London School of Economics and Political Science:
The pandemic, COVID- 19, has brought the world to a standstill. However, the education sector is trying its best to make sure that school and university students do not miss out on their studies. But the plans of those who have been preparing to head abroad for higher studies have been thrown off gear.
Shedding light on this challenging scenario, Ajay Sharma, President, Abhinav Immigration Services says, “If you are about to start a new session in the upcoming months, in any of the foreign universities, there will be a present suspension of any admission. But, that does not mean it has shut down. There will be a delay until the situation improves because the health of students is of the utmost priority in the current scenario.”
While many universities are taking similar steps right now, some are sending out customised announcements for students of different departments. In such a case, the best option would be to contact the concerned admissions authority of the respective universities. “I have been given time until July 31 to submit certain documents. In addition to this, I have been receiving emails about video conferences being scheduled in place of the previously scheduled open days for offer holders. Apart from colleges, the career guidance cell of Shiv Nadar School, Gurugram, has been sending every update they have been receiving from universities and test conducting agencies,” says Ipsa Yadav, who is planning to head to London School of Economics and Political Science for Law.
Adarsh Khandelwal, Co-founder and Director, Collegify, said he talked to almost 200 families and each one of them have reported good feedback and no delay in terms of test, classes and learning. “The colleges are in readiness to conduct classes online for the September 2020 batch till students can join. If certain students are unable to join this year, they can accept the offer and defer their admission and join next year.”
Bonus time
While the admission process for new students has been put on hold for the interim, there is no need for aspirants to panic. The admissions have only been put on hold, and not suspended. So, now is a good time for aspirants to utilise this time in a constructive way.
Research: Find out more about your preferred university/college and course(s). Reach out to the faculty, alumni and read up on testimonials. Utilise this time to research on what different semesters curtail so that you get a better idea of which course or university is a good choice for you. Also, extend your research to the geography and culture of the city the university of your choice is located in.
Prepare: If you are yet to appear for your IELTS, GMAT or GRE, use this time to prepare for them on your own or through an online platform, to improve your admission prospects to your preferred university.
Write: You can also start drafting and finalising your Statement of Purpose (SoP) that you will have to submit with your admission applications.
Aspirants can also use this time to research about the various scholarships available, bursaries and education loans that they will be needing, once the session commences. Dig deeper into the websites of various banks, governments and institutes for more information. You can also contact a university’s alumni through social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook.
“I am using this time to read more about the university, its environment, and the course I am going to pursue. I am also reading a lot about the current global scenario. This is the time I can improve some of my skills like communication,” explains Anurag Tiwari, a class XII student at VidyaGyan Leadership Academy, who has secured admission at Cornell University, New York, the U.S.
Visa issues
Usually, a student starts applying for the study visa as soon as he or she gets the acceptance letter from the university. However, under these special circumstances, when there are unforeseen delays, it helps to contact the university you have applied to and confirm the commencement date for your programme and then apply for your visa. “You should keep a tab on the immigration website of the country you are applying to. They will update you with the recent developments and when are they accepting the study visa applications. Once they start the process, apply for your visa and start preparations,” says Ajay.
