About eligibility
How to apply
About references
About accommodation
About flights
About visas
About finance
About food
About health
Other frequently asked questions

About eligibility
Q. Am I eligible if I am graduating just before the programme?
A.  Yes, you are. As long as you are graduating in 2010.
Q. I am studying a degree programme at a Further Education college. Am I eligible?
A. Yes.
Q. Will a PGCE be acceptable?
A. A PGCE is a postgraduate course and therefore you would not qualify.
Q. I'm studying for an HND. Am I still eligible?
A. Yes.
Q. I am a postgraduate student. Am I eligible?
A. Unfortunately not. This programme is only open to undergraduate students.
Q. I am on a combined Bachelors/Masters programme. Am I eligible?
A. If you are in the undergraduate part of the programme you can apply. If you are in your Masters year you are not eligible to apply.
Q. I’m on an interruption from my course this year but will return to study next year.  Am I still eligible?
A. As long as your University is prepared to confirm that you are registered with them on an interrupted status then, yes, you will be eligible.
Q. What are the regulations about which International students might be eligible?
A.  It is open to non-EU nationals who have acquired the right of permanent residence or have leave to enter or remain in the UK and have been resident in the UK for the three years prior to the first day of the first academic year of the degree.
The exact eligibility criteria are set out in the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2007 (Schedule 2 sections 1 and 2). Please note that in these cases supporting paperwork may be required to verify that the student is eligible.
Q. If I have attended Study China can I apply?
A. Yes but we want to widen the number of students that from both programmes, therefore previous attendance on Study China may reduce your chances of success. Similarly we take into account conduct and attendance record whilst on the Study China programme. If you attended the Study China 2010 Easter programme we will not consider you for the 2010 Study India programme.
Q. I am applying for the Study China programme, am I eligible to apply?
We are not currently allowing participants to apply to more than one programme.
Q. Is this trip only open to students at King’s College London or the University of Birmingham?
A. No! It is open to undergraduates from any University or HE or FE College in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Q. Does it matter what subject I’m studying?
A. No.
Q. Where can I find out more about the eligibility and selection criteria and the Code of conduct?
A. Visit the ‘How to Apply’ section of our website.

How to apply
Q. How is the selection made?
A. Please read the Eligibility and Selection Criteria under the ‘How to Apply’ section of our website.
Q. Is the course full yet?
A. All two hundred successful candidates are announced on the annoucement date. People are not accepted on a first come, first served basis.
Q. Have you received my application yet?
A. You should receive an automatic acknowledgement that your application has been received – check this hasn’t gone in your junk mail. If in doubt email studyindia [at] kcl.ac.uk
Q. Can you give me any tips on what to say in the application?
A. We cannot give you individual advice on this. Look carefully at the selection criteria and try and match your skills and experience to this.
Q. How will I find out if my application has been successful?
A. We will email you on the email address you supply. If you don’t hear from us within 48 hours on the announcement date please contact us to find out why.
Q. Can you please tell me why my application was unsuccessful?
A. Unfortunately due to high numbers we cannot give individual feedback on applications.
Q. I don't yet have a passport - I've only just applied. What do I enter in the passport number section?
A. Enter the date you applied for your passport, e.g. 'Applied 21/06/08'
Q. I want to go so much that I’m happy to pay the full cost of this programme.  Can I just pay the money and go?
A. Sorry – no.

About references
Q. Who should write my reference?
A. Any member of staff at your institution. It can be a lecturer or a member of school staff - anybody who can confirm your current status at that institution and who knows you well enough to write a character reference.
Q. I can't get hold of my lecturer. Can I ask the manager at my workplace to write a reference instead?
A. No. As well as writing a character reference your referee needs to have access to your University/College database to be able to confirm your registration status.
Q. Have you received my reference yet?
A. Start by asking your referee whether s/he has submitted your reference- they should receive an automatic email telling them it has been submitted successfully. If we have not received your reference within two weeks of the application deadline we will contact you to let you know.  You must make sure your referee submits your reference by the application deadline.

About accommodation
Q. What is the accommodation like?
A. In New Delhi you will be staying in a YMCA or YWCA Hostel in air conditioned twin or triple rooms while in Mumbai you will stay in a 3 star hotel in triple or quadruple rooms with en-suite bathroom, television and air conditioning.
Q. How are rooms allocated? Can I share with a friend I made on Facebook?
A. Rooms will be allocated as you arrive in India according to your arrival time. You will be staying with others of the same gender.
Q. Can I swap rooms so as to share with a friend?
A. You can swap rooms to share with a friend but only after you have both arrived. You must also let the organisers know.
Q. Can I stay in a single room if I pay extra?
A. Unfortunately we cannot accommodate requests to have a single room, you must be willing to share.
Q. Can I arrange my own accommodation?
A. No. You must stay where you are assigned to with all other participants.
Q. Where should I go/what should I do if I arrive early?
A. If you arrive before the start date Saturday 14 August you will have to arrange your own accommodation.

About flights
Q. When do I book my flights?
A. Do not book your flight until you have received an official offer from us. You will need to book your flight within 10 days of the offer being made. You should investigate your flight options and costs beforehand.
Q. How should I book my flights?
A. You can book flights at all the major travel agencies or directly from airlines such as Air India, Jet Airways, Kingfisher, British Airways, Emirates, and Virgin. There are numerous websites offering discounted flights.
Q. I’m having difficulty finding flights. When exactly must I arrive?
A. You will be given an arrival period, to arrive in the first weekend of the trip. We will provide accommodation and transportation from the airport. If you want to arrive before this time you must find your own transportation and accommodation.
Q. Can I fly there directly from my placement in Estonia?
A. You are responsible for booking your own flights so you can fly from wherever you like.

About visas
Q. How do I apply for a visa?
A. We will arrange for all visas to be processed centrally via Study India. You will be asked to send your passport to the Study India office in a special delivery envelope and supply a return special delivery envelope – do not do this unless you receive an instruction to do so!
Q. What if I’m not in the UK at the point when you process visas?
If you are not in the UK you will have to arrange your own visa. We can only return passports to UK addresses. Please check what documents you may need before you leave the UK.
Q. I am applying for a visa at an overseas embassy and I am having problems can you help?
A. We will do what we can but we cannot guarantee we are able to help. Check the requirements of the embassy of the country you are in and leave plenty of time to apply!
Q. Am I of Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin?
A. The Indian embassy defines this as 'if one or both your parents are from Pakistan or Bangladesh'. This still applies if you were born in the UK.
Q. Does it affect my visa application if I am of Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin?
A. Yes. It will make the process a longer and you will need to supply additional documentation. You will need to allow as much time as possible,
Q. My parents aren’t from Pakistan or Bangladesh but I have other relatives who are, will this affect my application?
A. In our experience you should not need to supply as much information as those whose parents are from Pakistan or Bangladesh but you may still be asked to supply additional information.
Q. How much does a visa cost and how long does it take?
A. A standard tourist visa to India costs about £30.
Q. What documents are required for a visa application?
A. You need:-
- Filled application form (all columns in the form are mandatory and must be filled)
- 2 recent identical passport size photos attached to your form
- Passport valid for a minimum of 190 days with at least two blank pages
- Postal order for the Visa fee (they won’t take cash)
Q. What if I have another Indian Visa related question?
A. We suggest you visit the FAQ section of the Indian Visa service provider:http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/faq.aspx. Please beware that the helpline number they list on their website is a premium rate number and costs at least £0.95 per minute plus call set-up charges and other network extras!

About finance
Q. How much do I have to pay?
A. You have to pay for: -
- Flights
- Visa
- Travel Insurance
- Vaccinations (many GPs give these for free)
Q. What is covered by Study India
A. We will cover accommodation, food, airport pickup, tuition and activities for successful candidates while in India. You have nothing to pay in India except for gifts or souvenirs! You may want to take some extra money for meals outside of the accommodation.
Q. Is there any extra financial help available?
A. Many Universities/Colleges are now providing funding and assistance for this programme. We suggest you contact your International Office, School/College Office and Careers Office for advice in the first instance. Students have in the past also obtained funding from local newspapers, local councils and local businesses, sometimes in exchange for writing an article after the event. Other participants have successfully received funding.
Q. How much should I budget for this trip?
A. We recommend that you make a budget of about £400 for your flight, £100 for your visa and insurance and about £200 - 300 spending money.

About food
Q. I have specific dietary requirements. Will I be able to get Halal or vegetarian food in India?
A. Vegetarian food is widely available in India. We will do our best to accommodate other requirements.
Q. Do I have to pay for food while I’m there?
A. Study India provides all meals in the accommodation. If you wish to eat outside of the accommodation you will have to pay for your own food.
Q. I have a nut allergy, can I eat Indian food?
A. Much Indian food is cooked with peanut oil. Study India cannot guarantee the food you are eating, even in the accommodation is nut free. If you choose to come on the programme you are responsible for managing your allergy. You need to make you sure you have the proper medication with you and tell the coordinators how to administer it. You need to make sure you have adequate insurance and know the details of the nearest emergency services.
Q. What about other allergies?
A. If you have an allergy you are responsible for managing it, we cannot guarantee what is in the food.

About health
Q. I’m worried about Delhi Belly- should I be?
A. Before you leave we will give you advice on food hygiene and recommendations on what to avoid. You may get sick at some point and should make sure you bring the appropriate medication. Other Study India participants recommend bringing a supply of plain food, such as crackers with you to help settle an upset stomach.
Q. Do I need to take Malaria tablets?
A. We advise you take medical advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Delhi and Mumbai are not malarial regions, you will be informed if any trips take you to a malarial region.
Q. What injections do I need to take?
A. We advise you take medical advice from your GP. We recommend getting up to date vaccinations.

Other frequently asked questions
Q. Will you be running another programme in future?
A. We are running Study India Programme in Summer 2010.
Q. Why didn't you reply to my email?
A. During busy periods we get a lot of enquiries and try to respond to as many as we can.
Q. I have other commitments during this period. Do I have to stay for the whole programme?
A. Yes you do. If you cannot commit to the entire programme we will offer your place to someone on the reserve list.
Q. I have exam resits. Can I arrive one day late?
A. No. We want people to get the full benefit of this programme so we will only accept people who are able to attend the full duration.
Q. What if I lose something in India and need to claim on my insurance?
A. You must primarily be guided by your insurance company as requirements may vary. You will probably need to obtain a police report from a local police station in India. If you need to do this we will arrange for one of the local Indian student volunteers to accompany you to interpret for you.
Q. Do I really have to have travel insurance?
A. Definitely. It is a mandatory course requirement. Make sure your travel insurance covers emergency repatriation costs. Although the risks of your being in a situation where you have to return home early are very low, if you had for example a medical emergency it could cost you astronomical amounts. Insurance doesn't usually cost a great deal and your university may decide to cover you on their corporate policy - ask your school office or study abroad unit.
Q. Can my friends and family come and visit me on the programme?
A. No. We do not encourage your friends and family to come and visit. This is intended as a learning experience for you, you will be busy with the programme and have limited free time to spend with them. Friends and family cannot stay in the accommodation with you.
Q. What clothes should I take?
A. It is humid, so light loose fabrics. We recommend that you dress in a way that is appropriate and sensitive to the culture. More advice will be given on this in the pre-departure information.