Academic Year Student Induction - Handbook Academic Year Programmes 2 Student visa requirements 2 How to get your student visa 3 How to open a bank account 4 Holiday policy 6 End of course exam (student visa requirement) 6 How to get a PPS number 7 How to get your student card 7 Academic Year Student Induction Handbook 1 Atlas Language School
Academic Year Programmes (8 month visa) 1) Academic Year with 20 hours per week (AY20): General English with 20 hours per week Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 13:10 Two options: AY20 with Holidays 25 weeks study + up to 10 weeks holidays AY20 without Holidays 35 weeks study (no holidays) 2) Academic Year with 25 hours per week (AY25): General English with 25 hours per week Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 13:10 & Tuesday and Thursday from 14:00 to 16:30 Two options: AY25 with Holidays 25 weeks study + up to 10 weeks holidays AY25 without Holidays 35 weeks study (no holidays) Student visa in Ireland Allows you to work: 20 hours per week while studying 40 hours per week during your holidays if your holidays are: - between June and September - between 15 December and 15 January Your student visa requires you: - to have a minimum of 85% of attendance. - to take an official recognised external exam at the end of your programme. If you don t meet these requirements we need to report this to the Immigration Bureau, which may result in visa penalties. Academic Year Student Induction Handbook 2 Atlas Language School
Get your student visa To get your visa and Irish Residence Permit (IRP): Book an appointment with GNIB (Garda National Immigration Bureau) online: https://burghquayregistrationoffice.inis.gov.ie/ (appointments are updated at 10.00am and 2.30pm each day) On the day of your appointment go to 13/14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2 and bring: 1) Atlas student letter 2) Medical Insurance for the duration of your visa 3) Proof of sufficient funds ( 3,000) 4) Valid passport 5) 300 to pay for the visa (you need to pay by card only, no cash accepted) 6) The confirmation email for your GNIB appointment You will get: A stamp in your passport Irish Residence Permit (IRP) The IRP card will be sent by post within 10 working days to your address. GNIB will ask you for your address when you are there at the appointment. Student visa Proof of sufficient funds To get a student visa you need to prove you have enough money to support yourself. You will need to show that you have at least 3,000 available for the duration of your visa. You have several options to do this, such as: 1) Bank statements and debit card of your foreign bank account: - Current bank statement not older than 1 month (showing 3,000 or the equivalent in another currency) - Past statement older than one month - Debit card All of the above need to be from the same account and in your name! Academic Year Student Induction Handbook 3 Atlas Language School
2) A pre-paid credit or debit card (e.g. Visa Travel Money, VTM): - Card - Verification/Statement of 3,000 in credit 3) Postal Money Order: You lodge your money in the post office and the post office gives you a Postal Money Order (similar to a cheque) in your name specifying the value ( 3,000). Where? St. Andrew s Street Post Office, 19 St. Andrew s Street, Dublin 2. 4) Opening an Irish bank account and lodging 3,000 Step 1: Get an appointment at Atlas After the Academic Year meeting on Tuesday afternoon or at Reception. Appointments are generally available for Wednesdays between 2.00pm and 4.00pm. Step 2: Bring the following original letters and documents to your appointment 1) Atlas student letter signed by our director Nicolas Dowling. 2) Medical Insurance with your Irish address to use as proof of address. The address in the student letter and insurance must be the same so make sure you provide the correct address. The address should also be a longer-term address (at least one month). 3) Your booking form. 4) Your passport. Make sure that your name in the student letter and the medical insurance is your full name as in your passport and that the address in your letters is correct. If it isn t, please inform Reception. Step 3: Go to AIB Ranelagh, 40-42 Ranelagh Road Academic Year Student Induction Handbook 4 Atlas Language School
The account opening process takes 10 15 minutes in total. The account will be opened the same day but you cannot use the account for approximately 48 hours as AIB have to verify your identity documents. If there are any delays with this process AIB will contact you by phone or email. At the very end of the account opening process the bank official will ask you to create a 5 digit PIN number. This will be your secure PIN for online banking and it is important you keep this number safe. It is used along with the online banking registration number that the bank official will share with you before you leave. After you opened the bank account your bank card and a 4 digit pin code will be sent by post to your address stated in your medical insurance. You will receive them in the post after 1 week. For security reasons the card and pin code are posted in two different letters and will arrive on separate days. The PIN arrives first and the card arrives a day or two later. We suggest you wait until you have received both the card and the pin number before you lodge your money. Opening an AIB bank account (1) Get an appointment from Atlas. (2) Go to your appointment to open your bank account at AIB Ranelagh. - Receive bank account details (account number, IBAN and online banking registration number). - Create a 5 digit PIN number for online banking. (3) Wait 5-6 working days until you have received both CARD and PIN number by post. (4) Deposit/Transfer 3,000 and request a Bank Statement. (5) Get Bank Statement. *If you carry large amounts of money, please make sure not to leave your belongings unattended. *If you change your address, phone number or email address after opening the bank account it is important you inform AIB as soon as possible. You can change your details online or by going to any AIB office with a photo ID. Academic Year Student Induction Handbook 5 Atlas Language School
Holiday Policy You are registered to study for 25 weeks. Students normally take 10 weeks holidays after the 25-week course is completed. It is possible to take holidays while studying but you need to plan your holidays in advance before registering with GNIB (receiving your visa) and book them with Atlas. Send your holiday requests by email to info@atlaslanguageschool.com before registering with GNIB and collect a new student letter including your holiday dates from Reception. When planning your holidays make sure you meet the following criteria: 1. Before taking your first holiday you must have completed 9 weeks of your course. 2. For each week of holiday you must have studied 3 weeks, for example: 9 weeks studying 3 weeks of holidays 12 weeks studying 4 weeks of holidays, etc. 3. You must have 4 weeks of your course remaining. Holidays must be taken for a full week, Monday to Friday (no individual days). The school is closed for 2 weeks over Christmas and New Year s. These 2 weeks of holidays are part of your 10 weeks holiday and do not need to be booked with Atlas. End of Course Exam As part of your course you must take an officially recognised exam. Atlas is a TIE and Cambridge test centre, running regular TIE, PET, First Certificate and Advanced exams for different levels. The exams coordinator will communicate important exam related information to you by email so please ensure that Atlas has your current and correct email address and check your emails regularly. Please also check your spam folders. Your exam date will be near the end of your course. Between 12 and 10 weeks before that, you will receive an email reminding you to register for your exam. Please go to reception to do so. If you do not agree with the suggested exam - you would prefer a higher or lower level - please inform the exams coordinator by emailing exams@atlaslanguageschool.com to arrange a meeting. If you wish to do IELTS instead of a Cambridge exam, please inform reception. Academic Year Student Induction Handbook 6 Atlas Language School
How to get your PPS number What is a PPS number? Your Personal Public Service Number (PPS number) is a unique reference number that you need to work and that allows you to access social welfare benefits, public services and information in Ireland. To get your PPS number you need to: find a job first and request a job offer or an employment contract. register and get an appointment online on: www.mygovid.ie go to your appointment and bring: - your job offer or employment contract - an Atlas school letter with your address (as proof of address) - your passport - your visa Your PPS number will be posted to you after your application. How to get your student card Get an Atlas student letter. Go to the main entrance of Trinity College. You get the student card in the Students Union, House 6, which is on the left after the main entrance. Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 9.30-5pm, Sat: 11am - 1.30pm They will take a photo of you and give you your card there. The student card costs 10. The student card can also be used as a Leap Card. The Leap Card is the best travel pass option for Dublin Bus, Luas (tram) and Dart (train). It's a pre-paid travel pass which saves you carrying change and the fares are usually 20% cheaper than cash single tickets. The Leap Card is included in the student card. Academic Year Student Induction Handbook 7 Atlas Language School
Checklist Getting your student visa Book your appointment online on: https://burghquayregistrationoffice.ini.gov.ie Go to GNIB to 13/14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2 Bring your: Atlas student letter Medical insurance Proof of funds / Bank statement (stating you have access to 3,000) Valid passport Bank card to pay for the visa ( 300) Confirmation email for your GNIB appointment Checklist Opening a bank account Get an appointment at Atlas. Atlas student letter (signed by Nico Dowling) stating your course and your address in Ireland. Medical Insurance policy stating your address in Ireland. Atlas Booking Form. Your passport Wait until you have received both your bank card and PIN number, deposit 3,000 in the account and get a bank statement. * Please remember you can only open a bank account at AIB in Ranelagh with an appointment from Atlas. If you have any questions, just ask us at reception! Academic Year Student Induction Handbook 8 Atlas Language School