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Monthly Archives: October 2026

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14 Oct 2026
UK Erasmus+ visa rules

UK Erasmus+ Visa Rules: What Changed on 8 October 2026

Categories Study Abroad, Uk

New UK Erasmus+ visa rules took effect on 8 October 2026, preparing the immigration system for the UK’s return to the exchange programme. The changes sit in Statement of Changes HC 584, laid on 3 September 2026, and they cover visitors, sponsored students and the Government Authorised Exchange scheme. The explanatory memorandum says the UK and the EU agreed association to Erasmus+ in 2027, so the visa rules arrive first.

In this guide

Visitors on Erasmus+ projects

According to the memorandum, visitors may study at state-funded schools and academies on Erasmus+ projects for placements of up to six months. Participants under 18 need permission from a parent or guardian and from their home institution. Erasmus+ participants may also join training, courses, traineeships of up to 30 days, job shadowing and sports coaching. Host organisations do not need to sponsor Erasmus+ visitors.

Separately, the changes let all visitors take part in workshops, debates and skills competitions, per the summary from Lewis Silkin. Visitors coming for training no longer need to show the training is unavailable in their home country.

Sponsored students

The student route is adapted in several ways. Erasmus+ students can be sponsored even when the course does not lead to an approved qualification. Sponsorship may cover courses at RQF level 2, but only for Erasmus+ participants at participating sponsors. Erasmus+ courses can include work placements from the start, even for sponsors on probationary status, and are exempt from the usual placement-length limits. Hosts must hold a valid student sponsor licence.

The Government Authorised Exchange change

Erasmus+ is added to the list of Government Authorised Exchange schemes. The memorandum calls this facilitative: it creates no new route and does not change how sponsorship works. The Department for Education endorses the scheme, and IRARA Services Ltd, appointed by the department, acts as overarching sponsor. The memorandum expects significant growth in exchange visas from a base of 7,235 in the year ending March 2026.

Consider a hypothetical case. Beatriz is a Brazilian master’s student whose university is in a partner arrangement under the programme. Once the UK is associated, she might spend a term at a UK university. The route would not need a standard multi-year study visa for a short exchange, but the exact route depends on the course and sponsor. She would check the sponsor’s licence and the length of her placement first.

Other changes from 8 October

The same statement carries other rule changes unrelated to Erasmus+. Skilled Workers recognised as modern slavery victims may gain wider work rights after a positive Conclusive Grounds decision, as Free Movement reports. Biometrics rules for varied applications and fee-waiver rules for extensions also changed for applications made on or after 8 October. Read the statement of changes itself for the exact wording.

What exchange students should do

Do not book travel on the strength of a summary. The association itself takes effect in 2027, and the memorandum does not give a specific start date. Check with your home university, which will know the date it can nominate students, and with the UK host, which must hold the right sponsor licence for student-route placements. Students comparing the UK with other options can read our guide to the Graduate Route changes from January 2027, our report on ETA enforcement for visa-exempt travellers and our deadline guide for the Chevening scholarship. A quick check on your own case is available through our visa eligibility checker.

UK Erasmus+ questions

When do the UK Erasmus+ visa rules start?

The rule changes apply to applications and entries from 8 October 2026, under Statement of Changes HC 584.

When does the UK rejoin Erasmus+?

The explanatory memorandum says the UK will associate from 2027. It does not give a more specific date.

Can Erasmus+ students be sponsored for non-qualification courses?

Yes. The student route now allows sponsorship even when the course does not lead to an approved qualification.

Do UK hosts need to sponsor Erasmus+ visitors?

No. The memorandum says hosts do not need to sponsor Erasmus+ visitors.

How long can a visitor attend a UK school on Erasmus+?

Visitors may study at state-funded schools and academies on Erasmus+ projects for up to six months.

Sources

14 Oct 2026
Express Entry PNP draw

Express Entry PNP Draw: 752 Invitations at CRS 772

Categories Canada, Immigration

The latest Express Entry PNP draw on 13 October 2026 invited 752 provincial nominees with a lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 772. It was round 448 and the 60th round of the year, according to Immigration.ca. The figures below come from immigration news sites that republish Canada’s round data; the official record is IRCC’s Express Entry rounds page, and you should check it before you act.

What this covers

The 13 October Express Entry PNP draw

Both Immigration.ca and Immigration News Canada report the same numbers: 752 invitations, a minimum CRS of 772, and a draw time of about 10:26 UTC on 13 October. Only candidates with a valid provincial nomination are eligible for this type of round.

Why the cut-off is so high

A provincial nomination adds 600 points to a candidate’s CRS score. That is why PNP draws show cut-offs in the 700s while other draws sit far lower. A cut-off of 772 does not mean a nominee needed a perfect profile. It means candidates with a nomination and a strong base score were invited first.

How recent PNP draws compare

The same source lists earlier PNP rounds this year. On 4 August, 507 invitations went out at a cut-off of 768. On 17 August it was 442 at 760. On 31 August it was 562 at 697. On 14 September it was 576 at 734, and on 28 September it was 733 at 725. The 13 October draw therefore has both the largest invitation count and the highest cut-off in this run of five.

Non-PNP rounds show a different picture. Immigration.ca lists a Canadian Experience Class draw on 29 September with a cut-off of 518, and a trades draw on 1 October at 476. Candidates without a nomination should compare themselves with those draws, not with PNP results.

The tie-breaking rule

When several candidates share the lowest score, Express Entry ranks them by when their profile was submitted. In this round, candidates at 772 whose profiles were created before 13:57:33 UTC on 15 July 2026 were invited, and later entrants at the same score were not. A profile that is one day newer can miss an invitation at the same score.

What candidates can do

Consider a hypothetical case. Maria is a Filipino nurse with a base score of about 400 who receives a provincial nomination. With the 600-point addition she would be near the top of the pool and in range for a PNP draw. Without the nomination she would depend on a general or category-based draw. For a nominee, the practical steps are to keep the profile active, accept the nomination in the profile, and keep documents current so that an invitation can be answered quickly.

Candidates without a nomination can look at provincial streams that match their job. Our reports on the Quebec permanent selection round and the work permit freeze in six regions cover two parts of the picture. Students planning ahead can read our guide to the 2027 study permit cap. You can also run a quick check with our visa eligibility checker.

Express Entry PNP draw questions

How many people were invited on 13 October 2026?

752 provincial nominees were invited in round 448, according to Immigration.ca and Immigration News Canada.

What was the minimum CRS score?

The lowest score invited was 772.

Why are PNP cut-offs so high?

A provincial nomination adds 600 points to a candidate’s CRS score, so nominees score well above candidates in general draws.

What was the tie-breaking rule?

Candidates at 772 whose profile was created before 13:57:33 UTC on 15 July 2026 were invited.

Where can I verify the data?

On IRCC’s Express Entry rounds page, which is the official record. The numbers here come from news sites that republish it.

Sources

14 Oct 2026
H-1B $100,000 fee

H-1B $100,000 Fee Extended to 2027, but Courts Block It for Now

Categories Visa Updates, Work Permits

The H-1B $100,000 fee now runs through 21 September 2027, but employers are not paying it today because of a court order. A presidential proclamation dated 18 September 2026 extended the payment by 12 months, according to Mintz. The extension leaves one practical question open: whether the court order that blocks collection of the original fee also covers the new proclamation.

Quick guide

What the extended proclamation says

The original proclamation of September 2025 applied the fee to certain petitions filed from 21 September 2025 to 21 September 2026. The new one, issued on 18 September 2026, extends it through 21 September 2027, according to Mintz. It targets consular petitions, meaning cases where the worker must be admitted to the United States for the petition to take effect.

Who pays and who is exempt

The employer pays. Mintz says the $100,000 applies to new H-1B petitions filed on or after 21 September 2026 in two situations: the worker is outside the US and has no valid H-1B visa, or the petition asks for consular notification, port-of-entry notification or pre-flight inspection.

The exemptions are significant. The fee does not apply to workers who already hold an H-1B visa or an approved petition filed before 21 September 2026. It also does not apply to people already in the US who are sponsored for an amendment, change of status or extension of stay. A change of status from F-1 to H-1B, for example, is not a consular petition, so it falls outside the fee as Mintz describes it.

Where the courts stand

The legal position has moved several times. A university international-student office page at CU Boulder reports that a federal court in Massachusetts ruled the fee unlawful on 8 June 2026, that the government appealed, and that the First Circuit reinstated the ruling on 24 July 2026. The government’s appeal is still pending. The same page reports a separate California ruling against the extension, but it gives a date that falls after the page’s own publication date, so check the court record before relying on that detail.

The October update from Grape Law says USCIS is not collecting the payment while the appeal is pending, and that the extension would apply through September 2027 only if the court ruling is overturned. Mintz takes a more cautious view. It suggests USCIS may try to apply the new fee immediately, on the argument that the July order does not cover the new proclamation, and it expects immediate litigation. These are law-firm readings, not rulings, so the position can change without notice.

What employers and applicants should do

Employers should budget for both outcomes. A cap-subject filing for a worker abroad could face the fee if the appeal succeeds or the new proclamation is enforced separately. Delay in an offer letter can cost more than a filing error, so many sponsors will want counsel to confirm the position the week they file.

Consider a hypothetical case. Arjun is an Indian software engineer abroad who has a job offer from a US company and no H-1B visa. His employer would be the paying party if the fee applied. A colleague already in the US on F-1 status who is changing status would not trigger it. Workers should ask their employer which category their petition falls in, and should not pay any part of a fee themselves without advice. Grape Law also notes a separate proposed $103,265 fee for cap-subject petitions, which remains a proposal and has not taken effect.

For related reading, see our reports on the PERM suspension for major IT firms and the October 2026 Visa Bulletin. You can also test your own route with our visa eligibility checker.

H-1B fee questions

How long does the extended H-1B fee last?

The proclamation of 18 September 2026 extends it through 21 September 2027, according to Mintz.

Is the $100,000 being collected now?

Not according to Grape Law, which says USCIS is not collecting it while the government’s appeal is pending.

Who pays the H-1B fee?

The employer pays it. The fee applies to new petitions for workers outside the US without a valid H-1B visa, or where the petition requests consular or port-of-entry notification.

Does it apply to a change of status inside the US?

Mintz says amendments, changes of status and extensions of stay for people already in the US are exempt.

Could the fee come back?

Yes, if the court ruling is overturned on appeal or if USCIS applies the new proclamation separately, as Mintz suggests it might. Check current guidance before filing.

Sources

14 Oct 2026
proposed OPT fee

DHS Proposes $70,000 OPT Fee: What F-1 Students Should Know

Categories Immigration, Study Abroad

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed a proposed OPT fee of $70,000 for a student’s first Optional Practical Training recommendation and $30,000 for each later one. According to a Duane Morris alert, the proposed rule was published on 8 October 2026 under docket ICEB-2026-0100. It is a proposal, not law, and nothing is owed unless DHS issues a final rule. Comments are open for a short window, and students, schools and employers have until early November to be heard.

In this report

What the proposed OPT fee would do

Optional Practical Training lets F-1 students work in the United States in their field of study during or after their degree. Under the proposal, a school would pay $70,000 the first time it recommends a student for OPT, of any type. The charge would apply once per student. Each later recommendation, including a STEM OPT extension, would cost $30,000. DHS also asks for comment on an alternative that would charge $70,000 again at each higher education level, according to Wolfsdorf Rosenthal.

The rule would take effect 60 days after a final rule is published. Students who are already approved for OPT, or whose schools have already recommended them before that date, would be grandfathered, according to Duane Morris. Changing employers on its own would not trigger the $30,000 charge, per the Wolfsdorf summary.

Who would actually pay

The legal obligation sits with the school, not the student. Both law-firm summaries say Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certified schools would have to pay before a designated school official can enter the OPT recommendation in SEVIS, the government’s student database. Wolfsdorf notes that schools could try to recover the cost from students, employers or other sources. The proposal does not say they must, and it does not say they may not.

That gap is the main uncertainty for students. A university facing a $70,000 charge per graduate could pass it on, absorb it, limit OPT recommendations, or ask employers to contribute. None of these outcomes is set. Treat any claim about how a particular school will respond as speculation until that school says so in writing.

STEM OPT and later requests

STEM OPT extensions count as later authorisations, so each would carry the $30,000 charge. Wolfsdorf reports that DHS estimated about 95,000 STEM OPT participants were active in 2024. Consider a hypothetical case. Linh is a Vietnamese computer-science master’s student who expects to graduate in 2027. If the rule were final before her school made her first recommendation, that recommendation would trigger the $70,000 charge, and a later STEM extension would trigger $30,000. If she were recommended before the effective date, she would be grandfathered.

DHS’s own estimates

Duane Morris reports that DHS estimates 2,478 schools would be affected and that annual fees would run between $8.4 billion and $16.5 billion. These figures come from the agency that wrote the proposal, so they describe the department’s modelling rather than an independent audit. Universities and student groups are likely to challenge them in their comments.

What to do before the deadline

Comments must be filed through regulations.gov and must reference docket ICEB-2026-0100. Duane Morris gives the deadline as 11:59 p.m. Eastern on 7 November 2026, and Wolfsdorf’s summary points to the same date. A separate immigration-law update dated 13 October lists 9 November, so confirm the exact date in the published notice before you file. Emailed or mailed comments will not be considered.

Students who may be affected should ask their international office three questions: when will it recommend OPT, whether the school plans to pass on any cost, and what documents it needs. You can also check your wider options with our visa eligibility checker. For related US changes, read our reports on the court pause on the duration-of-status rule and the public charge rule for green card filers.

Questions on the proposed OPT fee

Is the OPT fee in force?

No. It is a proposed rule published on 8 October 2026. It would take effect 60 days after a final rule, and only if DHS adopts one.

Who pays the $70,000?

The proposal puts the payment on SEVP-certified schools, which must pay before an OPT recommendation can be entered in SEVIS. Schools may seek to recover the cost elsewhere.

Would STEM OPT extensions cost more?

Each STEM OPT extension would count as a later recommendation and carry a $30,000 charge under the proposal.

Would current OPT students have to pay?

Students already approved or recommended before the effective date would be grandfathered, according to Duane Morris.

When is the comment deadline?

Duane Morris gives 11:59 p.m. Eastern on 7 November 2026. One other update lists 9 November, so check the notice on regulations.gov.

Where do I file a comment?

On regulations.gov, citing docket ICEB-2026-0100.

Sources

13 Oct 2026
Germany PhD scholarships

Germany PhD Scholarships Closing 31 October and 24 November 2026

Categories Germany, Scholarships, Study Abroad

Two Germany PhD scholarships close within five weeks of each other. The University of Erfurt accepts applications until 23:59 CET on 24 November 2026, according to its official call. A nine-month research stay run by the ABCD-Centre closes on 31 October 2026, according to a report on the programme. Both reward early preparation, and neither suits every applicant.

This guide

Erfurt: three years of funding from April 2027

The University of Erfurt says its scholarships run from 1 April 2027. Funding is €1,400 a month for three years, extendable by one further year. A family allowance of €300 applies for one child and €150 for each additional child. The scholarships support doctoral projects within the Erfurt Doctoral and Postdoctoral Programme, which is run by certified research training groups or the Max-Weber-Kolleg.

The call page does not list selection criteria or application documents. It points to the university’s announcements page and names a doctorate counselling contact. It also does not say whether international applicants are eligible, so ask the counselling office before you invest time.

Erfurt Cathedral and St Severus' Church, in the city offering the Germany PhD scholarships
Erfurt, home of the university’s doctoral scholarship call.

The ABCD research stay: nine months, two places

The ABCD-Centre, which works on water and climate adaptation, plans to support two doctoral students, the report says. Funding is €1,200 a month for accommodation and living costs, up to €105 a month for insurance, a travel grant of up to €1,000 and up to €1,000 for research materials. Hosts are RWTH Aachen University, Technische Universität Dresden or UNU Resource Nexus.

Eligibility is narrower. Applicants must be full-time doctoral students at a university in a developing country and must have started their PhD within the last three years. The research topic must match the centre’s priorities, such as water infrastructure and urban water extremes. The article gives no official ABCD website, only a link to a document on LinkedIn’s media domain. Treat the details as unconfirmed until you find the centre’s own call.

Other German deadlines on the October calendar

A list compiled by Global South Opportunities on 8 October shows more German options. It lists IMPRS-IS PhD positions with a 15 November deadline and a University of Bremen DAAD marine biology master’s scholarship closing on 15 October. It is an aggregator, so verify each date with the provider. For UK alternatives, see our guide to the Gates Cambridge deadlines.

Which Germany PhD scholarships fit you

Consider a hypothetical doctoral student, Hamza, a Pakistani civil engineering researcher in year two of a PhD on urban flooding. If his university qualifies under the programme’s definition, the ABCD stay could suit him, because his topic matches the water priorities. A researcher in the humanities with a proposal tied to a research training group would look at Erfurt instead. Hamza is an illustration, not a real applicant.

How to prepare for Germany PhD scholarships

Start with the ABCD file, because it closes first. It asks for a single PDF with a two- to three-page motivation statement, a sample scientific paper and a CV. It also needs a support letter from your home institution, an enrolment certificate, a transcript dated within six months and a passport copy. Agree the research plan with your supervisor before you apply. For Erfurt, email the counselling office this week and request the full call. Remember that German study also involves health insurance, which the DAAD says international students must hold.

Planning the move itself? Our visa eligibility checker can help you test your options, and our note on the delayed ETIAS launch explains short-stay travel to the Schengen area.

Research priorities and the Erfurt call page

The ABCD report lists five priority areas: water infrastructure and digitalisation, ecosystem resilience, urban water extremes, unconventional water resources, and sustainable materials and buildings. Applicants should also describe how they would contribute to the centre’s outreach work. One caution on Erfurt: its page is dated September 2026 in the news item but shows a last update of 19 August 2026. The page does not explain the gap, so check the full call before you rely on the deadline.

German PhD funding FAQ

What is the Erfurt deadline?

The University of Erfurt states 24 November 2026 at 23:59 CET, with scholarships taking effect from 1 April 2027.

How much does Erfurt pay?

€1,400 a month for three years, extendable by one year, plus €300 for one child and €150 for each additional child.

Who can apply for the ABCD stay?

Per the report, full-time doctoral students at a university in a developing country who started their PhD within the last three years.

When does the ABCD call close?

31 October 2026, according to the report. Confirm it with the centre, because no official ABCD site was linked.

Is the information on this page official?

The Erfurt details come from the university’s own call. The ABCD and aggregator details are secondary, so confirm them with the providers.

Sources

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