USIT and their J1 programme fee

WoollyRedHat

This is an issue which has got me thinking in the last few days to do with USIT and their programme fee... they are currently advertising on Boards, you may have seen it.

At the start of the J1 season for Irish college students wishing to go to the states on a cultural exchange programme, USIT advertised their programme fee as being significantly reduced... from €279 to €99... with an expiration date on the offer, if I can remember correctly it was sometime in October.

However, said programme fee did not go back up to €279, and the deadline was pushed back, in what to my mind was an opportunity to coax in students who were thinking of going on a J1 visa with Usit and were lured by their advertisement of a programme fee being reduced from €279 for €99 euro for a limited time only. This €99 as part of your programme fee is non-refundable.

As of now, the 6/02/2012, the programme fee is being advertised as free, once again offer has been extended till 12/02/2012, so not sure how long this current deal has been advertised for.. and once again, as per their website they have a piece saying was €279, even though from what I have seen this was never the case.

Another issue of contention is their advertisement of costs involved on their website. Although there is no mention of all items being involved in the programme fee ( which for us amounted to something like €1,239 or something ( with 239 discounted as per their deal at the time) it does not make clear that the Embassy fee which you must make payable to the Embassy is not part of programme fee, but I think this is more bad explaining more than anything else.

Anyway, my question is, are USIT misleading potential J1'ers by their fluctuation of the programme fee? How much time can pass for them to be allowed to claim that the fee was €279 and is now reduced? As in if it hasn't been €279 for x amount of time, by law, are they misleading people? ( from either €99 as it was advertised when we bought, and now to free.)

Thanks.

WoollyRedHat

Also another point of annoyance is the ffer of exam insurance repeats for the summer in which they will fly you home and back for free but for UCD J1'ers and possibly other colleges this is irrelevant as we don't have resits during the summer so it is unnecessary for us.

Our man in Havana

You can save an absolute fortune by cutting out USIT and getting direct sponsorship yourself. I did this and saved a lot of money on the deal.

Just arrange your own documents and insurance, the US embassy was happy enough with that.

dudara

If you feel that they are not being clear or transparent in their advertising, you can lodge a complaint with the ASAI. They can investigate and decide.

Our man in Havana

The ASAI are not a government body and hence cannot actually do anything punitive.

dudara

No, but their findings are published, and any kind of pressure that can help improve advertising is a good thing.

WoollyRedHat

Our man in Havana wrote: »

You can save an absolute fortune by cutting out USIT and getting direct sponsorship yourself. I did this and saved a lot of money on the deal.

Just arrange your own documents and insurance, the US embassy was happy enough with that.

Thanks for your advice, but it would too late for me now, as I have already paid a good portion

dudara wrote: »

If you feel that they are not being clear or transparent in their advertising, you can lodge a complaint with the ASAI. They can investigate and decide.

This from the ASAI , off their website:

The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland is the independent self-regulatory body set up and financed by the advertising industry and committed, in the public interest, to promoting the highest standards of marketing communications, that is, advertising, promotional marketing and direct marketing.

Is this not a bit contradicting in the fact that the body relies on funds by the advertising industry?

skinny90

Hi I was thinking about going on a j1 and was gonna pay last weekend(99€) what's the story with the 1289 payment?what does it pay for?very confused

Our man in Havana

That is the all in fee including flights, documents, insurance, embassy fees and 1 nights accommodation in a hostel on arrival in the US.

dudara

If you have questions on the specifics of a J1 visa etc, then you're best checking out the Independent & Youth Travel forum (Rec > Travel > Independent & Youth Travel).

the groutch

dudara wrote: »

If you feel that they are not being clear or transparent in their advertising, you can lodge a complaint with the ASAI. They can investigate and decide.

I lodged a complaint with them a few years ago when Ryanair were having sales that "must end midnight", and then got extended 3 or 4 times.
The ASAI sent me a letter stating they found no wrongdoings.
Similar circumstances apply here, so probably same outcome if the OP did lodge a complaint.

WoollyRedHat

the groutch wrote: »

I lodged a complaint with them a few years ago when Ryanair were having sales that "must end midnight", and then got extended 3 or 4 times.
The ASAI sent me a letter stating they found no wrongdoings.
Similar circumstances apply here, so probably same outcome if the OP did lodge a complaint.

This is more than though, the pinnacle of my argument is that Usit have been an advertising a programme fee of €279, when it has never been this amout, it has either benn €99 or free as it is now.

Our man in Havana wrote: »

That is the all in fee including flights, documents, insurance, embassy fees and 1 nights accommodation in a hostel on arrival in the US.

Just to clarify, the embassy fee ( which currently is €112) is not covered by the programme fee, as far as USIT are concerned anyway.

WoollyRedHat

An update on this, I have since filed a complaint against USIT and their predatory tactics in advertising J1 packages to students.

My main complaint against them, that is the misrepresentation of advertising a product, by misleading people about the selling price is still ongoing. Legislation exits, which states that when a company sells a product marked as reduced from x amount, then x amount must have been that way 6 months prior to orginal ad. T

This is not the case with USIT and their J1 packages. Comparatively, if I run an electronic store and am selling tvs, and hold a sale, advertising that a tv that was 600 euro is now 400 euro, then the tv must have been 600 euro for at least six months, prior to the sale. I cannot mislead the public into thinking that there was a 200 euro reduction, when in fact the orginal price is not true or that the tv was 600 for one week and in fact was 400 the rest of the time. This is similar to what USIT is doing in my opinion. In doing so, they try to make students panic into a decision, thinking they are getting this massive reduction and more willing to go with the company, afraid that the price will return to as stated, once sale is ended. This is also not the case. Evidence of misleading advertisements can be seen on their facebook page under their photos, which will chronogolically show their price promotions. I look forward to hearing from the A.S.A.I. Anyone know how long they usually take to respond to people?

Our man in Havana

You are wasting your time with the ASAI. They are toothless.

WoollyRedHat

Our man in Havana wrote: »

You are wasting your time with the ASAI. They are toothless.

While I remember you saying this last time, what other course of action could I take?

skinny90

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

While I remember you saying this last time, what other course of action could I take?

Outline this on their Facebook???

Procrastastudy

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

At the start of the J1 season for Irish college students wishing to go to the states on a cultural exchange programme, USIT advertised their programme fee as being significantly reduced...

'Cultural exchange' is this what getting p!ssed in a foreign country is called theses days?

WoollyRedHat

I got a letter today saying they had acknowledged my complaint and would look into it, pretty quick.

Don't see much point in writing on their FB wall, they're just going to brush it off and most likely I'll get some knobjockey abuse from others as well.

Our man in Havana

USIT fanbois would go to town on you. Best keep it official.

MOH

Our man in Havana wrote: »

You are wasting your time with the ASAI. They are toothless.

I complained to them a few years ago about Irish Rail's completely made up DART punctuality figures on their posters (made up as in Irish Rail spontaneously decided to redefine "on time" as anything up to ten minutes late).

They got back to me a month later saying that while the issue was technically outside their remit as the posters were all on Irish Rail property rather than public ads, they'd spoken to IR anyway and they'd promised to change them.

Next batch of posters still had the same nonsense figures, but at least there was a statement on them that on time meant less than 10 minutes late.

They do sometimes get stuff done. At least a complaint by the OP now might prevent other students next year getting caught out the same way.

WoollyRedHat

MOH wrote: »

I complained to them a few years ago about Irish Rail's completely made up DART punctuality figures on their posters (made up as in Irish Rail spontaneously decided to redefine "on time" as anything up to ten minutes late).

They got back to me a month later saying that while the issue was technically outside their remit as the posters were all on Irish Rail property rather than public ads, they'd spoken to IR anyway and they'd promised to change them.

Next batch of posters still had the same nonsense figures, but at least there was a statement on them that on time meant less than 10 minutes late.

They do sometimes get stuff done. At least a complaint by the OP now might prevent other students next year getting caught out the same way.

I guess that's the way with Irish people and conceptions of time, it's still a very grey matter for us, not least of all transportation companies!

WoollyRedHat

Another update on this, ASAI today got back to me and let me know that they will be investigating this and will be contacting the advertisers on this matter. I note that as of 1 December their free offer of a J1 Programme will be reverting back to the "usual €279 programme free", this being posted on the 30th November.