Dear British Council, Dear British Embassy Mogadishu,

The Somali students are facing insurmountable challenges in applying education opportunities that require them a proof of IELTS certificate. A Somali student must travel to neighbouring countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, who require Somalis to have an entry Visa (Ethiopia is a recent exception). Coordinating entry visa and IELTS test dates is quite challenging. It happened to me that my Kenyan visa was issued the same day as the test date; of course I could not take it and lost my test fees.

It is also too costly for the few who make it. Each Somali student faces travel, accommodation and food costs. My IELTS fees plus other costs were 600 USD, excluding one refund charge and one test fee loss.

Many students cannot to apply to the UK Chevening Scholarship, German DAAD scholarship and many others because they are already restrained by the IELTS requirement, which is costly and far.

We (Somali students) direly need an IELTS centre in Mogadishu, Hargeisa or both. we believe that security allows the opening of such a Centre at least in Hargeisa. Somalia/Somaliland host many international companies and institutions. On the other hand, there is large Somali community in UK that can come along with an IELTS Centre to offer training and teaching.

Please consider this petition.

Regards,

On behalf of the Somali students