Stressing about DD's Uni Yr 3 year abroad - Portugal

[andjustwhatfreshhellisthis]

DD is supposedly going to Portugal in September for her Yr3 - she's studying Spanish and Portuguese at a UK Uni (4 year course) and the year abroad is mandatory.

Up until now, there has been very limited information provided from her Uni, regarding what she needs to do to get things done because it all harnesses on the Portuguese Uni application process and I'm extremely worried that we will run out of time to get things sorted.

We've been told that the application window opens on the 23rd June (so next week) and we have no idea how long it will take for them to process her application. She's already provided them with a proficiency certificate and they were very quick to come back and say that it was sufficient. Fingers crossed they'll confirm her place just as quick. However, she has been told by her UK Uni that she can't apply for a visa or organise accommodation until she has her place at the Portuguese Uni confirmed.

I read on a FB post it can take months to get a visa appointment! so what happens if she doesn't get a visa in time before the academic year starts; what do we do?

And how does she go about looking/applying for accommodation? She's already been told that Halls aren't available so that means she'll be living with people she doesn't know albeit overseas students, but they may not be Portuguese language students and I'm worried she'll end up in a hell-hole.

The UK Uni hasn't opened up the 'blackboard' (that's what they refer to it as) section of their on-line information so we've no idea if they supply accommodation links or if DD has to sort all of that alone. (We've asked the Uni directly (as we need to organise ourselves) and they will only correspond with DD, not with us))

In addition, she wants us (DH and I) to travel with her and spend a few days prior to her starting her course, with her and finding her way around so we have to look to book holiday from work, book flights, find a place to stay and it's all last minute!! Starting to panic!! Help....

@PollyPhonicIt is an interesting topic at interview. DD was asked what she thought was her greatest achievement. She said organising and navigating her year abroad, especially the Italian semester. It’s always something to be proud of and it says a lot about a young person. Got the job. People like capable young people.

Agree - competence and resilience are demonstrably useful (and rarer than they should be) qualities in young people.

@NCTDN DD found Switzerland (uni of Geneva) also had great student accommodation. Very well organised university. Maybe Bristol have their act together better than anywhere else!? DD was certainly happy with the Study Abroad office. Back then they said only Switzerland and Germany were reliably organised universities! Maybe add Austria!

Both you and her need to relax a little and chill.
If she ends in a hell hole she can move.
If she moves in with International students she has not met before it s all part of the experience

DS did his year abroad in Berlin two years ago - not much help from uni so I think this is probably par for the course. In fact it was all perfectly doable and in the end I think organising it was all part of the experience. He had an amazing time - it was the making of his whole university experience in many ways. If I can just give one piece of advice - so you can learn from his mistakes - under no circumstances use the company Habyt when searching for accommodation. They were a nightmare from start to finish - he ended up staying with them for the whole year because it would have been such a faff to change for what remained and I think that is their business model. Just awful - avoid, avoid avoid at all costs.

I think tbh that it's got a lot harder for students to do a year abroad and that parental involvement and subsidy are par for the course. Many universities just haven't caught up with the additional hurdles that only seem to grow by the year.

The universities cannot get students over the hurdles though. They can only advise on what might be encountered. Getting back into Erasmus would be so helpful.

DD found her own accommodation in Italy via small ads. She had planned to have a day visiting them but liked the first one and chose that. She had booked into a hotel for 3 nights whilst looking at accommodation but she sorted it out. Unibersities here can only advise a bit. DD found more out from other student feedback. Universities could collate this and let y2 students have it. There used to be the 3rd Year Abroad website too that was full of good advice. Cannot see it now.

Universities are absolutely free to engage with overseas universities to create reciprocal exchange programmes, which remove many hurdles (there are many such exchange programmes).

They won't 'catch up' because what parents expect is not going to happen. Universities are not ever going to be able to provide immigration advice for every overseas year abroad country, nor will they be able to take responsibility for finding accommodation for students abroad without a significant overhaul of the HE funding model.

My DD has come to a bit of a full stop with applying to an Italian Uni. We knew it would be hard but with no bilateral agreement and no official Italian Language certificate it is proving almost impossible. The Universitaly Portal is truly awful. After one rejected application in May she now is unable to make any further applications until the Uni delete this.

Good news is she has sorted some accommodation which is great!

The plan now is to apply to an Italian Language School and get her C1 exam - either a 3 month or 6 month course which will give her a visa if have 20 hrs lessons a week . And on a study visa she can work 20 hrs a week.

Then when she arrives she will sign up to Single Courses at the Uni - she is already in touch with the course tutor who is being lovely but can't get the admissions people to respond (you can't apply for Single course modules until September anyway). Also she has a volunteering opportunity and plans to row. So plenty to do.

@Ceramiq ? I know! DD went on one as I have explained - Bristol. Great links with academics but that’s not spoon feeding students in terms applying for accommodation and now the need for visas. The universities should have a step by step guide though and Q&A and I had a parent session at open day.

Oxford seems particularly inept as they don’t seem to have relationships with anywhere! So it’s totally DIY. I can see it’s a huge frustration now when it used to be much easier.

@Juja Just looked at uni of Bologna. No Italian language requirement at all. they recommend CEFR level A2. They do have lots of info!

Thanks @TizerorFizz good to hear about Bologna - the problem is now having been rejected from one Uni she can't apply for any other Unis unless Sapienza release her failed application from Universitaly. There is now a single pre enrolment portal for all Unis called UniversItaly and that is the way to get a Visa. I've checked the Bologna page and they unfortunately are very clear about using Universitaly portal.

@Juja Yes. It’s such a mess isn’t it. I didn’t imply she should go to Bologna. I was just interested to see if they gave clear info. I also thought all unis might be the same in terms of Italian language requirements, but they don’t seem to be. I was just curious really.

Thank you, it's interesting to hear it from the Uni side.

Just to add though that my DD's Uni still haven't opened up the 'blackboard' which supposedly provides much more information including links to accommodation etc. I fear we may be disappointed when it does open and find that there isn't much else there.

I have pressed my DD countless times, as has DH for more information but she is adamant that what we know so far is IT. There is nothing else available from the Uni. 😑

@andjustwhatfreshhellisthis do you mean your DD's home university, in the UK? If so that's odd because the academic year has ended.

Are you sure she hasn't been sent an email that she's missed? Has she contacted the Study Abroad office to ask about it?

In my experience however, it's more likely to be the host university that provides this sort of information - eg specific links for accommodation etc..

Sorry I've just reread the OP. Has your daughter actually asked them for information about the Blackboard course?

So for those who need some information I listened in yesterday on a zoom call my DD had in relation solely to the VISA process.

She has to get together 11 documents/items to be able to get her VISA. She can make an appointment at Manchester, Edinburgh or London.

• Application form plus 2 photos
• personal statement in Portuguese or english
• Passport
• UK Residence Permit
• Travel Insurance
• Legalised ACRO
• Return transport ticket
• Proof of accommodation
• Proof of Financial Resources
• Letter of enrolment in UK institution
• Acceptance letter from Lisbon

The Portuguese embassy will not accept anything other than ACRO (i.e. DBS) and to obtain the ACRO takes 1 month approx. so she needs to crack on with that today. This also needs to be legalised.

The application process for the Lisbon Uni is now open so she's starting to deal with that but on the zoom call yesterday, she was told that she will need to keep on nagging the University for their acceptance as they are apparently renowned for dragging their feet. Not exactly helpful.

She needs to provide proof of her accommodation and her return flight, amongst other things. They will accept a short term stay accommodation i.e. AirBnB for a week or 2 whilst she's out there finding permanent accommodation. We've no idea when she could fly home for Xmas because of exam dates so we have to book a flight once the Uni semester has finished, which will be the week before Xmas (and flight ££ will be far more expensive then).

The UK Residence Permit is obtained via the .Gov website to obtain an 'immigration sharecode'.

The proof of financial resources must prove that you have access to (i think, if i remember correctly) 860 Euros per month/£740 Sterling per month. My DD doesn't have this much from her maintenance loan so we have provide bank statements to show we have sufficient monies to support her.

Travel Insurance - fortunately my DD's Uni does provide an all encompassing travel insurance which is included in her fees so we don't need to worry about that. But this must include cover for medical emergencies and for repatriation. These 2 things are a compulsory need and proof of them must be provided.

I'm a mid 50s, professional career woman, used to bureaucracy due to my job but even I am finding this all overwhelming. Add an horrendous menopause, elderly and ill parents to the pot and I fear this will tip me over the edge!!

My DD is going to have find her own resilience from somewhere!!

Thanks to those posters who have provided information, suggestions and ideas; much appreciated. :)

yes she has asked for when the 'blackboard' will become available.

and her Portuguese Tutor is the 'Head of Year Abroad' and DD is emailing her to ask when the 'blackboard' will become available (along with other questions)...DD was told earlier this week 'I'll find out and come back to you'. 😬

I know our Young People need to be independent and resilient but when you aren't given any information, or very limited information it is very difficult.

Yesterday's zoom meet was very good though (which was provided by people at the University of Glasgow.) Loads of info and step by step guides on what is needed to get the VISA so at least she can get cracking on that.

Just googling 'student accommodation in Lisbon' comes up with loads of links, one of them Habyt...which another PP has said to avoid but plenty of others, such as spotahome, which another PP said was really good.

@andjustwhatfreshhellisthis My DD had no links to accommodation provided by Bristol. Accommodation info was from host university. She needs to look at incoming student info at the university abroad. Many don’t have halls so the uk student needs to book themselves and do the research! Waiting is not being very proactive. It’s now July.

I don't need you to tell me that waiting isn't proactive.

I don't need you to tell me that it's July (it's not, it's still June by my calendar).

DD has been categorically told NOT to book any accommodation until she has an email from Lisbon Uni to confirm her place. The application process to apply for Lisbon didn't open until 4 days ago so we have HAD to wait.

Sorry if that doesn't suit your requirements or fit your experience, expectations or narrative. All you've done on my post is sneer and criticise. Your child did Uni years ago; things have very much changed. Just because your child's Uni was amazing with their year abroad support doesn't mean all Uni's are the same.

Lay off the thread if all you're going to do is pick holes. You haven't helped one iota.

If universities want to continue to recruit students to their MFL degrees they are going to have to do better.

I did French with Spanish in the early 90s and did a month abroad at Salamanca University and a year in Paris as an English assistant in a school. Both were easily applied for and accommodation provided. My daughter is just about to start 6th form and wants to do English Literature and German as a degree. This thread has been very enlightening about what to expect and how much harder the year abroad will be to arrange. Can anyone recommend universities to consider?

@Ceramiq most likely they'll just close their ML departments. Students of lots of other academic disciplines choose to do optional years abroad.

Bit harsh OP 🤨