How can I possibly move to the UK by next year?

I'm 19 from America and I really want to move to the UK but it seems the more I read into it the more confused I get and the more impossible it seems to get there. I just graduated from high school last year and I'll admit I'm not some rich A+ student so I know the odds are probably greatly against me. If there's any way to get there I just really wanna know how, my original plan was to do a crash course here in America to become a dentist or dentist assistant then work a few months and try to figure out a way to probably transfer over to the uk but apparently a U.S degree isn't recognised in the UK and since those jobs aren't on the shortage list they can get any other EU citizen to get the job so it's impossible for me. Its really stressing me out I don't know what to do it looks so impossible to move at all, I am looking to eventually getting citizenship in the UK but i don't have a clue what visas I should apply for and getting into a British university is almost impossible too, am I done? Is there no way I can move to the uk at all? And is it possible for me if I do end up getting to the uk to share an apartment with a friend? (Yes I know them and they offered ) Since I feel it would be easier to split rent and support myself I said I would consider moving in with them but I would obviously need a job first but I don't know how I can get a job if non EU members cannot work in England, I'm just so confused please help me all answers would be greatly appreciated thank you!

Without a highly specialised established career, a student visa would be your best option.  Though a very expensive option.

Why do you want to move to the UK in particular?  There are other countries that are much easier to move to if you want an expat experience.

If I get a student visa would I only be able to apply to big universities or can I also apply to regular college courses? I also heard I can possibly finish a dentist degree here and just take the UK standard test but again I'm confused on that cause I'm a non EU citizen so would that mean I wouldn't be likely to get the same job?

The reason I want to move there is simple, I just think it's beautiful and in my opinion the vibe there is so much better I don't know how to explain it but it's just an admirable country

Why don't you look at a degree in the US that offers an exchange program? It allows you the experience of another country at a reduced cost for a similar short term experience. What are your study interests? In what state do you reside?   

Or a working holiday in the Republic of Ireland for a similar short term experience?
https://www.dfa.ie/travel/visas/working-holiday-visas/

As for getting citizenship, I'd consider whether you might qualify for citizenship of an EU / EEA country through your grand/parents, depending on where they are from.
 

my original plan was to do a crash course here in America to become a dentist 

 
 

If I get a student visa would I only be able to apply to big universities or can I also apply to regular college courses? I also heard I can possibly finish a dentist degree here and just take the UK standard test but again I'm confused on that cause I'm a non EU citizen so would that mean I wouldn't be likely to get the same job?

The reason I want to move there is simple, I just think it's beautiful and in my opinion the vibe there is so much better I don't know how to explain it but it's just an admirable country

Becoming a dentist is a big deal degree... It's a doctorate after all...  So you need a science background in particular and it's definitely a university level degree.

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/dentist_entry_requirements.htm

Why don't you look at a degree in the US that offers an exchange program? It allows you the experience of another country at a reduced cost for a similar short term experience. What are your study interests? In what state do you reside? 

As for getting citizenship, I'd consider whether you might qualify for citizenship of an EU / EEA country through your grand/parents, depending on where they are from.

Well my plan was to stay there permanently not work a while then move back. I'm not looking to get citizenship right away as I know that's impossible I just need to know if there is any way I can at least get residency so I can work towards citizenship easier. But I'm not sure how I'm expected to work is it like impossible to earn citizenship and work in the a UK if you are not a EU citizen or have no EU citizen family members?

I was thinking about maybe dentist or something in computers for study

Well my plan was to stay there permanently not work a while then move back. I'm not looking to get citizenship right away as I know that's impossible I just need to know if there is any way I can at least get residency so I can work towards citizenship easier. But I'm not sure how I'm expected to work is it like impossible to earn citizenship and work in the a UK if you are not a EU citizen or have no EU citizen family members?

I was thinking about maybe dentist or something in computers for study

The UK is VERY anti-immigration.  It is very hard to move here on a path that leads to citizenship anymore.  Rules for immigration are becoming tighter by the day.  Even if you spent insane amounts of money getting a qualified dental degree in the UK, there is no guarantee you could stay in the UK to work, let alone qualify for citizenship.

It's a doctorate after all...

I thought doctorate meant PhD level.

Dentistry is Bachelor degree / Masters degree / some are combined Bachelor and Master degrees. 

Well my plan was to stay there permanently not work a while then move back. I'm not looking to get citizenship right away as I know that's impossible I just need to know if there is any way I can at least get residency so I can work towards citizenship easier. But I'm not sure how I'm expected to work is it like impossible to earn citizenship and work in the a UK if you are not a EU citizen or have no EU citizen family members?

I was thinking about maybe dentist or something in computers for study

There is no way to stay here permanently or to get citizenship right away. All paths that lead to residency (which is 'permanently') , then citizenship, take several years. And some visas do not lead to residency at all, like study visas. Work visas require a high level of education and work experience, and may not lead to residency. Shortage occupations, which make it more likely to get a work permit, can change, so it would be inadvisable to study a subject on this basis, for example games design.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/308513/shortageoccupationlistapril14.pdf

What citizenship(s) do you have? What citizenship(s) did / do your grand/parents have?

I thought doctorate meant PhD level.

Dentistry is Bachelor degree / Masters degree / some are combined Bachelor and Master degrees. 

There is no way to stay here permanently or to get citizenship right away. All paths that lead to residency (which is 'permanently') , then citizenship, take several years. And some visas do not lead to residency at all, like study visas. Work visas require a high level of education and work experience, and may not lead to residency. Shortage occupations, which make it more likely to get a work permit, can change, so it would be inadvisable to study a subject on this basis, for example games design.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/308513/shortageoccupationlistapril14.pdf

What citizenship(s) do you have? What citizenship(s) did / do your grand/parents have?

Thank you so so much for your reply that really cleared things up a lot and let me know it's not totally impossible to move after all. If I want to get there I'll probably have to do something different like game design as you said. I would try to do something on the shortage skills list but that's risky as it changes over time. I'm an American citizen and so are my parents but I have a great grandmother that was born in Spain, this sounds really far fetched but my grandmother said she could probably prove her mother was a Spanish citizen and get a duel Spanish citizenship and probably get my mother duel citizenship as well so I can be a EU citizen and be able to live and work in Europe but I honestly didn't think that was possible and although that would be easier I don't think it's possible, as much as I would like it to be lol.

Unfortunately there isn't an Anglophile visa so you have to look at realistic options to relocate.  Unless you can claim some EU citizenship through ancestry, either a student visa or study abroad program would probably be the best way forward.  Studying here can be expensive because you will pay international rates.  Scholarships are not like they are in the US.  Mapleleafgirl's suggestion to study abroad is probably your most feasible option at this point.  Come for a semester or a year, check out the country, get a feel for life here, perhaps meet someone special...  You could always do a degree that is on the jobs shortage list.  Can't guarantee that it will still be there in a few years but it's a start.  If you come on a student visa and secure a job offer before your student visa expires then you will be  able to switch visa categories.  Good luck!

Have you been to the UK? Living in a place can be very different to what you perceive it to be. This is why I was suggesting other ways to legitimately try out the culture or somewhere similar.

Why don't you look at a degree in the US that offers an exchange program? It allows you the experience of another country at a reduced cost for a similar short term experience. What are your study interests? In what state do you reside?   

Or a working holiday in the Republic of Ireland for a similar short term experience?
https://www.dfa.ie/travel/visas/working-holiday-visas/

What are your study interests? In what state do you reside? 

Unfortunately there isn't an Anglophile visa so you have to look at realistic options to relocate.  Unless you can claim some EU citizenship through ancestry, either a student visa or study abroad program would probably be the best way forward.  Studying here can be expensive because you will pay international rates.  Scholarships are not like they are in the US.  Mapleleafgirl's suggestion to study abroad is probably your most feasible option at this point.  Come for a semester or a year, check out the country, get a feel for life here, perhaps meet someone special...  You could always do a degree that is on the jobs shortage list.  Can't guarantee that it will still be there in a few years but it's a start.  If you come on a student visa and secure a job offer before your student visa expires then you will be  able to switch visa categories.  Good luck!

Thank you:) I might go on a student visa after all then, I just have to save up money to afford it. If I'm not able to secure a Job while studying there is there a way I could still come back? Since my ultimate goal is to eventually get residency at the very least for a better chance with citizenship. And if I were to get a job from the skills shortage list would that mean I can apply for the same job there? How would that work?

Have you been to the UK? Living in a place can be very different to what you perceive it to be. This is why I was suggesting other ways to legitimately try out the culture or somewhere similar.


You have a point actually, if I'm being honest I'm mainly doing the move for a friend I met here that isn't doing so well (lonely ect) and I am very close to this person so of course I care enough to consider moving there but the thought of living in England is pretty exciting since I myself am not very happy with my situation in the U.S. I guess you can call it a fresh start, and I do think England itself it's breath taking with the architecture and all. I wouldn't mind living there and when I really think about it I actually do wanna live there and I'm not expecting it to be 100% perfect but it's more of a breath of fresh air if you get me

Have you been to the UK? Living in a place can be very different to what you perceive it to be.

This 100%. 

I highly recommend to anyone contemplating moving to a different country - try and get a real sense of what it will be like over what you think it will be like.  I know my "living in the UK" experience was different to my "visiting the UK" experience.   

They are usually on the more expensive side, but IMO, student visas are a great way to test out the waters of new places.