u/Impressive-Boat

Hi everyone,

I’m going to the US from Australia for a master’s study program on an F-1 visa. My course start date is June 20, and I was planning to fly out on June 16.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get a visa appointment before then. I noticed that for an emergency appointment request, it says the program start date must be within 14 days — which means I can’t apply until June 6.

Has anyone applied for an emergency request before the 14-day window and still had it accepted? Also, how likely are emergency requests to be approved, and how quickly do they usually give you an appointment?

For example, if I apply on June 6, is it realistic to expect an appointment within a few days after that?

For context, I’m open to appointments in both Melbourne and Sydney.

Thanks so much for any advice or experiences!

Hi everyone, does anyone know which houses/accommodation Harvard Summer School 2026 students will be staying in? I know in previous years they’ve used Currier House and Adams/Quincy, so I was wondering if that’s likely to be the case again this year.

Hi everyone,

I’m going to the US from Australia for a master’s study program on an F-1 visa. My course start date is June 20, and I was planning to fly out on June 16.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get a visa appointment before then. I noticed that for an emergency appointment request, it says the program start date must be within 14 days — which means I can’t apply until June 6.

Has anyone applied for an emergency request before the 14-day window and still had it accepted? Also, how likely are emergency requests to be approved, and how quickly do they usually give you an appointment?

For example, if I apply on June 6, is it realistic to expect an appointment within a few days after that?

For context, I’m open to appointments in both Melbourne and Sydney.

Thanks so much for any advice or experiences!

Hey everyone,

I’m planning to book an Emirates flight from Melbourne to Barcelona (via Dubai) but haven’t booked yet. I’m trying to figure out whether it’s worth booking economy and upgrading later.

For anyone who has flown Melbourne → Dubai or Melbourne → Europe with Emirates recently:

How much were you offered to upgrade from economy to business?

Did the offer come through the app, email, online check-in, or at the airport?

Was the offer for just the MEL → DXB leg, or for the full journey to Europe?

How close to departure did the offer show up?

What fare type were you on (Saver, Flex, or Flex Plus)?

I’m also curious whether upgrades are usually priced per leg (e.g. just MEL → DXB), or if you can get a bundled offer for both legs.

Any recent data points would be really helpful.