oh my, the prices...

I was thinking about applying to go to the Uni of Leeds next fall - but the program itself is £9678 alone, plus about £6000 expenses (avg according to the school)... its easily $30,000 a year with the exchange rate! the US gov't here DOES give financial assistance if you go to school in the UK, however I know for a fact they wouldnt give me $30,000 in aid (I got $15,000 my freshman year), so would I probably have to take out loans - question is, where would I get one from that I could get for approx. 4 years in a row? I am trying to figure out where to stay --- trying to talk Michael (my ex bf, friend, maybe bf again - if we can work out his problems with the distance and my depression) into maybe living with him and his parents (who are expecting a child to arrive in January/February) and I know his parents wouldnt object.  So that would help with expenses for a room & board and food costs.. but it may still be around $24,000. So, any suggestions? (I'd rather look into it before I applied - and I'd need a bit of extra money to get the plane ticket and student visa!) Thanks!

Oh! PS: can anyone give me any clues on how to apply? I will be considered a mature student by the time school would start next year - I turn 21 in May. any remarks will be appreciated

Honey, PLEASE don't undertake an expensive course of study just to see if it'll lead to getting back together w/an ex boyfriend, especially if you'll be living with him and your parents.  It's one thing if it's a lifelong dream of YOURS, but loans, well, they have to be paid back.  By you.  So give it a long and hard think.  This is gonna sound pedantic, but I made some really unwise financial decisions at your age that affected me for a good decade after that.

It doesn't matter if you're a mature student or not, if it's an undergrad programme you'll need to start by completing a UCAS form.  They are downloadable online at www.ucas.com.  Forms should come out sometimes in September.  You don't apply directly to the school unless it's a performance academy, normally. 

Good luck in whatever you decide.

I agree with expat. Trust me, do NOT make such an expensive commitment just to chase after a man, especially if you're not even officially together! Believe me, it's NOT worth it. You need to always put yourself first, or you will be miserable. If you think you're having troubles now with depression, without a doubt you will need him more than ever when you're all by yourself with no one you know around in an entirely different world in an entirely different academic system. If the relationship is strained, it will probably become even MORE strained as soon as you move over. It's hard enough making a move to a foreign country, but I can't even imagine how hard it would be if it's your first time in college AND if you're having troubles with the guy you're moving over to be with. That's just asking for disaster. I probably have no right to judge, as I don't know you, but I've been in a very similar situation and all I can say is it's just not worth it.

To Honey and Expat ----Sorry, I didnt mean to make it sound like I was going there for him - I've wanted to go to the UK for school since I was 17. I learnt my lesson my freshman year of college, where I moved to a different state for a guy -- NOT a smart thing to do. I just meant that he's there and we're still friends, very close friends.  I meant that his parents would be willing to help me and I can get help for my depression through NHS (plus his mother is a nurse) And the courses are mostly that price anywhere for an international student and I know all about loans - I have a federal one I'm paying back for the first sem. of freshman year.  I'm still going to look about and see the difference in prices at different schools - although I was definitely hoping I could avoid the UCAS - I dont have academic references so I've no way to get one, although I have a work reference. I suppose I'd have to contact the schools to ask what to do about that.  and its not something I'm going to jump into.. I know how much I can handle and I'm definitely leaning more towards not, but I'd like to keep my options open...just really something i've been thinking about. thank you for your advice

Student loans SUCK.  There are ways to make the cost of international study cheaper, though.

If you are enrolled in a university state-side, check to see if they have an EXCHANGE program.  That way, you pay your normal tuition to your home university.  Then, look for a cheap flat share, or student housing.

There are certainly ways to do it on the cheap.  Additionally, you can work up to 20 hour a week on a student visa, which will certainly help with living expenses.  Just plan to live on the cheap!

Good luck!

Frances --- I used to go to college here, but I dropped out in the 2nd semester because of some serious issues I had with that place -- wont go into that here, way too long of a story, lol!  So the fed. gov't took back 3,000 in loans that I didnt "earn" and now the school is wanting me to pay - I am, $50 a month and I still owe them $2700.    Until I pay, I cannot get my transcripts released  which means no school in the USA for me - hence the interest in a school abroad.  I'm hoping to have my school paid off in 10 months (I have someone moving in with me in about a month or two - which will free up a bit of money!) Right now, I live "on the cheap" because I bring home approx. $850 a month and my rent is $450 of that!!!  I was looking into an exchange program at my old college and was a month away from applying - but then I left and that went out the window. So, if I can get out of debt with the school here, I can go to school here - however, I love the UK and would really love to live there and go to school! anyways, thanks for the idea I may have to suffer a year in a college here in order to go school in the UK anyways  esp with the prices!!!

Frances --- I used to go to college here, but I dropped out in the 2nd semester because of some serious issues I had with that place -- wont go into that here, way too long of a story, lol!  So the fed. gov't took back 3,000 in loans that I didnt "earn" and now the school is wanting me to pay - I am, $50 a month and I still owe them $2700.    Until I pay, I cannot get my transcripts released  which means no school in the USA for me - hence the interest in a school abroad.  I'm hoping to have my school paid off in 10 months (I have someone moving in with me in about a month or two - which will free up a bit of money!) Right now, I live "on the cheap" because I bring home approx. $850 a month and my rent is $450 of that!!!  I was looking into an exchange program at my old college and was a month away from applying - but then I left and that went out the window. So, if I can get out of debt with the school here, I can go to school here - however, I love the UK and would really love to live there and go to school! anyways, thanks for the idea I may have to suffer a year in a college here in order to go school in the UK anyways  esp with the prices!!!

You'll need to send a transcript along w/the UCAS form, unfortunately, and references.

There's no way around UCAS unless you do a part-time programme, for which you are not eligible b/c Americans can only get student visas for full-time education. 

I did an exchange programme my junior year at uni to France.  It was the same tuition and fees as normal, just living expenses, and I got a part-time job in an office so it worked out well and I didn't incur any extra debt. 

I agree w/Frances, it's a terrific idea. 

I would really think twice about doing a 4-year degree in the UK if you're funding it yourself.  You're going to pay twice the price for a degree you could complete in the US, and you won't have the same opportunities for financial aid (i.e. grants/scholarships) as you would in the US. 

It's a different story, if, for example, you've done your 4-year degree in the States, and you decide to do a one-year program abroad, because then it's technically more cost-effective than doing a two-year Masters program back home. 

I think it's great that your dream is to live and study in the UK, but doing that requires a LOT of careful planning.  It took me two years to plan and save to go to Scotland to do my Masters.  In the long run, you really are better off doing things properly, so that you don't get yourself into massive debt.  I know that you'd probably like to be near your friend and see how things work out, but I believe that in life, roadblocks are put in our way for a reason.  Roadblocks make us think about our choices before we make them, and take a better approach to things. 

I would advise you to think carefully about what you want to study, find a US university that you like that offers that course, and enroll.  After a couple of years, you will be able to do a semester abroad, and if you like it in the UK, perhaps upon graduation, you can do a BUNAC program and work in the UK for 6 months.  This will give you the opportunity to travel, meet new friends and have new experiences. 

While you may say that you're not going to Leeds FOR Michael, do you think you'd be considering going to Leeds if he wasn't there?  This is an important question to ask yourself, and be honest with yourself about, because hypothetically speaking, if you go to Leeds, and you fall out with Michael and his family (never say never!), you're going to be basically homeless and have no support system there.  If you already suffer from depression, just imagine how you'd feel if you had the rug pulled out from under you! 

I'm not saying these things to be mean, but in my experience, life only gives us what we're capable of handling at a given point in our lives.  I would've LOVED to have been able to live/study/work in Scotland back in 2000, but I simply wasn't ready for it.  At 21, I don't think I was mature enough or confident enough to make a real success of living abroad.  A couple of years can make a huge difference in terms of maturity and clarity regarding a situation.  Sometimes we can't always have what we want for ourselves WHEN we want it, but we CAN do what's best for ourselves.  And in doing that, we can ultimately achieve what we want for ourselves.  If something is worth having, it's worth working towards and doing properly.