UK universities are pushing for more Indian talent in their colleges and universities. But finding employment in their cities is harder than ever.

So, is it impossible to find a job in the UK after graduation?

Paul Michael and Yatin Madlani, visa officers at the British High Commission in New Delhi, answered questions about UK universities and student visas during a July 12 expert chat.

They discussed employment in the UK after graduation, the visa process and resources for prospective students.

For those of you who missed the chat, here's the transcript:

Aztec asked, What visa do I need to obtain if I am to study in Oxford

Paul Michael answers,  You need a UK student visa.

MBA asked, What is the process for applying for visa?

Yatin Madlani answers, First, you need to have an unconditional offer to study for a course in the UK. Once you have this, you need to then prepare documentation to show that you will be able to pay for your studies and living costs. We have comprehensive information on our wedbsite www.ukinindia.com

Preeti asked, What do i need to show immgration officials and how should i speak to them>?

Paul Michael answers, Preeti, thank you for your question. You should be in a position to show the Immigration Officer your letter of acceptance and be prepared to answer any questions he might have with regard to your intended studies in the UK.

KaranV asked, wat qualificatsion will an average uni require for Indian student? How expensive is it?

Yatin Madlani answers, The qualifications depend on the college or university that you intend to study. They all have different educational requirements. The expense for studies will be advised to you by the college or university who will be able to provide the approximate costs for the area and also provide the cost of courses. The website www.educationuk-in.org gives more details on this subject.

abu asked, if i m cant afford study in uk so is there any other way so i can apply for uk.

Paul Michael answers, You need to pay the requisite fee. You can visit our web site for scholarships www.britishcouncil.org/india-scholarships.htm

prayag asked, This is my main concern: How much does a UK education cost compared toa n Indian eeducation?

Paul Michael answers, Prayag, thank you for your question. The cost of studying in the UK varies according to the institution. The fees depends upon the course and the institution you choose. The fees and cost of living range from 6000 pounds (almost Rs 5,00,000)  to 20000 pounds (Rs 16,500,000) per year.

Firdaus asked, Is it possible to work afer graduation? Or is there no hope? 

Yatin Madlani answers, There are a few schemes that allow you to work in the UK on completion of your stduies, including the highly skilled migrant programme and also the International Graduate scheme. Details of these schemes can be found on the website http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk

Vivek asked, Give me rankings to UK MBA school.

Paul Michael answers, The institutions in UK are rated according to the Teaching Quality Information (www.tqi.ac.uk) and the Research Assessment Exercise (www.hero.ac.uk/rae). These will have information on departmental ratings and will help you to short-list institutions which are top ranked in business & management.

Nikhil asked, After completeion of MBA programme, is it possible to stay on for work experience?

Paul Michael answers, Nikhil, thank you for your question. After doing the MBA you may be eligible to apply under the International Graduate Scheme to remain in the UK to gain one year of work experience. Further information is available at http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk 

vai asked, Good afternoon sir. I have secured admission in the University of St Andrews. I would like to know if we have to send our original documents by post( like IELTS scoecard and marks degree certificates) when applying for the visa. If we send the originals will we get them back? Also I would like to know that if we want to stay back in Scotland under the fresh talent scheme then do we have to apply for it after we have completed the masters program?

Yatin Madlani answers, We do like to see original documents when an applicants goes for a visa and they are always returned back once the decision on the application is made. We need to see originals, as sometimes we receive forged documentsand it is easier to identify original documents. You can only apply for the fresh talent scheme when you have completed your studies in Scotland.

wile asked, Sir, what about living in rural India? How can I come to my visa interview? What to do?

Paul Michael answers, Wile, thank you for your question. We have four posts in India. You would be expected to make your application at the post nearest to your residential address. It may be that we can decide your application on the basis of the papers you have submitted. But, in some instances an interview may be required. If invited for an interview, you will be required to attend.

gauva asked, could one of you please explain fresh talent scheme to me. it's very confusing.

Yatin Madlani answers, Fresh talent is a scheme specially designed for those who have completed a HND or above in Scotland. This can only be applied for on completion of the course. The scheme allows you to work in Scotland for two years. Full details are avialable on our website http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk 

qwerty asked, What is the minimum eligibility that colleges look for? and is there any problem applying for a mba if one already has a mba degree?

Paul Michael answers, There is no problem in applying for an MBA. The qualifications required to enroll for an MBA programme are as follows: a bachelor's degree, at least three years of work experience, a GMAT score and an IELTS/TOEFL score.

There are minimum marks requirements for each university that the candidate is required to fulfil. There are some institutions that do not require work experience. For more information, please check on www.educationuk-in.org  http://www.postgrad.hobsons.com

scepia asked, Sir after terrorist attack at glascow aiprort, is it true that UK will not hand out student visa any longer?

Paul Michael answers, Scepia, thank you for your question. It is not the case that the UK is no longer granting any student visas.

vai asked, I would like to know how long the visa process would take? Also will the recent terrorist attacks affect our chances of getting a visa?

Yatin Madlani answers, The visa process usually takes about three working days. However, some applicants do need to attend an interview if we are unable to make a decision based on the documents they submitted with their application. We have a robust visa application process and there are no changes to the way we deal with all visa applications.

scepia asked, I've heard rumours that uk officials are rejecting appplicatns who have good aplications in order. is this true?

Paul Michael answers, Scepia, no, it is not correct. It is business as usual.

shazia asked, I am also good at oracle.can I either get a job in a university as faculty and also pursue Phd.My MTech CGPA is 8.32

Paul Michael answers, The duration of PhD at UK institutions is usually \three - four years. The entry qualifications required are a Master's/M Phil with minimum marks requirement that can vary from institution to institution.

You also have to prepare a research proposal ( two page summary of the topic you wish to do a PhD on). You are required to get in touch with the supervisor of the research department of the institutions that offer the research programme according to your educational qualifications and work experience. For more information: www.postgrad.hobsons.com http://www.prospects.ac.uk

Partho asked, Hi Paul, What is the job prospect in UK specifically in IT field after completing MSC in IT?

Paul Michael answers, Partho, thank you for your question. After completing M Sc in IT you can apply to remain in the UK under the International Graduate Scheme. This scheme enables you to seek employment for one year. After completing this you may be eligible to switch into work permit employment. More information is available at www.workingintheuk.gov.uk

msn asked, i am 32 year old . can get admisson in master courses in this age ? can uk will give visa in this age?

Paul Michael answers, MSN, Thank you for your question. Age is no bar to further education. You should research your course and provide information on your current circumstances, the qualifications you already hold and what you have been doing since your last period of study.

ankit asked, sir,im doing my graduation in b.com from mumbai university but actually im doing it correspondetly so is im eligible for gud uk university for mba programme.

Paul Michael answers, MBA in UK is one of the most popular courses and hence quite competitive. The qualifications required are a good honours bachelor's degree, three - four years of relevant work experience, a GMAT score and a IELTS/TOEFL scores.

If your degree is distance learning, it will be completely at the discretion of the university to accept your application; largely it will depend on your personal statement, work experience and references (academic/professional).

Please also let the institutions know about the activities or any employment you were involved with while you were stydying through correspondence.

sriram asked, sir,i have finished my B.TECH in information tech this year(2007)..i am planning to do my MBA in UK next year..i have a list of few colleges with me, they are london school of commerce,greenwich,university of wales lampeter and university of new port(wales)..suggest me the best among these colleges that offer MBA for freshers and also the fees structure for the same

Paul Michael answers, Sriram, thank you for your question. I am unable to say which institution you should apply to. Please visit the relevant websites and make your choice based on the information given to you.

avve asked, my questions 1. is a uk education worth all the money and the time?? 2. will i face racism in the UK? 3. are there jobs availabe in UK after graduation?

Yatin Madlani answers, Many students who want to study in the UK find that is is very useful. However, the decision to study abroad is a personal one and you need to take into account factors such as cost, qualification and length of study.

The UK is a very diverse country and has people from all over the world who visit the UK for a variety of reasons. There are over one million Indians in the UK who play a very successful part in the UK society. We have a variety of schemes to encourage graduates to find employment in the UK and please see www.workingintheuk.gov.uk for further information..

Pritesh asked, i have completed my diploma in computer eng. now which course i can join in uk?

Paul Michael answers, There are a range of courses available at UK institutions, especially related to your subject. Students can work part-time, 20 hours per week, during term time and full-time during vacations on a student visa.

Sable asked, What if I earn admission at top college and then u guys reject my visa? Am i stuck with having lost all my application time and money?

Paul Michael answers, Sable, thank you for your question. In the event that your visa application is refused, the fee is non-refundable. Given this, please seek as much advice from VFS and British Council as possible before you make the application.

Nandini asked, Why are student visa refused? Many friends of mine hasve this happening to tehm.

Yatin Madlani answers, The majority of the time student applications are refused is because they are badly prepared in terms of showing how they can fund the studies in the UK. There is a wealth of information avialble to help stduents make sure that they have the right documents. I advise all students who wish to study in the UK to carefully prepare their applications and ensure they follow the advice found on our website http://www.ukinindia.com

sindbad asked, The British Accreditation Council accredits many private colleges in the United Kingdom are these institutions bonafide

Paul Michael answers, There are many private institutions that are accreditated by the British Accreditation Council, which means that there have been quality checks done on their departments. Also make sure that the institutions you apply to are listed under the Providers Registor of Department of Education & Skills (www.dfes.gov.uk)

albert asked, i feel as if the Uk wants to indian students, but not to life. they only want us to study and do research and then go back. it's a vicious circle.

Paul Michael answers, Albert, thank you for your question. The UK is keen to encourage students to study in the UK. After studying, there are schemes that may permit you to reamin in the UK.

Vaps asked, Do PhD students face the same visa process as fresh undergrads?

Paul Michael answers, Yes, Phd students have to apply with the same student visa application!

simrans asked, What is the best way to present your funds during visa interview? In property? In stocks? In liquid cash?

Yatin Madlani answers, This a a very good question. Different people have different circumstances and all applicants need to show how they will fund their studies. This may include liquid cash, stock and property. However, these types of funding need to be available for your studies and not simply submitted. We would also need to see evidence of the person who is funding your studies. Again, advice on this can be found on our website www.ukinindia.com