Of all my blogs so far, this one might be the most painful to write. Future Ulster Elks, PLEASE read this one. Make sure you learn from my mistakes.
As all of you should know, Ulster University is in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. It is the only school partnered with the Sport Changes Life Foundation in Northern Ireland, which means that all other scholars are stationed in the Republic of Ireland- which is part of the European Union.
This means a few things! Scholars in Ireland need Euros, whereas the Ulster Elks use Pound Sterling. There are slight changes in culture and lingo across the island. But I encountered one of the biggest differences in locations before I even arrived. The infamous Student VISA.
As a United States citizen, you need to acquire a Student Visa in order to study abroad. For the 30 Victory Scholars stationed in the Republic of Ireland, the application process can be done AFTER arrival in Ireland. For the 6 Ulster scholars, it’s a little different. The U.K. requires U.S. students to obtain their VISA before they leave home.
For me, this process quickly turned into a nightmare. There are 6 or 7 steps of paperwork and registration that need to be completed before the illusive visa is in your hands. First, you need a “Confirmation of Acceptance” (CAS) letter from the University you are attending (for me that was Ulster). Then, you fill out a lengthy application online and sign up for an appointment at a local VISA center (in Virginia, local = two hours away). At the appointment, a government official will interview you and get your fingerprints. From there, they will mail your application to the U.K. Consulate in New York City.
The key factor to remember in all of this is: *the VISA process occurs in phases*. Once you are finished with one phase, you move on to the next. You need your CAS number to finish the online application, you need to finish the online application before you have your appointment, and so on.
For me, it all started going downhill on STEP 1. I emailed Ulster for my CAS number in June, and did not receive a CAS number back until July 27th….From there, I got the first appointment I could (August 14th), and mailed in my application to the NYC Consulate the day after. I paid an extra 400 dollars to expedite the entire process, which put my VISA application at the top of the priority list. In theory, my VISA would be confirmed and sent back in five days. Think again.
Day after day went by, and no email. No UPS truck. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent staring at my phone refreshing my email account. The “Victory Scholar Launch” (day all the scholars fly over to Ireland together) was set for the last week of August. Finally that day came, and I had not received any word from the NYC Consulate.
The week before launch day, I let the SCL staff know the situation and asked if there was anything I could possibly do. Unfortunately, there is nothing ANYONE can do. Once you send in that application, all you can do is wait. There is no customer service you can call, no one you can email… I even tried calling the London Consulate office, and all they could tell me was “to be patient-I am sure you will hear soon.” I started to doubt whether it would come at all. What if this Visa never came, or my application was denied? What happens if I can’t get to Ireland…
Launch day was held at Marist College- about a 9 and a half hour drive from Virginia. I decided that even though I wouldn’t be able to fly with the group after, it was important to make the trip. It was nice to meet all the scholars I would be spending the year with, but I couldn’t help but feel out of place and totally embarrassed knowing that 33 scholars would be flying to their new home that night, while I would be stuck in a car to Virginia.
More than anything, I felt like I had let my parents down. They had supported me unconditionally for 22 years, opened SO many doors for me , and I repaid had them with this.
Finally, 37 days after I sent in my expedited VISA application, I received an email from the NYC Consulate: “your application has been accepted.” Receiving that email was one of the happiest moments of my life. I remember running outside and giving that lucky UPS driver a massive bear hug.
The next day, my mom, truly a saint of a woman, drove 7 hours to JFK Airport, only to turn right back around and drive 7 hours back for work the next day. I hopped on a plane to join my 33 friends. I’m so appreciative of how patient and kind the SCL family was through such a stressful and uncertain experience. Believe me, the next time I need a VISA, no fooling around…. I am sending that app in 6 years ahead of time.
Future scholars, PLEASE… PLEASE take my advice. Do not procrastinate on your VISA application. Do not hesitate in sending a follow up email to Ulster in order to receive your CAS number. If you have to, send one every single day. Get it done in June!!!! Being the “34th” scholar is no fun, trust me.
Lastly, if future Ulster Elks have any questions about the VISA application please DO NOT hesitate to ask. I’m not proud in saying I know everything about the process and would be more than happy to help you through it.
