COVID-19 update for International Students

Canada

All the Canadian Colleges and Universities are closely monitoring the situation and issuing the directions for the student who are due to begin the studies in Canada for Summer 2020 Intakes (April, May and June). We have received the guidelines/ instructions from the Canadian Colleges which are having Summer Intakes starting from May 2020 Intake.

Europe

The universities are closely monitoring the situation and issuing directives for students who are due to begin their studies in the Summer 2020 Intake – (April, May and June).
Please find below the latest updates from the universities of some of the European destinations with respect to COVID-19.

University of Queensland, Australia

As you may be aware, the Australian Government upgraded its travel ban to Level 4 prohibiting all international travel for Australians and banning all foreign nationals from entering Australia due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

The Government has also strengthened its health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including introducing further restrictions to indoor gatherings. Unfortunately, these measures will make it incredibly difficult to continue with many of our face-to-face teaching activities and some aspects of campus life.

The University has emailed all students to advise that UQ has made the decision to move coursework teaching for Semester 1 to online delivery from Monday 23 March.

While all teaching will be moved online, the campuses will remain open to facilitate a range of activities that can still occur within the boundaries of the new social distancing and gatherings guidelines. Student support, wellbeing and social opportunities will also be moved online.

Students who have deferred or interuppted their Semester 1 studies

Some students may have already chosen to defer or interupt their studies for Semester 1. These students now have the opportunity to reinstate their enrolment by midnight [AEST] on Wednesday 25 March 2020.

Change to academic calendar

With the pause in teaching this week, additional time for teaching and learning activities has been scheduled at the end of the semester. The University Calendar has been updated to reflect the new dates. Semester 1 will now end on 26 June 2020.

This Semester is going to be different for all of us – but the university is doing everything  to make sure students keep progressing with their study and make the most of this challenging situation.

University of Manitoba, Canada

In response to COVID-19 coronavirus global pandemic, ICM has decided to conduct its May 2020 intake completely online. The intake was originally scheduled to start on April 30 but will now commence on May 19 to ensure that their instructors and students are fully prepared to teach and learn in this digital environment. This information has also been communicated directly with your students but please also make sure they have received it.

A few other items of note include:

1. Students can complete their courses from wherever they are in the world.
2.  Students do not need to have a confirmed visa in order to start this term, however, they will need a confirmed visa in-hand to reach for the September term.
3.  Course registration will take place online during the week of May 4 for all students with a Letter of Acceptance. Please be sure students have cleared their conditions before this date so their enrolment will not be delayed.
4.  Classes will commence on May 19 and run through August 8 with exams taking place between August 10 and 21.
5.  ICM will offer a variety of programming to support student learning. This will include online sessions focused on academics, as well as some social events to keep students connected with their classmates. Once circumstances change and it is safe for us to proceed with in-person events, college will resume this type of programming for those who remain in Winnipeg.
6.  Additional program options, including a condensed short-term in-person program later in summer will continue to be explored, as will in-person Supplementary Instruction sessions for those who are learning online.

Matrix College of Information Technology, Canada

Canada has shut their doors in order to fight with this deadly and dreadful flu and almost all the colleges have started differing their students from May 2020 to September 2020 intake.

In Montreal College of Information Technology, classes start from the month of June and we can give an extension till July 2020.

We are pretty sure that in a month or two we might get a solution for this pandemic flu and am sure that everything will come in a normal state. We wanted to inform you that we are there with you to support you and your students in all the ways. Please feel free to call us, mail us, what’s app us and we are there for you 24/7.

Lakehead University, Canada

We’d like to update that Lakehead University will now be accepting the Duolingo English Test as a temporary measure to address the cancellation of testing centres and inaccessibility of our regular tests of English as a foreign language.

The details relating to the acceptance of the test and the required minimum scores can be found here: https://www.lakeheadu.ca/studentcentral/applying/english-language-proficiency-requirements

What is Duolingo – Certify your English proficiency on demand, anywhere, for only $49. Take the test from your computer in under an hour, and share results with an unlimited number of institutions.

Sprott-Shaw College, Canada

Sprott Shaw College’s primary goal at this time is public safety and well being. To prevent the spread of the virus further, college is exercising extreme caution and would be transitioning to alternate learning delivery models upon the return of our students from spring break starting Monday, March 23rd, 2020. All our current students have been instructed and informed about this plan.

Regarding the students who have already been offered admission and are expected to start in the upcoming months, college would like to assure you that as and when the situation around COVID-19 and international travel is clear, college would be able to accommodate your students in the next possible intake.

Sprott Shaw monthly intake is our unique advantage of helping your students with their education continuity amidst the confusion. This is applicable to:

• Students who got their visa and are awaiting travel to Canada.
• Students who have filed their visa and are visa pending.
• Students who have been offered admission.

Sprott Shaw would be completely supportive in deferring your student’s scheduled start to the next available monthly intake as soon as the situation improves and travel resumes to normal.

Also, regarding the new applications, given the current volatility, college will be accepting applications for the July ’20 intake. College’s international staff would continue to service you and your teams to help support your recruitment efforts.

University of Canada West, Canada

All new students will have the option to start their studies online. This is for new students who have already arrived in Canada or those unable to arrive in Canada due to travel restrictions. Students will also have the option to defer to a future term.

The Spring 2020 term will start online and will continue as scheduled. The Government of Canada has confirmed that courses of study being delivered online on an exceptional basis due to COVID-19 will not affect Post-Graduation Work Permit program eligibility.

UCW will start the first two weeks of the Spring Term online for everyone and will re-evaluate the situation at that time to determine if we continue with online-only classes or re-open the university to students. We are currently in an unprecedented situation, but normal travel and university operations will resume at some point. UCW students will be able to seamlessly transition to in-class learning as originally planned.

Students can be reassured that UCW has a range of measures in place to provide a safe and healthy learning environment at all times, including enhanced deep-cleaning and disinfection protocols of the campus environment. UCW will also continue to provide a wide range of student support and counselling services. In addition, our students will benefit from robust student protection measures, including university’s fair and transparent refund policy which comprehensively protects their interests. UCW will be providing regular updates as the situation evolves.

Northern College, Canada

In Canada, the federal government formally closed their borders to all foreign travelers on March 18. As a result of a new set of international circumstances, Northern College’s (Timmins Campus) May 2020 intake is cancelled.

Students who has already paid their tuition fees for May 2020:

• Their admission will be moved/deferred to the September/Fall 2020 semester .
• Their updated offer letters will be sent to you.
• Fee receipts of their payment will be sent to you.

Those who have not yet paid for the programs are encouraged to do so for the Fall 2020 semester.

The College has formally closed all four of their campuses to the public and suspended all on-site teaching and face-to-face education. Northern College students are now learning remotely thanks to modern learning techniques and the efforts of our faculty.

Confederation College, Canada

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the continued uncertainty about what the future holds, Confederation College has decided to cancel May’20 Intake.

Students may request a refund (less a small administration fee) or a deferral. Please refer to Refund Page, for the necessary forms for a refund request.

For students wishing to defer, we will issue a revised offer letter for the next available seat (in either September or January). For deferral or refunds please send email to the college.

• Please note:
  If students already have a study permit &/or a temporary resident visa for May, they do not need to reapply for these for September. they remain valid.
• If a student defers, receives a new offer letter and then decides to withdraw, the full refund policy will apply including the full withdrawal fee.

Dublin Business School 

This is to update you with the April 2020 intake of Dublin Business School. Unfortunately, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic DBS has taken the decision to postpone studies that were due to commence this April 2020 in alignment with all medical and government advice.

This decision is taken with the health and safety of the students and staff in mind.

However, DBS plan to offer all courses in the Sep 2020 with the caveat that this pandemic diminishes over time whereby it is safe and practical for all concerned parties.

DBS will shortly issue new Offer Letters for the Sep 2020 intake to all students that hold an Offer Letter for the April 2020 intake.

As you probably are aware by now the Department of Justice has taken the decision to temporarily cease accepting new visa applications. They intend to resume accepting applications as soon as safety concerns abate.

For students whose visas have been issued already, the visa office has confirmed that once the VFS offices open, students could submit their passport along with their new offer letter for getting a revised visa with new dates for Sep 2020 intake.

For students whose visas are currently pending at the visa office, DBS will send new letters for Sep 2020 to the visa office and they would be assessing visa for Sep 2020 intake.

Please note that while the physical buildings of the College are currently closed, the College is very much open with all units fully operational.

Current students are completing their studies on-line and the Admissions Office is open and processing student queries and applications as per normal.

DBS will endeavour to process all applications and requests from you.

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