My uni is awesome
May. 15th, 2010 01:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mutedtempestI got an email today from Lund, and it just makes me even more sure that I made a good decision in my choice of graduate school. Not so much with the program itself, but seriously, this:
Hi!
This is a small follow-up and an update regarding the transition from the FFEL program to the Direct Loan program for Lund University. The “Health Care and Education Reconcilation Act of 2010” states that the FFELP should be terminated the 1st of July in favour for the Direct Loan program.
The US Department of Education has now released documents about how Lund University is going to make the transition as a Foreign School. We officially started the process today and we are going to send all required documents to the US Department of Education before the 31st of May.
The Direct Loan programme will be in place at Lund University from the 1st of July. I will participate in training sessions with staff from the US Department of Education in the beginning of June. This means that Lund University will be able to administer loans from the Direct Loan program for US students from the 1st of July.
If you are admitted to Lund University, it is now time for you to start your residence permit application/extension and we are aware that most of you are dependent on student loans in order to receive a residence permit. We will have a meeting with the Swedish Migration Board later this week since we do not want the transition to the Direct Loan program to interfere with your residence permit applications. I will get back to you with more information after the meeting.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Kind regards,
Daniel Gunnarsson
is amazing. The fact that this guy (whom I met when I went down to pick up my check in January, he's incredible and super nice) would take the time to update every student receiving American aid about changes to the program makes me really happy. Migrationsverket might be a mess of incompetence and stupidity, but the people at the university are awesome.
Oh, and he told me in January that the most likely reason Migrationsverket were such asshats about my residence permit was that it's an online program, but he says that still doesn't excuse them saying I didn't have appropriate funding since many Americans studying there are dependent on the loans. But that's been done to death in this blog and I've pretty much gotten over it. I'm just hoping things are much easier the second time around when I apply for an on-campus program lol.
I know it's his job to keep us informed, but the simple fact that he did so, and so early in this process, speaks volumes about the university itself. I honestly could not have asked for a better experience as an international student than I have received at Lund. These people are passionate and caring and extremely helpful, taking the time to explain everything in a kind and supportive way to someone with a lot of anxiety who's very prone to worrying. Again, I realize it's their job, but it's still nice to know that some educators are in it for the right reasons.
When I went down there in January, the International Desk guy was totally helpful and really nice about helping me get a bank account set up (since I have foreign student aid in the form of a check, I had to open a student account with SEB in order to access the funds). He never once acted annoyed or put out, and he made sure I had all the information I needed. He even asked if the bank had given me a list of the requirements for a student account. Just seemed like he truly wanted to help.
After the Summer of Fuckery and Beyond with Migrationsverket, it left a really good impression. This email today and the obvious concern for their foreign students makes me really happy I chose Lund.
Hi!
This is a small follow-up and an update regarding the transition from the FFEL program to the Direct Loan program for Lund University. The “Health Care and Education Reconcilation Act of 2010” states that the FFELP should be terminated the 1st of July in favour for the Direct Loan program.
The US Department of Education has now released documents about how Lund University is going to make the transition as a Foreign School. We officially started the process today and we are going to send all required documents to the US Department of Education before the 31st of May.
The Direct Loan programme will be in place at Lund University from the 1st of July. I will participate in training sessions with staff from the US Department of Education in the beginning of June. This means that Lund University will be able to administer loans from the Direct Loan program for US students from the 1st of July.
If you are admitted to Lund University, it is now time for you to start your residence permit application/extension and we are aware that most of you are dependent on student loans in order to receive a residence permit. We will have a meeting with the Swedish Migration Board later this week since we do not want the transition to the Direct Loan program to interfere with your residence permit applications. I will get back to you with more information after the meeting.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Kind regards,
Daniel Gunnarsson
is amazing. The fact that this guy (whom I met when I went down to pick up my check in January, he's incredible and super nice) would take the time to update every student receiving American aid about changes to the program makes me really happy. Migrationsverket might be a mess of incompetence and stupidity, but the people at the university are awesome.
Oh, and he told me in January that the most likely reason Migrationsverket were such asshats about my residence permit was that it's an online program, but he says that still doesn't excuse them saying I didn't have appropriate funding since many Americans studying there are dependent on the loans. But that's been done to death in this blog and I've pretty much gotten over it. I'm just hoping things are much easier the second time around when I apply for an on-campus program lol.
I know it's his job to keep us informed, but the simple fact that he did so, and so early in this process, speaks volumes about the university itself. I honestly could not have asked for a better experience as an international student than I have received at Lund. These people are passionate and caring and extremely helpful, taking the time to explain everything in a kind and supportive way to someone with a lot of anxiety who's very prone to worrying. Again, I realize it's their job, but it's still nice to know that some educators are in it for the right reasons.
When I went down there in January, the International Desk guy was totally helpful and really nice about helping me get a bank account set up (since I have foreign student aid in the form of a check, I had to open a student account with SEB in order to access the funds). He never once acted annoyed or put out, and he made sure I had all the information I needed. He even asked if the bank had given me a list of the requirements for a student account. Just seemed like he truly wanted to help.
After the Summer of Fuckery and Beyond with Migrationsverket, it left a really good impression. This email today and the obvious concern for their foreign students makes me really happy I chose Lund.