INFORMATION BULLETIN 29 June 2016
This is the first of a series of monthly updates from Northumbria University, which I hope you will find both informative and useful.
Our intention is to make sure you're getting the most up to date information on all things Northumbria, but also getting relevant and accurate updates on visas, CASs and Tier 4.
We are delighted to launch our Agent and Representative Zone website, which I know you'll find very useful as a single source of information for Northumbria programmes, documents and materials. It will also allow you to track your applications so that you're up to date on their progress through our system.
We have put together a package of training materials designed to give you the latest information so that you can guide students through the immigration maze. It is essential that you engage with this training to ensure your students stand the best chance of getting their Tier 4 visa to study at Northumbria University.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch. Equally, we'd welcome suggestions of improvements to the Agents and Representatives Information Bulletins and the Agent and Representative Zone.
INFORMATION BULLETIN 28 July 2016
Welcome to our July monthly email. As we approach September we want to take this opportunity to highlight the things your applicants should be finalising and preparing for.
Please ensure that your students are ready to join us by completing the steps, which are all now available to complete online:
Accept Offer
Send Results
Book Accommodation
Request CAS
Once they have completed the steps above they should begin to prepare for their visa application.
Click here: Visa Information
Your students will need to know how they should collect their BRP cards from us here on Northumbria campus when they arrive.
Click here: BRP Cards
Agent Commission Payments
We are currently working to transfer our commission payment process into a new system. This change will improve our efficiency and enable faster commission payments to our agents. Look out for an update in our next newsletter for further information on this new process and the commission schedule.
As part of the new payment process, we must ensure that we have the correct bank details on record. An email communication has been sent to request this, however if you have yet to confirm your bank details please respond to fc.agent@northumbria.ac.uk by Friday 26 August or there may be a delay in processing your commission payment during Phase 1 of 2016/17.
ALERT 10th August 2016
September is fast approaching and your students will be making their visa applications.
We have already had notification of some visa refusals on the basis of insufficient funds. Therefore, could you please ensure your students are familiar with current Financial Maintenance Requirements?
UKCISA also has some very useful up-to-date guidance, in particular Calculating Living Costs and Financial Requirements.
SPECIAL NEWSLETTER 13 September 2016
On this special newsletter, we have very exciting news for you! Northumbria University is proud to announce its Northumbria International Summer School 2017.
This exciting 3-week programme has been designed especially for current university students who would like to have a taste of university life in the UK whilst being able to transfer academic credit for one module offered exclusively in the summer.
General information:
Programme dates: 10-28 July, 2017
Cost: £2,500 (includes course, accommodation in self-catered en-suite rooms, social programme, Sport Central membership, and our 20% alumni discount)
3 modules available: Sport Management, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Culture and Heritage in Britain. (Each student will be able to take only one module)
Application requirements:
To be enrolled at a university in home country; minimum GPA 2.75 (B-) or equivalent
English level: IELTS 6.0 (minimum 5.5 on each band) or equivalent
Application process: All applications are submitted online on our website. Deadline for applications is 31 March, 2017.
Deadline for deposit* (£500): 31 May, 2017
*Deposit is non-refundable and deducted from programme fee
For more information and how to apply, please visit our specially designed website: www.northumbria.ac.uk/international/international-summer-school-2017/
We will be offering our partners a 15% commission on all students enrolled on this programme. Please ask your students to quote your agent code and e-mail address.
We hope you find this new development useful for your Postgraduate recruitment strategies. All NISS students will be considered alumni, so will be able to take advantage of our 20% alumni discount!
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ALERT 16 September 2016
Here's a quick reminder about some of the recent important changes we have made to our commission structure plus our new payment schedule.
Additional Commission Payment for Progression Students
A key part of our internationalisation strategy is to attract multi-year students to Northumbria, therefore we were delighted to announce a positive change in our commission structure to encourage this.
For new students joining the first year of Undergraduate programmes from September 2016 onwards and continuing into years 2 and 3, we will now pay commission on the following basis:
Year 1: 15%
Year 2: 10%
Year 3: 10%
There have also been some changes to the commission rates for our 2-year Masters programmes.
You can find full details of these tiered incentive commission payments on our Agent Zone.
Click here: Discover More
New Payment Schedule - Phase 1
Northumbria University's Commission 2016-17 Phase 1 period has begun. Our new payment schedule means you can expect an earlier payment date on or around 12 December 2016.
Please remember that as part of our new payment process invoices are no longer required. Statements to confirm enrolled students and payment amounts will be issued to those agents due a commission payment by 21 October 2016 with the deadline for queries to statements by 28 October 2016. Please look out for a statement from fc.agent@northumbria.ac.uk between 10 – 21 October 2016 with details of any commission due.
If you do not receive a statement during this time then you are not due a commission payment from Northumbria University during Phase 1. If you have any queries regarding the new process please email fc.agent@northumbria.ac.uk
Click here: Discover More
New Northumbria International Guide
Finally, we'd like to introduce you to our new updated International Guide, which you can find on our Agent Zone.
Click here: Discover More
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INFORMATION BULLETIN 30 September 2016
Hello, and welcome to September's email
January Applications
Your students will be preparing applications for our January start courses. Please note the following:
ALERT 10 October 2016
Commission Process 2016/17 – how to claim commission for QA courses
Dear Representative,
As you know, Northumbria University works in partnership with QA to provide Pathway programmes and study options at our London campus. As you hold a Northumbria University representative agreement, you are able to recruit students for QA programmes and receive commission. We are changing the way you claim commission for QA programmes to make things simpler. I have provided answers to common questions about the new process below:
Who do I claim commission from?How do I claim commission?
To claim commission for Pathway or London campus programmes you will need to submit an invoice to QA showing the following:
- Student details including application/student number and full name
- Fees paid by each student
- Commission payable for each student (15% of fees paid by each student)
All invoices should be sent by e-mail to qahe.agent@qa.com and must show the following postal address:
QAHE (NU) Limited
5th Floor
Centre City
5-7 Hill Street
Birmingham
B5 4UA
When can I expect to receive my commission payment?
QA aim to process all commission invoices within 1 week of receipt and send payment within 2 weeks.
Hopefully the above information is clear but if you need any advice about how to submit your commission claim to QA, please e-mail qahe.agent@qa.com. Please note that the QA commission claim process does not change the process for students recruited to University programmes in Newcastle. Further information on the University commission process will be sent to you in the coming weeks.
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ALERT 19 October 2016
Dear Representatives
We would like to remind you that commission statements will start to be issued this week so please keep a look out for a statement which will be emailed to you detailing any commission due.
Please remember that the deadline for queries to statement accounts is the 28 October 2016 so any queries to statements must be made to fc.agent@northumbria.ac.uk by this date.
If you do not receive a statement by 21 October 2016 then you are not due a commission payment from Northumbria University during Phase 1. However, if you did not receive a statement but feel you are due commission and have kept records of students as evidence, then please email fc.agent@northumbria.ac.uk so it can be investigated further.
ALERT 2 November 2016
We wanted to let you know about the lower deposit requirement we have introduced for Nigerians wishing to study with us from January 2017.
We are aware of difficulties faced by Nigerian students when trying to make large payments to the UK from their bank accounts. Therefore, for the January 2017 intake, we have reduced the deposit Nigerian Students would be required to pay to £2000 instead of £5500.
Please note:
* Students are still required to ensure that they have proof of enough funds to apply for their visa in line with the UKVI rules.
* Students will still be required to have paid 50% of their tuition fee on or by enrolment.
* Students can make additional payments after the original £2000 has been paid.
Applicants will receive details on how to pay this lower deposit with their offer letter.
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ALERT 9 November 2016
January Intake Additional Commission Payment Update
We are pleased to inform you that for January 2017 intake Northumbria University is offering the following additional commission payment:
* £500 commission for each international student enrolled on an academic course
* £250 for each international student enrolled on an English language course
* £250 for each EU student enrolled on an academic course.
This is on top of the commission arrangement that we already have in place and also applies to students recruited to the London campus.
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ALERT 11 November 2016
We would like to remind you of our appealing new offer: Northumbria International Summer School 2017.
This exciting 3-week programme has been designed especially for current university students who would like to sample university life in the UK; in the city voted best for students 4 times in 6 years*, whilst being able to transfer academic credit for one module offered exclusively in the summer.
General information
Programme dates: 10-28 July, 2017
Cost: £2,500 (includes course, field trips, materials, accommodation, social programme, Sport Central membership, and our 20% alumni discount)
3 modules available: Sport Management; Corporate Social Responsibility; and Culture and Heritage in Britain. (Each student may choose one module only, equivalent to 15 UK Credits (3 US/7.5 ECTS)
Application requirements:
* To be enrolled at a university in home country; minimum GPA 2.75 (B-) or equivalent
* English level: IELTS 6.0 (minimum 5.5 on each band) or equivalent Application process: All applications are submitted online via our website.
Deadline for applications and deposit payment* (£500): 31 March 2017
*Deposit is non-refundable and deducted from programme fee
Deadline for full payment: 31 May 2017
We will be offering our agents a 15% commission on all students enrolled on this programme. Please ask your students to quote your agent code and e-mail address.
We hope you find this new development as a useful tool for your Postgraduate recruitment strategies. All NISS students will be considered alumni, and therefore able to take advantage of our 20% alumni discount!
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CONFERENCE BOOKING 16 November 2016
We would like to invite you to you to join us for our Agents Conference at Northumbria University which will be held 5th-7th April 2017.
Accommodation will be provided by the Jurys Inn Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis. Situated south of the River Tyne, Jurys Inn Newcastle Gateshead Quays offers a fantastic city centre location with great views overlooking the river.
Accommodation will be provided from Tuesday 4th with the conference beginning on Wednesday. The conference ends on Friday and agents have the option of staying in the hotel for the Friday evening. Accommodation costs for the 3 or 4 night stay will be covered by the university.
A Gala Dinner will be held at The Baltic River Terrace. x Booking is now available here and the closing date for agents to apply for a place is 2 December 2016.
Booking is now available here and the closing date for agents to apply for a place is 2 December 2016.
IMPORTANT Update from Rob Carthy about India and Bangladesh Recruitment 13 December
You are probably aware that we have recently made the decision to close our office in India and I wanted to give you an update on our current position regarding representation in India and what that means for our recruitment and admissions activities in the South Asian region.
We are now contracting our recruitment activities to Sannam S4, who are a hosting organisation that have been in operation in India for a number of years. They work with a range of UK HEIs, such as Bristol, Exeter, Leeds, Glasgow Caledonian etc.
Moving forward, our recruitment activities for northern India and Bangladesh will be led by Ashwini Thakur, who previously worked in our India Office, and many of you may already know. As soon as we’re able to, we’ll have our recruitment activities for southern India led from Bangalore.
Ashwini will continue to carry out credibility interviews with applicants, conversion activities, and recruitment fairs. However, he will not be responsible for taking deposit payments, and students should be directed to the following page for information on how to make payments. Click here.
Ashwini can be contacted on indiaoffice@northumbria.ac.uk
Our Admissions activities will be moved back from India to the UK.
What this means for you, our Agents and Representatives:
I’m confident that this will provide a really strong base for our activities in the South Asian region.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Best wishes
Rob Carthy
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INFORMATION BULLETIN 14 December 2016
Welcome to our December monthly email.
January Unconditional Offer Holders
The last date to accept offers for January start is Friday 16 December 2016*.
Please ensure your students are familiar with current Financial Maintenance Requirements and are prepared for their Visa interviews.
UKCISA also has some very useful up-to-date guidance, in particular Calculating Living Costs and Financial Requirements.
Click here: Visa Information
Your students will need to know how they should collect their BRP cards from us here on Northumbria campus when they arrive:
Click here: Visa Information
The University will be closed from Friday 23 December 2016 and will re-open on Tuesday 3 January 2017.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your hard work and to wish you a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.
With warm wishes
Northumbria University
*If you have students who are unable to meet this deadline, please contact admissions ASAP to discuss their options.
ALERT 30 January 2017
Northumbria University Commission Phase 2 2016-17
Dear Representative,
Happy New Year to you all!
Northumbria University’s Commission Phase 2 will begin in February. Statements will be issued to those agents due a commission payment by 17 February 2017 with the deadline for queries to statements by 24 February 2017 so please look out for a statement from fc.agent@northumbria.ac.uk with details of any commission due.
If you do not receive a statement during this time and you have recruited students that have started in January 2017, then please contact fc.agent@northumbria.ac.uk so it can be investigated further.
Any volume bonus due will be applied after Commission Phase 2 is complete around June 2017.
Best wishes
Northumbria University Newcastle
ALERT 6 February 2017
Commission Statements are currently being Issued
We would like to remind our agents that commission statements for Phase 2 Commission are currently being issued this week so please keep a look out for a statement which will be emailed to you detailing any commission due.
Please remember that the deadline for queries to statement amounts is the 24 February 2017 so any queries to statements must be made to fc.agent@northumbria.ac.uk by this date.
If you do not receive a statement by 24 February 2017 then you are not due a commission payment from Northumbria University during Phase 2. However if you did not receive a statement but feel you are due commission and have kept records of students as evidence, then please email fc.agent@northumbria.ac.uk so it can be investigated further.
Best Wishes
Northumbria University Newcastle
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INFORMATION BULLETIN 28 February 2017
Welcome to our February monthly email
Early Payment Discount and Fee Payment Terms
Please remind your students that deposits must be received by our Finance Office by 1 June 2017 for September 2017 entry, to qualify for Early Payment Discount.
As per Terms & Conditions of the Offer, £5,500 deposit or 50% of tuition fee (whichever is higher) must be paid on or before enrolment. This includes the minimum deposit payments already made. If 50% of the tuition fee has not been paid, students will be required to meet this condition during enrolment.
Discover More
Where are we visiting?
We would like to draw your attention to the 'Where are we visiting?' page on our website where you can easily find out where our International Recruitment Team are visiting over the coming weeks. This information will be helpful for you and your students and the page is updated regularly with new events.
Discover More
Northumbria University Sport
We are delighted to announce the addition of information regarding Northumbria University Sport to the Agent and Representative Zone. As you may already know, Northumbria University is one of the best sporting Universities in the United Kingdom, and the International Development Office are now working in partnership with Northumbria Sport to promote our opportunities, including sport scholarships, to talented student athletes worldwide.
If you have any questions about any of the information, or would like to introduce yourself to one of our International Sport team, please drop them an email at internationalathlete.recruitment@northumbria.ac.uk
Discover More
Social Media
Finally, did you know about our presence on Social Media? We have dedicated International focussed Facebook and Instagram pages. Please take a moment to like our Facebook page and to follow us on Instagram to keep up-to-date and get involved with #myNUlife, and we’ll give you a follow back.
May 2017
INFORMATION BULLETIN May 2017
Welcome to our May monthly email.
First of all, we are delighted to tell you that Northumbria has achieved its highest ever ranking, climbing to 48th place in the 2018 Guardian University League Table
Secondly, we are pleased to announce the launch of our new Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship Scheme.
The scheme is available to UK & EU students starting a Northumbria postgraduate taught course in September 2017 at our Newcastle campus.
Applicants must complete and submit a short application form by July 21st 2017
Please ensure your students check T&Cs
Meet and Greet dates have been confirmed for Summer School and September 2017 starters.
And last but by no means least, our brand new website has just been launched!
We hope you like it!
With warm wishes
Northumbria University
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ALERT 30 May 2017
Agent/Partner Commission Payments Schedule
Calendar of Key Dates 2017/18
English Summer School and Semester One Payment Schedule (Phase 1):
7 September – 9 October 2017 Enrolment Period - Tuition fee checks to be completed by Northumbria University.
Please note, invoices are no longer required.
16 - 27 October 2017 - Statement emails sent to agents.
3 November 2017 - Deadline for Agents' queries on statement emails.
On or around 15 December 2017 - Payments should reach agent bank accounts.
Semester Two Payment Schedule (Phase 2):
8 January – 5 February 2018 Enrolment Period - Tuition fee checks to be completed by Northumbria University.
Please note, invoices are no longer required.
12 – 23 February 2018 - Statement emails sent to agents.
2 March 2018 - Deadline for Agents' queries on statement emails.
On or around 13 April 2018 - Payments should reach agent bank accounts.
Please note that invoices are no longer required. We will be sending statements to our agents to confirm enrolled students and payment amounts. Please ensure that any statement queries are sent to Northumbria by the given deadline or we may not be able to process your commission payment.
Bonus Payments
Volume bonus payments will be processed automatically after 13 April 2018.
Kind regards
Northumbria University Newcastle
June 2017
ALERT 12 June 2017
Dear Representative
I'm delighted to inform you that in the 17/18 academic year Northumbria University is offering an enhanced commission bonus for each additional PGT international (non EU) student enrolled compared to your 2016/17 total. This is in addition of the commission arrangement and bonus scheme that we already have in place.
We will be paying the following enhanced bonus:
1 additional PGT enrolment in 17/18 compared to 16/17 academic year - £2,000 bonus
2 additional PGT enrolments in 17/18 compared to 16/17 academic year - £4, 000 bonus
3 additional PGT enrolments in 17/18 compared to 16/17 academic year - £6,000 bonus
4 additional PGT enrolments in 17/18 compared to 16/17 academic year - £8,000 bonus
5+ additional PGT enrolments in 17/18 compared to 16/17 academic year - £10,000 bonus
10+ additional PGT enrolments in 17/18 compared to 16/17 academic year - £20,000 bonus
Any enhanced bonus due would be automatically paid along with the volume bonus in April. Please note to be eligible for the enhanced bonus you are required to have recruited at least 1 PGT international student in the 16/17 academic year.
The usual terms and conditions apply but if you have any questions please direct them to fc.agent@northumbria.ac.uk
Kind Regards
Agent Services Team
Northumbria University
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ALERT 26 June 2017
Dear Representative,
As we get closer to the start of the next academic year, we would like to take the opportunity to update you on accommodation at Northumbria University.
Moving to a new country can be daunting, but here at Northumbria we’ve made the process as simple as possible so that the students can feel right at home. Please note, as per the terms of your agent agreement, all students should be referred to Northumbria Accommodation to make their booking and agents should and not directly arrange any accommodation for students. We have over 5,000 rooms to choose from, ranging from en-suite residences to value options.
Our application system allows the student to choose the exact room and flat based on real-time availability. They can select the exact room in the same way like booking a seat on a plane, and the whole process is completed online – from picking a building to signing the contract and paying the deposit.
With students coming to Northumbria from all over the world, we know arranging a viewing is not always possibility. That’s why we have launched our virtual tours which let the students view a selection of our residences in 360 degrees. You can access the tours at www.northumbria.ac.uk/accommodationVR
Getting in touch:
If a student has any questions or needs assistance with arranging accommodation, they can contact the Accommodation Team on +44 191 227 4209 or rc.accommodation@northumbria.ac.uk.
Best wishes
Northumbria University Newcastle
July 2017
ALERT 24 July 2017
UPDATE - Scam University website targeting international students
We have been made aware of an unofficial website which is fraudulently using the Newcastle University brand and accepting credit card payments to apply for courses. The website 'Newcastle International University' is not associated with Newcastle University and is a fake.
Please advise any potential students applying to Northumbria to only use our official website https://www.northumbria.ac.uk
Full information can be found on the following news articles:
Newcastle University students targeted by cyber-scam
Students beware: Newcastle University's name and logo have been hijacked for a scam site
Regards
Northumbria University Newcastle
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INFORMATION BULLETIN 28 July 2017
Welcome to our July monthly email. As we approach September we want to take this opportunity to highlight the things your applicants should be finalising and preparing for.
Please ensure that your students are ready to join us by completing the steps, which are all now available to complete online:
Accept Offer
Send Results
Book Accommodation
Request CAS
Once they have completed the steps above they should begin to prepare for their visa application.
Click here: Visa Information
Your students will need to know how they should collect their BRP cards from us here on Northumbria campus when they arrive.
Click here: BRP Cards
Agent Commission Payments
We are currently working to transfer our commission payment process into a new system. This change will improve our efficiency and enable faster commission payments to our agents. Look out for an update in our next newsletter for further information on this new process and the commission schedule.
As part of the new payment process, we must ensure that we have the correct bank details on record. An email communication has been sent to request this, however if you have yet to confirm your bank details please respond to fc.agent@northumbria.ac.uk by Friday 26 August or there may be a delay in processing your commission payment during Phase 1 of 2016/17.
August 2017
To be added.
September 2017
To be added.
Click here to go back to the Agent and Representative zone home page
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