Jumping Through Hoops to Get Your College Diploma in Peru

From 21cccs.org

I've gotten degrees from universities in North America, Europe, and Australiasia.

For the unis in North America and Australiasia, all I had to get my diploma was make sure that I didn't owe the uni any money. That was it. I didn't have to do anything or pay a fee. I had my diploma in hand 2 weeks after I graduated from the uni in North America and 3 months after I graduated from the one in Australiasia.

For the uni in Europe I had to pay a couple hundred dollars and wait nearly a year for the actual diploma (which came stamped, sealed, apostillised, and what have you) and to top it off the first diploma that they sent me had mistakes in my personal info. However, I didn't have to fill out any paperwork for any three of these unis.

Peru, however, is different. Why make something simple when you can make it difficult and create jobs (as well as stress and frustration)? I honestly don't understand why they need most of these docs because . . .

1. They should already have them on file since they needed them when you applied to the university.
2. It shows a lack of communication between departments. The departments should simply send the info on to whichever department is in charge of seeing if students are able to graduate rather then each individual student going around to multiple departments and getting the required paperwork to hand in to the department in charge of graduation.

Paperwork You'll Need
Here are some requirements needed in order to get your diploma from a Peruvian university. This is a bit extreme since it's a public university. You can find more examples at San Marco and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. Other documents that you might need are your birth certificate and transcripts from other universities if you transferred

Step 1: Get permission from your department / faculty to graduate

• Certificate of your studies*
• A formal request asking permission to get permission to get your degree. (i.e. they have to say that you've completed all the course requirements)
• Proof of not owing the university any money*
• Proof of completing any required interships*
• Proof of required final projects*
• Photos*
• Photocopy of your DNI*
• Receipt for the right to have finished your courses (grado academico)
• Receipt for your diploma*
• Receipt for the calligraphy on your diploma*
• Receipt for the paperwork*
• Receipt for the certificate that proves you have finished your requirements

Step 2: Permission from the university to graduate

• Formal request
• Certificate of your studies*
• Certificate from your department / faculty saying that you have permission to graduate
• Receipt for permission to graduate
• Receipt for your diploma*
• Receipt for the calligraphy on your diploma*
• Receipt for the paperwork*
• Photos*
• Proof of not owing the university money*
• Proof of required final projects*
• Proof of completing any required internships*
• Photocopy of your DNI*
• A folder to put it all in

Step 3: Requesting your diploma

• Certificate of your studies*
• Certificate from the university saying you can graduate
• Proof of not owing the university money*
• Proof of completing any required internships*
• Proof of required final project*
• Photos*
• Photocopy of your DNI*
• Receipt for the certificate that proves you have finished your requirements
• Receipt for your diploma itself*
• Receipt for the calligraphy on your diploma*
• Receipt for the paperwork*
• Receipt for the right to ask for your diploma

Those are a lot of documents you need! And from the asterisks you can see that most of them are asked for again and again. It's time consuming and expensive. Each of these steps requires you to pay for multiple things. A national university will probably cost you about $200 to graduate from, a private university could be double or triple that. After going through university and spending money on an education, you shouldn't be asked to pay more just to graduate.

Peru needs to simply things. They need to create less paperwork, less hassle, and less frustration. You shouldn't have to ask your faculty for permission to graduate. It would be a heck of a lot simpler if the faculties gave the head department a list of people who can graduate. Ditto for owing money. Each department, such as the library, should print off a list of people who owe money.

Help support the Ultimate Peru List by making a donation.

Resources: Check out these recommended ebooks and this free list of schools in Peru.

Peruvian Universities Offering Distance Learning Bachelor Degrees in Peru

Distance learning is a new concept in Peru. In the US it's been around for ages. I remember looking at my dad's old comic books and they had adverts for correspondence courses in order to finish high school and get your high school diploma. High school diplomas are now the bare minimum needed for jobs. Most places ask for a bachelor degree, if not a master.

Background to Bachelor Degrees in Peru
In Peru there are two levels of bachelor's degrees. You get your bachiller and your titlulo. The first means you've finished all the courses. The second means you've done a capstone course: such as an intensive course, internship, or thesis.

3 Universities in Peru
Peru has three universities that I know of that offer distance learning, but even then it's not completely possible to do if you don't have someone in Peru to help you. My husband is going through Garcilaso de la Vega University and he had to go there in order to apply and spent a couple months trying to get credits transferred and whatnot. At the beginning in 2011 he had to have relatives physically go to the university and pick up the books and post them to him.

• Garcilaso de la Vega University: 3 semestres a year. You should be able to finish in about 3 years. Affordable.

 
 

• Los Angeles Chimbote University: Should be affordable. Not that well-known of a university.

• San Ignacio Loyola University: Pretty expensive. Aimed towards rich people or those whose companies will pay.

Info about Garcilaso de la Vega University
Now most professors put the info online. However, it's still not that organised. Even a month into most semestres not all the professors have told you what work is expected to you. And if they tell you it's vague. They'll tell you to write a paper or do research but will have no word or page limit. Which to me is just plain nuts. Same goes for his thesis. He has no idea how long it has to be.In order to get your diploma for either your bachiller or your titulo you also have to physically go to the university and fill out tramites and wait a couple months. The kicker? If you want to do your titulo at another university, which is common enough in Peru, you have to wait until you have your diploma in hand. Idiotic.

Passing your thesis is another grey area. Not only do you have to rent the space where you give the thesis, but you also have to pay the profs for their time. It seems like they'd be pretty likely to fail you since then you'd have to hire them again. Shades of grey and bribery: remind me why I left Peru in the first place.

Conclusion
Hopefully there will be more universities that offer BA degrees and they'll organise their info better so that you don't physically have to go there to get stuff done.

Help support the Ultimate Peru List by making a donation.

Resources: Check out these recommended ebooks and this free list of schools in Peru.

Tax Obligations for US Expats Living in Peru

The following is a guest post by Greenback Tax Services

If you’ve chosen to leave the US for a new cultural experience in Peru, there are a few financial issues you’ll need to be prepared for, including new tax rules and regulations. As a US expat, unfortunately taxes tend to get more complicated when you go to a new country. Why? Because although you may be working in Peru, you are still required to file US tax returns.

As a result, you’ll need to be aware of your tax commitments in both Peru and the US.

Filing Peruvian Taxes

Taxes in Peru are filed with the Superintendencia Nacional de Administración Tributaria (SUNAT). Taxes are due within three months of the end of the previous tax year – tax years end on Dec. 31.

Resident Status in Peru

For income tax purposes, individuals in Peru are considered to be either Peruvian residents or Peruvian non-residents. The category you fall under will determine how much and what kind of income taxes, if any, you must pay.

Peruvian Residents vs. Non-Residents

In Peru, domiciled individuals, or those who are in Peru for many than 183 days (need not be consecutive) during any 12-month period, are considered residents.

Peruvian Income Tax Rates

If you are a Peruvian Resident, you are required to pay tax on your worldwide income. The amount that you pay will depend on your net income. Peru uses an Annual Tax Unit or UIT that is equivalent to PEN3,650 ($1,251.85). The income tax rate is calculated according to the following table:

Peru Income Tax Rates
UIT	Tax Rate
0 to 7	0%
7 to 27	15%
27 to 54	21%
More than 54	30%

For Non-Residents, you are only required to pay taxes on Peruvian sourced income. This is taxed at a fixed rate of 30%.

Taxable Income

In Peru, income is classified into 5 categories, which are listed below:

Cat. 1: Rental or subleasing income

Cat. 2: Capital Revenue – Interest, royalties, patents, dividends, capital gains

Cat. 3: Trade or business partnership

Cat. 4: Income from self-employment

Cat. 5: Earned income

Filing US Taxes

As a US citizen or Green Card holder, you are required to file a US tax return each year even if you reside in a foreign country. Fortunately, as a US expat you receive an automatic two-month filing extension.

NOTE: This extension is for filing purposes only and does not apply to any money owed to the IRS. If you owe taxes, you are still required to pay by April 15^th or you may be subject to late payment penalties.

Depending on how much money you have in foreign bank accounts and institutions, you may also be required to complete FBAR Form TD 90.22.1. This form is required for individuals who have more than $10,000 (cumulative) in foreign bank accounts. This form must be filed by June 30^th.

Fortunately, there are certain provisions that help prevent double taxation, including:

o   The foreign earned income exclusion, which allows you to exclude up to $95,100 of foreign earned income from your US taxes (this will increase to $97,600 for the 2013 tax year),

• The foreign tax credit, which allows you to offset the taxes you paid in your host country with your US expat taxes dollar for dollar, and
• The foreign housing exclusion, which allows you to exclude certain household expenses that occur as a result of living abroad.

If your income is over the minimum thresholds for filing US taxes you are required to file regardless of where in the world you live, even if you don’t owe any money.  Choosing not to file or filing late could result in late payment and late filing penalties if you owe money on your taxes.  Failure to file the FBAR can result in fines, seizure of assets or even jail time, in extreme cases.

Need Help Preparing Your US Taxes

If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed and need some help preparing your US Tax Returns or FBAR Forms, Greenback Expat Services can help. For questions or tax preparation inquires, contact us today.

Help support the Ultimate Peru List by making a donation.

Resources: Check out these recommended ebooks and this free list of schools in Peru.

First Latin American Pope

Yet another scandal in, what is considered by some to be the strongest and most corrupt organisations in the world, the Catholic Church, took place a bit ago. Pope Benedict XVI stepped down in order to avoid child sex scandal charges and was given asylum in the Holy See, the smallest country in the world.

Pope Francis from Argentina became the first Latin American pope. And unlike his predecessors doesn't live in the lap of luxury. Although some people don't think it matters much, let's hope thing will change for the better.

Help support the Ultimate Peru List by making a donation.

Resources: Check out these recommended ebooks and this free list of schools in Peru.

Peruvian Remedies

Local remedies seem to abound in Peru. Here are just a few. Peru Herbals has some more.

• Aloe vera juice: It's commonly drunk on the street where vendors use aloe vera plants. It's supposed to make your immune system stronger and make you healthier.
• Ceviche: Cures hangovers and is an aphrodisiac. 
• Chicken soup: Cures hangovers. 
• Egg: Cures fright. If someone is scared you're supposed to break an egg under their bed and the evil spirits go into at while that person is sleeping. In the morning the egg will be fried. Don't use it with babies or young children since the are still delicate and can't handle the egg's powers.
• Frog juice: If you can stomach have a frog killed in front of you and the juices squeezed out of you, frog juice is supposed to help with asthma, asthma, brochitis, impotence, and tiredness. It's also an aphrodisiac.You can see an advert for it on the right.
• Maca: It's supposed to make your immune system stronger and make you healthier.
• Newspaper with or without kerosence: If someone is sick with a cough or fever you're supposed to put newspaper directly on their chest, under their clothes. If they're really sick then you should soak the newspaper in kerosene. Newspaper shouldn't be used on infants because it's too strong. You should use paper instead. My grandfather said that in Romania gypsies typically douse their heads in kerosene in order to kill lice.
• Orange peel: Similar to newspaper, orange peel pulls out cough and fever. However, you're supposed to use orange peel before the person gets sick.
• Quinoa: It's supposed to make your immune stystem stronger and make you healthier.

Help support the Ultimate Peru List by making a donation.

Resources: Check out these recommended ebooks and this free list of schools in Peru.