Student Q&A

The BISS matching system is unique and proprietary, it is the only online direct student to university or Votech institute matchmaking system of its kind in this field, there are no competitors! Though there are several factors involved with the process; for the students and parents understanding, it is basically a two-part system. 

1.   Universities and institutes information have downloaded their information into the BISS data base. We have gathered a number of fields about each institute including their tuition and TOPE (total out of pocket expenses) cost, degree plans or fields of study they offer, their minimal entrance requirements — (High school grades and test scores for University track), and we have also extracted a number of additional fields of information like extracurricular activities, housing and living options, and other possible  amenities or charecteristics an institute may offer.

2.   After signing into BISS basic, the student will fill out the BISS Student Profile and Preferences Survey (SPPS) in which they ‘self report’  and input their profile which includes: their TOPE ability (the total of how much they can afford to pay), academic course work and grades — (university track), any test scores (ACT/SAT) — (university track) and — for non native English speaking International Students — English fluency scores. This is the ‘student profile’ part of the system. After this there is the ‘preference survey’ where students select their track, University, VoTech or English Language School. They then choose the degree/field of study they wish to pursue and finally, there are  survey questions where a student is given the opportunity to grade selected preferences and options in terms of how important they are to them and these scores are fed into the matching system. 

After the student submits their SPPS, the match making process begins. The system simply matches students to Universities or VoTechs in the BISS data base, in accordance with their track selection. It then ranks the institutes according to the score that is generated from the matches. The BISS Matchmaking system will never match a student with a University or Institute where they don’t have either the financial capability or the minimal academic entrance requirements to be accepted. So, when a student is notified about a match the student and the institute (if they are BISS Preferred) will know that they at least meet the minimal entrance requirements and can afford it and are a serious potential student, not just one seeking information. Through each topic we educate the student, “walking you through each one step by step.” We also provide a comprehensive list of questions to ask institutions when interviewing them for selection after matching.

As you communicate with institutes, you now know your options, giving you the leverage to make an informed, educated decision, the power to choose what is best for you and the institute rep knows you are a real and viable potential student!

Once you complete the BISS Student Profile and Preference Survey (SPPS), it could take up to three months to match you, the shortest amount of time to be matched is 4 weeks.

The reasons for this are that BISS is constantly seeking the best matches for you. BISS reps are negotiating for you. We are primarily student advocates.

Example #1:

Let’s say that you have filled out and submitted your SPPS and you had a good match with several institutes but your highest graded matches were with institutes that had a little higher TOPE declaration than what you declared was affordable for you and your family.  You would not be matched with that institute because of the cost. However a BISS rep would see this and may contact those institutes on your behalf to see if they would be willing to accept you at your declared financial ability.

Example #2

You highest graded match is with a BISS STANDARD INSTITUTE. A BISS rep may contact that University and inform them that there is a student that had a high match with them. The reps would then seek to ask the institute if it would wish to be a BISS PREFERRED INSTITUTE. There are real advantages for students that BISS PREFERRED INSTITUTES offer.  (Read, “What’s the difference between a BISS STANDARD and BISS PREFERRED Institute?”, next Q&A.)

Bottom line, we want to take some time and make sure we have the best matches for you, and we are always negotiating with and adding more institutes to our Preferred Status where they offer BISS PREFERRED ADVANTAGES to our students.

All Universities, VoTech or English Language Schools, come onto the BISS matching data base as Standard institutes. BISS has gathered existing data for every accredited University and VoTech institute in the US. A BISS rep then contacts these institutes, (or they make a request from our University page on this website) and we ask them to answer some additional specific BISS related questions about their institutes on our Institute questionnaire. BISS uses this information to match students that have answered the same questions on the SPPS (Student Profile & Preference Survey).  

Putting it simply, if the Institute does not answer these questions, we cannot match them with our students. BISS does not charge any fee to any institute to fill out this questionnaire.  Every institute that has filled out the BISS Institute questionnaire is a BISS Standard institute and we know they are real institutes as we have had personal contact with them. A BISS Standard institute can be matched with any student that completes and submits the SPPS. However, BISS Standard Institutes do not receive any Student’s SPPS, they only receive a notice from BISS that there is a potential student match. If a student is matched with a Standard Institute, (top five matches) only the student will receive the grade sheet information about that institute that they were matched with. The student then decides whether to contact and apply to that institute or not. There is no interaction with that institute through BISS. Other than matching the student, BISS cannot help the student apply or get accepted to these Institutes in any meaningful way. However, a Standard institute will know that the student was a BISS matched student, if the student informs the Institute and therefore they will know the student is not just a casual student seeking information.

BISS Preferred institutes were Standard institutes that have either contacted BISS to become Preferred or they are contacted by BISS after a student(s) is/are matched to inquire about whether they wish to become BISS Preferred institutes. Institutes become Preferred because they have agreed to offer BISS matched students three advantages:

1. They off some additional** Tuition/Tope Discounts or scholarships
2. They have agreed to ‘Pre-Approve’ or waive Application fees for BISS referred students. 
3. Will contact BISS matched student and give student a personal admission’s rep to communicate directly with. 

BISS Preferred Institutes do get a student’s SPPS information (when they are in your top matches) and they may reach out and contact you. The point is these institutes want you to go to their institute and are willing to give you discounts, accept you (or waive application fees) and give you a personal contact point, something Standard institutes can’t or are unwilling to do.

**Many universities and institutes are stating that they are giving ‘scholarships’ or ‘discounts’ (10 to 20 percent offer is the norm). However these are not true discounts or scholarships. They are primarily a ‘sales & marketing’ tactic. BISS discounts or scholarships offered by Preferred Institutes will be real discounts or scholarships and not a ‘sales & marketing’ tactic offered to all potential students.

Absolutely!  Though BISS was originally created for International students seeking to study abroad, we have discovered that all of the BISS  Preferred Advantages, (tuition discounts, pre approval and personal admissions advisor) that are available for International students may also be available for US students. Furthermore…

The BISS system allows narrowing matches to your selected fields of study, region or state and also living, extracurricular and even religious/faith preferences.  You will only be matched to institutes where you have met their minimal entrance and financial requirements and are best matches for your preferences. Also the other BISS BASIC ADVANTAGES that are offered by BISS PREFERRED Institutes are also relevant for US students seeking to find that right fit for continuing their education and finally…

Our VoTech matchmaking system is the only matchmaking system of it’s kind in that field in the US or Internationally, that matches students with institutes that really want you as a student directly,  and there are many more VoTech institutes that are looking for US domestic students then Internationals. 

No, at this time BISS itself does not offer any DIRECT scholarships or financial aid. However,  we do use you, and the many other BISS users, as leverage to negotiate on your behalf for significantly cheaper tuition and better service from many cooperating institutions that become BISS Preferred institutes. Many of these discounts are EXCLUSIVELY for BISS users and can be in the thousands of dollars. If you search for a school yourself or match with a school through BISS but contact them outside of the BISS system you will NOT RECEIVE THE BISS discount or any of the other BISS Preferred Advantages *

BISS also does actively pursue financial aid for it’s students that fit certain criteria, but we cannot promise any financial aid for any BISS referred students. 

*Preferred institutions only

No! Bridges International School and Student Services (BISS) – nor any other agent or consultancy service –  can guarantee that you will obtain your student visa into the US or that you will be guaranteed admittance into a University or Institute if you do not have the necessary qualifications to be admitted.

BISS will provide, to the best of our ability, a ‘bridge’ connecting students to colleges and universities in the US and, in time, many other nations. We cannot guarantee that students will get accepted into any college or university or that any university or institute will issue visa sponsorship to obtain an educational visa into the United States (or any other country BISS may offer in the future). That outcome is entirely dependent on the quality, completeness and accuracy of the required information submitted to BISS by you, which is passed on to the BISS Preferred Institutes that you are matched with.

The student visa, for the US or any other country, is issued entirely at the discretion of the US State Departments (or any other country’s) interviewing consular. BISS does offer, as part of our BASIC Package, a visa guide and preparation module to help a student know what is needed and tips on how to prepare for their interview.  We also have an excellent, experienced ‘visa preparation coach’ available at an additional cost, for those who wish to have interactive personal aid and preparation.

Ultimately, Bridges International Student services (BISS) is for the serious, motivated, and capable, law abiding secondary/high school student who really desires to gain a certificate/degree from a US Institute/University and use it for the betterment of themselves, their families, and their community.   

Also, BISS is not a service for those seeking to enter the United States of America (or any other country) by any means and ‘jump visa’ not attending the institute that sponsored their visa. We strongly discourage students and parents from using the BISS website and resources in this manner as this may damage the opportunity of other legitimate students from that country! BISS will immediately notify and hastily cooperate with the US State dept (or other country) and US Federal and local law enforcement agencies should there be a breach of agreement by any BISS referred student in this matter!

Yes! if further help or personal interaction is desired, BISS offers differing affordable, student packages as a part of our ‘additional services’. However the BISS BASIC package does not offer any personal interactive guided help.

See Options

As obviously, this is a critically important question for all students, but especially for International Students! …

Unfortunately, there is no one set answer to this extremely important question and. The cost of your education, US or International student, can vary greatly dependent on a number of factors and BISS is hesitant to give any figures at all, because we cannot guarantee that these figures will be available for every student!**. The type and length of your educational program, the cost of the institutes and the cost of living in differing regions, and a number of others; are all major factors that have an impact on your final cost (TOPE). So, BISS cannot give you anything close to a fixed figure! The availability of scholarships or financial aid can also have a significant impact on your final cost as well, especially for US students that have many more financial options than International students. 

However in order to  be an aid, specifically to International students, we will provide the lowest Total Out of Pocket Expense Estimate (TOPE) — that we have been offered by an institute (before any financial aid), at this time — TOPE figures are ‘all inclusive’ figures meaning that it would include the cost of the education as well as your living and personal expenses for the duration of the school, your total estimated cost to live and go to school for one year in the US. However this does not include travel or cost occurred before arriving at you country of destination.

For a 4 year bachelors university AT THIS TIME, the lowest TOPE,  we have been given by a 4 year US university to offer to International Students is $17000 USD per academic year.**

BISS does not give a minimal figure for VoTech or English Language Schools (ELS) due to the fact that there is a wide range of options. Some VoTech or ELS can be 3 months or less and therefore the cost could be considerably. As a general rule BISS recommends a minimum of $10,000 available and a return ticket to your home country in hand to have a reasonable chance of gaining a study a study visa in the US at any institute. **

There is no published minimal TOPE amount required by the US government to issue a student visa, this is a personal case by case decision. However, generally speaking, the more financial capability you can demonstrate the better the chances are of getting your student visa request approved.

** In any case, BISS CANNOT PROMISE OR GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STUDY ABROAD IN THE US OR THAT WE CAN MATCH YOU WITH A UNIVERSITY IF YOU HAVE A $17000 OR $10000 FOR A UNIVERSITY OR VOTECH INSTITUTE respectively. These figures BISS is offering as an example of a minimal estimate, at this time – (2022), so that a student can have some idea on whether or not they can afford to study abroad in the US. However, we are always negotiating with institutes and pursuing discounts and financial aid for BISS referred students.