J1!!!

KieranMG

So is there anyone out there also planning on spending their summer out of the rain?

ghostrider81

thnkn abt going to lifford for the summer:D

ToniTuddle

Damn right I am!

I've got to make up my mind between Boston or New York..... just can't decide >.<

People should definitely check it out. Esp as this coming week is the last offer of the free J1 from USIT. After the 18th you will have to pay an extra €279.

Such a pity more people don't try it out. May seem a bit daunting bit soooo worth it. Being legal and no worries wooo!

KieranMG

Dont suppose u no if these stopovers can be anywer in the US at any time? wud b handy to dodge from NY, to boston to LA mayb r sumtin like dat

ToniTuddle

Have you tried ringing one of the USIT branches to get talking to someone?
I know there are only certain cities you may be able to get a stopover in.

Did you see the email in college today from USIT.....or maybe that was on my own hotmail account

Warning about other J1 websites trying to copy USIT.

I hadn't even thought about those 2 free stopovers until now. I think I will consider them.
Would love a week in Texas and then a week.....in some other state like Wyomming or Alabama! But I'll be doing more research in college tomorrow.

ToniTuddle

Knowing my luck though they will only have the cities they mentioned in that talk (about a week or so ago in one of the lecture rooms).
Which are grand anyway.
I'll see what I can find out for you. Check out the Independent Student Travel(think that's what it's called)....or the North America forums info there about J1's and such too.

scange01

I tried to book the stopovers last year... It's a joke, terms n conditions flying everywhere! Also I wouldn't worry too much about the deadline- they will extend it!

KieranMG

Well for starts i was gonna go wif USIT, mainly because i never heard of any1 else. but wen u look into it they seem the dearest so me nd me mates booked wif go4less instead.we'r savin a few hundred nw.
look into it and u wil c the same...and its probably worth losing ur usit(49) deposit and paying the go4less one(39) if u have already bookd

mickoneill30

scange01 wrote: »

I tried to book the stopovers last year... It's a joke, terms n conditions flying everywhere! Also I wouldn't worry too much about the deadline- they will extend it!

What problems did you have? My sister stopped over in LA last year. She didn't seem to have any hassle at all?

ToniTuddle

KieranMG wrote: »

Well for starts i was gonna go wif USIT, mainly because i never heard of any1 else. but wen u look into it they seem the dearest so me nd me mates booked wif go4less instead.we'r savin a few hundred nw.
look into it and u wil c the same...and its probably worth losing ur usit(49) deposit and paying the go4less one(39) if u have already bookd

They may be a bit dearer (I have yet to calculate out the differences between them different sites) but they do have over 40 years of experience. Plus the exam failure cover where they will fly you back to ireland and fly back to US for free!(thats if you have to repeat an exam)

I'd put more trust in them than the two new ones. With every company you are going to get the odd unfortunate one who ends up being screwed. Though alot of the time it might be there own fault for not reading the terms and conditions.

I'm going to check it all out today(if I get me report doen first for communications:p) and see what my findings are and report back!

markmcg

I would to get of the rain but going to wait closer to holidays.

u207lol

anyone out there thinking of doing a j1 on their own or anyone out there who has done a j1 on their own? good/bad idea?? any way people going on their own can meet up and help each other out??

markmcg

Are u thinking of going on your own? I wouldn't mind going.

ToniTuddle

scange01 wrote: »

Also I wouldn't worry too much about the deadline- they will extend it!

You were right about them extending the deadline!!

There are quite a few heading over by themselves it seems which is cool.
Doubt there will be anymore USIT talks coming up as they have done all they can.
I've got my money sorted and figured out what to do with my stopovers.
It's just booking the exact dates now.

If yous are all in LYIT yous should meet up at some point, when we are back for the exams or else start of Feb when term starts. That way if yous wanted to discuss stuff about the J1 or any issues, everyone could help each other out.
Just an idea!:cool:

markmcg

Hi,
I'm from LYIT. Never got around to booking the J1 but would like to go.

ToniTuddle

markmcg wrote: »

Hi,
I'm from LYIT. Never got around to booking the J1 but would like to go.

There are still plenty who haven't booked yet.
Most of the time they just want you to book early so you can get your Embassy interview out of the way and not let everyone be rushing last minute.

I still aint booked mine. Can't find my flippin' passport which is not good.
It's a really great experience. Can't stress it enough. Esp America. No one else gets as easy free access to America as students do!

markmcg

ToniTuddle wrote: »

There are still plenty who haven't booked yet.
Most of the time they just want you to book early so you can get your Embassy interview out of the way and not let everyone be rushing last minute.

I still aint booked mine. Can't find my flippin' passport which is not good.
It's a really great experience. Can't stress it enough. Esp America. No one else gets as easy free access to America as students do!

I'll look into it. what part of donegal u at? what u studying in LYIT?

ToniTuddle

markmcg wrote: »

I'll look into it. what part of donegal u at? what u studying in LYIT?

Can't answer those questions as it would be taking the thread off topic and I'd get a slap on the wrist/kick up the arse from the main man himself, our beloved Moderator.:D

This is the USIT website

This is the GO4LESS website

This is the SAYIT website


Do like I did.

• Check each one out one at a time and make a note of the prices and things you think are important.
• Then compare between the three to see which is best for you.

As far as my notes go the SAYIT one as alot of accomodation/jobs links on their webpage, more so than the others.

There is alot of research involved(if you want to do it right in im opinion!), but well worth it for future summers of J1 visa experiences!:cool:

ToniTuddle

Everyone should check their student webmail.

Important info on USIT returning to LYIT (looks like I was wrong to doubt them returning!)

Plus other travel opportunites.

KieranMG

I've mine pretty much booked now for New York with one maybe two of my friends and i know of 3-4 more that are going to Boston so i think it would be a good idea for people especially those planning on travelling alone to those places to try and meet up. The more the merrier!

zaraco101

Does anyone know the story with stopovers for Usit? I'm heading to New York and I mean two free stopovers seems a bit good to be true! Are there gonna be loads of terms and conditions? Does it mean the flights are free?!

ToniTuddle

Flights to America have been booked and reserved.
Just have to pay them off >.<

Just waiting on word about when my Embassy interview will be and the paperwork (DS forms etc)

Woooooooooo!

As for the 2 free stopovers....it all sounded like a lot of hassle on the phone when I was talking with her so I didn't borrow with them.
Might do it next year if I have more money so that I could actually enjoy those stopovers

TokenWhite

How much will this cost everyone, I see from the USIT site that the fee is E460 before you even pay for the flights, thats a lot dearer than I was expecting especially considering you have rent to pay and no gaurantee of a job. Would it be fair to say the total cost would be pushing on E1000, give or take.

Also, I see that the BoI offers J1 loans at 0% intrest for 9 months, but small print says something about a Standard Student Variable interst rate of 10.8% APR. Does this rate only kick in after the 9 months? It's a bit ambigous, I never trust any statement that has an asteriks within 100 words of it*.

It's interesting though, I'd be keen on it only for the lack of gauranteed work to pay off whatever debt I'd likely get myself into.

*may not be true

ToniTuddle

TokenWhite wrote: »

How much will this cost everyone, I see from the USIT site that the fee is E460 before you even pay for the flights, thats a lot dearer than I was expecting especially considering you have rent to pay and no gaurantee of a job. Would it be fair to say the total cost would be pushing on E1000, give or take.

Also, I see that the BoI offers J1 loans at 0% intrest for 9 months, but small print says something about a Standard Student Variable interst rate of 10.8% APR. Does this rate only kick in after the 9 months? It's a bit ambigous, I never trust any statement that has an asteriks within 100 words of it*.

It's interesting though, I'd be keen on it only for the lack of gauranteed work to pay off whatever debt I'd likely get myself into.

*may not be true

Yeah it is roughly just under a €1000 if you planning on getting it now.
I haven't been on their website lately not sure where you are getting 460 for the fee from? I'll check it out later today.

All USIT or any of them do is get you your flight and make sure you are completely legal to work. They give websites or possible job opportunities but they don't have to secure you with work. That's entirely up to you.

I've already researched it a bit but it's a bit difficult until I know where I'm living. It's best to be near a subway line but then again you will never be too far away from one(That's if you are planning on living in a big city-you might be going country instead!:D)

Good idea is to look up local websites and local papers of the place you are thinking off as jobs can be advertised there. Plus check out the local immigration office as they would have info on jobs and accomodation.

Thankfully I have a friend I can stay with (long as she doesn't get caught between now and then-she is slightly on the illegal side unfortunately).

Shop around all the various websites for accomodation. Like spend weeks and weeks checking them all out in various areas so you have an idea of what is real and what are scams!

Balls! Late for class gotta go!:D

cookie5982

Hey Guys just wondering if anyone can help me out!
Im thinkin of heading on another J1 this summer but have one problem. I applied for a SSN in 2008on my first j1 but never recieved it in the post. My employeers didn't seem to need it so i wasn't too concerned about it. But for my second j1 i see you cant apply for another ssn so was just wondering how easy is it to get it back? iv been on the website and they say go to your local ssn office but im going to be in a different state this summer so dont know if they mean go to the original office or any office.
Just wondering has anyone else had this problem and how easy is it to get back?

ToniTuddle

cookie5982 wrote: »

Hey Guys just wondering if anyone can help me out!
Im thinkin of heading on another J1 this summer but have one problem. I applied for a SSN in 2008on my first j1 but never recieved it in the post. My employeers didn't seem to need it so i wasn't too concerned about it. But for my second j1 i see you cant apply for another ssn so was just wondering how easy is it to get it back? iv been on the website and they say go to your local ssn office but im going to be in a different state this summer so dont know if they mean go to the original office or any office.
Just wondering has anyone else had this problem and how easy is it to get back?

You would get more answers if you moved your question to this thread-->

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=925

I haven't got a clue!