Posted by: Rythm December 26, 2005
Nepali students stranded in Holland
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I remember something similar happening some years back... though it was not the job part but the money part. There is a college in Nepal named SANN International College which helps Nepali people apply in various American Universities. The head of it all is Narayan Shrestha. There were 2 kinds of programs one could apply through. "The Exchange program" or the "Twinning Program." The exhnage program was not neccessarily for the students of SANN. All students could go and apply. They would have to present $7000 on spot and then submit other documents. The college would apply for the student and do everything till the time the student went for the visa interview. There was only 2 students that were not given the visa (J-1). After reaching the states the student either had the option of paying Narayan Shrestha $7000 every semester and stay as an exchange student or change the status and pay the respesctable amount that the school required. (The 7000 included room and board too!) This seemed like an easy deal though most of the money was going into Narayan Shrestha's pocket. Now the twinning program was totally messed up. It was for the students that were studying in SANN and had atleast completed 1 year of study there. They would have to pay Narayan Shresthe 5500$ ($1500 for tuition. $500 for other application fees and $3000 was Sann ko fees). They had to go to the states and find room and board for themselves and from next semester they would only have to pay $1500 for tuition. Seemed like an okay deal. The weirded out thing was that 11 students applied and only 2 got the visa. The 2 student after reaching their respective University, were asked to pay 2000$ more for their tuition. According to the International office, The tuition was $3500 and not $1500 (with scholarship). Narayan Shrestha decided to stay out of the picture for a long time. The students were threatened to be sent back to their countries if they failed to provide the required amount. Narayan Shrestha finally showed up and exempted the $2000 for that semester, but their fees would be $ 3800 from the next semester (Including the international scholarship.) The program was halted after that but the 9 people who were rejected the visa were rejoicing. There have been certain other times that Mr.Narayan Shrestha has done immoral things and lied to the Nepali students but this is 1 thing I have personally seen. The man still resides in CO and gives false hopes to thousands of Nepalis and shatters them as soon as the student enters the US!
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