Is there any hope for us?

My husband and I are two US citizens who have dreamed of relocating to the UK at some point in our lives.

We're both college students right now who are living off of financial aid, so I know that right now it's not a possibility. (We want to stay in the US at least until we've both graduated anyway.) I just figured that I'd start researching now so that we'll know what we'll have to do to get to the point when we'd be able to move.

My husband will be getting a bachelor's degree in Music Education, and I'll have a bachelor's degree in psychology as well as one in sociology. I might also have a master's degree in psychology, depending on whether I get into grad school.

I've been looking around some of the different websites about applying for citizenship and applying for a visa, but I still have some questions. I understand that we have to live in the UK for awhile before we can apply, and the only way to live there for that length of time is to get a work visa. But would a psychologist and a music teacher be able to get a work visa? I'm pretty positive that we won't be earning very much money with the types of jobs that we want.

Is there any other way that we'd be able to make our dream possible?

Since you are both still studying, the easiest way to get to the UK is to try for a student visa - maybe you could go to grad school in the UK (your husband could join you as a student dependent)?

Student visas are not that difficult to get compared to work visas, but do have a couple of drawbacks - one is that international tuition fees are very expensive (you'd be looking at about $20,000 for a one-year degree) and you'd have to prove you can support yourself (fees and living costs) without having to work at all - either with your own funds or by getting a student loan from the US and two, time spent on a student visa does not count towards citizenship and you are required to leave the UK at the end of the degree programme.

Another temporary option is the BUNAC scheme, whereby you can live and work in the UK for a maximum of 6 months after you have graduated (to qualify you have to currently be a student or start the scheme within 6 months of graduating) - it's by no means permanent (you have to return to the US after the 6 months are up) but it's a great scheme to take part in, it gives you an idea of life in the UK and it gives you some UK work experience.

A third option to spend some time in the UK temporarily is to try and take part in a study abroad scheme through your university (obviously this depends on how far through your degree you are) - it's a fairly simple process to be able to study at a UK university for a semester or an academic year as part of your degree programme. I did the same thing - I'm British and spent a year studying in the US as an undergraduate. I've now gone back to that same US university as a PhD student and will be able to live here for at least 4 years on a student visa.

In terms of work permit visas, I'm not sure if you'd be able to get one or not (I don't know too much about job availability in your degree areas) - they can be very difficult to obtain as the UK company has to prove that no one in the UK or the European Union (that's 27 countries in total) is suitable for the job before they can give you a job offer and apply for a work permit. So usually work permits are granted to those who are highly/specially-skilled (e.g. academic professors who are part of a small worldwide community in their research area) or those trained in professions that are in demand (in shortage) in the UK (e.g. scientists, nurses, teachers, doctors etc.).

Small nitpick.  BUNAC is going tits up in the fall of this year.

But the good news for amandakj is that you will almost certainly be able to qualify under the new T5 youth mobility scheme. 

Small nitpick.  BUNAC is going tits up in the fall of this year.

But the good news for amandakj is that you will almost certainly be able to qualify under the new T5 youth mobility scheme. 

Really? I didn't know that - thanks for the info, garry , I'll have to find out more about the new scheme.

Perhaps i can refer you to this discussion?

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/20/33629831-manchester-centre-of-academic-excellence.html

In essence, in the UK ,there are the well known Universities and similar establishments.

There are other less well known establishments.

Some would venture to suggest that they have been set up to exploit the UKs weak immigration laws and abuse of the student visa scheme.

Either way,if you did "study" with such a "University" it would potentially get you a student visa for a lot less than a more well established University.

No no no no no no no!!!!!!!!

Please!!!!

If you pay fees to a 'university' or 'college' which is not on the DSEF list of registered institutions, or if the institution is registered but the course is not accredited, then you are almost certainly likely to be refused a student visa.  If the application slips through the net and you are granted the visa then this will be in error.  You will then subsequently find that any attempt to apply for the Post-study work visa will fail.  You will also find that, if you try to use this qualification to apply for Tier 1 or the work permit that you will fail, as the qualification is not worth the paper it is written on.  So, basically, it is money down the drain.

These scammers with their false institutions and fake degrees really should not be encouraged.  Countless people, inculding several of my clients, have spent thousands of pounds with the colleges genuinely thinking that the qualification would help then further their careers and achieve settlement; only to find out too late that they have been conned, and that they have wasted time, money and effort, and have no choice but to return to their home countries, often heavily in debt.

PLEASE do not promote these places or consider using them. 


Vicky

Small nitpick.  BUNAC is going tits up in the fall of this year.

Really? can you tell us more? I came over and did Bunac in 1993...nearly a lifetime ago!

No no no no no no no!!!!!!!!

Please!!!!

If you pay fees to a 'university' or 'college' which is not on the DSEF list of registered institutions, or if the institution is registered but the course is not accredited, then you are almost certainly likely to be refused a student visa.  If the application slips through the net and you are granted the visa then this will be in error.  You will then subsequently find that any attempt to apply for the Post-study work visa will fail.  You will also find that, if you try to use this qualification to apply for Tier 1 or the work permit that you will fail, as the qualification is not worth the paper it is written on.  So, basically, it is money down the drain.

These scammers with their false institutions and fake degrees really should not be encouraged.  Countless people, inculding several of my clients, have spent thousands of pounds with the colleges genuinely thinking that the qualification would help then further their careers and achieve settlement; only to find out too late that they have been conned, and that they have wasted time, money and effort, and have no choice but to return to their home countries, often heavily in debt.

PLEASE do not promote these places or consider using them. 


Vicky

Hi Vicky,,
I wonder though if these establishments actually are on the lists and fit the requirements?

I only ask as I live in Manchester. It is a City with high levels of certain ethnic groups in certain areas and,co-incidentally, a high incidence of universities in those same areas. I made it my work to highlight details of a selection of these universities to the UK immigration authourities. That was over a year ago . They said they would investigate. guess what? they are still there. Now either they provide a loophole or our authorities are incompetent. I agree, oyu have to be careful though.

Well Vicky, The UK college of Arts and Technology in Manchester IS on the list !

This is featured in the other posting (referred to)

Bwwha ha, i cant beleive it. Its just a crummy shop front in between a load of other crummy kebab shops and similar.

Our Immigration service has a lot to learn

Really? can you tell us more? I came over and did Bunac in 1993...nearly a lifetime ago!

When T5 activates in the fall, BUNAC is finished.  Over.  Done for.  It's a thing of the past. 

Quoth the raven, Nevermore...

And that's a GOOD thing too.

I posted about this nearly a month ago.  To stay up to date, read UKY 

If you have reason to believe that this college is not legitimate, then tell the DSEF.  They are the ones who register them.

Vicky

Underscoring Vicky's point...

What she didn't mention yet is that signing up with a bogus educational institution exposes you to to the possibility of the new HC321 provision on contrivance.  Whether you were aware or not.  And even if they don't get you on contrivance, you are out of here.  History.

So don't do it.

If you have reason to believe that this college is not legitimate, then tell the DSEF.  They are the ones who register them.

Vicky

I have corresponded with the necessary departments about several such operations in Manchester. They are still there. The authorities are useless.

Then maybe they are genuine....


Vicky

Then maybe they are genuine....


Vicky

Indeed,which brings us full circle. They are certainly cheaper than "real" uni's.

I have this vision of British Universities .Of the dreaming spires of Oxford,ancient seats of learning. Not a tatty shop crammed between a kebab shop and a tanning parlour on a row of similar tatty  shops-and yet according to the website,they are indeed genuine. Looking down the list of approved establishments only lessens my confidence in the system.