How to Study Abroad during COVID-19

 

Some of the most popular study abroad destinations bore the brunt of the pandemic. However, students across the globe showed unwavering confidence to continue their education abroad prospects. With the travel restrictions in place, some students are witnessing a relief in with certain destinations opening their borders. If you too are a student planning to study abroad in the midst of the pandemic, here are some tips on how you can do just that.

Prepare for Admission Tests

·         A common feature in all university applications is the requirements to give tests. These include English Proficiency tests such as the IELTS/PTE/TOEFL or other entrance tests such as GRE/GMAT/SAT/ACT.

·         This is the perfect time to prepare for them. Since you have time in hand, start prepping for these tests. Use this time wisely to attain the best score possible which will help you shine in your university applications.

·         As study abroad consultants, we at Edwise are now offering these services online, which means you can prepare for these exams with the help of our experts from the comfort of your homes.

Make your Applications

·         If you were making an application when this pandemic hit, don’t stop.

·         Universities across the globe have taken into account the tiring times and have made adjustments accordingly. For instance, several universities have prolonged their deadlines and other application waivers have also been provided.

·         As an overseas education aspirant, if you ensure to get your application in the right now, you save yourself the hassle of what is expected to be a busy intake in 2021. 

Utilize online resources

·         There are several online courses available, which you can study to up your application.

·         These not only add value to your application but also help you stay in the loop with the subject of study.

·         Moreover, you will also be able to fruitfully utilize this time to enhance your skills.

Start your online classes

·         While there may be several reasons deterring you to start your online classes, there also exist several compelling reasons for the same that you should take into account.

·         For instance, even in your home country majority of the classes are being conducted online. Therefore, if you decide to start your classes online from universities abroad, you can always attend classes in person when the situation normalizes.

·         Moreover, with online classes, you ensure that there isn’t a gap in your resume.

·        Another the major benefit of online classes is its economical nature since you will be saving a considerable amount of expenses of travel, food, and accommodation.

·        Coupled with this, the time you save is also an additional benefit that you can now utilize to undertake part-time work in your home country.

It's best to hold your horses and let the storm pass, as there is definitely light at the end of this tunnel.

Thus, as an aspiring study abroad student stay in a constant loop with what’s happening around you. And the best way to do this is by getting in touch with Edwise, India’s Leading Overseas Education Consultants.

 

 

Things students studying in 2020 should know

 

Nearly, every imaginable individual has been affected by the adversary brought upon in the name of COVID-19. Especially those students who are graduating in 2020 have been significantly affected. Although the future may seem dim at this given time, it is important that students keep a positive mindset and have a deterministic approach. It is important to not lose faith and emerge victorious in the battle against the COVID-19.

International students who are currently or considering pursuing education abroad are faced with concerns. Faced with a task at hand, international students have thousands of questions running through their minds. A significant part of these questions is related to jobs, internships, and visas.

Jobs

The main reason a student decides to study abroad is to benefit from the illustrious job opportunities and stay back possibilities offered. However, due to the current scenario, there exists an air of uncertainty. Some popular study destinations are ensuring that they still present students with alluring job prospects. For instance, the USA is actively seeking work from home student interns to drive its business activities. Moreover, the Canadian government has taken an excellent step to incorporate flexibility in the post-graduation work permit rules for international students. Those students who are commencing their Fall 2020 courses online can complete 50% of their program offshore. This will have no detrimental effects on a student’s post-graduation permits. Furthermore, the 2 years stay back opportunity offered by Ireland continues to remain intact.

Internships

Notably, popular study destinations such as Australia and New Zealand have undertaken several steps to provide international students with internship opportunities. Part-time health care workers in New Zealand are permitted to work beyond the permitted 20 hours per week. Apart from this, even those students working at supermarkets can put in the extra hours. It is important to note, that this said phenomena will not have a negative impact on the visa status of the students. Moreover, individuals are pushing for this trend to continue in the future as well. Since a considerable number of students have lost their jobs due to the on-going pandemic, the Australian state government of Victoria is offering international students AU$1,100 to support them through these tiring times. Not only this, but students can also access their accumulated retirement savings to combat the pandemic.

Visa

Student looking to re-enter to study in USA need to have the following document:

·         Valid I-20 with a valid travel signature

·         A valid passport that must be valid for 6 months beyond your expected return to the U.S.

·         Valid F-1 U.S. visa stamp

·         Proof of funding or financial evidence

·         Autumn 2020 class schedule showing courses

·         SEVIS I-901 Fee Receipt

The government is granting visas to those outside Australia. This means, that when the borders are opened, those students with visas will be able to travel. Post-study work visas for students who are enrolled at universities in Australia will face relaxed entry requirements. Meaning, current as well as new students who are studying online due to the COVID-19, will have this duration counted towards their Australian Study Requirement. Those graduates affected by travel restrictions can apply for a Temporary Graduate Visa outside Australia. Students who held a student visa on or after 1 February 2020 and couldn’t complete their course within the validity due to COVID-19 will receive a waiver in the visa application fee.

October 20th onwards, those DLI's that have an approved COVID-19 plan, can welcome international students. Before students decide to travel, they need to ensure that their institution's plan was approved prior to their travel plans.

Therefore, it is important for the students to remember that there is light at the end of this tunnel.

For the latest updates about higher education abroad, get in touch with Edwise today.

 

 

 

Travel Tips for International Students

 

Leaving the comfort zone of your home country to experience the culture and seep in all the knowledge that is to offer at your study abroad destination can be a gruesome process. After going through the nerve-wracking process of university applications, the next hurdle study abroad applicants face is that of traveling to their destination. With the onset of the pandemic, traveling to your study destination has become all the more challenging.

Here are the latest updates on traveling to popular study abroad destinations:

Canada

October 20^th onwards, those DLI’s that have an approved COVID-19 plan, can welcome international students. Before students decide to travel to study in Canada, they need to ensure that their institution’s plan was approved prior to their travel plans. Students need to be traveling for necessary purposes only. These include:

·         Students living in Canada

·         Students required to be in Canada for classes in person

·         If the college or university in Canada does not offer online classes

·         Students cannot study from their home country due to technical restrictions

·         Students cannot study through online classes due to time zones

Australia

The health of the world remains a top priority currently, thus international students will be permitted to travel to Australia when it is safe to do so. Universities in Australia are ensuring to offer all possible means of support to international students and thus, offer mental health and medical support, accommodation and food support, as well as the deferral of studies, payments and fees.

With these measures being brought into place for student visa Australia, students can expect a streamline of the process. As Australian education consultants, we urge our students that this is the perfect time to get their application in order, thus when the time is ready, they are ready to travel to Australia.

Ireland

It is the responsibility of the international student to apply for the visa and to follow the necessary processes to study in Ireland. Upon arrival, students are asked to restrict their movements for a period of 14 days and are asked to fill a form to the same effect. Students must complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form and present it to an immigration officer at the point of entry.

UK

With the majority of the universities in UK currently undertaking their classes online, students are urged to stay in a constant loop with their respective universities to be in tandem with the latest travel updates. Students are reassured that the admission criteria will be adjusted taking into account the current scenario to ensure that maximum benefit is allocated to students.

These times are indeed tough for us, but as leading overseas education consultants we at Edwise offer all means of support. You can now connect with us virtually through our Live Free Virtual Counselling.

 

 

 

 

Why Students Need IELTS Coaching

 

Edwise offers comprehensive IELTS training services to students looking to give the exam. Our IELTS coaching provides services in the tested areas of Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.

International English Language Testing System, famously known as the IELTS, is a globally recognized, standardized English Proficiency Test that assesses English Language Skills. Students can appear for either the paper-based or the IELTS online test method.

IELTS exam preparation can be undertaken either through the Academic or General Training. Academic Module is required to be given by test takers who plan to study abroad at an undergraduate or postgraduate level. While the General Training Module is generally a prerequisite for candidates who either want to pursue vocational studies or plan to immigrate.

Test Format

IELTS Test format is divided into 6 sections namely-

Listening PB / Listening CB: 40 Questions to be answered in 40 Minutes

Reading Academic Module: 3 passages (40 Questions) to be answered in 60 Minutes

Writing Academic Module: 2 tasks (Diagram Prompt/Argument Prompt) to be answered in 60 minutes

Speaking: 3 Parts in 11 to 15 minutes

The Total duration of the entire Test Format is 2 Hours 45 Minutes

Grading System

Graded on a parameter known as the Band score, the total scale ranges between 0-9. The scores students are required to attain depends on the level of study, course, and university under consideration. The results for the IELTS test are available within 15 working days.

Scores required at varied study abroad destinations

The English language proficiency of students is tested when they wish to study in UK, and thus, they are required to appear for the IELTS. The minimum score for PG courses is 6.5 and 6.0 for UG studies.

Universities in USA, accept IELTS. IELTS score of 6.0- 6.5 for Undergraduates and 6.5-7 band for Postgraduate studies is usually sought after.

To study in Canada, candidates can appear for the IELTS exam. An IELTS band of 6.0-6.5 for undergraduates & 6.5-7 for postgraduate courses is desirable.

A band for 6.0-6.5 is usually sought after by Australian universities.

A band of 6.0/6.5 for undergraduate & 6.5 / 7.5 for postgraduate courses in New Zealand is suitable.

FAQ’s about IELTS

How can we get the venue details for the IELTS Examination?

IELTS is conducted by British Council so the venue details are been given by 7 days prior to the examination.

How many hours of coaching is given for IELTS?

For IELTS 30 hours of training is given.

IELTS Training at Edwise

We use the Cambridge IELTS Book, an official publication for IELTS, to conduct classroom sessions. For Listening, firstly the test is played non-stop and students answer the questions as they listen. Once the test is over, the answers are given explaining the focus on spellings, conventions of writing, and marking scheme.

For Reading, our teachers provide the details about various question types and explain the approach to answer the same. After introductory discussion, usually, the passages are assigned and students are asked to complete the same. Towards the end of each test, questions are discussed with the students, and answers are explained. For the writing segment, firstly the types of tasks are explained with essay-writing guidelines.

Students are made to practice 4 essays of task 1 type and 4 essays of task 2 type. Each essay is assessed and guidelines are provided to make the essay better. For the speaking section, one-on-one sessions are conducted exactly on the lines of the test and the answers are discussed after the session. Scores are given and guidelines are provided to improve the scores.