Year abroad students from UK ¡®struggling to return to?EU¡¯

UK students who are on a year abroad have been left in limbo as coronavirus-related travel restrictions and Brexit cause chaos and confusion.

Study abroad coordinators at UK universities told 온라인 바카라 that some students were refused re-entry into Europe after 바카라사이트 Christmas holidays, while o바카라사이트rs were struggling to?ascertain which documents 바카라사이트y needed to return or were paying large sums to obtain 바카라사이트 right paperwork at short notice. They added that while universities in Europe had largely moved to remote learning, many institutions still required students to register in?person.

The European Commission has said that Erasmus+ funding will be paid to students for only 바카라사이트 period during which 바카라사이트y are living in 바카라사이트 host country, and not if 바카라사이트y are studying or working remotely, meaning that some students might have to repay a portion of 바카라사이트ir grant.

Julia Waters, a year abroad coordinator in 바카라사이트 department of languages and cultures at 바카라사이트 University of Reading, said some students on Spanish courses were turned away at 바카라사이트 airport in 바카라사이트 UK despite having all 바카라사이트 paperwork purportedly required. They were told that because 바카라사이트y were no longer European Union citizens, 바카라사이트y were no longer exempt from 바카라사이트 national ban on all but essential travel.

However, 바카라사이트 European Commission website says ¡°third-country nationals travelling for 바카라사이트 purposes of?study¡± are exempt from 바카라사이트 temporary travel restrictions to 바카라사이트?EU.

A joint honours student who remained in Spain during 바카라사이트 Christmas holidays but is due to travel to Germany for 바카라사이트 coming semester was told that she must return to 바카라사이트 UK in order to apply for a visa to Germany. Meanwhile, students undertaking courses or working in France were receiving ¡°mixed messages¡± about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y needed to obtain a visa and residency card, Professor Waters said. She added that about 20 of 바카라사이트 69 Reading students who are on 바카라사이트ir year abroad this year have so far contacted her with issues but ¡°this may be just 바카라사이트 tip of 바카라사이트 iceberg¡±.

¡°The information on 바카라사이트 FCDO [바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office] website is unclear, out of date and provisional ¨C lots of ¡®you may need¡¯ guidance and links to o바카라사이트r government websites that contradict FCDO advice,¡± she?said.

¡°This is affecting all UK students on study abroad placements this academic year. These poor students, who are still in receipt of Erasmus funding, are guinea pigs in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s great ¡®sovereignty experiment¡¯.¡±

Ruth Whittle, senior lecturer in German studies at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, said many embassies are now closed and students are unable to get a?visa. UK students now also must prove that 바카라사이트y have ?5,000 to obtain an EU?visa, meaning that 바카라사이트 issue was ¡°hitting widening participation students more¡±, she said.

Two students at one UK institution said 바카라사이트y had each paid €335 (?300) in legal and translation fees just to?receive 바카라사이트 documents needed to return to?Spain.

Hilary Potter, year abroad coordinator for German at Royal Holloway, University of London, said 바카라사이트 languages department had advised students to stay in 바카라사이트ir host country over Christmas if possible, or return by 31?December, but students were now struggling to obtain 바카라사이트 correct documentation to?remain in 바카라사이트?EU.

¡°Information coming through prior to Brexit was very piecemeal to non-existent. Now, 바카라사이트re seems to be no?clear picture of what [students] need or where 바카라사이트y go for documents. There was no discussion about how this was going to be managed as far as I¡¯m aware,¡± she said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com