DV selectee university student but NO high school degree

[Britsimon]

Thanks SusieQQQ, I have read everything that's out there including the instructions on the dvlottery.state.gov several times and am quite aware of the requirements.
The so-called “winners” of the diversity immigrant visa program must meet certain eligibility criteria to obtain a green card. The principal applicant must have the equivalent of a U.S. high school education, or two years of qualifying work experience in the last five years. A high school education is defined as the “successful completion of a formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable to completion of a 12-year course in the United States.” Only formal courses of study will meet this requirement. Thus, an equivalency certificate, such as a General Equivalency Diploma (G.E.D.), is insufficient.
If a candidate does not have the equivalent of a U.S. high school education, they have to prove that they have two years of work experience in an occupation that satisfies the incredibly high standard articulated by the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor’s O*Net Online database is used to determine qualifying work experience. Sadly their criteria make it virtually impossible for an individual without a high school diploma to qualify. Although the regulation provide that the occupation must be classified in a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher, the State Department’s instruction state that the occupation must be designated as a Job Zone 4 or 5 on the O*Net Online Database. As a result, most of the occupations that meet these criteria often require a bachelor’s, or even a master’s degree. The DV Lottery Application Instructions provide the example of an experienced aerospace engineer. In reality it is almost impossible to become an aerospace engineer without a high school diploma.
Sadly green card “winners” must not only meet these eligibility criteria but they must meet yet another challenge. Lottery “winners” are sequentially processed based on their rank serial number ( I'm unsure what they mean here- do they rank us according to education? - example applicants with PHD's are ranked high with low numbers) and candidates with high numbers have a lower chance of being scheduled for an interview, where they may have little or no time to correct deficiencies.

I was asking whether payslips were good enough in terms of providing evidence. one could use their cv, appraisal documents and employer job offering letters as evidence- once they are successfully though the first stage of selection. Gidday

Maisy, We often find ourselves wondering and commenting why selectees didn't bother to read the instructions before they entered the lottery. However you seem to be in danger of moving to the other end of the scale - you have yet to become a selectee!

As Susie points out, there are PLENTY of jobs that qualify where degrees are not required. So - check your job - that is the first point. If your job qualifies, then you need to demonstrate you have the required length of time doing the job, and that is where payslips and other evidence will come in to play.

The ranking is a simple case number ordering - totally random. But this year it means that of the 3500 OC candidates that were selected in May have not yet been processed and actually the majority of those selectees never will be. The point there is - you have about 40 days before you find you have been selected, then at least 6 to 18 months before interviewing. There is plenty of time for all your questions once you have been selected.

 

[Maisy]

Maisy, We often find ourselves wondering and commenting why selectees didn't bother to read the instructions before they entered the lottery. However you seem to be in danger of moving to the other end of the scale - you have yet to become a selectee!

As Susie points out, there are PLENTY of jobs that qualify where degrees are not required. So - check your job - that is the first point. If your job qualifies, then you need to demonstrate you have the required length of time doing the job, and that is where payslips and other evidence will come in to play.

The ranking is a simple case number ordering - totally random. But this year it means that of the 3500 OC candidates that were selected in May have not yet been processed and actually the majority of those selectees never will be. The point there is - you have about 40 days before you find you have been selected, then at least 6 to 18 months before interviewing. There is plenty of time for all your questions once you have been selected.

Yes, Britsimon- you are correct. Thank you.

 

[Maisy]

Ok it seemed odd to me that you thought britsimon's answer gave you 'valuable information' in that case, I must have misunderstood your response to his post.

The criteria do not by the way make it impossible for someone without high school to qualify, we have had a few on this forum who have successfully done so. Harder yes, but not impossible. There are a number of professions where work experience and vocational qualifications can get you to the same level as a degreed person, albeit maybe a little later. IT seems to be one of the most common examples. Obviously an aeronautical engineer is probably not one of those, however I presume having read the instructions, you first checked o-net to see if your job qualified before you entered, as the instructions also say that you should not enter if you don't meet both eligibility and education/work requirements.

The rank numbers they refer to are simply the randomly generated case numbers. No they are not "ranked" on any attribute of the applicant, they just show where the applicant's 'rank' in the interview order is.

Thanks SusieQQQ, I did have a look at the o-net to see if I am qualified. Thanks for explaining the "rankings". Ta

 

[EmilyW]

If it helps, in the OC this year alone, three of our members have qualified on work experience. They were super prepared (some would say over prepared) but they did their research, made sure they had a preponderance of evidence and were confident in the interview.

 

[vladek15425]

To the first poster :
As I recall, even a professional high school diploma will get you disqualified
(Aldoblack's dad).
So if you dont have a qualifying work experience, than its all sbout the discretion of the CO, or his mercy! As sussie said.

 

[Tew]

OP, I was accepted into a US college after just finishing Premiere. I went on to complete my Baccalauréat but it was unnecessary at that point.

It's been a while since I finished though, and I don't remember at what point you do your DAEU (after Seconde or Premiere?). I think that's where the main issue will be, because 12 years of US schooling is technically only up to Premiere, not Terminale, which is 12+1.

Good luck.

 

[#zai]

Hlo Britsimon
I completed A'level and I have my certificate with all principle passes.... and i didn't join the university.
But I don't have qualifications for working experience
And I applied as high school no degree
Qn
1.Will this affect my entry
2.what if I win will I be denied due to lack of qualifications,,??
Thanks

 

[Sm1smom]

Hlo Britsimon
I completed A'level and I have my certificate with all principle passes.... and i didn't join the university.
But I don't have qualifications for working experience
And I applied as high school no degree
Qn
1.Will this affect my entry
2.what if I win will I be denied due to lack of qualifications,,??
Thanks

1. Educational level is not taken into consideration during the selection process.
2. Get selected first before trying to figure out how to proceed.