Frequently Asked Questions for Dependents

Frequently Asked Questions for Dependents 1. Q: How can I add a dependent to the file of the main scholarship holder? A: You add a dependent to the system by submitting an “Add A New Dependent” request from the account of the main scholarship holder. 2. Q: When do funds start being disbursed to the dependent? A: Dependents start getting monthly allowances on the date they are added with the main scholarship holder. 3. Q: Does the dependent need to open a private bank account? A: The dependent does not need to open a bank account as his/her monthly allocation is deposited in the bank account of the main scholarship holder. 4. Q: Can I add an employee dependent while he is on a regular work leave? A: The addition does not take place without a work leave or non-remunerated leave provided the leave start and end dates are mentioned on the leave decision. 5. Q: Can I add a dependent before arrival to the United States? A: The dependent must be in the United States in order to be added with the main scholarship holder. 6. Q: Can I add a newly born dependent before notarizing the birth certificate? A: You can add an infant after you receive a complete birth report from the hospital bearing the baby’s footprint. 7. Q: How can I get a certificate of guardianship for a guardian (Mahram)? A: You can get a guardianship approval for a guardian from a Shari’a legal court in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 8. Q: When and how can the dependent get health insurance? A: The medical insurance is offered to dependent as soon as they are added with the main scholarship holder. The medical department at SACM completes the files with the health insurance company. 9. Q: What are the steps for the dependent to start studying ESL (English as a Second Language)? A: A request “Open ESL File for Dependent" needs to be opened by the main scholarship holder from his/her account so that the dependent can be issued a SACM student ID number and a financial guarantee for ESL.

10. Q: When do funds start being disbursed to the dependent as a scholarship holder? A: Funds are disbursed to the dependent who becomes a scholarship holder after the scholarship selection committee approves the application of the scholarship request to change his/her status from an ESL student to an academic one. 11. Q: When can the dependent get a scholarship? A: The dependent can obtain an independent scholarship after receiving an unconditional or full academic acceptance from a SACM-approved university in an approved major. The student must fulfill all the scholarship application requirements to be submitted to the scholarship selection committee. 12. Q: How can I access the student’s portal? A: You click the following link and add your Saudi ID number: http://safeer.mohe.gov.sa/layouts/studentlogin/login.aspxand 13. Q: How can I get my user name, password and SACM ID number? A: You can get your user name, password and SACM ID number by clicking on the link http://safeer.mohe.gov.sa/layouts/studentlogin/login.aspxand and add your Saudi ID number and your SACM ID number which you can track back in “Open File for Dependent ESL” to activate your account on the portal. The password is sent automatically to the student at the creation of the account from the portal. 14. Q: How to get an acceptance letter for ESL studies for the dependent? A: The dependent can submit a “Financial Guarantee for Acceptance” request from his account on the portal to present to the ESL institute or university program at which he wishes to be accepted. A list of SACM recommended ESL programs is at http://esllist.sacm.org/ 15. Q: How can the dependent student receive a financial guarantee? A: The dependent gets the first financial guarantee after the approval to open his file through “Open File for Dependent ESL” request. Subsequent financial guarantees are obtained upon submission of a financial guarantee request by the dependent from his/her own account. 16. Q: How can I authenticate my degree after graduation? A: You may contact the Department of Authentication and Translation at SACM to authenticate your degrees. http://www.sacm.org/Departments/contactinfo.aspx 17. Q: When can the dependent separate his/her scholarship from that of the main scholarship holder? A: Scholarship separation is possible when the main scholarship holder finishes his/her degree or for other reasons acceptable by SACM provided the dependent student has already joined the scholarship program. 18. Q: What is the minimum number of credits the student must take during summer? A: 6 credits are required for the Bachelors’ degree and 3 credits for the Masters’ degree during summer.

19. Q: How can I change my US visa from F2 to F1? A: You may contact the Department of Social and Cultural Affairs at SACM for any questions relevant to immigration issues. You may also contact the international office at your university/ESL institute where you study or DSO (designated school official) who hands SEVIS affairs for assistance. 20. Q: Upon completing the period allotted for ESL study without any success to obtain an academic approval, what are the other open options for the dependent student holding an F1 visa? A: The dependent may submit a “Training Course” request provided all requirements are met for training after which the request is submitted to the appropriate committee for review. The conditions of this certificate program are stated in the following link: http://www.sacm.org/ArabicSACM/Dependents/training.aspx

21. Q: Can I, as a main scholarship holder, add my mother as a dependent? A: You can add your mother as a dependent in the absence of the legal guardian of the mother and submission of a certificate of guardianship stating you are her sole sponsor.

22. Q: I am a main scholarship holder and my father is my guardian. Can I add my mother as a dependent benefitting from medical insurance? A: If your mother has a legal guardian already and you are unable to provide a guardianship certificate to her she cannot be added and would not benefit from medical insurance.

23. Q: My dependent is 27 years old, can he study engineering? A: Upon obtaining an unconditional academic acceptance for a SACM recommended major from a SACM recommended university, a dependent student needs to submit a request to join the scholarship program for the scholarship selection committee review.

24. Q: On arrival to the USA, what are the steps necessary to obtain a financial guarantee for the dependent? a. The primary student opens a Main Scholarship Holder File; b. The main scholarship holder adds the dependent by submitting an “Add a Dependent request” c. Upon approval, the main scholarship holder submits a new request “Open Dependent ESL File” attaching all required documents including the ESL institute or university acceptance letter bearing the dependent’s studies start date. 25. Q: My wife is a dependent who will temporarily return to Saudi Arabia for 5 months for medical reasons. Will SACM keep paying her allowances during her absence? A: No allowances are disbursed to the dependent upon leaving USA. The dependent’s status changes from “Ongoing” to “Interrupted” till his/her return. The main scholarship holder must inform SACM of the dependent’s leave.

26. Q: Does SACM reimburse the visa and SEVIS fees for the dependent student, knowing that in the request there is an icon for visa reimbursement but none for SEVIS one? A: Yes, both visa and SEVIS fees are reimbursed if the student states clearly what is needed by adding details in the Remarks section.

27. Q: What is the solution if the work leave expires for a student dependent who has joined the scholarship program while he has not yet finished studies? A: To continue studying, the dependent student joining the scholarship program must appeal to his employer for work leave renewal.

28. Q: What is the solution if the dependent student has not finished academic studies while the main holder’s scholarship has ended with graduation? A: If the main scholarship holder graduates and does not wish to upgrade the scholarship for a higher degree, he must submit “Close File” request so that the dependent can submit “Separation of Scholarship” request.

29. Q: I am a dependent to my sister, the main scholarship holder. My question: Can I bring my wife and child as dependents after I separate my scholarship? A: If the main holder ends the scholarship and the academic dependent separates his scholarship, the latter status changes from a dependent to a main scholarship holder, enabling him to add new dependents.

30. Q: Must a dependent hold only an F2 visa? Example: a wife who has an independent scholarship graduates and would like to become a dependent to her husband while her visa is still F1. A: If the dependent separates his scholarship after main holder ends the scholarship she must change her visa to F2 knowing that she cannot go back to the studies after scholarship separation. If, on the other hand, there is no separation of scholarship and the wife wants to continue studying as a dependent she may keep her F1 visa.

31. Q: Can a dependent be added while he is changing his visa from F1 to F2 knowing that the process takes at least 3 months? A: A dependent can be added holding an F1 or F2 visa. If the dependent does not wish to study an F2 visa is preferable to have in order to avoid any legal issues with the immigration department.

32. Q: Is the submission of a copy of non-paid work release sufficient to start disbursing monthly stipends to a dependent employee? And how much is the husband’s monthly stipend? A: The dependent must provide proof that he does not have any work commitment and the work release letter is enough to certify that. The monthly stipend for the husband is $1605.77 as of 4/5/2014.

33. Q: Can the main scholarship holder be added as a dependent after he/she finishes studies and separation of scholarship? A: Yes, the main scholarship holder can become a dependent after graduation and end of scholarship.

34. Q: Does the father and the brother benefit from the increase in monthly stipend recently reserved to the husband? A: Yes, they do.

35. Q: How long does it take for a dependent to join the scholarship program after submission of a request knowing that he holds an F2 visa? A: No scholarship is awarded until the dependent changes his visa from F2 to F1, after which the request is referred to the selection committee for review. Upon approval, the request is referred to the appropriate departments to complete the process.

36. Q: Can the dependent study ESL for 1 consecutive year throughout the main scholarship holder’s award or can the dependent study one term per year for 4 years? A: The dependent is allowed to study English for 12 months during which he/she must obtain an academic acceptance from a recommended university for a recommended major in order to submit a request for the scholarship program and start academic studies as a scholarship holder.

37. Q: Can the children be added to the wife’s file after she joins the scholarship program or should they be added with the husband who is the main scholarship holder? A: A dependent cannot add dependents even after joining the scholarship program. They must stay with the main scholarship holder.

38. Q: If the main scholarship holder is about to graduate but the dependent scholarship holder who is also the Mahram still has 1 or 2 terms to graduate, what is the procedure to keep him on the scholarship? A: In this case the dependent can submit a request for scholarship separation after the main scholarship holder submits a request to end the scholarship.

39. Q: If the dependent student finishes ESL studies before the main scholarship holder and obtains an academic approval in the same university offering the ESL program, is he/she allowed to join the scholarship program? A: The dependent in this case can submit request of “Scholarship Joining to ESL Dependent” to submit to the appropriate committee for a decision.

40. Q: I am a dependent to my sister, the main scholarship holder, having recently joined the scholarship program and started academic studies. Can I bring my wife to the USA as a dependent? A: That is not permissible as you are still a dependent to your sister. A dependent does not add dependents to his file.

41. Q: Can I bring my sister as a dependent? A: No, you cannot.

42. Q: What are the steps to undertake to obtain an F2 visa for my wife, knowing that she will be my dependent starting studies in Fall 2014? A: If you are a main scholarship holder and have a file in SACM you may send an email to the Department of Dependent Affairs to request a visa letter to present to the American Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

43. Q: Can the dependent request an extension for ESL after a one-year study? A: The dependent has up to 12 months to study ESL, however, this period is extendable for one more semester as long as the dependent score is 5 in ILETS or 60 in TOFEL or 500 in the paper Base exam and successfully completes the language course during the extension period and obtain an unconditional acceptance letter from a university and meets all requirements for scholarship.

44. Q: Upon arrival in the USA and opening files, when can the dependent receive a financial guarantee? A: The main scholarship holder submits first a request “Open File for Dependent ESL” and upon SACM approval the dependent receives a financial guarantee.

45. Q: What can an academic dependent do when the main scholarship holder ends scholarship, knowing that the dependent still has 3 years to study to finish a degree? A: If the dependent has joined the scholarship program and is undertaking academic studies he/she can submit a request for “Scholarship Separation” one condition of which is that the main scholarship holder ends scholarship. 46. Q: Can the dependent study ESL throughout the study period of the main scholarship holder? A: The dependent can study ESL for up to 12 months. Then, he/she can submit a request for “Scholarship Joining” upon obtaining an unconditional academic acceptance from a recommended university in a recommended major to start academic studies.

47. Q: Both the main scholarship holder and the dependent apply to an ESL institute. How can we obtain the letter for covering expenses that is requested by the school? A: After adding the dependent to the system, the main scholarship holder must submit from his/her account a request for a “Financial Guarantee for Acceptance” for the dependent to receive the acceptance letter from the ESL school.

48. Q: How much is the Regular Dependent’s monthly allowance? And can he study or change his status to that of a student to eventually join the scholarship program as a dependent? A: As previously noted, the regular dependent’s monthly allowance is $1605.77. The main scholarship holder adds the dependent, then submits from his/her account “Open Dependent ESL File” request to enable the dependent to study ESL. Once the dependent student obtains an unconditional academic acceptance to a recommended university, and approved degree and major, he/she may submit “Dependent Scholarship Joining” request which is referred to the scholarship selection committee for review.

49. Q: Can a dependent student pursue a Master’s degree upon completion of ESL studies? Can he join the scholarship program knowing that he is an employee with a leave of absence? A: Yes, he can. Once the dependent receives an unconditional academic acceptance from a recommended university for a recommended major, he can submit a request to join the scholarship program as stated in reply to question # 48 above.

50. Q: I am a dependent in the USA and an external student (‫ ) طالب إنتساب‬in Saudi Arabia wishing to return home for exams. What do I need to do? A: You submit an “inquiry” request to inform SACM about your departure plans and include proof that you are an external student.

51. Q: I am an F2 visa holder dependent wishing to study ESL then a Master’s degree. How can I do that? A: A dependent holding an F2 visa may study ESL but cannot become a scholarship holder without an F1 visa. Once you receive an academic acceptance you need to submit a “Scholarship Joining for ESL Dependent” request.

52. Q: I am a self-sponsored female student. Does the dependent guardian need to be with me prior to joining the scholarship program? A: The Mahram must be present with the main scholarship holder throughout her grant period even when she is a self-sponsored student. 53. Q: What are the documents to submit in a “Scholarship Joining for Dependent” request? And can a dependent who has joined the scholarship stay with no studies for a while? A: A list of the required documents is cited within the request you submit on-line. If the academic dependent needs to interrupt the study period for a reason, he/she needs to submit a “scholarship

Postponement” request so that the time of absence is not counted within the scholarship period.

54. Q: Can a main scholarship holder’s mother serve as her Mahram or does the scholarship holder need to have a guardian (Mahram)? A: A legal male guardian, not the mother, must serve as the female scholarship holder’s dependent and Mahram.

55. Q: The main scholarship holder still has 3 months to go in scholarship and wants to extend it to 9 months. Can a dependent start academic studies within this period? A: The dependent may submit a “Scholarship Joining for Dependent” request after securing an academic approval for a recommended university and major which is submitted to the Scholarship Selection Committee for a decision.

56. Q: Can a Mahram separate his scholarship from that of the main scholarship holder after completion of ESL study in order to become both a scholarship holder himself and Mahram? A: One of the conditions for the dependent’s separation of scholarship is the graduation or termination of scholarship of the main scholarship holder provided the dependent has already started academic studies and has obtained a Scholarship Order.

57. Q: Can a male student in Saudi Arabia defer his university studies in order to accompany his sister, the main scholarship holder, and be covered financially? A: A stipend is disbursed to the dependent upon his addition with the main scholarship holder in the system after fulfilling the addition to file conditions including proof of no work obligations back in Saudi Arabia.

58. Q: What are the conditions and documents to submit for addition of a wife and any number of children? A: The conditions and documents to submit in order to add dependents are cited in the following link: http://www.sacm.org/ArabicSACM/Dependents/adddependents.aspx

59. Q: Can I join the scholarship program as a dependent of my wife if the major I would like to pursue is oversaturated, knowing that I hold a diploma of which about 40 credits have been equated? And can I add my sister as my dependent? A: Your academic acceptance letter is submitted to the Department of Academic Accreditation for approval. Both the university and the major must be recommended by SACM so that you can submit your request to the scholarship selection committee. The dependent is not affected by oversaturation. You are not allowed to add your sister as a dependent.

60. Q: How can I add my foreign wife whose mother is Saudi knowing that our marriage took place without the Ministry of Interior. SACM has, however, denied her addition without the Ministry’s approval? A: Evidence must be provided on the Ministry’s approval regarding the marriage so that the foreign wife to a Saudi mother can be added as a dependent.

61. Q: Does SACM offer my dependent airline ticket while he cannot travel with me at present? A: A dependent can benefit from a ticket only if he is added in the system as a dependent and he is entitled to a ticket.

62. Q: The main scholarship holder is on hold by the ESL school. Is the dependent allowed to continue studying at the same school? A: As long as the ESL program is recommended by SACM, the dependent may continue in same school even if the main scholarship holder is on hold there unless the school has its own conditions or regulations in this regard.

63. Q: Is the dependent entitled to an airline ticket after the main scholarship holder arrives to USA alone or do they need to travel together on same date to benefit from airline tickets? A: If the main scholarship holder and the dependents travel for the first time on the same date to the USA under the scholarship auspices, they must contact the Ministry in Saudi Arabia for air tickets. If the dependents plan to join the main scholarship holder to the USA after a while, they need to contact the ministry and submit required documents such as the Scholarship Order and Family Card. As to subsequent deserved air tickets for dependents after arrival in the USA, they are offered only after the main scholarship holder adds them as dependents in the system and after meeting all conditions to benefit from annual air line tickets along with the main scholarship holder.

64. Q: Does the academic dependent maintain, after graduation, his status as a scholarship holder or as a dependent? And does he receive a scholarship holder’s or a regular dependent’s monthly stipend? A: After graduation, the academic dependent resumes his status as a regular dependent and receives a regular dependent’s monthly stipends.

65. Q: Can a dependent join the scholarship program if he obtains an academic approval in a city too far away from the location of the main scholarship holder knowing that the dependent was unable to find other than this approval? A: A dependent can join the scholarship program only for a university within the allowed distance from the main scholarship holder which is 80 miles for a Bachelor’s degree and 120 miles for a Master’s.

66. Q: Can the dependent study in an oversaturated ESL institute? A: As to present, oversaturation does not apply to dependent students.

67. Q: Can the dependent separate from the main scholarship holder if he receives an unconditional academic approval in a different state after the main scholarship holder ends ESL studies? A: No, it is not possible. One of the conditions for the dependent’s separation of scholarship is the graduation or termination of scholarship of the main scholarship holder provided the dependent has already started academic studies and has obtained a Scholarship Order. If the academic approval is, however, within the allowed distance from the main scholarship holder, the dependent may submit a “Dependent Scholarship Joining” request for a recommended university and degree.

68. Q: What is the content of the letter required from the main scholarship holder to submit within the documents to have the main scholarship holder join the scholarship? A: The main scholarship holder must include a letter of consent to the dependent’s request to join the scholarship.

69. Q: When can I update my passport information in the system if I renew my passport? Is it before the scholarship order or within the scholarship order time? A: To update a passport information for a regular dependent, the main scholarship holder must submit a “update dependent” request. If the dependent is a student and is ongoing in the system, he must submit a “Passport Info. Update” request. If the dependent is not ongoing the request to submit is “Personal Info. Update”

70. Q: Can I, as a dependent, study an English Language major in the academic period or are there specific majors to study? A: Unless it is authorized in certain cases for a dependent to study ESL during the academic period, the academic period is reserved only to academic studies. ESL training is not a major. If the student wants to pursue English as an independent academic major he must check the Ministry’s following link on recommended universities and majors: http://www.sacm.org/Departments/Academicacreditation.aspx

71. Q: How can I add my brother as a dependent in the portal as I am currently a self-sponsored student and plan to join the scholarship? A: When you submit your request “Scholarship Joining” you need to add the name of the dependent (Mahram) in the request.