarities or differences in 

personalities, beliefs or culture. I was lucky to have a wonderful roommate 

my first two years and even more fortunate to have my own room the 

next two years. This college also afforded me the opportunity to socialize 

with women from 48 different countries from around the world. It was a 

wonderful experience learning some of the similarities and differences in our 

cultures. I later went to another institution which did not offer housing, but 

I had a relative to stay with. Some students are not as fortunate and have to 

find their own apartments and buy food, which are additional costs to them. 

Financial hardship is one of the biggest problem that face international 

students studying in the United States. My good academic performance 

and involvement in extracurricular activities in high school afforded me 

a scholarship and a grant to cover a substantial amount of my college 

tuition. I was blessed to have my aunt who lives in the United States and 

was willing to assist me financially. With my second degree I did not have 

a scholarship; this became financially burdensome for me. As a result I had

Appendices 

591 

to get a loan to cover all my educational expenses. International studies do 

not qualify for most of the scholarship and grants that are available in the 

United States. As an international student you are not able to apply for a 

student loan on your own, you need a co-signer who is a legal resident or a 

citizen and has a good credit history. Individuals are not willing to co-sign 

for you unless they know you are trustworthy or you are a family member, 

because if you default on this loan, it becomes their responsibility to repay 

this loan. Most colleges want a student to have zero balance from one 

semester to the next in order to take part in the next registration process. 

This is where a lot of students become stressed because they are unable to 

fully pay the past semester’s tuition and therefore are unable to register for 

the upcoming semester. Before coming to the US, students are expected 

to show that they can afford the financial cost of their education, but due 

personal and family financial situation things can change, such as an increase 

in the cost of living, due an increase in the cost of books, and the yearly 

increase in tuition. Although one cannot prepare for every element it is good 

to bear these things in mind when making the decision to study abroad. 




There were both positives and negative to studying abroad. Coming to 

America taught me racism still exists, for the first time I had to identify 

whether I was white or black versus whether I was a Jamaican or not. 

However, a big positive was that my first college was a small woman’s 

college which had each student interest at heart and I had some wonderful, 

wonderful professors, some of whom I still keep in touch with. 

I would also like to suggest to prospective students that before coming to 

study in the United States or anywhere outside of your native country do some 

thorough research. Identify colleges that offer your major of interest and good 

financial support. Go on the internet research the school you are interested in, 

getting in contact with an admission counselor and keep the connection with 

this person to answer any questions you may have now or in the future. 



Studying abroad was a wonderful and beneficial experience for me. I was 

able to obtained two bachelors and a master’s degree which I may or may 

not have done if I had stayed in Jamaica. I also have a career in a field 

(nursing) that I never in a life time thought I would have entered in, since it 

was my dream to be an accountant and part-time psychologist. I have made 

some very dear friends from Jamaica and around the world. Some are still 

here in America and are a part of my daily life and an important part of my 

social life. Others have returned to their countries and have opened their 

doors to me should I ever visit their country. Being away from home I had 

to become mature and self- sufficient which has helped me survive during 

my time in America. Other than the vast knowledge I have acquired, being 

exposed to people from around the world and learning their cultures has been 

one of the greatest benefits I have achieved from deciding to study abroad. 

Shorna Howell 

Certified Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nurse 

Masters and Bachelors in Nursing 

Rockville Center, New York 

Bachelor of Art in Psychology and International Relation 

Randolph Macon Woman’s College 

Lynchburg, Virginia

Resources list 

593 

resources 

list 

1Application 

Guidelines 

The Grants Register: The Complete 

Guide to Postgraduate Funding 

Worldwide, 

Palgrave: Macmillan. (Annual) 

World list of Universities and other 

institutions of Higher Education, 

Palgrave Macmillan. (2005) 

You want to Study Where? 

Trotman Publishing. (2004) 

Which MBA? A critical Guide to the 

world’s best MBAs. 

George Bickerstafe. Pearson Education 

International graduates 

www.internationalgraduate.net 

Find a Masters 

www.findamasters.com 

Find a PhD 

www.findaphd.com 

Find a doctorate degree 

www.findapostdoc.com 

Funder finder 

www.funderfinder.com 

Association of MBAs 

www.mbaworld.com 

2 CANADA 

• GENERAL COUNTRY INFORMATION: 

UNDHR 

hdr.undp.org/en/statistics 

Country reports 

www.countryreports.org 

Destination Canada 

www.destineducation.ca 

Statistics Canada 

www.statcan.ca 

Human Resources and Social 

Development Canada 

www.hrsdc.gc.ca 

• ADMISSIONS AND FUNDING 

Association of Canadian Community 

Colleges 

www.accc.ca 

Association of Commonwealth 

Universities 

www.acu.ac.uk 


and Colleges of Canada 

www.aucc.ca 

British Columbia Centre for 

International Education 

www.bccie.bc.ca 

Canadian Association of Private 

Language Schools 

www.capls.ca

Resources list 

595 

Canadian Association for University 

Continuing Education 

http://cauce-aepuc.ca 

Canadian Bureau for International 

Education. 

www.cbie.ca 

Conférence des recteurs et des 

principaux des universités du Québec 

www.crepuq.qc.ca 

Canadian Education Centre Network 

www.studycanada.ca 

Canada’s higher education and careers 

guide 

(excellent site to find application forms to 

all universities and colleges in Canada): 

www.canadian-universities.net/Campus/ 

Applications.html 

Canadian Information Centre for 

International Credentials 

www.cicic.ca 

Language Industry Association 

www.ailia.ca 

Provincial and Territorial Departments 

and Ministries Responsible for 

Education in Canada 

www.cmec.ca/educmin.en.stm 

The Government of Canada Website 

www.educationau-incanada.ca 

• VISA AND IMMIGRATION 

Citizenship and Immigration Canada 

www.cic.gc.ca 

Foreign and Commonwealth Office 

(FCO) 

www.fco.gov.uk 

Government of Canada 

www.canada.gc.ca 

Provinces and territories of Canada 

www.gc.ca 

finding the right kind of work experience 

http://www1.servicecanada.gc.ca 

Education Canada 

http://resource.educationcanada.com 

Employment Agencies 

www.jobsincanada.ca 

Geared towards finding jobs on 

University and college campuses 

www.canadian-universities.net 

Hospitality and service jobs 

http://cooljobscanada.com 

Jobs Canada 

www.jobs.ca 

Job site 

www.canadajobsly.com 

Job service provided by the government 

of Canada 

www.jobbank.gc.ca 

The National Post 

www.canada.com//nationalpost/index. 

html 

The Globe and Mail 

www.globeandmail.com 

working in Canada 

www.workingincanada.gc.ca 

Yellow pages 

www.yellowpages.ca 

3UNITED KINGDOM 

• GENERAL COUNTRY INFORMATION 

Discover Ireland 

www.discoverireland.com 

Wikipedia 

www.en.wikipedia.org 

Cégep International 

www.cegepinternational.qc.ca 

Quebec Immigration 

www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca 

Job sources 

www.theworkplace.ca 

Scotland government 

www.scotland.gov.uk 

Citizenship and Immigration Canada 

www.cic.gc.ca 

Canada Language Council 

www.c-I-c.ca 

Department of Foreign Affairs and 

International Trade 

www.edu-canada.gc.ca 

National Association of Career Colleges 

www.nacc.ca 

Languages Canada 

www.languagescanada.ca 

• EMPLOYMENT 

Careers advice and Services 

www.goingtocanada.gc.ca 

Careerboard 

www.careerboard.com 

Canadian careers 

www.canadiancareers.com 

Canada Job Search Tool 

www.canadavisa.com 

Canada Summer Jobs, assists students in 

Jobs4Canada 

www.jobs4canada.com 

Job Shark 

www.jobshark.ca 

Resume world 

www.resumeworldinc.com 

Monster (Canada) 

www.monster.ca 

The Toronto Star (concentrated in 

Ontario) 

http://thestar.com 

Visit Wales 

www.global.visitwales.com 


International student 

www.internationalstudent.com 

Prospects 


University and College admissions 

Service 

www.ucas.com/students/nonukstudents

Resources list 597 


www.educationuk.org 

Hot courses 

www.scholarship-search.org.uk 

www.hotcourses.com 

British universities transatlantic 

exchange 

www.butex.ac.uk 

Fulbright 

www.fulbright.co.uk 

British Chevening scholarship 

www.chevening.com 

General scholarships 

studyoverseas.com/uk/uked/ 

scholarships.htm 

Innovation, universities and skills 

www.dcsf.gov.uk 


www.britishcouncil.org 

Quality Assurance Agency for Higher 

Education www.qaa.ac.uk 

Study Abroad 

www.studyabroaddirectory.com 

Study in Britain 

www.studyinbritain.com 

Guardian UK 

www.guardian.co.uk/education 

Study in Ireland 

www.studyoverseas.com 

Irish council for international students 

www.icosirl.ie/eng/student_information 

Queens University Belfast 

www.qub.ac.uk 

University and College Service 

www.ucas.com 

International graduate 


Overseas Research Students 

Awards Scheme 

www.orsas.ac.uk 

Study in Britain 

www.studyinbritain.com/info/ 

scholarships.asp 

Scholarships 

www.intstudy.com/articles/twefund.htm 

Education Northern Ireland 

www.deni.gov.uk 

Student financing (Southern Education) 

www.selb.org 

Student financing (Belfast) 

www.belb.org.uk 

Student financing (North Eastern) 

www.neelb.org.uk 

Student financing (South Eastern) 

www.seelb.org.uk 

Student financing (Western) 

www.welbni.org 

Student financing (Education and library 

Board) 

www.studentfinanceni.co.uk 

Education and Science 

www.education.ie 

International student advisor 

www.i-studentadvisor.com 

National qualifications Ireland 

www.nqai.ie/ 

Qualifications recognition 

www.qualificationsrecognition.ie 

Education UK 

www.educationuk.org/northernireland 

Education Scotland 


British Council office (search engine) 

www.britishcouncil.org/home-contactworldwide.htm 


Home office 


UK Visas 

www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/aboutus/ 

enquiries 

Visa4UK 

www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk 

UK council for international Students 

Affairs www.ukcosa.org.uk 

UK Border Agency website 

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk 

British Embassy/High Commission 

www.ukvisas.gov. 

Scottish Government 

www.scotland.gov.uk 


Reed 

www.reed.co.uk 

Milkround graduates 

www.milkround.co.uk 

Guardian 

www.jobs.guardian.co.uk 

Monster (United Kingdom) 

www.monster.co.uk 

stepstone 

www.stepstone.co.uk 

JobSearch 

www.jobserach.org 

Work circle 

www.workcircle.co.uk 

Graduate Jobs 

www.gradjobs.co.uk 

Times 

www.timesonline.co.uk 

Evening Standard 

www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/ 

London Graduate job fair 

www.lgbtjobfair.co.uk 

Prospects 


The Irish Independent Newpaper 

www.independent.ie 

The Irish Times Newspaper 

www.irishtimes.com


Career Directions 

www.careerdirections.ie 

Irish Jobs 

www.irishjobs.ie 

Jobs in Ireland 

www.jobs.ie 

Careers Ireland 

www.careersserviceni.com 

Employment search engine for Ireland 

www.careerjet.ie 

Careers Scotland 

www.careers-scotland.org.uk 

Talent Scotland 

www.talentscotland.com 

Working in Scotland 

www.scottish-enterprise.com 

Working in Wales 

www.careerswales.com 

4UNITED STATES 

• PUBLICATIONS 

Live and Work in the USA and Canada 

Crimson Publishing. (2005) 

Living and Working in America 

How to Books Ltd: (2004) 

The Immigration Guide to the USA-How 

to Find a New Life in America 

How to Books Ltd. (2005) 

Educational Grants Directory 

Directory of Social Change (DSC), Biannual 

Getting a Job Abroad 


Getting a Job in America 


Getting into American Universities 

Trotman Publishing. (2006 ) 

GRE-Practicing to take the General Test 

Fulbright Commission (2003) 

The Official Guide for GMAT Review 

Fulbright Commission. (11th Edition) 

• PDF DOCUMENTS 

Community colleges for international 

students (July 2007) 

Community Colleges in the USA 

Volume 1, Issue 3 

www.educationusaconnections. 

iienetwork.org 

Tsapogas, John. (May 2004). 

The role of community colleges in 

the education of recent science and 

engineering graduates 

INFOBRIEF, NSF 04-315 

www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf04315 

US immigration and 

customs enforcement 

Student and Exchange Visitor Program 

Approved Schools 

www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/ 

ApprovedSchools.pdf 

US Community Colleges 

A Gateway to U.S. Higher Education for 

International Students 

www.usachinacorp.com/resources/ 

Education/communitycollegearticle.pdf 

Ann Balough 

Non-immigrant Class Who Can Study 

www.ice.gov 


List of community colleges by state 

www.utexas.edu/world/comcol/state 

United States Department of State 

www.educationusa.state.gov 

Information about community colleges 

www.americancommunitycolleges.com 

United States Department of Education 

www.ed.gov/index.jhtml 

Study and work in the USA 

www.usa.gov/visitors/visit.shtml 

Information for international students 

www.internationalstudent.com 

The CIA World Fact book 

www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworld-factbook/geos/us.html 


Language & educational testing services 

www.ets.org 

www.toefl.orgwww.toefl.org 

www.ielts.org. 

Placement tests 

www.act.org/compass/ 

www.act.org/aap 

Institute of International Education 

www.iie.org 

Information on average costs of tuition 

www.infozee.com 


www.ed.gov/international/usnei/edliteindex.html 

Graduate Management Admissions Test 

www.testmasters.net 


Visa application procedures 

travel.state.gov 

www.uscis.gov 


Department of Labour 

www.dol.gov 

www.bls.gov/oco/oco2008.htm 

Top 100 U.S. newspapers 

www.refdesk.com/top100pap.html 

Employment search engine US 

www.careerjet.com 

www.jobserve.us 


Monster (United States) 

www.monster.com


Job search by state 

www.careeronestop.org 

Student Job Site 

www.jobpostings.net 

5 DENMARK 


Danish Rectors Conference Secretariat 

Choose a Danish University 

A Guide To university studies in 

Denmark.(2006) 


Danish statistical Institute 

www.statistikbanken.dk 

Official site for visitors to Denmark 

www.visitdenmark.com 

Wikipedia 

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.dk 

Destination Denmark 

www.dis.dk/About/index.php 



www.ciriusonline.dk 



Bachelors’ in English Denmark 

www.optalgelse.dk 

Ministry of Technology 

and Science 

www.vtu.dk 

Students abroad 

www.studentsabroad.com/denmark 

Study in Denmark 

www.studyindenmark.dk 

PLOTEUS scholarship search 

http://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/home 

Research Mobility 

(Scholarship postgraduate students) 

http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess 

State educational website 

www.su.dk 

Open Learning 

Centre International 

www.olci.info 

Studies in English 

www.ug.dk/internaionalt.aspx 


The official portal for foreigners and 

integration 

www.newtodenmark.dk 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

www.denmark.dk/ 


Jobbank 

www.jobbank.dk 

JobsInCopenhagen 

(job opportunities / English) 

www.jobsincopenhagen.com 

Job Index Denmark 

www.jobindex.dk 

Karriere Vejviser 

www.karrierevejviser.dk 

Monster (Denmark) 

www.monster.dk 

Stepstone (Denmark) 

www.stepstone.dk 

Copenhagen Business School 

http://uk.cbs.dk/library 

The Copenhagen Post 

www.cphpost.dk 

Jyllands-Posten 

www.jp.dk 

Politiken 

http://politiken.dk 

Berlingske Tidende 

www.berlingske.dk 

Dansk Industri 

www.di.dk 

Newspaper database 


Information on working in Denmark 

www.workindenmark.dk 

6 FINLAND 


The Research Institute of the Finnish 

Economy 

www.etla.fi 

Official site for vistors to Finland 

http://virtual.finland.fi/ 


The Centre for International Mobility 

http://finland.cimo.fi 

National Board of Education 

www.kuolutusnetti.fi 

Central application system 

(Polytechnics) 


Central application system 

(Universities) 


Qualification equivalency 

www.enic-naric.net 

The National Union of 

Students in Finland 

www.syl.fi/english 

www.isep.org 

The International Association 

for the Exchange of Students 

for Technical Experience 

www.iaeste.org.uk 

The Academy of Finland 

www.aka.fi



Finnish Ministry of Affairs 

http://formin.finland.fi/Public/ 

Finnish Immigration 

Directorate 

www.uvi.fi 

Embassies and Consulates 

Directory for Finland 

www.embassiesabroad.com/ 

embassies-of/Finland 

 

7 NETHERLANDS 


Live and Work in Belgium, The 

Netherlands and Luxembourg. Vacation 

Work Publications. (2003). 

Directory of Jobs and Careers Abroad: 

Vacation Work Publications. (Biennial) 

Dutch Ministry of Education 

www.minocw.nl 

Central application centre 

www.studielink.nl 

Funding 

www.grantfinder.nl 

General Information 

www.studyin.nl 


www.vsnu.nl 

Expat Law 

www.expatlaw.nl 


Employment agencies 

www.amsterdam.info/students/ 

work-agencies 

www.undutchables.nl 

www.dutchisnotrequired.nl 

Monster (Dutch) 

www.monsterboard.nl 


Ministry of Labour 

www.mol.fi 

Finnish Career and Recruitment Service 

www.uranus.fi/en 

Turun Sanomat 

www.turunsanomat.fi 

Stepstone (Finland) 

www.stepstone.fi 

Suomi 

www.suomi.fi/english 

Job Contactor (Finland) 


Keltaiset Sivut (Yellow Pages Finland) 

www.keltaisetsivut.fi 

Central Chamber of Commerce 

World Trade Centre, Aleksanterinkatu 17 

PO Box 1000, 00101 Helsinki 

Tel: +358 9 4242 6200 

www.kauppakamari.fi 


Living and Working in the Netherlands 

www.ind.nl/ 

Lonely planet 

www.lonelyplanet.com/the-netherlands 

Website for general information 

www.infoplease.com 

Wikepedia 

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_ 

of_the_Netherlands 


Scholarships 

www.amsterdam.info/students/ 

scholarships 

Netherlands organisation for 

International cooperation in higher 

education 

www.nuffic.nl 

National Student Association 

www.iso.nl 


Learn 4 Good 

www.learn4good.com 

Immigration and naturalisation services 

www.ind.nl 

Netherlands Immigration 

www.workpermit.com 

Abroad Education 

www.abroadeducation.com 

Dutch Ministry of foreign Affairs 

www.minbuza.nl 

Euro Gates 

www.eurogates.nl/en_visa_Holland_ 

schengen 

Immigration & Nationality Directorate 

www.ind.nl 

Student job search 

www.studentenbaan.nl 

Werk Netherlands 

www.werk.nl 

Manpower Worldwide 

www.manpower.com 

Unique Multilingual Services 

www.unique.nl 

Expatica 

www.expatica.com 

Algemeen Dagblad 

www.ad.nl 

De Telegraaf 

www.telegraaf.nl 

De Volkskrant 


Intermediair 

www.intermediair.nl 


www.nrc.nl




Ministry of Education 

www.regjeringen.no 

Study Abroad 

www.studyabroad.com/norway.html 

Going Global 

www.goinglobal.com 

8 NORWAY 


International Handbook of Universities, 

Palgrave Macmillan.(2005) 

The Official MBA Handbook 

Pearson Education (Annual) 

Which MBA? A Critical Guide 

Pearson Education (Annual) 


Tuition free Universities Guide 

www.tuitionfreecolleges.mtnhome.org 

Colleges and University Directory 

http://colleges.indiaedu.com 

Wikipedia 

http://en.wikipedia.org 

Graduate opportunities Worldwide 


Norwegian Agency for quality 

assurance in education 

www.nokut.no 

Varsity Admissions 


Study in Norway 


Norwegian Universities and Colleges 

admission Services 

www.samordnaopptak.no 

Norwegian Centre for International 

Co-operation in Higher Education 

(SIU), 

www.siu.no 

Research Council of Norway 

www.forskningsradet.no 

NOMA scholarship programme 

www.norway-caribbean.org 

Norwegian State Educational loan fund 

www.norway.org.uk 


Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

www.regjeringen.no 

Norwegian Directorate of Immigration 

www.udi.no 

Norwegian Public Service Information 

www.norway.no 

The Norway Portal 

(Official site for locating embassies) 

www.norway.info 

International Graduate 

www.internationalgraduate.net/ 

norway.htm 

International Student’s Union of Norway 

http://isu-norway.no/index.php 


Finn Jobb 

www.finn.no/jobb 

JobbDirekte 

www.jobbdirekte.no 

JobNew 

www.jobnew.no 

Norwegian Employment and Welfare 

Organisation 

www.nav.no 

Norske-Aviser 

(Norwegian newspapers online) 

www.norske-aviser.com 

Career Norway 

www.careernorway.com 

www.nortrade.com 

Norway Post 

www.norwaypost.no 

Daily newspaper in Stavanger 

www.aftenbladet.no/english 

Aftenposten 

www.aftenposten.no 

Stepstone Norway 

www.stepstone.no 

University of Oslo careers services 

www.sio.no 

9 SWEDEN 


Directory of Jobs 

and Careers Abroad 

Vacation Work Publications. (biennial) 

Live and work in Scandinavia 

Vacation Work Publications. (2002) 


Swedish Institute 

www.si.se 

The official gateway to Sweden 

www.sweden.se 

Visit Sweden 

www.visitsweden.com 

The Sveriges National Atlas 

www.sna.se 

Organisation for Economic 

Co-operation and Development 

www.oecd.org 

United Nations 

Development Programme 

Human Development Report (2007/2008) 

http://hdr.undp.org 

Economic Intelligence Unit 

http://countryanalysis.eiu.com


Sweden abroad 

www.swedenabroad.com 

Swedish missions abroad 

www.sweden.gov.se 

Studying in Switzerland 

http://switzerland.isyours.com 

University Scholarship 

www.swissuniversity.ch/info 



Ministry of Foreign affairs 


Swiss Education and Research Network 

www.switch.ch 

Scholarships to developing countries 

www.gdnet.org 

Students abroad 

www.studentsabroad.com 

Varsity Admissions 


Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne 

www.epfl.ch 

Exchange programmes 

www.twas.org 


Ministry of Education 



Swedish Employment Service 

www.ams.se 

Federal Institute of Technology Zurich 

www.ethz.ch 

University of Basel 

www.unibas.ch 

Top Universities 

www.topuniversities.com 

Study in Sweden 

www.studyinsweden.se 

Central application centre 

www.studera.nu 

Edu Council.Org 

http://qna.educouncil.org 

Swedish Institute 

www.si.se/English 

Swedish National Agency 

for Higher Education 

www.hsv.se 

Workers’ Educational Association 

www.abf.se 

Lund University Careers Service 

www.lu.se 

Gothenburg University 

www.hgu.gu.se 

Stockholm University Careers Service 

www.sb.su.se 

10 

SWITZERLAND 


Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/ 

wiki/Switzerland 

University of Bern 

www.unibe.ch 

University of Fribourg 

www.unifr.ch 

University of Geneva 

www.unige.ch 

University of Italian Speaking 

Switzerland: www.unisi.ch 

University of Lausanne 

www.unil.ch 

University of Neuchâtel 

www.unine.ch 


Federal Office for Migration 

www.bfm.admin.ch 

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs 


Swiss Emigration 

www.swissemigration.ch 

Abroad education 

www.abroadeducation.com 

Learn4 Good 

www.learn4good.com 

Swiss management center 

www.swissmc.ch 

Sensus Study Association 

www.sensus.se 

National agency for services to 

universities and university colleges 

www.vhs.se 

Swiss World 


Swissinfo 

www.swissinfo.org 

University of St Gallen 

www.hsg.ch/ 

University of Zurich 

www.unizh.ch 


Le Temps 

www.letemps.ch 


Swedish Migration Board 

www.migrationsverket.se 

• ADMISSIONS AND SCHOLARSHIPS 

Rector’s Conference 

of the Swiss Universities 

www.crus.ch 

Link to various research grants 

www.scidev.net/grants/ 

University scholarship 

www.crus.ch 

Monster (Switzerland) 

www.monster.ch 

Swiss Labour Market Authority 

www.treffpunkt-arbeit.ch


Swiss Yellow Pages 

www.directories.ch/theyellowpages 

Switzerland-4You 

www.switzerland-4you.com 

Tages-Anzeiger 

www.tages-anzeiger.ch 

11 

WORKING 

ABROAD 

Bolles, Richard Nelson.(annual) 

What Color is your Parachute 

Ten Speed press 

UK official graduate site 

http://prospects.ac.uk 

Trinity College Dublin 

www.tcd.ie 

About.Com 

http://jobsearch.about.com 

Telejob 

www.telejob.ethz.ch 

Tribune de Geneve 

www.tdg.ch 

Recruitment Agencies 

www.swiss-staffing.ch 

Stepstone (Switzerland) 

www.stepstone.ch 

Job 20-30 

www.job20-30.ch 

Jobnet Switzerland 

www.jobnet.ch 

Bright, Jim and Joanne Earl.(2005) 

Brilliant CV What employers want to 

see and how to say it. 

Prentice Hall. 

Hodgson, Susan. (2003). 

Brilliant psychometric and other selection 

tests. Prentice Hall. 

Hodgson, Susan. (2005). 

Brilliant answers to tough interview 

questions: Smart answers to whatever 

they throw at you. Prentice Hall. 

McGee, Paul. (2006) 

How to write a Great CV. 

How to Books. 

Black and asian Grad 

www.blackandasiangrad.ac.uk 

Guardian Unlimited Jobs 

www.guardian.co.uk/jobs 

good luck and 

good studies! 

Espace-Emploi 

www.espace-emploi.ch 

Portail Emploi 

www.portail-emploi.ch 

Perkins, Graham. (2007). 

Killer Cvs and Hidden Approaches 

Pearson books. 

Phillips, Chris. (1996). 

Making Wizard Application 

GTI Specialist Publishers Ltd. 

Smith, Heidi. (2006) 

How to pass numerical reasoning tests. 

Kogan Page Ltd. 

David Shacklady.(2007). 

Applications, CVs and Covering Letters. 

AGAS publications

my notes

613 

this book 

© Kenisha Russell 

All rights reserved. 

No part of this book can be 

reproduced, stored in a retrieval 

system, or transmitted, in 

any form or by any means, 

electronic, digital, photographic 

or mechanical or otherwise, 

without the prior written 

permission of the publisher, 

except for brief reviews. 

Design and illustrations 

Martha Sanchez 

Typefaces 

News Gothic 

designed by Morris Fuller 

Palatino 

designed by Hermann Zapf 

Printing 

Elanders Fälth & Hässler 

Värnamo, Sweden 

February 2012

This Caribbean students´ guide 

provides you with the tools for: 

choosing the best pr ogramme, 

university and even country 

in which to stu dy; 

helping you through the painful process 

of relocating to a foreign country, with 

tips and insights on scholarships, 

completing visa application, opening a 

bank account overseas, housing, finding 

a job while you study and much more; 

bringing all the r elevant information 

together. It is a go to guide that 

explains all the necessities 

while pointing you in the 

right direction. 

First-hand experience 

from the author ! 

Hints & tidbits from people 

who have done it before you! 

ISBN 978-91-633-9350- 1 

9 789163 393501

Studying abroad

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?