1. This lecture is being recorded in video/audio format by the University of Greenwich
The recording may be used by the University of Greenwich for the purposes of education, teaching and research.
This may include conversion to digital format and storing and publication on the University of Greenwich website.
Any person who does not wish to appear in the recording should let this be known as soon as possible.

3. International Office Our Locations
Main Office
2nd floor, Fry Building, Avery Hill Campus
Student /Staff Drop In Office
Room QM061, Greenwich Campus 3

4. International Office - Staff
Maxine Davis Head
Joanne Wall International Regional Director
Mark Blakemore International Regional Director
Sue Edwards International Recruitment Manager
Nicola McCarthy International Officer (Part Time)
Joanna Dyal International Officer (Part Time)
Natasha Abreo International Officer
Helen McCormack International Officer
April Moore International Officer
Yvette Fofah International Administrator
Andrew Dickson International Administrator
Shan Shan Zhang International Administrator
Evelina Lopes Rodrigues International Administrator 4

5. What we do…
Enquiry Management – (min of 150 s a day), phone (call centre), face to face
Tier 4 Visa advice to applicants including CAS and ATAS
Assessment of International (including EU) Applications – Quick turnaround, greater conversion
Specialist in-country knowledge of qualifications and education systems
Working with Faculties and Departments
Marketing of university to International Students.

6. Overseas Activity On the Spot Admissions Representative Visits
Institution Visits
Alumni Events
Other Promotional/ Networking Events
Exhibitions
Breakdown of the Recruitment cycle. While it’s a continuous recruiting drive the first half of the year is profile raising/maintaing ‘recruitment’ based, activities from January onwards will more often be follow up ‘conversion’ work with highly targeted visits and marketing campaigns running simultaneously.
British Council v Agent exhibitions – also increse of non-UK centered exhibitions reflecting greater global competition

7. What is the International Student Applicant Journey?
How does a student start making a choice?
Internet/ third party websites (Masterstudies & Bachelorstudies.com)
Social Media – Facebook
Word of mouth (alumni)
Representatives – 70% of students recruited
Education Fairs

8. Making an Application Language Barriers Which programme to choose
Finance
Visa
Accommodation

9. Pre-Sessional English courses at Greenwich
Language Barriers
Need for IELTS
Costs of test
Availability of Test (UKVI testing centres)
Time Scale
Pre-Sessional English courses at Greenwich

10. IELTS
International English Language Testing System(IELTS) Assesses the English language proficiency of people who want to study or work where English is used as the language of communication. It is a UKVI regulation that a student whose first Language is not English achieve a required level Assessment includes Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. We require 6.0 – 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each area

11. Pre-Sessional English courses at Greenwich
Programmes available are 14 week, 9 weeks, 5 weeks and 2 weeks Dependant upon the level achieved and required. Run from June to September for September intake and October and November for January intake Added cost for the student are tuition fees and accommodation, also the availability of accommodation

12. Which Programme to choose.
Programme choice – Not all programmes are available to International students Credit Requirement – different requirement in different countries Programme titles – students may have secured a scholarship for a specific programme title Location – some students chose a programme due to the location of the campus Employability prospects – professionally recognised programmes

13. Overseas Qualification
Misunderstanding of Overseas qualification – Use of Naric Specialist Knowledge of the translation for qualifications into UK equivalence Knowledge of Overseas education systems

14. Finance UG Fees £10,850 PG Fees £11,700 - £12,500
Maintenance Costs - £7,380
Nationality Scholarship £1,000 off fees
Bangladesh, Cambodia, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Mauritius, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam
Alumni Progression Bursary
First Class Honours Scholarship
US Federal Student Aid programme
Gurkha Personnel Bursary
David Fussey Choral Exhibition

15. Tier 4 (General) Student Visa application
Pre-registration deposit of £3,000
Confirmation of Acceptance of study (CAS)
CAS Checking sheet sent to the student
Unique CAS number sent to the student.
NHS Surcharge must be paid £150 per full year
Visa logged and paid
Visa received/refused
Administrative review (appeal)
Immigration at arrival

16. Visa Refusal Rates - Compliance
10% refusal rate allowed – going over this we may lose our license
Visa refusals 14/15 –
53 not seen as genuine student
18 Maintenance, not enough funds available
False Fraudulent documents
How to reduce this?
Representatives to assist with applications in high risk countries such as Nigeria.
Check students bank statements before issuing a CAS
Visa workshops for student applying from the UK

17. Accommodation Halls of Residence Private Accommodation
Receive log-in details
Make application
Pay deposit
Private Accommodation
Secure appropriate accommodation
Make sure Landlord is registered

18. External Barriers
A recent comment from the biggest Representative in Nigeria: “Honestly Mark, the market in Nigeria is looking very gloomy, NHS, IELTS centers and hiked fee , increased exchange rate, increased visa application fee, increase in tuition and now applicants are asked to pay almost 20,000naira in cash when submitting visa applications, this is different from the embassy fee, all of these are affecting the numbers greatly including the fact that more schools have come to UKEAS, UKEAS is under pressure to satisfy all their partners and Greenwich is not doing badly at all compared to the others.” Nigerian Representative

19. Internal Barriers
Mandatory phone and skype interviews – delay in decisions on application Delays in responses to applications referred to Faculties – International students expect a prompt reply and will generally accept the first offer made to them Misunderstanding of International Qualifications – Use of NARIC can often be incorrect.

20. Marketing International Prospectus – Individual from Home Prospectus
International Student Accommodation Guide
International Tuition Fees Leaflet
Pre Sessional English Leaflet
Banners for exhibitions
Magazine, newspaper, online advertising and social media
Use of Google, Bing etc for search returns dependant on which engine is most popular in each country; increased use of Facebook for targeted campaigns; even the use of an advertisement as a part of pre-film trailers at cinemas in Nigeria.
Print material remains important in a digital age – students will still want these materials at exhibitions and they help us and our agents to promote the university in a tangible way.

21. Any Questions?