Anyone studied for under 6 months?

I'm studying abroad next semester and my actual study time is just under 6 months.  Being from the USA it makes everything competely different since I don't have to apply for entry clearance beforehand.  I'm just wondering if anyone else has done this? 

I was told by the "visa specialist" at Lancaster Uni to just ask for "student conditions" at immigration if I would want to work but would have better chances applying for entry clearance beforehand in case immigration is busy on the day I arrive.  Well I'm arriving on th 26 through Manchester and I can't imagine them being too busy?  Then I was also told by someone else at Lancaster Uni to apply for clearance beforehand if I want to work (not telling me I could just ask for student conditions when I arrive).  Very confusing I know.  I'm thinking I might chance it hoping that they'll give me student conditions if I have all of the appropriate paper work.  I don't really want to pay $100 plus to get entry clearance and then not be able to find a job anyway.

Just wondering if anyone else has been in the same situation?? 

You can probably apply for entry clearance if you think it'll help, but since you're leaving so soon I wouldn't bother with it- just take all your student/financial documents and ask them for the student conditions at immigration.  I didn't think to do this because I wasn't planning on working, but then it meant I couldn't do some volunteer opportunities like I wanted to as well  

Good luck and I have to say I'm super jealous (j/k!)  I had such a great experience studying abroad (even apart from my boyfriend) and I'm sure you'll have a blast too.

First time I went was for studying under six months.  I arrived in January (the 12th to be specific), and got through with all appropriate paperwork with no problems...

First time I went was for studying under six months.  I arrived in January (the 12th to be specific), and got through with all appropriate paperwork with no problems...

Do you remember which or how much paperwork you took?  J/W

Do you remember which or how much paperwork you took?  J/W

I don't know if this is on time for you or not, but I do remember some of what I took!

- I had my acceptance letter from the school (just saying I was going to be a FT student, basically.  Oh, and the dates, I think).
- Return ticket home (the immigration folks seemed to like that one)
- I also took a bank statement in case they questioned my ability to support myself, but they didn't ask for it. 

I might have taken more, but I honestly don't remember.  I know that every time I left and re-entered (I travelled quite a bit around Europe) I only took my student letter and my return ticket (well, copies) with me.

Hope that helps and that you have a great time! 

At immigration I think the officer only looked at my acceptance letter from Sheffield (my official letter w/ the seal that I got in the mail only 2 weeks before I left- that was stressful!), the letter from my uni saying they had accepted me into the study abroad program and that I was allowed to go to Sheffield, and my return ticket.  I also had financial information (or my parents' rather, because I was super broke), but they never asked for it.

- Return ticket home (the immigration folks seemed to like that one)

Oh NO!  I don't have a return ticket because I'm flying to Kansas at the beg of July sometime for a cousin's wedding.  I just haven't worked out the plans yet to book the ticket.  I hope that the IOs are not going to make a huge fuss.  I'm really scared to go through seeing as I don't have any entry clearance or a return ticket.  I'm just going to smile big and hope for the best.