Pandemic dashes many Bangladeshis’ dreams of higher studies abroad

Through days of schooling and nights of studying, Afsana Alam Preeti and Prithika Banik Rimi pictured the big moment: to chart a new course in a new country.

Preeti recently did her post-graduation in journalism and mass communication at Dhaka University before taking the IELTS tests in December.

But between the time she applied to universities in Germany and decision day in the summer, a virus changed the world around her, upending nearly everything.

She got accepted to three German universities with a scholarship to pursue her PhD. Her admission process has now stalled as she failed to get a visa due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I applied for visa once everything else was confirmed, but it’s totally uncertain if I will get the visa," Preeti told bdnews24.com.

Rimi had also daydreamed about studying abroad and fortunately for her, she didn’t have to see it all fade.

Rimi had initially been stuck due to entry restrictions, but she finally got the visa and reached Germany after getting a scholarship to do her master's in IT in the Frankfurt University of Applied Science.

She flew to Germany on Aug 26 after the restrictions were lifted on Jul 15.

She had applied in November last year and received the offer letter in December. The visa was processed by then and she was supposed to fly by the end of March, but couldn't do so due to the travel ban.

“I enrolled into online classes from April while I was in Bangladesh. It was uncertain when I would reach (the campus). Finally, I made it in August to attend my classes in person," she said.

Germany is issuing only some special visas considering the scholarships, she said.

The uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic has been changing lives and trajectories in the beginning of 2020, putting in peril the dreams of students longing for pursuing higher education abroad.

According to the UNESCO, around 90,000 students go abroad for higher studies every year from Bangladesh.

The popular destinations for these students include the US, Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK and other European countries, India, China, Malaysia, Japan and New Zealand.

The foreign embassies had stopped issuing new visas after the US, the UK and other European countries imposed entry restrictions on foreign nationals.

Some of the countries have now lifted the restrictions, but not to such a level that can calm the jangled nerves of the students.

Mahmudul Hasan, a student of applied chemistry and chemical engineering department at the Dhaka University, scored enough in IELTS and bagged a scholarship in the University of Tennessee to pursue his PhD. But he has fallen at the last hurdle.

“I was scheduled to go there in August. But the foreign embassies are closed and no visa can be processed now,” Mahmud told bdnews24.com.

“At least 500 students who received offer letters from different US universities had signed a petition to the US ambassador but all he said was that the embassy will be open when the time is right,” he added.

Sifat Tuhin, a postgraduate at Dhaka University’s social welfare department, prepared for the GRE test with an eye to study in a US university, but could never sit it. She is now planning to take the test in December.

“Coronavirus has turned everything upside down. I can always opt for an online GRE test, but it will be questioned. I’ll take the GRE test in person in December,” she told bdnews24.com.

“I should’ve cleared the IELTS test earlier, so I could apply to the US or European universities right after completing my master’s degree,” said Sabina Rahman, a postgraduate student at Dhaka University’s pharmacy department.

She had plans to sit for the exam in November, but now it is uncertain, said Sabina.

GRADUAL REOPENING

The US Embassy in Dhaka has begun receiving visa renewal applications after a suspension of services for a few months due to the coronavirus crisis.

Only the people who were already students in the US and want to resume their studies there and a few other types of non-immigrant visa holders (with their visas expired) are able to apply for a visa renewal. New students are still barred from applying for a visa.

All types of UK visas are being processed now after the reopening of the application centres in Dhaka and Sylhet on Jul 12, said Meher Nigar Jerin, senior press officer at the British High Commission.

An applicant has to take an appointment in advance. The UK Visa Application Centre in Bangladesh is now open for all types of visa application including student visa, previously Tier 4 (General) visa, Jerin said.

“The number of appointments has been reduced to ensure social distancing, but we hope to get over the current situation,” she said.

The visa procedure has been relaxed to some extent to provide assistance to the students pursuing higher education, Jerin said.

The students can do online classes from home if they fail to reach the UK due to the pandemic, and can apply for Tier 4 visa.

Having English language proficiency is a prerequisite for higher education abroad. A student needs to clear IELTS, TOEFL, SAT or GRE. The requirements differ from one university to the other.

The University of Cambridge, British Council and IDP Australia conduct the IELTS test together. Cambridge University develops and produces the test, while the British Council and IDP Australia conduct it and disseminate the information to the students. The tests are done under the same system and the same question paper around the world.

The computer-delivered and paper-based IELTS testing at the British Council has resumed after a pause for a few days. The exams are held upon following strict health protocol.

The British Council has made its preparatory videos, tips and tricks, practice papers and other resources needed for the four segments of the IELTS exams available online after a halt, said Sharmeen Neelia, the head of communications at the British Council in Bangladesh. The interested students can prepare for the test while staying at home with the help of these resources.

“The capacity of the exam centres had to be reduced to ensure social distancing. Therefore, the number of test dates will be increased accordingly,” she said.

IELTS tests have now resumed in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet while it will restart soon in Khulna, Cumilla and Rajshahi, said Neelia.

According to the Educational Testing Service or ETS, people can take the GRE, TOEFL tests online if the test centres are closed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The four test centres under the ETS are American Alumni Association or AAA, US Software Limited, American International University and DNS Software Limited.

“We arrange the GRE tests after receiving the schedule. It was quite troublesome for the last six months to follow the schedule. It has been deferred after every announcement considering the current situation,” said Mohammad Ali, the administrator at the DNS Software Limited test centre. The centre usually holds exams from September to December.

“Earlier, there used to be tests held in every week but now the frequency dropped to once a month. The number of examinees has dropped too,” Ali said.

Students can take the TOEFL test from home as the test is now computer-based, he said.

Dhaka has some tuition centres to help the students prepare for the IELTS and GRE tests. Students are attending online classes to hone their skills amid the coronavirus pandemic, said the authorities in those centres.