LTSVP holder can study a full-time English course?

[streetvendor38]

Hi,

Anybody knows if a LTSVP holder can take a 6 months/12 months full-time English course? Or need to apply student pass?

[boffenl]

Yes, you'll need one. Your school will need to apply for a student pass for you--it's online application. It is now illegal for "foreigners" to take a course longer than 3 months without a student pass. If the course of study is 6 month or 12 months, you'll need a student pass. They are easy to do, and should cost less that $200 (including processing fees by your school).

Make sure your school is registered and legal here in SG--you cna check on the Council for Private Education website. They also appreciate phone calls from students.

Good luck!

[taxico]

btw... SVP holders (short term) can attend short courses for up to 30 days without need to apply for any other permits/visas... conditions apply of course.

http://www.ica.gov.sg/page.aspx?pageid=320

[boffenl]

Thanks for the clarification taxico. I got my 30 days and 3 months mixed up. Most of the less that 30 day courses are not certificate courses and almost must be registered with the Council for Private Education.

[streetvendor38]

Hi boffenl,

Thanks for your info. I've just back from overseas . One more question, if an English course is conducted 3 hours a day, 5 days week, and lasts for 6 months, is it considered full-time or part-time and is student pass required? I called up the school to ask whether LTSVP can take that course or not, they said YES. Quite confused now. How come Dependant pass holder can study without Student pass but not LTSVP?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Because they are on Dependent's Passes and not on Long Term "Social" Visit Passes. These are two very different types of passes. In their wisdom, the gahmen has deemed it so.

[streetvendor38]

Errr, but there is no way for PR to apply dependant pass for spouse rite?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Oops. Yeah, that's a problem if you are a PR and no longer have an EP. Which is probably why the school told you LTVP is okay. Have you let them try? I would assume the school has gone through the exercise before as there are lots of people probably in similar circumstances.

[streetvendor38]

SMS,

Even if they said OK and we let them try right, but later who will face the problem with ICA, the school or ourselve? The school is one of the Approved Private Education Organizations and listed on ICA website.

[sundaymorningstaple]

If it's an approved school, don't you think that they would have already got all their ducks lined up? It's not easy to be an approved school. Anyway, what issue with ICA, they will either grant it or deny it. No "issue" as it were.

[streetvendor38]

Understand, if it is an approved school, they have to be very clear about ICA requirements for international student who wish to enroll their courses. If they said no issue with LTSVP then we just proceed?

[boffenl]

It's worth a try. Is the school an EduTrust approved school or just a CPE approved school? Only schools with the EduTrust "mark" can take international students. There are still a few schools out there that are taking international students (until December) but will be barred from taking international students in Jaunary.

Just be careful if the school is EduTrust or just CPE registered. It's "easy" to be registered with the CPE--another matter to get EduTrust.

[streetvendor38]

The school is AEC College and EduTrust Approved

http://www.aec.edu.sg/

I think it is safe to proceed