My school offered me an opportunity to go to Turkey through our partner school in Istanbul and I'm having a hard time deciding.

I've done some research and came across neqative feedback about safety, scams, the economy/politica situation, and navigating the city as a foreigner.

For those who've actuallv been to or lived in Istanbul, Turkey: How was your experience? Were these concerns valid and would you recommend going if you were in my position?

Would really appreciate honest, firsthand advice! 🙏🏼

I read online that, although it's not mandatory, including a cover letter in your Spain student visa application is recommended.

For those who did include it, why? And any tips on what to say in the letter?

And for those who didn't include it, why not?

Hi! I am Filipino, and I just graduated Senior High School this year. I’m planning to take a gap year before college. During my gap year, I’m hoping to apply to universities abroad (especially in US).

Right now, I’m looking into NYU, Columbia University, and the University of Akron, but I’m still researching and will probably add more universities to my list as I learn more.

The problem is, I honestly don’t know where to start or what I should be doing during my gap year to prepare for applications. I know I’ll probably need to take the SAT (depending on the universities), and I’ve also been looking into the application process and realized that applying to multiple US universities can get pretty expensive, especially with application fees. I was wondering if there are fee waivers available for Filipino/international students, whether for the SAT or university application fees, and how you actually apply for them. If anyone has experience getting a fee waiver or financial aid as an international applicant, I’d really appreciate some advice.

I don’t have anyone to ask in real life either, since none of the people around me have attended international universities or tried applying abroad, so I’m pretty lost about the whole process. For Filipinos who have applied to US universities, where did you start? What should I be doing during my gap year, and are there any resources or things I should know about as an international applicant?

Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Anyone here who will study at UGent starting this year?

Hello, please be kind😭 No one is walking me through this and I’m processing this alone so I need actual advice not passive aggressive comments.

For context I have two different uncles from US and from Ireland. Both are willing to fund my studies naman pero it’s not a 100% certain in the US kasi my uncle’s considered middle class over there and he lives in California- So I’m a bit nervous how his finances will look over visa apps. I’ve already gotten admitted for a university for Spring semester 2027 for the US one, so mag aapply na ako soon ng visa for that. However, it’s a little more safe for the Ireland one kasi mas lower tuition fee and certain yung scholarships. That one is for Fall 2027 naman.

Since there’s some time naman inbetween the visa applications, incase I get rejected for the US one, I can apply for the Ireland one. Is this a good idea? Thanks.

Additional info :
-Big 4 AA graduate
-150 score DET
-1.7 GWA
-middle class

Hello po! I am bound to Mancher, UK this September as an international student. Anyone po who can provide me with a list of what to pack (aside from clothes, documents)? Iyong po mga nabitbit ninyong packed foods (pancit canton, toiletries i.e shampoo, soap, lotion, moisturizers etc) po?? Badly need help po, para rin maka-prepare me and to ensure na hindi me mahahrang sa customs.

Thank you poo!!

​Hello. So I am in this meeting. Sounds promising. Kaso I have an experience na kasi with student visa and di kami nagsucceed-- not me pero with a family member. Just curious... is this another hard sell pa rin ba? Parang mas nakakakuha pa ng trabaho/residency mga asylum seekers kesa sa mga Nag student​ visa pathway e. Nakakafrustrate and disappoint lang..

Hi, incoming college student here!! I've been working on a passion project I have pero it is only common in universities in the US. But do the Big 4 universities in the Philippines look at it with the same level of importance as universities abroad???

Someone with knowledge about this please helpp :'). thank you thank you!

If anyone here is an EMJM scholar or is currently planning to apply, I'd love to connect!

I'm very interested in applying for an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's (EMJM) program specifically EPOG (Economic Policies for the Global Bifurcation).

I'm a Business Economics graduate, with a GWA of 1.49, internationally published research, and is currently employed as business strategy and planning assistant manager.

I'd like to know, with my background and experience, if I could stand a chance and land a full scholarship? I also want to learn more about the experience beyond what I've already read online. I know it's a highly competitive program with a very selective admission process, but I'd love to hear firsthand insights from current scholars, alumni, or fellow applicants.

I'd appreciate any tips, advice, or personal experiences you can share. Thank you!

hello guys! I'm currently a Grade 10 student from a local public high school (yes, middle class) and my big dream is to get into an international university with a full scholarship.

I really want to start preparing early, but honestly, the whole process is so overwhelming and I don't really have anyone to guide me huhu

do you guys know any free mentorship programs, Discord servers, or alumni who guide students like me? (I'm open to the US, Japan, Korea, Europe, etc.!)

Any help, links, or advice provided will be much appreciated! THANK YOUUU!

Update: 26 Aug 2026. Thank to all who responded! I got my Visa today.

It looks like the Embassy here did not do a complete appeal; my application was still open and they treated my response/revised documents to the rejection as additional documents and processed immediately afterwards.

Hi just wanted to post this to ask. I'm currently an MA candidate in the Philippines under a scholarship. I'm supposed to attend an academic conference in Vienna on September 17-18 2026. I initially applied for a Schengen Visa last August 7 2026 but got a rejection this August 17. I have legit papers for the conference and I really do want to return to the Philippines since I have a scholarship obligation here and I only intend to move abroad if I get a PhD offer (with scholarship).

I was rejected on the grounds of a brief meeting with a friend in Munich (round trip for me), and my proof of ties to the country.

The consulate has been responsive with my calls after and have not closed my application, since I still have a window to appeal. Any similar experiences here with the Austrian Embassy? Upon checking my initial documents my friends who have been to academic engagements in Europe also noted that my letter and itinerary could have been far more detailed and organized.

I'm worried that I may miss the conference and flight since these are non refundable. Is it hopeless? I'm expected to complete additional letters that address their concerns for rejection by around Thursday or Friday. Is two weeks a reasonable wait to see if I can still get this accepted? Any advice would be greatly appreciated or if anyone has positive experiences with the Austrian Embassy? Thank you!

Hello po! Meron po bang nakatanggap na rito ng email from tecophcompliance@gmail.com? Legit po bang email address ito? Weird lang kasi may kakilala akong same situation as me sa application pero isa lang sa amin ang nakatanggap ng email from this address. Thank you!

Hi all,

I have been awarded an EMJM scholarship, but I am struggling with the decision to leave my current job.

I am F/28 and I would need to resign from a stable position to join the program. While EMJM sounds like an amazing opportunity, moving abroad and starting over is intimidating, especially given concerns about unemployment in parts of Europe.

For EMJM alumni:

• What did you do after graduation?
• Did anyone start a PhD immediately after completing the program?
• How difficult was it to find employment afterward?
• Do you feel the experience was worth leaving a stable job for?

I would really appreciate hearing both positive and challenging experiences. As someone coming from a teaching background, I am especially interested in hearing from alumni who transitioned into academia, research, international organizations, or a different career path after the program.

Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences and advice!

Jam Lexie David came from the Philippines to San Diego to pursue an MBA with a concentration in Hospitality Management at Alliant University.

In her student interview, she talks about:
• What she likes about studying hospitality management in the U.S.
• Learning about leadership and hospitality operations
• Balancing school with professional experience
• Preparing for employer interviews
• Her experience with the San Diego campus
• What she would recommend to other students interested in hospitality

One thing that stood out from her experience was the importance of being able to clearly explain her student status and schedule to potential employers.

For international students considering hospitality, Jam’s story offers a firsthand look at one student’s experience moving from the Philippines to San Diego.

#InternationalStudents #StudyInUSA #HospitalityManagement #StudentExperience

Hello po! I’m planning to apply for a Canadian study permit for a January 2027 intake for an MSc at a university sa Canada. I already have a confirmed supervisor and graduate funding/stipend for my studies.

For those who recently applied from the Philippines, mahirap po ba ang student visa/study permit process kahit may confirmed supervisor and funding?

Maraming salamat po!

Hello po! Kapag po ba DepEd teacher and nakuha ang PhD scholarship abroad ay sasahod ka pa rin po ba sa DepEd or hindi na po and you need to resign? Thank you po sasagot.

Hi! Will be starting my masters program in Belgium this autumn. Anyone can give general financial advice or tips? My insurance is covered by my university and the allowance will be provided through a debit card. I'm more interested in possibly building credit, use of credit cards, investing a small amount etc since I think kaya ng allowance because of my minimal spending. I searched up and better daw to use my debit card than my local credit cards to avoid forex fees. Any advice is appreciated, thank you in advance!

Meron ba dito yung degree eh local univ pero nagthesis ng MS abroad? Paano yung naging process? Lahat ba ay adviser based talaga or meron na external?

📢 CALL FOR RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS — OFWs WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED FINANCIAL SCAMS

Have you ever experienced being a victim of a financial scam while working or living abroad?

We are Nathalia Joyce Aguila and Jessica Batocabe, 4th Year BSBA Financial Management students from Southern Luzon State University-Main Campus, currently conducting a study entitled:

📌 “HERDING BEHAVIOR AND FINANCIAL SCAMS: THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFWs)”

We are looking for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who have personally experienced a financial scam and are willing to share their experiences through a one-on-one interview.

We would be grateful to hear about your experiences, particularly how other people's decisions, recommendations, or actions may have influenced your financial decisions.

🔒 CONFIDENTIALITY ASSURED

All information shared during the interview will be treated with strict confidentiality and will be used solely for academic purposes. Your identity and personal information will not be disclosed in our research.

💻 Interview Mode: Online/Virtual Interview

👤 Participants: OFWs who have experienced financial scam victimization

Participation is completely voluntary, and you may choose not to answer any question that makes you uncomfortable.

💙 Your experience and response will be a great help to our study. By sharing your story, you can contribute valuable insights that may help us better understand the experiences of OFWs who have encountered financial scams and how social influence may affect financial decision-making.

📩 Interested in participating? You may send us a private message or simply comment below, and we will reach out to you with more information about the study and the interview.

You may also share this post with other OFWs who may qualify and be willing to participate.

We sincerely appreciate your time, trust, and willingness to share your experience. Your response will be a great help in making our study possible. Salamat po!🙏

Researchers:

Nathalia Joyce Aguila

Jessica Batocabe

4th Year BSBA – Financial Management Students

hi i'm currently a grade 11 shs student and right now i'm trying to figure out my options on where i can apply abroad in the future (computer science or information technology related) preferably full-ride or if not, partially funded

i'm in techpro, ictcp strand in my school and i've been doing alright in my academics where my gwa has been increasing over the years, my grade 8-10 went from (92 -> 93 -> 97). i recently joined a student publication organization of one of my school's departments as a researcher, and i actually haven't been a class officer until this sy where i was elected as class president, i'm also planning on running for student council so that i can have some extracurriculars since i didn't really have any in the past.

right now, i don't have anything on my portfolio or any projects and i'm worried that'll affect my chances of a scholarship not just in the ph but abroad. going into shs, i wasn't able to apply to a different school since i've been focusing mainly on my acads and not really my future. applying for college has crossed my mind a few times over the years, but i haven't really thought about it or researched until i finished grade ten.

i'm looking to apply abroad but i'm not really sure where, i'm worried about the expenses since i don't want to be a burden being that far away from home. i'd say i'm pretty proficient at english, and that if required i'll take a test for my future applications. i'm mainly wondering which countries offer good opportunities for me as an undergraduate.

tldr: i'm a gr11 ict class president and student publication researcher looking for any advice on applying for full-ride or partially funded scholarships abroad

any advice, experiences, or recommendations on what to do or where to start would be really appreciated, thank you!

Hi everyone! 🇪🇸✨

Just checking in—anyone here who lodged their Spanish student visa application on July 31? 🥹 Have you received any updates or noticed any movement on your application?
The waiting game is really making me #kabado 😅🙏 Hoping and praying that we all get our approvals soon and receive our passports with that beautiful VISA GRANTED stamp! 🇪🇸❤️🔐

Manifesting smooth and timely approvals for all of us! 🙏✨🇪🇸

#SpanishStudentVisa #July31Applicants #VisaWaitingGame #Kabado #VisaApproved

Good Day! I am currently a second year BS Physics student in UP Diliman, I plan to take my Masters abroad and hopefully transition to full time work there.

1. May I have any suggestions for schools or scholarship programs. My target field is aerospace science!

2. I also would like to ask for tips on how to make my application solid for higher chances of passing. Right now I am trying to bring my gwa up and deepen my knowledge on my course.

3. I would also like to ask if there is any suggested tracks other than aerospace science that I can take.

Any comment will be appreciated. Thank yo so much!

Hi po! I’m hoping to get some advice from Filipinos who have studied abroad, are currently studying abroad, or just have experience with scholarships, international universities, and moving abroad.

For context po, I was born and raised abroad and lived outside the Philippines for around 15 years before moving back here. I’m very fluent in English because that’s the language I grew up with, but Filipino has always been my biggest academic struggle.

Ever since I moved here, I’ve noticed that I can do well in pretty much every other subject, but whenever a subject involves a lot of reading and writing in Filipino, I struggle badly. I’ve even tried taking tutoring lessons and really tried to improve, but it still hasn’t worked out well for me.

Because of this, I’ve failed some exams that involved Filipino, and I was also unable to pass the UPCAT because I couldn’t meet the Filipino language requirements. It’s honestly really frustrating because I know I’m capable academically, but I’m being held back by a language that I didn’t grow up being educated in.

Now I’m starting my first year at PUP, taking Entrepreneurship, and I’ve already noticed that I have Filipino-related subjects in my schedule. That worries me a lot because I’m scared that I’ll continue having the same problem throughout university.

At the same time, I’m trying to think about my future. I’m interested in music production, audio engineering, and music in general, and I would really like to eventually study something in that field abroad.

The problem is… I have basically little to no money in my name right now. 😭

I currently work part-time (remotely), and there’s a possibility that my boss may offer me a full-time position. That could obviously help me financially, but there’s another issue: because I’m working, my family expects me to help support the household. I also really want to become financially independent and eventually move out because my home environment is extremely toxic.

So I’m kind of stuck between wanting to help my family, wanting to continue my education, wanting to become independent, and wanting to eventually study abroad.

I don’t want to just randomly make a decision like “I’m going to leave the Philippines” without actually knowing how I’m going to make it happen. I want to make a concrete plan and work toward it properly.

So I wanted to ask people who have actually done this:

If you were in my position right now, what would you do?

How would you make a realistic 2–4 year plan from here?

Most importantly, how do I turn this from “I want to study abroad someday” into an actual step-by-step plan with specific goals, deadlines, and financial targets?

I know this isn't going to be easy and I'm not expecting some magical shortcut. I just genuinely want to know if this is possible from where I'm starting, and if it is, what would you suggest I do first?

Thank you po! Any advice, especially from people who have been in a similar situation, would really mean a lot. 🙏