Job Discussion Forums

[TravelingMuslim]

Hey everyone,

I just made an account on the site because I am trying to get to Saudi Arabia by August. I got a job offer from Al-Hussan for KSU but I have an issue. The visa agency they hooked me up with is asking for a distance learning form for my degrees. I think I can get it for my B.A, but I already tried with my M.A and they said they don't keep track of mode of instruction and cannot fill it out.

What I do have is a signed and sealed letter from my department head saying the degree was completed on campus. That's all I can submit to SACM for my M.A for the distance learning issue. Has anyone experienced something like this before? Will it be an issue going forward?

Any input of anyone who has experience with something like this would be much appreciated.

[nomad soul]

According to the SACM's instructions (http://www.sacm.org/pdf/Applicationauthentication.pdf), a signed letter on university letterhead will suffice. However, your registrar probably should have been the entity to complete and sign the distance learning form since Registrations (and not an academic department head) manages student records and obviously, the registration system. Whether that will cause an issue with the SACM is anyone's guess.

[TravelingMuslim]

That's refreshing to hear. I did try to get it from the registrar first, but they told me details should be gotten from the department. If it is an issue with SACM, then I'm sure a letter from the registrar directing them to the letter I have already should be fine, no?

[nomad soul]

Odd that your registrar's office referred you to a department head; perhaps you should speak directly to the registrar and not the staff. My registrar's office was processing verifications on several Saudi students for the SACM at the time I contacted them to handle my request. (I also emailed them my signed request for verification.) They quickly got on it and even notarized my attendance and degree conferral verification letter (signed by the registrar), transcripts, etc.

Anyway... I have no clue if you'll have any issues. Maybe others had a similar situation and can assuage your concerns.

[TravelingMuslim]

Hey, I don't make the rules, I am just subject to following them. My visa agent said it should be fine. I understand that it is SACM's decision in the end. I have also heard they are not as neurotic when the school year is approaching, as they need teachers to fill their classrooms. Skyline even told me that they start accepting online degrees at some point, although I don't know if this is true.

[nomad soul]

[soheeb16]

Thanks for that info, I needed it as well. I have a question relating to the form: They ask for classes that are not via distance learning to be put on the form. How many classes that are "online" will it take until they decide they are too many and they reject your degree? For my undergrad, I did take some online classes. I am wondering if that will be an issue.

[nomad soul]

[soheeb16]

Don't you have to submit all your degrees? That was my understanding. Doesn't SACM also ask for your BA transcript and diploma? It only makes sense that they want to make sure its not online as well, right?

In any case, I wish to know for my own knowledge: Is SACM's definition of "online" more than half of the degree?

[nomad soul]