Does my diploma count as a "degree"

Messiano

Hey guys, i know there so much threads about degree. But i want to ask about this.

I know how much art degree coast, wanted to go, but i am not going to pay thousands of money.

Let's say i want someday apply for work visa or get hired. I know in US, they want to have degree, year right, if i was rich.

I have 3 diplomas.
1 year Graphic design course
1 year Web design course
4 months Softimage animation course

So does these count if i want to apply for work visa, or when i want move over seas?

Anuxinamoon

that's 2 years and 4 months. If those schools you got the degree's at were accredited schools then the 2 years is guaranteed. The 4 months will have to be looked over by the immigration dept to see if its valid.

You can make up[ extra school time (US immigration) by working an equivalent of 3 years to a school year.

H1-b visa is the most common way to enter the US, and that requires a bachelors degree (4 years) so you need 6 more years of work exp or 2 more years of school to meet the requirements.

Hope that helps!

ambershee

Over here if your diploma isn't from a proper-length degree course, it's unlikely to count as a degree and the diplomas may not be considered for immigration purposes. There's nothing stopping you from getting a cheap degree from somewhere like Turkey, however.

Messiano

Thanks guys, as much i want to go to school over seas, or for example in London, i forgot the name there. These schools are so much expensive. I am not sure even i get manage to get money for it, will be able to get as last intern or even junior job, because i see, no1 wants juniors anymore?

Why is this so complicated? Does this means, if i have awesome, kick ass, reel, i still need 4 years degree, or studio will sponsor me?

JacqueChoi

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PaulP

In the UK we have Higher National Certificate's (one year) and Higher National Diploma's (two years). HNCs are considered the same level as first year at university, HND's second level at university. A basic degree is 3years, a full degree (Hons) is 4 years.

If a basic degree is all you need to get into the US, then I would recommend applying for an affordable degree course and jump straight into 2nd or 3rd year (saving you money).

It is worth checking what they consider a notable qualification. A couple of split one year courses probably won't make you a desirable candidate.

Messiano

What about online courses? For example Animator Mentor?
Yea, this 1 year i have is a certificate.

Even i jump straight at 2nd or 3rd year, is still a lot of money:(

So, without degree, i can't be good candidate?

What about having good demo reel:)? Is that nothing, without having a degree?

wednesdays02

Anyone can hand out "degrees", "certificates" and "diplomas" -- it's just a piece of paper. You need an officially accredited one to qualify for a visa.

An accredited degree is generally something you receive after completing a university or college course. Online courses do not count unless it's a official course offered by an accredited university.

Hazardous

Messiano wrote: »

What about having good demo reel:)? Is that nothing, without having a degree?

The people who decide to give you a visa or not has nothing to do with the creative industry at all. They do not care what your demo reel looks like - we are talking about the immigration department here not a videogames company - don't confuse this.

Many people ( especially students ) think that the company itself gives out the visa - this isnt true.

The company applies on your behalf to the immigration department, and its a case of both parties, you and the company awaiting the results. The *ONLY* thing the company hiring you can do is put together a good application package to convince Immigration that you are suitable - again, the immigration department is not concerned with how cool your folio is. They deal in facts, education and documented years of experience

It can be a long and frustrating process for both parties, employer and potential employee

Kwramm

The degree should come from a institution which is accredited by a country's government to grant degrees - last time I checked animation mentor wasn't on the list, because getting accredited is quite expensive in most countries. For immigration non accredited degrees have no value.

Nobody at immigration actually checks the validity of your degree (e.g. if you just made it yourself in Photoshop). But if anyone finds out then you've committed a crime and you'll be deported pretty fast. They trust that any documents are valid and everything you tell them is true.

As for the major of the degree, many countries don't care what degree it is. A few do though, where they have higher quotas for IT people and engineers and it's easier to get into those countries with such a degree.

Messiano

Thanks, is this especially for US, or any other country, what about Canada?
Even i love so much animation, and want to be animator. But going to 3 years degree, is a lot of money, It is really frustrating this.

How does people manage to go in US without a degree?

ambershee

Only people with industry experience. You'll have to have one or the other, since emigrating to the US isn't particularly viable unless you're doing so for work, so you'll need company sponsorship.

Messiano

I see, so how do i get a experience, since, where i live, we don't have any kind of game/vfx company.

oobersli

freelance

ambershee

You could viably contract online with smaller companies.

Messiano

Does Freelancer count as a experience for visa?

ambershee

It doesn't matter. What matters is that you have years of experience and a company that will hire and sponsor you.

Gav

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=108342

ivanzu

You can get employed in EU and Asia too so don't just look into USA as only employment opportunity.If you are EU citizen then you don't need visa to work inside EU.

Kwramm

agreed. Having a EU passport is probably one of the better passports of have in our industry. There's still plenty of studios in the EU. Maybe they don't all have names as glorious as "Blizzard", but that doesn't mean they don't employ kickass talent to learn from.

As newbie you can learn something new and get experience in almost any halfway decent place - it doesn't have to be one of the elite of the elite studios. Not that immigration cares. They don't give a damn if you worked on Starcraft 2 or My Little Pony Reloaded, as long as you worked in the industry.