The International Student Nightmare

Hi everyone. When I write this post, I am on the edge of a breakdown. I feel frustrated and helpless at the same time. Apologies in advance if the timeline in this post is a bit confusing.



My journey began in March when I applied to Swansea University for a second degree in UCAS. I had an interview with the department representatives in April and was given a conditional offer in May. The conditions simply want me to submit three extra supporting documents. When the offer came through my email, I was delighted about the uni life ahead. I thought everything would go smoothly. Little did I know, this is the beginning of an emotional rollercoaster.



After gathering all the documents, I submitted all the required documents to the respective offices on 26 June. Then I waited an entire month with no update or confirmation from the admission office. Therefore, I sent a follow-up email at the end of July, making sure everything remains on track.

Being left worrying for another week, I contacted the admission office through live chat. They told me that they have yet to receive a health clearance from the occupational health department. From this point, I started to feel paranoid because I had a medical screening with the department in mid-July. All the health records should have come through at the start of August.

The next day, I receive two separate emails from the occupational health department and admissions office. The occupational health claimed they had already sent the records the day before. Subsequently, the admissions office informed me no additional information can be provided in the process of UCAS clearing. Without an option, I waited for another week until UCAS confirmed my place on 9 August.

Time is exceptionally critical for international students because they need extra time for visas and preparation. According to Home Office guidance, it takes about 3 weeks to process a visa application. Please keep in mind that the processing time excludes the time for getting a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies). Swansea University uses a system called CAS shield, allowing students to apply and track their applications.

Despite receiving the invitation to CAS shield as early as May, the CAS team is unable to process my application unless I am given an unconditional offer and paid the £4000 deposit. You may now understand why I would keep on chasing the admission office for updates.

It is nerve-wracking when you see days slipping away, but the tracker is not going anywhere. Then I finally receive a message from the CAS team asking me to fill in extra questionnaires because of my previous study at the same level. I completed the forms and returned them the next day. Later in the week, I noticed the tracker indicating the review had been completed and CAS was under issuing process. When I saw the tracker stuck at 96% for a few days, I dropped a message to the team on 23 Aug. To my surprise, the CAS team explained they were consulting their immigration advisors and will come back to me soon. After the initial conversation, they retracted the entire process back to 60%.

Referring to the exchange of messages, they stated there was a concern over the study time limit. I had addressed my previous education history since the beginning of my application. However, it has been neglected throughout the entire process. It was only pointed to me at the last minute, leaving me in utter misery. I quit my job to pursue this degree. My current tenancy is about to end by the end of this month. The only advantage is that I am already inside the UK, so travelling is less of a concern. Nevertheless, the university is holding £4050 as a deposit for the course and accommodation. I am gutted by the lack of clarity and the chain of events that unfolded in the past months. It is only 5 days before the enrollment and 19 days before the start of the course.