Danielle Tagoup was accepted into Temple University and had paid her tuition and housing fees, but was denied a visa into the United States twice because “the visa officer was not convinced of strong non-immigrant intent, financial evidence did not fully satisfy the office, or the paperwork seemed incomplete” she tells Her Campus.
Tagoup is from Cameroon, a country in Central Africa, and she says she applied to Temple because of the school’s “strong mechanical engineering program, the specific lab resources that are in her focus –mechatronics and robotics.” Along with the academic benefits Temple offers Tagoup, the U.S. experience seemed appealing to her as something that she would be able to bring back home for her family’s building and laboratory company after she graduates. Â
The hopeful Temple student fulfilled her standard procedures, which include Temple issuing her I-20, paying the SEVIS fee, completing the DS-160, and scheduling appointments at the U.S. consulate. She had prepared all of her official documents: passport, financial statements, and her Temple acceptance letter. The preparation resulted in short interviews that ended in disappointment. Â
In many cases, rejected applicants have felt unsatisfied by the depth of reason attributed to their rejected visas, and this has been Tagoup’s experience as well. After the visa was rejected, Tagoup contacted Temple to ask for a full refund of her payments to the University, only to find that her payments had been deferred for the next semester. Tagoup had found out about the rejection around one week before classes started for the fall semester, and she is currently waiting to hear back from Temple.Â
“We’re waiting on a refund, and asking Temple to defer my tuition/room charges to the next term if possible,” Tagoup said.Â
Danielle Tagoup was supposed to be my roommate for the full school year. We had only found out about the rejection two days before the assigned move-in day, and we were very heartbroken and confused as to why the situation turned out like this. Tagoup is still hopeful about the possibility of attending Temple University for the spring semester, but knows that this financial incident has put a strain on her and her family. Â
“I felt disappointed, frustrated, and stressed, not just because the opportunity was delayed, but because we had already paid money and made plans,” said Tagoup. “There was also guilt about the financial burden I had put on my family and worry about what comes next. At the same time, I feel determined: I still want to study engineering, and I’m working on a plan to reduce the chance of the same outcome happening again.” Â
The housing council at Temple has been in contact with Tagoup and has promised her that the room is still hers when she can attend the university. However, another student has moved into the space that was meant to be Tagoup’s. If Tagoup is able to attend the university in the spring, it is unclear if she will be able to live in the room that she initially paid for, or if alternative housing accommodations will need to be made.Â