Newbie questions

[Minuvweyna]

Joppa raises a good point, and I should elaborate a bit about the good and bad of a student visa.

I've had no problems with living with my fiance while here on a student visa... though I did meet him after I arrived and moved in several months later, so my visa application was unaffected by these developments. However, when I applied, I was NOT required to tell them where I would be living permanently. I did not have a lease signed, so my university advised me to simply tell them where I had temporary accommodation (I had a bed & breakfast booked for my first couple of weeks here) and to just explain that I would be looking for a flat when I arrived.

Obviously, if she had previously stayed with you, it might not be a problem as long as you are careful to not mention a romantic relationship. The fact that she has a friend who will let her stay with them isn't a problem, but it might be a good idea for her to agree to pay you rent (I contribute to the household expenses (mortgage/utility bills/etc) by paying "rent" to my fiance, which is less complicated than trying to split bills when we only have a joint savings account). At the moment, since I am a student, I pay him out of the loan money/savings that I had for living expenses during my studies, just like when I was paying a landlord for my own flat.

£10,000 a year for tuition is about right. I am doing a masters in history and I paid about that for my one year course. Undergrads may pay a bit less, and some technical/science/medicine/law courses can be significantly more. Some universities are also more expensive (I looked at St Andrews but just couldn't afford it, so I went to the University of Edinburgh instead) but nothing is really less than about £9,000 for a masters. They like to see around £7,000 extra in either savings or loans for living expenses.

US student loans, at least for post grad students, will give her as much as she asks for, but I will warn you that the interest rates are highly unfavorable right now (I hate my loans), and the system is no where near as flexible or reasonable as the British system appears to be. If she takes more loans than it turns out she needed, ie there is a chunk of money left over at the end, she can pay it back as a lump sum payment to reduce the loan capital and thus reduce her payments once they go into repayment. I urge caution with US loans, read and re-read every document they send to you along the way, my loans sneaked a .7% interest increase into mine, and I failed to see the change. So I wound up with an ever worse rate than I thought. Caveat emptor.

If you have any more questions, or if your girlfriend does, please don't hesitate to ask!

Best wishes,
Elizabeth

[JonMMM]

Thanks to everyone, great advice, we are still early in our relationship, but I'm sure she will be here soonner or latter

[Bebs]

Originally Posted by JonMMM

OK take it easy on me, I new here, so probably some really silly questions

have meet a fantastic woman who is a US citizen, I will be flying over to see here next month for a week, that's fine as it will just effectively be a holiday with no visas required.

But if that goes well she will come over to the UK for an extended stay, its far to early to be talking about marrage so what sort of visa will she need

hey good luck with you new young lady friend in the uk....there's nothing like a good story...my name is bebs, i am stuck here in the middle east Sharjah...do you know anyone else that is in this emirate...

[Bebs]

like isaid there is nothing like a brilliant ending...all the best to you

[Bebs]

i have been in Sharjah since May this year, does anyone else know what to do here...its not exactly dubai....

[Suenneil]

Originally Posted by Bebs

i have been in Sharjah since May this year, does anyone else know what to do here...its not exactly dubai....

Hi Bebs

Wouldnt you be better posting this on the Dubai forum page ? ( ... maybe you have already - Ill take a look).

Sue

[Bebs]

hey sue

hope you are ok, yes your right, i will have a go at it later...i just cannot find any expats to join for a chat...coffee...anything really...

[Suenneil]

Originally Posted by Bebs

hey sue

hope you are ok, yes your right, i will have a go at it later...i just cannot find any expats to join for a chat...coffee...anything really...

Hi Bebs ... which is why I think the Dubai forum may be better for you - that is where the expats already in Dubai and surrounding areas will be posting ..... I know its a pretty busy part of the forum so Im sure you will get some replies and maybe even some suggestions on where to meet people etc.

Take it easy and take care

Sue

[Bebs]

thanks for your help....good luck in spain,its great place..