FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS ON THE BOND PROGRAMME
Is
BOND targeted towards certain industrial sectors?
Yes,
BOND targets these industrial sectors:
- information technology
- oil
- gas and petrochemicals
- power generation
- telecommunications
- automotive
- water development
- agro-industrial
- construction
- environment
- food and drink
- healthcare
- finance and tourism.
However, the scheme has flexibility to consider other sectors on a case-by-case basis.
Is
BOND targeted towards students from certain countries?
Yes,
BOND is targeted towards these countries:
- Argentina
- Brazil
- China
- Egypt
- India
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Poland
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states
- South Africa
- Turkey and Vietnam.
However, the scheme has flexibility to consider other countries on a case-by-case basis.
Where will the
BOND attachment be located?
The
BOND attachment is located exclusively in the UK.
What is the length of a typical
BOND attachment?
The
BOND attachment is usually a minimum of six months and a maximum of twelve months. In exceptional circumstances, we will allow you to extend it.
Will my flights to and from the UK be paid?
In most cases,
BOND will pay for return economy class flights to and from the UK. It may be necessary for you to change planes, or stopover, en-route to the UK, but you will be advised of this prior to your date of travel.
How and when do I apply for a
BOND attachment?
Applications for
BOND attachments will take place on an ad-hoc basis. This is because there are a number of participating countries taking part in
BOND, so it's not possible for us to store and record applications or expressions of interest.
Instead, you will only be able to apply for an existing UK placement as and when such positions become available on the
list of BOND vacancies. You can also talk to one of our
BOND Managers as they can contact people in the British Council's own Alumni database (e.g.
Chevening Scholarship Scheme).
What exactly will I be required to do when I am working in the UK?
A list of things you'll be doing when you're working in the UK are shown on
BOND advertisements. This means when you apply for a vacancy you can examine exactly what it requires and decide whether it's something you'd like to do.
Obviously minor elements of the work will change, depending on your own particular skills and experience.
How will I know if my
BOND application has been successful?
Your local British Council office will let you know if your application has been successful. You'll then be interviewed by a representative of the host UK company, either by:
- telephone
- or in person (if the UK company is visiting your country or you have a local representative).
You will be informed of the outcome of the interview as soon as possible after the event.
Please note: the final decision on selection is made solely by the host UK company, and not made by the
BOND Scheme/British Council.
Can my family accompany me to the UK?
This is a personal decision.
BOND cannot extend the same service of acquiring a visa and 'leave to remain in the UK' to anyone other than the
BOND candidate. In the past,
BOND participants have waited until they have had time to settle in the UK before inviting their families over to join them for a holiday.
How will I obtain work permits and visas?
The
BOND team will deal with all work permit and visa issues on your behalf through its contacts with the:
- Department for Education and Employment
- Home Office
- other overseas British Embassies and High Commissions.
Will I be awarded any formal qualification as a result of my
BOND placement?
No, you'll be working on a specific work project. However, you will receive a 'Certificate of Excellence' issued by the Scheme when you complete the placement.
When do I start?
With
BOND you can start at anytime because it's not tied to specific financial or academic year.
This is because
BOND:
- is a competitive scheme
- has a limited number of placements available to each country and industrial sector
- works on the goodwill of UK industry to actively invest in the scheme, so we're unable to guarantee placements for every applicant.
