Pre-departure Brief By British Council
Students preparing to go to the U.K. for higher studies at the pre-departure briefing organised by British Council in Coimbatore on Wednesday. The pre-departure briefing organised here on Wednesday by the British Council for students preparing to leave for the U.K. to begin the academic session in September was more than a briefing. This is the fifth edition of the briefing in Coimbatore. It was not just a series of lectures telling students about what they should do or should not do. Each point was clearly explained with the help of short video clips. After the admission process is over and the date when the classes will begin is known, the visa process is set in motion. Representatives from the Visa section of the British High Commission specially meant for students’ travel to the U.K. gave a picture of the process step-by-step.
“Once all the documents pertaining to academics and finance are ready, the visa application with all the relevant documents should be submitted in Chennai, in person. However, unlike earlier, 95 per cent of the visas are issued on the basis of documents. Students are called for a personal interview if there is some discrepancy in the documents,” said L. Dhanasekaran, Head Education UK (South India). Once the visa process is over, an international student ID card is issued with the help of which a flight ticket can be bought at a discount. Mr. Dhanasekaran said that there were various other purchases that could be done at discounted rates with the help of the card.
Things to be done by a student once he / she has reached London or any other city in the U.K. were told via audio-visual means. Things like registering with a doctor, opening a bank account, becoming members of international societies, working part-time, etc., were touched upon. They were also told about health services, transportation, shopping areas, emergency services, facilities for students with disabilities, and also the relevant websites to look up. Prospective students were cautioned about the new culture, methods of teaching and learning, punctuality, strict attendance in classes, plagiarism, etc. The new introduction this year was the tier-1 point-based system permit that would allow students who complete their course to work for two years. During the course of their study, they would be allowed to work for 20 hours a week.
Three alumni were present to share their experiences first-hand to enable the prospective students understand better the various nuances involved in studying in the U.K.Mr. Dhanasekaran said that last year more than 7,000 students had gone to the U.K. from South India. “The number of students going to the U.K. from Coimbatore is next only to Chennai. To enable students make the right choices with regard to courses and colleges in the U.K., an education fair will be held here on November 27 and 28,” he said. Students can e-mail to chennai.educationuk@in.britishcouncil.org; or call 044-42050600 for guidance.
