We're Learning!

Books, books, books (!)

2008-09-04T17:16:41Z

I'm starting to sort out what I'm going to pack and what I'm going to leave behind. It's so frustrating to have to narrow everything down to 100 lbs, especially since I have so many books I'd like to bring with me!

Now I'm thinking that I can leave many of my novels behind and pick up copies in the UK. I've only been in the South before where inexpensive editions are plentiful. Is it the same in the North? I'll be studying at the University of Sheffield. How are the libraries and (used) book shops in the area? Is there a UK equivelent to Half.com

And to those who have studied abroad before: What are the books you wished you brought along with you? What could have been left behind?

TIA :)

Further enquiries about visa application..?

2008-09-03T22:41:15Z

Hi everybody. I think most of you are probably all in the UK by now, ready to start school. Lucky guys! xAx

Matriculation at my school is September 29th, and until last month I had been living in Japan so I only got my visa application to the bureau in New York August 21st. But it says they only take 24 hours to process applications so I figured more than a month before my departure date would be safe.

Well today I got an email saying that they are going to do further enquiries into my application and that this may take up to 25 business days. They also "strongly advised against" buying my tickets (which of course I've already done because I have to be matriculated on the 29th or I would have to defer for a year).

Has this ever happened to anyone here? xAx

I can't believe this is happening, and of course there's no way I can find out what it's about or how the application is going to give myself any clue as to whether I'll be able to leave on the 26th or not.

I had just started packing a suitcase this morning and now I wonder if I'll have to defer for a year just in case I can't get my visa in time or even at all for some unknown reason.

I don't know what I expect you all to do about this, but I figured I'd ask for some wisdom here because this is the most helpful place I know of for anything having to do with studying in the UK.

Exchange rates...

2008-09-03T15:55:36Z

Anyone else as morbidly gleeful as I am that the pound is dipping against the dollar? Haven't seen exchange rates like this for two and a half years...

I am probably a naughty mini-mod for posting this, but I can't be the only one happy to see these numbers.

Yet another visa problem.

2008-09-03T15:52:50Z

Hello everyone-

Looking at past entries, it seems as if most people have gotten some sort of e-mail communication from the consulate they sent their visa application to.

Has anyone gotten their visa without receiving any e-mails from the consulate?

I sent my visa application out on 21st August and it got to the Chicago consulate on the 22nd. I haven’t heard anything yet and I’m supposed to leave on Monday (Sept. 8th). I know I applied later than I should have, but there was a whole chain reaction of events that lead to me not being able to get it out sooner.

Is there anything I can do? I’m in panic mode now.

Thanks for any help.

Banking advice

2008-08-30T15:33:39Z

Some of the people I've been asking have been giving me split advice between sending loan checks to the US and having someone wire the money back over VS waiting the 4-6 week period for them to clear by deposit in a uk bank. I was thinking that I could just maybe live off of about 2,000 usd in my US bank account until the checks clear, but if it's really going to be a hassle, I could set up something where my mom could wire me the money I guess. Was anyone partial to one method or the other? Have any particularly good or bad experiences with either method? Wish you would have done it differently?

Art History/Citizenship questions...

2008-08-30T05:23:13Z

So I'm just starting to dip my toes into the UK grad school search. I probably won't be applying for another 2-4 years (have to save up money after graduation!), but as of right now, I'm fairly certain I have my heart set on doing an M.A. in art history at University of Edinburgh. Can anyone tell me anything about the program there? Application process, etc.? I'm also looking at unis in Glasgow, Dublin (not UK I know), Leeds, York, London and Bristol, if anyone has information on those programs as well.

And now for a more specific question...my mother is a German citizen and as a result I'm going to be getting an EU passport/dual citizenship soon. Does this affect my status as an international student? Could I possibly (long shot) qualify for UK/EU fees rather than overseas fees?

Thanks in advance!

Visa Problem

2008-08-29T20:01:14Z

Hey everyone. So I JUST got my visa in the mail and I have a problem. I have orientation on september 24th and I said I wanted to enter on the 22nd on my app. BUt my visa was issued to begin on September 28th. Can I enter before this? Do I need to get my visa corrected?

CORRECTION: The visa was issued starting August, mistake on my part. (I think I was too excited to see my passport come back).

The second problem is that I want to work part-time while in school. And my visa states the following: "No recourse to public funds. Work (and any changes) must be authorised." I think this means I can work, but I'm not sure.

Oh no...what do I do?

My Visa Experience...

2008-08-25T01:48:23Z

As I was filling out the student visa application I found everyone's posts very helpful and I thought I might as well post about my own experience to help others.

Luckily, the office was only twelve miles away! :) I was afraid I would have to drive all the way to Los Angeles and was hoping there would be an office in San Diego, but I was able to find one even closer (San Marcos, FYI). Everyone was so nice. The receptionist let me go in even though my appointment was actually scheduled for the 22nd(!), not the 8th. And the woman who took my prints and picture, let me see the picture and offered to take another one if I wasn't ok with what she had. I didn't even have to wait!

The application itself was a bit more nerve racking. What I ended up doing was filling out the application to the best of my ability, and I also wrote an explanation letter to include information that I felt the application skipped over or that I felt needed a bit more of an explanation. I also, being very thorough, included a list of enclosures.

To Whom it May Concern:

Enclosed is my student visa application and supporting documents.

I'm funding my course and stay in the UK with loans from Sallie Mae. I have taken out a total of $xx,xxx, I've included a copy of the loan details with the disbursement dates listed. I am also receiving a scholarship from the University of Sheffield in the amount of £x,xxx, a copy of the letter detailing the scholarship is also attached. My grandmother has also offered her financial support, and I've included a letter on her behalf with bank statements from the past 3 months attached.

Sincerely,

(signed)

Enclosures (9) - (I listed everything I sent in the order it was packed in the envelope)

Section Six - Student Funding and Section Seven - Current Finances and Employment: This section was a bit tricky for me, as the application does not include anywhere to put down any financial aid or loans. I ended up using the explanatory letter to explain where my funding was coming from as the amount I have in the bank could hardly cover my fees for the year. I included Internet printouts of everything, including my loans and my bank statements. In fact, my 'bank statements' were actually just a printout of all of the coming and goings in my account for the past three months from my Internet banking site.

To Whom it May Concern:

I, Mrs. X, pledge to support my granddaughter, Amanda X., in the amount of $xx,xxx USD in support of her studies at the University of Sheffield. I have enclosed bank statements attesting to my ability to provide this amount.

Sincerely,

(signed)

After this letter, I included scanned copies of her bank statements for the past three months. I actually marked no on question #99, and didn't have any problems because of that.

The enclosures were the standard copies of bank statements, pay stubs, acceptance letter, etc. Almost everything I included was a copy, except for my passport and unconditional offer. Most of my copies were printouts from the Internet. As my application was processed very quickly I can only assume that copies are more than sufficient.

I applied for my visa later than I would have liked, part of that was my own fault (stupid loans!), but the delay didn't really effect the processing of my application. The Los Angeles consulate processed things really quickly once they opened my application.

The Time Line:

Thursday, 14^th August: Sent out the application,

Friday, 15^th August 5:32am (!): USPS delivered application,

Thursday, 21^st August: Consulate began processing application (e-mail received from LA),

Friday, 22^nd August: Application approved!

I hope this helps people that are still applying for their visas.

I used the answer that was actually provided by this community: I intend to look for part time work to broaden my experience, but am not reliant on it.

Visa Question.

2008-08-23T07:37:33Z

So where on my visa application do I indicate the length of it, I was told to make it valid for a few months after my program was done but I didn't see anything yet that would let me specify this. I'm finishing up the web portion, is that just in a later step after the biometrics or something?

Also, I had an MIP from a while ago, I wasn't going to put it down for a criminal conviction because the application started asking me when I served time, and I was like, eek, it was just a fine... but should I put that in the other information section? Do you think they'd even consider it?

Visa Supporting Documents

2008-08-23T03:57:49Z

I was just perusing the memories/tags but I didn't really find this exact question..

I just got my biometrics done yesterday, so I am gathering my bundle of info to send to the consulate. I know I'm probably being anal/ridiculous.. but would just love some reassurance from you guys, especially after the HELL I went through in NYC this weekend with the biometric office and consulate (such a nightmare, I was almost denied a visa outright).

1) Proof of Academic qualifications..
Lame question but, what do they want to see? My high school diploma? I completed one year of undergraduate at NYU but gained no qualifications.. I don't have a transcript handy as they shut down my e-mail/IT account.. and a copy of it would take way too long...

2)Proof of funds
I got a full ride for tuition and housing, plus a few extra thousand pounds. I also took out a Stafford for $10,500. Is this enough? Do I need to send my bank statements (my bank account looks super empty right now due to a few recent purchases/bill paying/money transferring) as well?

I'm just so nervous.. I feel like this is the last hurdle and I want it to go smoothly!

Thank you :)

Canadian/Brit visa help!

2008-08-23T01:13:46Z

I'm filling out my visa application (as a Canadian, but if your American advice helps, please comment!) and have come to the part where they question if I'm employed.
I'm a full-time student, but as it's the summer I've taken a part-time job at a provincial park. Should I say "unemployed" or "employed"? I'm assuming by the questions on the next page, they're focusing more on full-time jobs, but I really have no idea.
Has anyone already done this, been through this? Any help appreciated, thanks!

to the UCL kids...(or anyone who wants to take a go, really)

2008-08-23T00:55:35Z

Anyone else apply for post-graduate housing?

I know that they said it would be late August or September (I just missed the "guaranteed housing" deadline by five days, lucky me) and the waiting is driving me crazy.

I also applied to live at the International Student House. Anyone else considering it?

visa problems...

2008-08-22T18:00:51Z

hey :)

I was wondering if any one knew if medical check ups/ chest X-rays are required if we're applying for a student visa.

Some of my friends say you do, and it's an Asia only thing, but I haven't found any information about it on any websites :(

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

biometrics advice

2008-08-21T18:44:05Z

ok, so a lot of people are complaining about the biometrics appointments, which can be booked up for weeks ahead of time. I am in New York, so here's what I did to get a sooner appointment- since I don't have a car I thought about where I could go by bus or train that had an office, and settled on Hartford, CT. I got an appointment for the next week. It was like $50 round trip to take metro north to new haven and then amtrak from there. (Way cheaper than amtrak roundtrip, though probably a bit slower...)

Then when I actually went to the office, I was only one of 3 applicants there. (Everyone else broght the whole family.) I went in early, had to wait about 10 minutes, and it was done! So that's an idea, even though getting to those remote offices will require more time and/or money...

Visas and doing phd field research in the UK

2008-08-21T17:38:28Z

ok, so I'm going to the UK to do PhD field research, as a student of a US university and not one in the UK. This is to be a couple months of ethnographic fieldwork, background research in the library, interviews, etc, which is a common task if you're a PhD student in anthropology or sociology, but is not something I see a lot about on the internet. (There's a whole discourse in ethnography about 'going into the field'.) Anyway, that's the backstory. I thought I'd join the community to see what's up and if there is anyone else doing something similar, and to complain about visas!

Anyway, there have been various complications (for ex, you have to get a UK university to be your institutional affiliation if you want a visa for more than 6 months.) I thought I had sorted it out until this week, and I'm supposed to leave next week and am packing up my apartment and haven't gotten my visa back yet!! And no emails or phone calls about it either. At this point I'm just wishing that they would send my passport back, visa or no, so I can go in on a tourist visa to at least get some research done within the 6 month period.... The processing time has now been over 20 business days! (Fedex tracking said my packet arrived on a friday, so I'm counting from the following monday.)

I did the mail-in application to the New York consulate, and wouldn't you know, there is no number to call to check on the status of your application. (That was actually rather brilliant of them, if you think about it... and that's not meant sarcastically, just that they don't have to spend time dealing with a bunch of callers.) The paid worldbridge service explicitly says that it cannot check on submitted applications. The consulate number explicitly says that they don't answer visa questions. The only thing I could find was an email contact link, and sent in a request today. It would have been earlier, but I was traveling to see family.

I will note that this visa application is a bit unusual because Nottingham, my University sponsor in the UK, said I should apply as an academic visitor, and this is what I did. And fyi, if you do apply for the 12 month visa of the visitor type, that's going to be $431, and not the lower student or shorter 6 month stay prices. I wish they had put me in the student visa category, but there's apparently some change around this and I would have had to pay full tuition instead of just bench fees. (Did I mention that I have to have an institutional affiliation to stay more than 6 months? If you're thinking about doing research, perhaps you should just schedule for 6 months max and avoid the hassle.)

So... what to do? Also, why would the consulate say that they process things quickly, instead of warning people to apply at least 2 months in advance of travel or that they should use an expedited courier service? (I know, my fault, but I was waiting for essential paperwork for my supporting documents.)

Leaving bank account open

2008-08-20T02:08:05Z

For those of you who have now left the UK and are back in the US (or getting ready to do that)-did you keep your bank account open and did you just tell a staff member that you needed to change your address or stop the post? I'm planning on keeping mine open only because I have a refund that is going to be processed in mid Sept to my UK bank account and I'm paying the graduation fee via the UK bank account. Plus I'm still trying to think of what I'm doing in terms of applying for work visa or coming back to do another degree.

nor_am_uk_ac @ 2008-08-19T20:22:00

2008-08-20T00:27:42Z

How many months back do you need bank statements for the visa? I have 3 and 6 in my mind but it could possibly be neither of those....Thanks!

nor_am_uk_ac @ 2008-08-15T17:02:00

2008-08-15T21:07:47Z

Just called Sallie Mae to see if my loan information had arrived; it turns out that it has been there for a week but they didn't feel the need to contact me to let me know that they needed conformation of my SS# and my loan amount. My Visa application must be sent off on the 27th at the very latest and if nothing goes wrong I should have approval by the 25th. Of course if something does go wrong everything will implode. So yeah, this is just a post to remind everyone to stay on-top of everything, don't assume people will be efficient just because it is their job.

Final Roll Call 2008

2008-08-15T18:41:11Z

I was browsing the tags to find some information, and ran across the roll call tab. I thought it would be great, especially since most of us are leaving in the next thirty days or so, to have a final roll call of sorts to figure out where everyone will be in the coming year.

So, where will you be going? And in which program are you enrolled?

Good luck to everyone for getting things sorted before they go! :)

healthcare concerns

2008-08-15T02:36:58Z

Hi there!
I'm going to be attending the University of York this autumn (for English Lit and History) and have a few questions about NHS. I currently live in Ontario, Canada, where I'm covered by our free provincial healthcare plan. I've heard that since I'll be in England for approximately 9 months I should be automatically covered by NHS. However, do I need to register with a GP? Maybe one on my campus?
And as for coverage... what's covered? I'm primarily concerned about emergency stuff (I'm the kind of girl who would slip in a puddle and break her ankle wearing wellies, haha) but also about - let's be honest eh? - birth control. I've heard that "third generation" methods aren't covered - what are those? And for any medication - would I need copies of my prescriptions?
About dental health - is that covered by NHS too, like it is here?
What kind of documentation will I be needing from my doctor and dentist, in terms of health records?
Sorry if that's too much information, but I didn't know where to ask, and figured one or more of you would've run into this before! Thanks ever so much, hope you're all as excited as I am!

visa questions

2008-08-15T01:58:19Z

Hey everyone, so I think I've got this visa thing mostly figure out...my biometrics appointment is on Tuesday. The only thing I'm wondering about it where they ask for documents concerning immigration status:

"* Immigration status (Original not copy):e.g. Permanent residence card, Valid I-94 H1-B - L-1 - B-1 I-20 (Signed on reverse side) IAP-66 Employment authorisation card with advance parole document"

Well I don't have any of these considering I was born in the U.S. and am a citizen. So do I need to provide an immgration status docs? I figured sending my U.S. passport, since we have to, would work for this because it implies your status in the country. I was considering sending my birth certificate....but that makes me weary since I don't want to send the original.

Also, they send all the documents you send back, right? So if I sent the birth certificate it would be sent back...?

Also, on the financial front. My parents are paying for everything essentially. So I'm just planning on sending a letter stating this and their bank statements...do I need employment/paycheck stubs for them? Or would the letter and bank statements suffice?

Sorry if the question seems odd or dumb, I just want to be thorough since I'm cutting it slightly close.

Airline Discounts

2008-08-14T16:26:48Z

Just in case anyone else likes to wait till the last minute to buy airfare, I found a great website that lets you check multiple websites for the best fares. It's Sherman's Travel Quick Search, currently I am finding the best fares through travelocity but if you are leaving earlier in September Student Universe has some worthwhile fares as well, especially for weekend travel. The nice thing about this site is that you only have to enter the details once and then can click on a number of search engines, including kayak. So if you are super paranoid about getting the lowest fare it's a great tool. ;) lol

Now if I could just figure out whether I should go to international orientation or not so I can buy tickets!

The financial aid process

2008-08-13T03:27:45Z

I'm starting to get bits and pieces... at some point I fill out a FAFSA, at some point I try to get the school to certify how much money I need... but what order does all of this go in, and what are all the steps?

Can I use US financial aid at any UK university, or only certain ones? If so, how do I know which ones?

And can somebody please tell me, step by step, what I need to know/do to for using financial aid at a UK university? This whole thing is making my head swim...

Postgraduate Thoughts

2008-08-12T15:28:06Z

My problem with grad school is this. I want to do it in the UK, because I like it more there in general and want to get a job there. However their PhD is much more research, not taught, yeah? And it seems rarely with an emphasis on pedagogy. This, to me, sounds like a problem once one gets into the classroom. The US spends time getting you TAing, classes and research which seems a bit like more work and also kind of better for job placement.

The University of Newcastle (and another, not sure which) both have a one-year Master's level course in Children's Literature. I'm thinking of applying to those, as well as US doctoral programs, deferring US then doing the Master's program and coming back for PhD. Not entirely sure how this will affect my job opportunity in the UK though. Any thoughts? Or any advise on the future after a UK PhD versus US?

nor_am_uk_ac @ 2008-08-12T08:09:00

2008-08-12T12:17:34Z

So I'm trying to get as much boring logistical stuff as decided as I can from this side of the ocean (to make things easier the first couple days there), and one biggie was a mobile phone.

And using this and this awesome mobile phone posts as a guide, I started surfing around the internet to start shopping around for mobiles.

And I come across the Skypephone, which seems exactly like what expats like ourselves would need! Only it's not in the old posts, because frankly, I don't think it existed yet!

So my question for all you lovely people who are already in the UK, is do any of you have experience with it? Thumbs up, thumbs down? And also, since I'm an idiot, I can't for the life of me tell if it's a normal phone too, or if it's just for Skype...

(Also -- how are people's countdowns? Today officially marks one month till departure for me!)