English Test / Bachelors Degree

[DavRog747]

Guys,

I am pulling my hair out my fiance has a Bachelors Degree and was advised to get UK Naric verification. I have been in touch with UK Naric today and they have informed me that they can ONLY verify Bachelor Degrees equivalent to a C1 CEFR Advanced Status they DON’T provide a certification service for A1 CEFR Basic Standard so am at a loss how UK Naric has been recommended when they can’t provide that service. The degree my fiancée has is Bachelor Of Science (BSN) Class 2010 and while they have stated it is not the equivalent of a C1 certified UK degree BUT IT IS significantly in excess of A1 level, but unable to certify that because they DON’T provide that service.

So we are in a difficult position UK Naric has been recommended to provide Certification meets with an A1 level but DON’T provide that service. We have a Certification from the Dean of the University Of Cebu clearly showing the medium of instruction of her degree was in English and of a high level, but there is no response that this is acceptable from UK VAC.

Taking the English Test is an option but in this circumstance what can we do when UK Naric don’t provide the service, has anybody else had experience of this crazy situation please

[Ladybug_sim]

Hi DavRog, I just add my opinion about your query here. If i am you just send your fiance to take the English test I think she can do better on it as she is a Bachelor degree holder so you don't worry much. I'm a Bachelor degree too and we did research things about that and i decided to take the exam not make any problem at all coz it is only they required too before submitting all the papers or documents. Bachelor degree is not accepted to the UK Naric coz they have standard or maybe they accept if your fiance studied there.

To make sure just let her take the exam so they dont have any question on it when she submit the papers.. i hope it help and I know some more members can answer your query too ... wish you good luck soon :Wave:

ladybug:heartshape1:sim11Uk

[Terpe]

DavRog,

This is going to end up being a long post with lots of info that really says get her to take an English Test.

Anyway, if you want to find out just a little about why then read on:-

I have highlighted what I see as the important parts.

UKBA SET17.8 What is the definition of a degree taught in English?
The applicant will meet the language requirement if they have obtained an academic qualification (not a professional or vocational qualification), which is deemed by UK NARIC (the National Recognition Information Centre of the UK) to meet the recognised standard of a Bachelor’s degree, Masters degree or PhD in the UK from an educational establishment in one of the following countries:

Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
the Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Ireland
Jamaica
New Zealand
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
UK
United States of America

and provides the specified documents.

If the applicant has obtained an academic qualification (not a professional or vocational qualification) from a country not listed above, they must either:

A (1) provide the specified evidence to show he/she has the qualification, and
(2) UK NARIC has confirmed the degree was taught or researched in English,

or

B (1) provide the specified evidence to show he/she has the qualification, and
(2) provide evidence that the qualification was taught or researched in English

ECOs may find the English Skills section of the PBS Points Calculator helpful when deciding whether a qualification meets the criteria for the English language requirement

SET 17.8.1 What is specified evidence?
A certificate issued by the relevant institution confirming the award of the academic qualification. Provisional degree certificates are not acceptable.
The certificate should show:

Applicant’s name;
The title of award;
Date of award; and
The name of the awarding institution.
If the applicant no longer has the original certificate and cannot get a new one, they must submit a letter on official headed paper from the awarding
academic institution with all of the above details and confirmation that the institution is unable to reissue the original certificate.
This has always been a problematic and frustrating area.
It appears that UKBA relies very heavily on the PBS calculator.
If a degree/course can not be found on the PBS calculator, then it's highly unlikely that an independent comparability certificate will be obtained from NARIC.

The (now unavailable) PBS guidance notes para.197 used to state:-
Where the applicant is unable to find details of their qualification on the points based calculator, UK NARIC will not be able to verify whether a qualification satisfies the English Language requirement. In these circumstances, applicants should either present an alternative qualification from the points based calculator if they possess one, or select an alternative means of satisfying the English Language requirement

I feel it's better to bite-the-bullet and stump-up the cost for an English Test.
Naric would have charged a princely sum anyway.

You are one of many that have been caught up in this trap

Hope it helps.

[lastlid]

We had a similar problem. My wife has a degree from a Philippine university but it isnt recognised by UK NARIC, even though it was taught entirely in English. All advice was that she took the A1 english test. Which she did and passed reasonably easily. The problem with it was extra time, stress and expense.

UK NARIC explained that the reason for non acceptance of her degree was because it was a vocational course and not like a degree in the UK.

[Arthur Little]

My wife came here in March 2009 ... long before the English Language component entered the equation ... so no problem there. :NoNo:

However, being a BSc graduate in Agriculture & Animal Husbandry from the University of SE Philippines - and, having subsequently taught her subject at a National High School for 22 years - I [misguidedly] thought it'd be a "walkover" for her to secure a teaching job of SOME kind in Scotland (a predominantly rural country) :rolleyes: particularly at a Further Education College.

How wrong I was! According to the General Teaching Council, her degree would most likely be assessed as being on a par with HNC/HND in this country. :angry:

[Arthur Little]

We had a similar problem. My wife has a degree from a Philippine university but it isnt recognised by UK NARIC, even though it was taught entirely in English.All advice was that she took the A1 english test. Which she did and passed reasonably easily. The problem with it was extra time, stress and expense.

:gp: ... a completely unnecessary, stressful and expensive waste of time - considering English is the 'medium of instruction' throughout the entire Phils curriculum.


UK NARIC explained that the reason for non acceptance of her degree was because it was a vocational course and not like a degree in the UK.

:anerikke: ... we didn't even bother going to the trouble and expense of involving NARIC ... as the Scottish Parliament's Minister for Education made the position clear to our local MSP whom we'd already contacted. :doh

[lastlid]

Yes.

Just another example of an absurdity that one has to contend with. The fact that she was taught entirely in English at her university seems to be overlooked. The criterea that they go on seems to be simply whether it is a degree or an HND equivalent and not whether it was taught in English or not. (it was a 4 year course taught entirely in english)

At least UK NARIC explained to me that we would be wasting our time if we proceeded further with them and advised my wife to take the english test.

[DavRog747]

Yes.

Just another example of an absurdity that one has to contend with. The fact that she was taught entirely in English at her university seems to be overlooked. The criterea that they go on seems to be simply whether it is a degree or an HND equivalent and not whether it was taught in English or not. (it was a 4 year course taught entirely in english)

At least UK NARIC explained to me that we would be wasting our time if we proceeded further with them and advised my wife to take the english test.

Yes truly a crazy situation thank you for ur attention she will take the IELTS on the 24th September, had to push our wedding plans back so fingers crossed

[Arthur Little]

I'd just like to conclude with a few words of encouragement to the partners of all those involved in Fil/Brit relationships:

Goodluck to each and every one of you ... you'll get there in the end! :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Maria B]

This is really upsetting. Mostly pinays are degree holders. In my case as BS airline management, I can't work at the Birmingham/ heathrow airport unless I live here for 5 years. (been here for 3 years). It's part of their requirement. But when I read the job description it's just the same with my job experience.

So I used my other course the Caregiver course that covers elderly, child care & disabled care....
I did applied for a nursery nurse but my license, certification and school grade isn't valid unless I will enroll myself to a university for further education to upgrade my course and that will be recognized by the UK :Rasp::Rasp: So I ended up working with the elderly & nhs forensic ward in a hospital set up.
How I wish that UK will recognized that Philippines' second language is english.

[Davao lani]

Hello DavRog! I have that same experience too. I'm a Bachelors degree graduate (Accountancy). I wrote to the embassy and VFS to ask about it and they just send me the link..What I did was I submitted my documents to NARIC and my husband paid it from here. I got the result in two weeks, it says, not equivalent to C1 CEFR. So I wasted my time waiting plus the fee of 50 pounds. In short, its for everybody in the Phils. to take the English language test. Good that you did not try yet.