About Fiji
- Geography and LocalesFiji is a group of islands and islets. The country lies in the South Pacific. To its north is the country of New Zealand, which is also famous for higher education. Among these islands, many are inhabited and few are not. Most of the uninhabited islands experience bad weather. Some islands contain dormant volcanoes. Some contain dead coral reefs. In fact, Fiji contains an uninhabited island that is just 1.5 km long. It is expected that such islands will go deep down into the sea due to violent earthquakes or tsunamis or prolonged volcanic eruption. History says that many islands of Fiji came into existence due to volcanic eruption.
- History-The group of islands of Fiji have a mixed culture of Indian, Chinese, and European people. Before the colonisation of the British in Fiji, way back in the time of Before Christ, the Austronesians, Melanesians, and Polynesians settled in the various islands of Fiji. Due to various natural calamities, repeatedly the islets of Fiji move up or deep down in the ocean. However, the first organized plotting of the islands of Fiji was done in the year 1789. Did you know that Indians started entering Fiji way back in 1879. They came as indentured laborers to work on the sugarcane fields. The Indians who agreed to come as laborers signed a five-year contract in Fiji. According to this contract, they could return to India after these five years. They could also think of renewing the contract again. This time also the time period of the contract will be for five years. The constitution of Fiji was reformed in the year 1965. After that in the year 1970, Fiji became an independent nation within the Commonwealth of Nations.
- Mythology-Legend has it that the gods of this country protect the islands through the channels of the coral reefs. It is said that the shark god Dakuwaqaa ate the people who suffered shipwrecks. But one day he tried to nter on the channels of the island of Kadavu, Fiji. He could not enter the reef as the guard of Kadavu, an octopus, defeated him. In return, of his life Dakuwaqaa promised to never hurt the shipwrecked victims of Naceva, Kadavu. It is believed that till today due to this promise of Dakuwaqaa, no shipwrecked victim is ever touched by sharks. Legend has it that the race of human beings in Fiji existed because of the snake god, Degei. It is said that little humans were born from few eggs those were found and raised by Degei. Degei planted trees of various kinds. He grew them to feed the humans. These humans grew up and populated the various islands of Fiji.
- Economy-Among the various islands of the Pacifi, Fiji has the most evolved economy. This is because it has many islands. Many islands are rich with fertile soil. Some soils have developed from the volcanic eruption. Some islands are rich in fishes. Many of the islands are rich in minerals. For the past 40 years, the tourism sector has also contributed a lot to the economy of this country. The hotels, restaurants, water sports companies, etc. Gain a huge profit from the tourists. The economy of this country is developed both by agricultural and service sectors. Having said that, the number of educational institutes is very less. The investors of other countries have apathy towards this country. So it is lagging in foreign investments and commercial financing.
Quick Facts
- The official name of Fiji is the republic of Fiji.
- About 20-30% of the Fijian population consists of Indians. These Indians are mostly Hindus. Other than Hinduism, Christianity and Muslim are the two religions found among the people of Fiji.
- Before the 18th century, cannibalism was highly found among the Fijians. It is said that cannibalism was a result of lesser choices of food. This was a result of lesser information about agriculture, fishing, etc. among the people. Along with this lesser education was also a reason. When the seamen travelled a lot in the sea and had no food left, turned into cannibals out of tremendous hunger.
- If you are a very agile, workaholic person, then you may not like the environment here. The people here are a little laid back. The time here seems to be a little slow to pass. On the other hand if you are a relaxed, happy-go-lucky and chilled out person, you will love the environment in Fiji.
- The famous water of Fiji is bottled from the artesan aquifier in Viti Levu island.
- Although the official language of Fiji is Fijian, Hindi language is also spoken here. This language is also called Hindustani as it is a mix of Hindi and Urdu language.
Admission Process in Fiji
- You must fill up the admission form. Don't leave any field blank. If a certain field doesn't apply to you write or type N/A or not applicable. You must submit the application form along with a non refundable admission fee. This means that even if your application is rejected for candidature, you will not get your money back.
- You must submit the photocopies of the mark sheets and certificates of your prior academic records. You will have to also submit the proof of your birth.
- You must submit a photocopy of your passport. This photocopy should show the date of issuance and the validity period. The passport must have a remaining validity of more than one year.
You need few passport size photographs. The size of the photography should be generally 3.5 cm * 4.5 cm.
- You may have to submit your latest curriculum vitae. Mention every point that highlights your achievements. Mention all the accolades you have won so far.
- You need a medical certificate signed by either your house physician or a qualified doctor of a hospital. This should be a fit certificate stating that you are devoid of any contagious disease.
- You need a signed certificate from the police station of your locality stating that you have no past criminal records.
- After you get the admission letter, pay the full tuition fee. If you don't, then almost all Fiji higher education institutes will reject your candidature. This is why you should check the tuition fee first and then apply for the course.
- You need to submit the proof of your air tickets. Some universities don't require this. You must first go through the requirements of the university. If it says that air tickets are required, then you should buy the tickets before applying for the course. Otherwise, just apply for the course and pay the full tuition fee once you are selected.
Student Visa Application Process
You will need a passport for application of a student visa. If you do not possess one, then immediately apply before even applying to a university in Fiji. If you are making a passport just before applying for a visa in Fiji, then you will have a validity remaining for around 10 years. However, if your passport was made long back, then you need a validity of more than six months to get an approval from the visa consulate office. Any passport that has a validity of less than six months will be rejected by the visa consulate office. Once you enter Fiji, you will have a few Hindu organizations at your convenience. Three Hindu organizations can guide you regarding the educational institutes. So you will get some expert guidance and not feel totally alone, when you enter this country.
Lifestyle
The lifestyle of a student is Fiji is quite relaxing. You will study during the college hours. There are plenty of water sports, swimming pools to keep you busy relaxing. You see the world underwater by scuba diving, snorkelling, etc. You will not only enjoy these, but you will also learn valuable information about deep-sea creatures from these activities. If you are a student of zoology, palaeontology, oceanography, then these activities are ideal for you. It is said that the culture of Fiji is highly influenced by Indian and Chinese culture. So being an Indian student, you will not have much problem to adjust with the people in this country. The coastal food of this country will also lure you to stay here.
Have you seen people cook in earth ovens? You can find this sight in Fiji. Although this will take much more time than inductions or gas ovens, few dishes cook really well in these ovens. If you are thinking of roasting chicken, then you can try this in an earth oven. The water of Fiji is highly pure and is very famous. Therefore, if you wish to cook at home, then you will be able to do so with fresh water of Fiji. Some dishes especially that contain baby corn or pulses can be cooked very quickly and easily with the help of Fiji water. If you belong to West Bengal, India then you will like a
Kokoda dish. Although the fish that used in kokoda is not a kind that you will find in West Bengal, but it is a very tasty dish. You can either cook this at home or eat it in a restaurant. This is one of Fiji's specialities. Those who are health conscious and keep asparagus in their dies would love a
Duruka. This dish is made with asparagus and you will get a curry in this dish. So those who complain about asparagus dishes being dry not easy to gulp, will like this dish. Those of you who are very fond of potato chips can try a different kind of chips in Fiji. These are called
Taro Chips. These are crunchy and delicious chips. You can take a packet of these when you visit movie theatres. You will get a lot of variety when it comes to fruits over here. Since you will be staying in Fiji for 2 or more years, you can try all these fruits.
The tuition fees of an entire course in Fiji can be quite cheap. In fact, you may get few courses in Fiji that cost less than a university in India offering this same course. The tuition fee range between 2 lakh INR per year to 12 lakh INR per year. The variation occurs due to the variation in the course. For example, a postgraduate diploma course in any subject may cost you just 2 lakhs for the entire course. On the other hand, an M.S. course in any subject may cost you 12 lakhs per year. In either case, the course fees are quite cheap. The tuition fee is the cost of the classes and the resources that you will get to use in the college or university of Fiji. This fee doesn't include food, accommodation or transportation costs at all. These costs are discussed in the following sections of the article.
Cost of Living for Students
Accommodation-You can rent a flat. The price of such flats may range in between 400 US dollars per month-800 US dollars per month. The cost varies depending on the number of beds available. You get free internet connection, a desk, a chair, a wardrobe and few other furniture within that rent. This rent sometimes include breakfast facilities. If you spend a little more, maybe Rs.2000-Rs.5000 you can rent something known as Fijian home. These are Fijian apartments available for Rs.30,000-Rs.40,000 per month. Generally, you don't get any amenities free in a Fijian home. The Wi-Fi connection is sometimes provided free with the room. If you stay in a Fijian home, it is best to cook and clean by yourself. This will save a lot of money required for a housekeeper and janitor.
FoodThe meals in a Fiji restaurant cost around Rs.1000-Rs.1500 per person. So it is very costly for a student. It is better that you cook at home. The cost of groceries are also quite high. Fruits may cost you in between Rs.300-Rs.600 per kg. The same is applicable for the price of onions, beans, tomatoes, etc. So although the tuition fees for the courses are low to moderate, a huge amount will be spent on the food. So you must keep aside one part of your savings on the accommodation and food consumption in Fiji. The one liter bottles of the famous fresh Fiji water will cost you around Rs.60-70.
TransportationThere are buses, taxis, minivan taxis, boats etc., as transportation facilities. The boats or cruises are generally used to travel along the islands. The students never use these. Students generally use buses. A student can get a bus ticket starting from 1 Fiji dollars. The cost of a monthly pass is around Rs.150. Nowadays the transport of Fiji has the system of
e-ticketing. This allows the passengers to automatically swipe their bus pass and enter the bus without the moderation of the bus driver. One big advantage of this e-ticketing facility is that a passenger can board the bus even if the ticket console has a functional failure. In that case the passenger will be charged no cost to travel. This facility gives certain ease to the pockets of the students.
Documents for University Admissions in Fiji
- You must fill up the visa application form. Along with this, you must submit a non-refundable visa application fee.
- You will have to take admission in a university in Fiji. When the application for your admission is accepted, then you will receive an admission letter or an acceptance letter. The letter should mention that you are admitted as a student of that university. It should be signed by the director or concerned higher authority of that university. The subject and course for your admission and the duration of your course must be mentioned in the letter. This proof of this letter should be submitted in the visa office. After receiving the letter, you must pay the tuition fee in full. Otherwise, your admission in the university will remain incomplete.
- The validity of your passport must remain for at least for six more months. The passport has to be submitted to the visa consulate office.
- You need four passport size photographs.
- You may have to submit the copy of your air ticket. This serves as a proof of your stay period in Fiji. You may not be able to show the return ticket in case of courses more than one year long. In that case, the admission letter must mention the duration of your stay in Fiji.
- You have to submit a certificate signed by the higher authorities of the police station to prove your clean character. It should state that you did not have a past criminal record.
- You need a doctor's certificate stating that you do not posses any physical disease prior to entering the university or the country. The certificate must also state that you do not possess any mental instability.
- If you are taking admission in the University of South Pacific, then you must produce your passport to the higher authorities of the university after you enter the country. They will give the necessary stamps on the passport.
- Last but not the least, you need to show the proof of your bank statements. This is to prove that you hold the financial ability to study the entire course in Fiji and pay the necessary accommodation and other fees.
