Competive scholarships at University of Portsmouth for MSc programs in Geological and Environmental Sciences in September 2012:

* The Faculty of Science at the University of Portsmouth is offering a limited number of competitive scholarships to Nigerian students applying for full-time postgraduate courses in Geological http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/geography/courses/ and Environmental Sciences http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/sees/mscpostgraduatestudy/

Details on application procedure can be found at http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/faculties/facultyofscience/postgraduatescholarships/

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Best wishes,
Tosin

* The Faculty of Science at the University of Portsmouth is offering a limited number of competitive scholarships to Nigerian students applying for full-time postgraduate courses in Geological http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/geography/courses/ and Environmental Sciences http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/sees/mscpostgraduatestudy/

Details on application procedure can be found at http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/faculties/facultyofscience/postgraduatescholarships/

* Are you interested in an MBA? Portsmouth Business School is offering one full scholarship and a number of partial scholarships at 40%, 30% and 20% reduction off the course fee.http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/faculties/portsmouthbusinessschool/postgraduatescholarships/
We are delighted to introduce our new "MBA with Business Placement" accredited by AMBA. The pioneering University of Portsmouth programme will provide students with the option to apply for a twelve month paid professional placement commencing after their twelve month taught element.

* All Nigerian students are eligible for an automatic 10% discount off tution fees under our GOAL award scheme:
http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/international/tuitionfeesandfinance/bursariesforinternationalstudents/

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Best wishes,
Tosin

Take a Virtual tour: http://www.port.ac.uk/virtualtour.

To confirm attendance or make enquiries about this event, please contact our in-country representative, Glory Education Services. Their contact details are:

Glory Educational Services
Glory Educational Services
2nd Flr Wing 'C', Providence Court
Mokola, Ibadan, Nigeria

Tel: +234 2 8100237
Email: enquiries@gloryeduserve.com


Glory Educational Services
3rd Floor, Centage Plaza
14 Allen Avenue
Ikeja , Lagos, Nigeria

Tel: +234 1 7733 800
Email: enquiries@gloryeduserve.com

To confirm attendance or make enquiries about this event, please contact our in-country representative, Glory Education Services. Their contact details are:

Glory Educational Services
Glory Educational Services
2nd Flr Wing 'C', Providence Court
Mokola, Ibadan, Nigeria

Tel: +234 2 8100237
Email: enquiries@gloryeduserve.com


Glory Educational Services
3rd Floor, Centage Plaza
14 Allen Avenue
Ikeja , Lagos, Nigeria

Tel: +234 1 7733 800
Email: enquiries@gloryeduserve.com

@A-Town.
Good point! FYI, I am Nigerian, I made a personal choice to study in the UK and I was refused a visa at my first attempt so I can fully appreciate your observation. But:

As for UK colleges becoming 'the money-making venue', you must realise that every year tens of thousands of Nigerians opt to study overseas. The British visa section in Nigeria is one of the busiest in the world but unfortunately receive far more fraudulent than genuine applications (which I don't think is enough justification for the indiscriminate refusals).

While the quality of graduates produced from Nigeria universities can be compared to best in the world; the instability, inadequate infrastructure and situation of the job market are key factors driving Nigerians abroad- and will continue to do so until accorded the priority it demands especially because of the brain-drain which has seen Nigeria loose several of her best minds to other countries.

The high visa refusals is an on-going debate between UK schools and the UKBA. Afterall it is in the interest of UK schools that less students are refused visas? Hopefully, the new PBS coming into play next month will ultimately help to achieve this as the requirements are designed to be more objective and less dependent on the subjectivity of Entry Clearance Officers.

Being a victim of visa refusal on very laughable grounds, I am hoping for an improvement in the system.

Tosin.

@loci
Very nice! I was fortunate to study and graduate from O.A.U and I wish you all the best in your finals.

Tosin.

@loci. Can I please ask you to send your enquiries through international.office@port.ac.uk and it should be forwarded to me.

Tosin.

@ toideve. Thank you for your question and the emoticon. The University of Portsmouth is very proud of its diverse student population and recognises the flavour and quality that our vibrant Nigerian students bring to the university.

In recognition of this and the volume of enquiries we have received in recent times, the purpose of this visit is to conduct interviews, counsel prospective students and also make offers where appropriate. Most importantly, we want to collect first-hand information on the needs of prospective students so we can better improve our service offering to our current students.

I hope this answers your question.

Tosin.

The University of Portsmouth is visiting Nigeria in April, 2009
http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/international/universityofportsmouthinyourregion/


For anyone interested, myself (Assistant International Officer, Africa) and an academic from the university will be visiting a number of cities in Nigeria next month. This is an opportunity not only to receive spot offers but also meet representatives from the university who have close cultural and geographic backgrounds thereby understanding the challenges and constraints of Nigerian students.

Specific date and travel itinerary will be confirmed and posted shortly. Meanwhile feel free to check the links below to learn  more about the University of Portsmouth and I look forward to seeing you next month.

Nigerians studying at UoP or graduated from UoP- and loving every moment:
Facebook group- http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=56160329721
What they have to say- http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/international/universityofportsmouthinyourregion/nigeria/studentprofiles/


Know about UoP:
Faculties- http://www.port.ac.uk/aboutus/departments/
Facts and Figures- http://www.port.ac.uk/aboutus/factsfigures/
Research Activities- http://www.port.ac.uk/research/researchactivities/
Teaching Quality- http://www.port.ac.uk/aboutus/tqi/
Why Portsmouth- http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/international/howtoapply/whyportsmouth/


Courses available at UoP:
UG- http://www.port.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/atozcourselist/
PG- http://www.port.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/courses/atozcourselist/


Sights of Ports:
http://www.mediastore.portsmouth.gov.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=17168&id=8635413325- Meet and make friends with current UoP students


Snapshots of last International Students Week:
http://newsweaver.co.uk/uop/index000347286.cfm?x=bfk5TqL,bcqLstTT


Video of the last international students week (Footage on CCi TV, Tv station run by students of Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZGLtCRXMPw&feature=channel_page



The Portsmouth 'Island' Newsletter:
Previous editions of the Island- http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/international/theisland/


The UoP Mix and Match Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=56160329721#/group.php?gid=6752512307


New members of the  International staff at Ports: (The dazed looking black guy will be myself)
http://newsweaver.co.uk/uop/index000331704.cfm?x=bf3pBGG,bcqLstTT

The University of Portsmouth is visiting Nigeria in April, 2009

For anyone interested, myself (Assistant International Officer, Africa) and an academic from the university will be visiting a number of cities in Nigeria next month. This is an opportunity not only to receive spot offers but also meet representatives from the university who have close cultural and geographic backgrounds thereby understanding the challenges and constraints of Nigerian students.

Specific date and travel itinerary will be confirmed and posted shortly. Meanwhile feel free to check the links below to learn  more about the University of Portsmouth and I look forward to seeing you next month.

Nigerians studying at UoP or graduated from UoP- and loving every moment:
Facebook group- http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=56160329721
What they have to say- http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/international/universityofportsmouthinyourregion/nigeria/studentprofiles/


Know about UoP:
Faculties- http://www.port.ac.uk/aboutus/departments/
Facts and Figures- http://www.port.ac.uk/aboutus/factsfigures/
Research Activities- http://www.port.ac.uk/research/researchactivities/
Teaching Quality- http://www.port.ac.uk/aboutus/tqi/
Why Portsmouth- http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/international/howtoapply/whyportsmouth/


Courses available at UoP:
UG- http://www.port.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/atozcourselist/
PG- http://www.port.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/courses/atozcourselist/


Sights of Ports:
http://www.mediastore.portsmouth.gov.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=17168&id=8635413325- Meet and make friends with current UoP students


Snapshots of last International Students Week:
http://newsweaver.co.uk/uop/index000347286.cfm?x=bfk5TqL,bcqLstTT


Video of the last international students week (Footage on CCi TV, Tv station run by students of Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZGLtCRXMPw&feature=channel_page



The Portsmouth 'Island' Newsletter:
Previous editions of the Island- http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/international/theisland/


The UoP Mix and Match Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=56160329721#/group.php?gid=6752512307


New members of the  International staff at Ports: (The dazed looking black guy will be myself)
http://newsweaver.co.uk/uop/index000331704.cfm?x=bf3pBGG,bcqLstTT

For all forum junkies,

Regarding the Student Fair, I will attempt to be fair and balanced. FYI, the Fair is actually targeted at international students in UK schools enrolled on access/pathway/foundation programs for direct university entry and not students currently residing overseas. From my experience at the stands, it turned out to be anything but international as a result of the overwhelming number of EU students present at the event.

Did the advertisers fail to target their advertising effectively or could some of these EU students really be ignorant of their fee category, a significant number of whom seemed not to know if they were EU or International!!

On a promising note, the Home Office was at the event in their infamous splendour and were kind enough to supply "most recent" PBS materials. Will review it and put up the most salient points shortly.

Worth Checking out?
Being organised as an avenue for international students to network, meet representatives from schools and get the latest information on the news Point Based System (PBS).

I would personally like to see how "international" it turns out to be considering that international students need to obtain visas??,

See you there or stay tuned for a report.

As though UK immigration laws weren't complicated enough as it is,  the introduction of the new Point Based System (PBS) is causing quite a stir- especially as the Home Office themselves do not seem to have quite gotten their heads around it.

So what does it portend for prospective students? The truth is that no one can accurately predict its impact on international student recruitment until it kicks off but there is a great deal of scepticism about it among universities.

Some useful points to note however:

*Better to err on the side of caution and not apply for a student visa than to put in a dubious or fraudulent application. The minimum penalty is a 10 year ban before another application can be made- and we all know what happens after that,

*This puts an end to refusals premised on suspicion from offers made from a "bona fide" UK institution as universities will be required to obtain a sponsors license.

*By virtue of being sponsors, institutions also become watch-dogs and are required to submit the names of students who fail to enrol or miss more than ten(10) classes- how plausible that is

*Students may be required to pay full tution fees for the first year of study prior to enrolment.

*Entry Clearance Officers (ECO) will base a large percentage of their visa decisions on the sponsor's (the institutions) documentation- ENSURE your personal details are accurate as that is the way it will appear on your sponsor's documentations.

Hope this helps.
All input, comments and corrections are welcome.

Dreaming of studying abroad was one  of my favourite past-times during my undergrad years which left me largely unfulfilled.

Having now completed a UK Masters degree and currently working for a reputable UK university, I hope to stimulate discussions on a wide range of issues including (but not limited solely to) student visas and immigration and in the process, shatter perceptions and stereotypes about UK universities.

This thread is open to all who have an interest in the UK Higher Education and perhaps nurture a study ambition.
I hope we can share experiences, debate ideas and offer candid opinions that will hopefully be useful to someone in making what I consider to be one of the important decisions of a life-time.