Visa Tips : Here are some tips to get you started

·         Be yourself, be honest and try to relax. ·         Be prepared.  Make sure you understand the process and have researched the university.  Speak to current students. ·         Know your resume and cover letter.  Anticipate questions and consider responses.  Understand what your strengths and skills are and how best to highlight them through examples. ·         Understand your own goals and objectives:  to make a favorable impression, to collect information about the university and to assess your own “fit”. ·         Be sure to ask the interviewers about issues that are important to you.  Engage in conversation and ask questions that show you are interested in the university and the type of work.  Try not to be too "scripted" or prepared but remember to adapt to the conversation (i.e.. sometimes answers to questions can appear "canned").  Get a feel for the university: the values, opportunities for continuing education and growth, social atmosphere etc. ·         Wear comfortable business attire ·           ·         Common Interviewing Mistakes ·         Lack of preparation: no knowledge of university’s research areas. ·         Nervousness: try to relax: remember on paper you have already met the University standards. ·         Not listening to question asked: be responsive and ask for clarification if unsure. ·         Not engaging in conversation: interact with the interviewers and ask questions. ·         Being too scripted or prepared.   ·         Going overboard on flattering the university: unfortunately, this rarely comes across as sincere.    ·         Not showing enough interest in the university: we want people who want to be here. ·         Forgetting that dinners/cocktails parties are still part of the interview/selection process. ·         Not having an answering machine or cell to enable university to reach you during the week.

How and Why to Specialize for Master's abroad

Hi Folks,



As I pen down my thoughts today, I am reminded of the conversation I had with a 3rd year ECE student from Vellore Institute of Technology . Recently , University of Michigan -Dearborn had visited his college campus and had spoken to them about some courses that they offer like MIS, Business Analytics,  Big Data

Hey, wait a minute , I think these buzz words have been doing circles a lot these days , you may  call this subject  the " IN THING" for pursuing your MS degree in ..currently. Like any one else , this student wanted to do his MS degree from UMich -Dearborn in these courses ...like any other trendsetter ..

When I spoke to him - - I in my usual mentoring gesture , tried to explain that he needs, to give it thought, is this really what he wanted to do , has he checked what these subjects really mean, what job will they land him in and most importantly will his profile of being an ECE student help him secure an admit in one of these courses

Thus I would like to urge all the Global Aspirants - whether MS, PHD , MBA , do give it a thought ...

Scope 
What is the trend  today may not be there tomorrow, if you have chosen the subject ? Where do you end up  Do you have it in you to make it big in this field ? What will be the opportunity ten years later in this subject ?

Why Specialize?

•       Gain a deeper insight in one particular sub-discipline

•       Get an edge for a job opening owing to special skills 

How to choose the specializations:

The course that you choose to apply for will depend on your qualification, electives taken, related projects, seminars, papers presented, industrial training, internship and / or related work experience and your career goals.

It's time you ponder on these why and how questions when you are planning for your global degree to make full use of various opportunities available.

For more queries we can be reached @igradglobal.in/contact 

Do you really need 40 lacs in the bank to study abroad ??

Here I would like to pen  down my thoughts in this very first blog  in an attempt in  narrating some of my experiences during this journey of 12 long years guiding various  students in their pursuit for global studies.

A very recent experience that comes to my mind, as I recollect details about how important  right  information collation is.

Last week, we had  been for  a seminar at  a college in the outskirts of the city of Bangalore .

As usual , I began the session by asking them the reasons they all wanted to study abroad

The enthusiastic 3rd year participants came up with various reasons based on their priorities some said : good jobs  , nice pay package while same said best education

While these reasons were right in their own way, how does one ensure that you are at the right place at the right time , here  the right parameters for university , program , location selection become very important.

The session proceeded and took interesting turns where we went to discuss the admission process time line , the admission criteria for MS in USA and other countries , how to prepare for the entrance exams like GRE , TOEFL, IELTS , most importantly how to plan this time consuming process.

Q & A session was  a relevation , I was stunned to know how students believe in hearsay , blindly follow herd mentality and apply to universities that an X friend of theirs would have applied to , get misguided by false claims like assured admits , randomly select the course they want to apply to without  thinking whether they are eligible for it or not , dread the visa process before even getting an admission .One of the questions threw me totally off guard " Mam , I am from a middle class family do I need to show 40 lacs in my bank before the I can apply for MS , I was speechless as to how students believe in just anything that is been told without verifying the facts

This experience makes me only reiterate that in this age and time  where you  have internet to help you with information at your finger tips , don't let the information overload confuse you , verify details from the right sources like university websites , the admission team at the universities and trusted mentors

Do note its not 40 lacs that gets you an admit in a top global university program , its your merit and hard work,  that does get you.

For more information on global admissions visit us at www.igradglobal.in

What after admits for I-20

Congrats on securing your admits!!

So half the battle is won, here is how you proceed with the remaining half

The approximate sequence of what you have to do after the admits to get the I-20 form and Visa  is as follows:

1.       Read the admit letter or email carefully. If you have to send an acceptance of the offer do it promptly. Even if you have multiple offers it makes sense to accept one.

2.       Based on the factors mailed earlier, decide the final university that you want study at, since you can book a visa date only for one university!!

3.       If you have received the I-20 form along with the offer of admission you can straightaway start the preparations for visa. Note: you cannot apply for the F1 visa unless you have the I-20 form from the university that you have chosen.

4.       Please note that you cannot apply for the visa interview more than 120 days before the starting date of the program mentioned in I-20 form. The fall 2013 semester will begin sometime in the third week of August. So, if you plan to join an American university this fall, you can start applying for your visa from the third week of April.

5.       However, the university will ask you to send affidavits of support from your sponsors as well as the bank statements of your sponsors showing that you have sufficient funds for meeting the I-20 form amount (that is, the total cost of the first year which, includes tuition, other fees and living expenses.)

6.        Most universities mention that the funds should be only bank funds and accept balance certificates from banks on bank’s letterhead which are sealed and signed by the banker. Generally, electronic copies and faxed statements are not accepted. Funds in bank include savings account and fixed deposits. You can also include Personal Provident Fund (P.P.F.) balance

7.       The I-20 form is an official document issued by the University on behalf of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).   The following  important details are mentioned in the document:

·         the name and passport number of the student

·         the name of the university which the student is joining

·         the program to which the student has been admitted

·         the date of  commencement of the program

·         the date by which the program has to be completed

·         the total cost of education for one year(minus any aid received)

Once you receive the I-20 form check it carefully to see that all details are accurate. Pay specific attention to spelling of your name, accuracy of date of birth and the start and end dates of the program. Of course, all details should be accurate and the first page of the I-20 form MUST bear the signature of the university official. The third page need not be signed at this stage.

8.       As soon as you have applied for I-20 form, you have to prepare the financial and other documents required for the visa interview. Putting together the finances may take time. Please refer to the documents mailed for the standard and details of documents required.

9.       Keep in mind that you should have adequate liquid funds to cover the total cost of one year of education – this is mentioned in the I-20 form. Many students are under the wrong impression that their sponsor needs to deposit this entire amount in the bank and that otherwise their visa can be rejected. This is not true. Funds can be shown in the form of bank deposits, shares, mutual funds, provident fund etc. Even education loans of up to Rs. 20 lakhs are also permitted. Of course, having adequate funds alone does not guarantee a visa approval. The consulate officer also considers the following points:

·         whether you have admission to an accredited and reputed university

·         whether your academic background is good

·         whether your GRE score is satisfactory

·         whether your sponsor’s income is adequate

But the more important factor is you should have good communication skills and should be able to give convincing and honest answers to the consulate officer’s questions.

Most students show their parents as their sponsors. If this is not possible, they can show support from any other family member e.g. their brothers or sisters, their grandparents, either individually or as co-sponsors with their parents.

Sponsorship can also be taken from other immediate relatives, like uncles and aunts, provided their financial position is very sound and their income level is high.

Register for our visa counselling process for more customized guidance  http://www.igradglobal.in/visa-preparation/

11 Resume Myths Busted: Realities Revealed

Crafting the perfect résumé is a hard-enough challenge before trying to factor in all the myths there are about the process. However, some of those common myths — including your résumé can't be more than one page or it's OK to have some white lies on your résumé — hold very little water among companies looking to hire employees. To separate fact from fiction, several experts gave the truth behind some of their favorite myths on what companies look for in a résumé. 

Myth: Grade point average is a top consideration

Truth: I don't even consider it when I am interviewing potential employees. I know that a 4.0 can mean that you took relatively easy classes to pad your GPA. I also am aware that you can be excellent in your major and have non-related topics destroy your GPA. For me, that was Spanish and statistics, neither of which is necessary or relevant in my chosen line of work. What I am more interested in is examples of your work as a showcase of your ability. – Shelli Dallacqua, president, Shelten Media

Myth: Résumés should be one page.

Truth: Résumés are allowed to be two pages unless you are stretching the information. One page just isn't enough, unless you are right out of school. — Jill MacFadyen, career and outplacement coach

Myth: Achievements should be highlighted in a separate section.

Truth: By separating accomplishments from the experience, recruiters are more likely to overlook this section. Instead, showcase them by bulleting them in the relevant sections. —David Hardtke, chief data scientist, Bright.com

[50+ Job Skills You Should List on Your Résumé]

Myth: Résumés should have your entire work history.

Truth: If you have been working for 30 years and the first few years were in an outside field, you can certainly drop selective things. Same thing is true about internships after you have 10 to 15 years of experience, unless those internships or prior employers and your work are awesome examples of what you are capable of or the employer's name itself may garner some interest. – Tiffani Murray, résumé writer and career coach, Personality on a Page

Myth: Your résumé should be general to increase your chances of getting a job.

Truth: Highly customized and targeted résumés are the only ones that are successful in securing interviews that can lead to job offers. Instead of marketing a general résumé, job seekers should take the time to do extensive research to understand the required skills, expertise, experience and qualifications for their job target. This information can used as a guideline for tailoring résumés and other marketing materials. – Abby Locke, executive career architect at Premier Writing Solutions

Myth: Paper résumés are enough.

Truth: LinkedIn is changing hiring. In another few years, employers will not be able to hire without it and the LinkedIn profile is replacing the need for a résumé. – Tom Armour, co-founder High Return Selection

Myth: Don't include social media information.

Truth: Because most recruiters are now visiting your publicly accessible social media pages anyway, it is a good practice to include them in your contact information on your résumé. Specifically, you should include a link to your LinkedIn profile. Just make sure to keep your social media pages consistent and professional. Information on your LinkedIn profile should match your résumé — be sure to check that dates of employment and other key facts are consistent. — Eric Semon, director of customer success Hiring Thing

Myth: White lies are OK

Truth: Honesty is the best and only policy.  A résumé is a factual history of your work experience. Do not embellish or overstate your accomplishments or responsibilities. Employers value integrity and you demonstrate that by being honest and forthright in all your interactions, starting with your résumé. Many companies will use outside firms to perform verifications with prior employers and schools. – Lynne Sarikas, director ofNortheastern University's MBA Career Center

Myth: A PDF is better than a Microsoft Word document

Truth: Résumés should not be posted in PDF format. PDFs can sometimes prevent keyword- scanning software on job boards or applicant-tracking systems from picking up critical information that allows you to be found or captured — in essence making you invisible. —Megan Pittsley-Fox, career coach, résumé writer and recruiter at Work Life Careers

Myth: A good résumé will get you a job.

Truth: A good résumé will get you an interview. Once you are in front of the hiring manager, you will need to sell yourself even better than the résumé sold you to gain the phone call. The résumé is only one step in the very involved job search process. – Melanie Denny, professional résumé writer and president Résumé Evolution

Myth: Don't sweat the small stuff on your résumé — a few grammatical errors or typos are expected.

Truth: Sweat the small stuff because it shows that you pay attention to detail, and are serious and professional. Otherwise, you come across as careless and most employers don't want to hire careless people.

FIND THE FUND

Want to study abroad but concerned about how to finance your education?
Here are a few awards that can aid you in your pursuit of a degree in some countries

Studying abroad is an expensive proposition, but some financial support can ease your cost burden -completely, if you bag an all-expenses-paid scholarship. You can find a host of full or partial scholarships and fellowships for different levels of study, from various governments (including Indian), universities, trusts, companies and other organisations. A good point to start your search for funds is the website of the embassyhigh commission or the education promotion agency of the country you wish to study in or of the institution you intend to attend. Here is a small slice of numerous awards for international students in different parts of the world:

UNITED STATES

Fulbright-Nehru fellowships: These include a broad range of awards like the Master's, doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships among others. The fellowship benefits include J-1 visa support, round-trip economy class air travel from the fellow's home city to the host institution, fees, living and related costs. However, sometimes the fellowship may not cover the entire costs and the awardee may have to supplement grant benefits through other resources.

● Rotary scholarship: Rotary offers fully-funded academic fellowships to study at its peace centres in different parts of the world, including the US. These cover tuition and other fees, room and board, round-trip transportation and all internshipfield study expenses. The fellowships are for short-term courses as well as full-time Master’s lasting for 15-24 months with a practical internship.

● Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation scholarships: Meant for postgraduate (PG) level study in the US and in Europe, the scholarship pays for tuition fees, living expenses and one-way travel for a specified period. In the case of specific programmes, the financial coverage would be discussed directly with the candidate.

UNITED KINGDOM

● Commonwealth scholarship and fellowship plan: The scholarships are for PhD programmes of up to three years’ duration (one year for a split PhD), one-year taught Master’s and six months of clinical training. These are for engineering and technology, science (pure and applied), agriculture, social sciences and the humanities. Winners receive funding for economy, return international travel, tuition fee and maintenance and other allowances.

The fellowships are for postdoctoral study.

● GREAT scholarships: GREAT provides 370 scholarships worth about Rs 100 million to Indian students in 260 undergraduate (UG) and PG courses at 36 UK institutions. The award value varies from institute to institute.

● Gates Cambridge scholarships: This covers the full cost of studying for a full-time PG degree in any subject at Cambridge. Apart from the airfare, visa costs and tuition fee, students receive a maintenance allowance. They may apply for discretionary grants like family allowance, academic development funding, among others, as well.

● Rhodes scholarships India: Funding PG study at Oxford, this award provides for all fees, a personal stipend, private health insurance and airfare costs.

EUROPEAN UNION

Erasmus+ scholarships: These fully-funded awards cover all costs including travel, living, insurance and visa. Under Erasmus+, India is a partner country, permitting Indian universities to link up with their European counterparts to become a member in a consortium.

AUSTRALIA

Australia awards: Funded by the Australian government, these international scholarships and fellowships offer the next generation of global leaders an opportunity to undertake study, research and professional development.

● International postgraduate research scholarships (IPRS): These scholarships are aimed at international students to pursue a PG research qualification in Australia and gain experience with leading Australian researchers.

● Joint academic scholarships online network (JASON): Developed jointly by a number of universities, it is meant to assist PG aspirants find information regarding funding opportunities through various scholarship programmes run through universities, charitable foundations, government and private institutions

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand India sports scholarships: These were recently launched for Indian students intending to study Bachelor's degrees, graduate diplomas or PG sports-related programmes at New Zealand universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics in 2015.

A New Zealand government funding scheme means that all international PhD students accepted for enrolment in New Zealand pay a substantially reduced tuition fee.

 Source - times of india sep 22

Bright kids fly out with scholarships



Funding Comes From Cambridge, LSE and Ivy League Universities

For the cream of Bangalore schools, the world is in their pocket. It's raining    scholarships, making the foreign education dream all too real.

Students of the class of 2014 at the International School Bangalore (TISB) have got a whopping $9.1 million in scholarships to study in foreign universities. Anindya Sharma from National Public School, Indiranagar, got a 100% scholarship at the prestigious Cambridge University .

“The scholarships are from prominent universities like London School of Economics, Russell Group Universities, UK, Stanford University , California Institute of Technology . The scholarships are only going up every year,“ said NPS chairman K P Gopalakrishna. At Canadian International School, all 54 students have got scholarships to the tune of $1.6 million, said school executive director Shweta Sastri.The story is no different at Indus International School (IIS) where at least 50 students have got $4.22 million to study undergraduate pro grammes at foreign universities. Lt. Gen (retd) Arjun Ray , CEO of IIS, said the quality of teaching, job opportunities abroad and research facilities in these universities is attracting students.

Interestingly , it's not just UK and the US. At Greenwood High International School (GHIS), 15 students have obtained scholarships worth $1.7 million. GHIS trustee Niru Agarwal said students are also heading to Singapore.

This year, around 20% of students got scholarships at Inventure Academy. Nooraine Fazal, managing trustee and co-founder of IA, said the entire four-year programme got a $350,000 scholarship while last year's scholarshipamount was significantlylower.The scholarships take care of tuition fee and living expenses, she added.

Santanu Das, principal of Sarala Birla Academy, said, “Around 60% of our students got the scholarship, approximately each student got $5,000 in scholarship on which they will go abroad to pursue UG courses in industrial engineering, journalism, sound system and other subjects.“

THIS HIGH SCORER IS ON A ROLL

Clocking 97.6% in his Class 12 examination, Anindya Sharmafrom NPS Indiranagar bagged the Dr Manmohan Singh Award given by the Cambridge Trust. The 100% scholarship from the prestigious Cambridge University takes care of his tuition fee and boarding.

Winning is second nature for him. He won the bronze medal and a Best Solution award at the World Olympiad in Beijing, and was placed among the top 1% at the Physics Olympiad. “I'm taking up a four-year course in computer science and mathematics at Cambridge. I had to choose between IIT Chennai, IISc Bangalore, Indian Statistical Institute, Chennai Mathematical Institute and Cambridge. I'm looking forward to do research in computer science with mathematics once I complete my course,“ he told TOI.



Source : TOI 18th Sep 2014