4 ms·

Ignoring pathways for refugees, it is really hard (impossible?) to do this without a degree.

by Permit 5y ago

heavyset_go 5y ago
Might be possible on a student visa, but you wouldn't be allowed to work, or the work you're legally allowed to do would be constrained.
- toast0 5y ago
  I don't know about other countries, but getting a student visa into the US requires a lot of resources too.
  - 2143 5y ago
    What resources? It was a straightforward process for me. Here's my experience applying for student visa from India. Once the US university accepted me, they physically mailed me the paperwork (acceptance letter, I20/DS2019 form etc). I scheduled an appointment (which involved filling up a huge form online that took 2 hours) with my nearest US Consulate, which was the one in Chennai. I believe (not sure) the US Consulate in Chennai is the largest consulate US has worldwide. I think this facility processes the most number of visas or something. At my meeting with the US consular officer they examined the paperwork, and my visa was approved. The meeting with consular officer took only 5 minutes, though I had to wait an hour to reach the front of the line. They didn't even ask me too much questions — just what my parents and siblings did. However, I hear about a lot of people who got their student visa application rejected, so I have no idea why it was easy for me and hard for them. And I did this twice. Once for a single semester exchange program to the US, and another when I decided to get my master's degree from USA. The visa interview was a pleasant experience both times. Later, when my parents decided to visit the US, it was a straightforward process for them as well to get a tourist visa. Of course, work visa is a totally different beast, I hear. (Also — not relevant, but I returned back to India after my masters due to personal reasons. I had a really good time in America).
    - toast0 5y ago
      I've heard you need to show availability of funds to pay for the whole period of school when you apply for the visa[1]? Anyway, you need to pay for the school at some point and some schools charge international students extra, or anyway full rate. So, if the problem was not enough money to go to school at home, coming to the US for school doesn't seem to help? [1] I've also heard there are services which will park their money in your account for a couple days so it looks like you've got it all.
      - 2143 5y ago
        Yes true. People who don't have funds for education at home might have a hard time moving to the US for education (unless they have a scholarship or something).
- 2143 5y ago
  Well, in USA, for foreign students there's the OPT and CPT programs that allows them to get jobs and internships in the area of their study, and even work in the US for a limited number of years (2 or 3 depending on what they studied) after their graduation. Also, they have very precise definitions of what work is considered to be in a given field of study. So for instance, a foreign student can't be a CS major and then go work as a chef in a restaurant. However, they can work at tech companies as a software engineer.

Ignoring pathways for refugees, it is really hard (impossible?) to do this without a degree.

by Permit 5y ago

Ignoring pathways for refugees, it is really hard (impossible?) to do this without a degree.

Might be possible on a student visa, but you wouldn't be allowed to work, or the work you're legally allowed to do would be constrained.

toast0 5y ago
I don't know about other countries, but getting a student visa into the US requires a lot of resources too.
- 2143 5y ago
  What resources? It was a straightforward process for me. Here's my experience applying for student visa from India. Once the US university accepted me, they physically mailed me the paperwork (acceptance letter, I20/DS2019 form etc). I scheduled an appointment (which involved filling up a huge form online that took 2 hours) with my nearest US Consulate, which was the one in Chennai. I believe (not sure) the US Consulate in Chennai is the largest consulate US has worldwide. I think this facility processes the most number of visas or something. At my meeting with the US consular officer they examined the paperwork, and my visa was approved. The meeting with consular officer took only 5 minutes, though I had to wait an hour to reach the front of the line. They didn't even ask me too much questions — just what my parents and siblings did. However, I hear about a lot of people who got their student visa application rejected, so I have no idea why it was easy for me and hard for them. And I did this twice. Once for a single semester exchange program to the US, and another when I decided to get my master's degree from USA. The visa interview was a pleasant experience both times. Later, when my parents decided to visit the US, it was a straightforward process for them as well to get a tourist visa. Of course, work visa is a totally different beast, I hear. (Also — not relevant, but I returned back to India after my masters due to personal reasons. I had a really good time in America).
  - toast0 5y ago
    I've heard you need to show availability of funds to pay for the whole period of school when you apply for the visa[1]? Anyway, you need to pay for the school at some point and some schools charge international students extra, or anyway full rate. So, if the problem was not enough money to go to school at home, coming to the US for school doesn't seem to help? [1] I've also heard there are services which will park their money in your account for a couple days so it looks like you've got it all.
    - 2143 5y ago
      Yes true. People who don't have funds for education at home might have a hard time moving to the US for education (unless they have a scholarship or something).
2143 5y ago
Well, in USA, for foreign students there's the OPT and CPT programs that allows them to get jobs and internships in the area of their study, and even work in the US for a limited number of years (2 or 3 depending on what they studied) after their graduation. Also, they have very precise definitions of what work is considered to be in a given field of study. So for instance, a foreign student can't be a CS major and then go work as a chef in a restaurant. However, they can work at tech companies as a software engineer.