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seonsengnimble
Joined: 02 Jun 2009
Location: taking a ride on the magic English bus
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 Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:53 pm Post subject: Obtaining a Master's while working on an E2 |
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I am considering starting a Master's program in TESOL in a Korean University while working under an E2 visa. I am not sure why, but someone I knew who did the same thing was fined a ridiculous amount of money by immigration for doing this.
I spoke to immigration today on the phone and was given no information about what I would need to do in order to study legally.
If anyone has any experience with this and can let me know what I would need to do in order to avoid visa violations, your help will be most appreciated.
Thanks a lot. |
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winterfall
Joined: 21 May 2009
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| Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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An E-2 Visa is a work visa. Your not allowed to study with that. A student visa allows you to study in a Korean university. But you can't legally work. You'll have to provide proof you can financially support yourself for the duration of your study.
That's probably why he was fined. Though I've heard of people that had an E-2 Visa and still studied without a problem. Guess its a toss up. |
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E_athlete
Joined: 09 Jun 2009
Location: Korea sparkling
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| Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 11:53 pm Post subject: |
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| I imagine you might need permission from immigration to persue a TESOL masters program. |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 2:00 am Post subject: |
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| Sorry to hijack your thread but I'm looking at doing something similar but via distance learning from British university. Does anyone know if this would have any ramifications on my visa application? |
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seonsengnimble
Joined: 02 Jun 2009
Location: taking a ride on the magic English bus
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| Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 2:56 am Post subject: |
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| winterfall wrote: |
An E-2 Visa is a work visa. Your not allowed to study with that. A student visa allows you to study in a Korean university. But you can't legally work. You'll have to provide proof you can financially support yourself for the duration of your study.
That's probably why he was fined. Though I've heard of people that had an E-2 Visa and still studied without a problem. Guess its a toss up. |
Arghh. I know this is Korea, but penalizing someone who is here to teach English for studying to improve their English teaching ability is a bit ridiculous.
I suppose I'll swing by immigration and see if I can get a signed permission statement or something along those lines. |
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livinginkorea
Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Location: Korea, South of the border
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| Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 3:43 am Post subject: |
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| morrisonhotel wrote: |
| Sorry to hijack your thread but I'm looking at doing something similar but via distance learning from British university. Does anyone know if this would have any ramifications on my visa application? |
You'll be fine. The OP is talking about Korean Universities. |
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OiGirl
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Hoke-y-gun
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| Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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| winterfall wrote: |
An E-2 Visa is a work visa. Your not allowed to study with that. A student visa allows you to study in a Korean university. But you can't legally work. You'll have to provide proof you can financially support yourself for the duration of your study.
That's probably why he was fined. Though I've heard of people that had an E-2 Visa and still studied without a problem. Guess its a toss up. |
A student on a D-2 visa can legally work by applying to Immigration for Permission to Engage in Activities Not Covered by the Visa (something like that.) Students are no longer required to show proof of financial support, per a change some time in the past 12 months. An E-2 visa holder may be able to apply for similar permission, but you would need your employer's permission. |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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| seonsengnimble wrote: |
Arghh. I know this is Korea, but penalizing someone who is here to teach English for studying to improve their English teaching ability is a bit ridiculous.
I suppose I'll swing by immigration and see if I can get a signed permission statement or something along those lines. |
Visa laws may seem somewhat arbitrary, but I think they do serve a purpose. In other countries, the same law exists; your visa type places restrictions on activities.
That being said, I also believe that what you want to do isn't unreasonable (beneficial in many ways - money goes back into the economy, you become (hopefully) a better teacher...) and hope that you get it done.
You do realize the might as well photoshop it value of an MA from a Korean university in the West, right? They do serve one well in-country though. |
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sigmundsmith
Joined: 22 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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I'm doing it myself.
What you need to do is get an official letter from your current employment giving you permission to study at the university. Get your official acceptance document from the university you will study at.
Take these to immigration. You then fill out a form stating all relevant information. Take a number and sit.
Hand all forms over and your ARC and passport. 7 days later (or so) there will be a stamp placed on the back of your ARC stating that you are allowed to study.
Everything legal. |
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seonsengnimble
Joined: 02 Jun 2009
Location: taking a ride on the magic English bus
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| Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Demophobe wrote: |
You do realize the value of an MA from a Korean university in the West, right? They do serve one well in-country though. |
Yeah. I realize it won't land me any jobs. I plan on doing the thesis route and applying to a school in the states after I finish.
| sigmundsmith wrote: |
I'm doing it myself.
What you need to do is get an official letter from your current employment giving you permission to study at the university. Get your official acceptance document from the university you will study at.
Take these to immigration. You then fill out a form stating all relevant information. Take a number and sit.
Hand all forms over and your ARC and passport. 7 days later (or so) there will be a stamp placed on the back of your ARC stating that you are allowed to study.
Everything legal. |
Cool, thanks. This is very useful information. |
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whiteshoes
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 6:58 am Post subject: |
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According to http://www.immigration.go.kr/indeximmeng.html
"Registered foreigners in Korea can study without permission." Just click on news releases. Looks like they changed the rules June 15. It specifically includes E-2 holders. How if someone could show me which MA TESOL programs are accredited back in the US, I might have some planning to do... |
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