move to London

Kings – unsucessful

Heartbroken. Will be about another 5 years before I am even close to realising my dream of returning to the hometown I love so well. Oh to walk the crooked, stained pavements and see the orange skies of London.

This goal has had to be put on the back burner for a while due to my being ‘credit crunched’ (I’ve been made redundant twice in 2 years!!). However, the dream is still very much alive, but I’ll need a serious upturn in my finances before I’m able to manage it.

Which leads me conveniently on to other goals…

I know this is going to sound weird, but here me out and give me some advice if you will. I am an educated American woman, unmarried, with a full-time job in the US..no criminal record, no kids, etc. I have always wanted to live abroad, next year I hope to start a PhD program at a UK uni, via the distance learning option (I have found a few at reputable UK institutions). Part of the reason I can’t just pack up and go to the UK now as a student is because A-I take care of a sick parent…I planned to move a long time ago, but this situation keeps me in a perpetual “dreams deferred”mode. So I finally have decided to just start building the life so that when I can finally get there, I’ll have a lot of things already set up. After I finish my studies (2012), even though they will be mostly online, I will in fact still qualify for the graduate visa (I have verified this). Once I earn the PhD, I will also apply for the HSMP (I have a graduate degree now, by then I’ll have the required money saved up ((with three verifying bank statements)), and I’ll get enough points from the PhD and the fact that it was at a UK uni to qualify me. ...I’m in my 30’s so I wont get any points for age, etc.) If I am able to move there by then I will and I will seek employment (probably as a professor/instructor), or either try to secure an American job that allows me to work remotely. My plan is to visit the UK later this year (2009) and while I’m there open a mail box that will forward my mail to the US; get a pay as you go mobile, so that if I apply to jobs or need to leave contact information for the bank (I’ll get to that), or other businesses, I’ll have a UK number on file. I hope to also open a bank account and keep a little money in it, enough to cover monthly fees, and maybe just to wire a small amount of money into every month or quarterly-about 25 GBP a month or 100 GBP every quarter-(I was thinking of using Smile Bank or iBarclays (this is why I’d like a UK mailing address-although I know I will have to show either a letter of acceptance from school or take some kind of qualifying program if I plan to get an account open on my trip this year.) ...And yes, I know that I will have to pay taxes on the accounts…. I just feel that having systems in place before I make the transition in a few years is best… That way, once there as long as I have a job or a verifiable savings account, I can get housing (that I pay for) without a lot of hassle and I can apply for an ID card and number, maybe later health insurance. UNDERSTAND, I just want to move, and legally—I have no plans to get there and live off the UK resources the way many people think immigrants do. I’m just trying to map out my course because I have no EU ancestry, nor any previous affiliation that will position me for a visa. I’m not opposed to marrying a citizen, BUT I refuse to pay and it just seems too risky; they could back out, or they might have a criminal past or ulterior motives and I would NOT be comfortable doing that with someone I barely knew or trusted.
Any thoughts, is pre-planning like this a waste of time, or prudent?
Thanks in advance

I intend to move to London this year, whether I decide to go to university or not. I know it’s where I need to be for my future career and I need to get used to the city and feel like I can call it my own.

Yesterday, I received notice that I’ve been accepted to study abroad in London for my fall semester of college.

This means that I’ll be living in a flat in London for four months…(during which I’ll be looking for colleges over there and permanent residence.)

Dreams come true and that fact alone keeps me happy as a jay bird. :)

I’m an American and going to go to college in London.
It’s my dream. Been doing lots of research. :)

Okay, so I got into a good grad school, husband is willing to move for me-if the only thing that stops us is money I am going to absolutely lose my mind. Come on Pound, keep losing momentum baby

wishes to return to her hometown, but has now not been accepted by the UCL.

I am undecided whether to choose Belfast or Sheffield. I still have a small chance of getting into Kings in London, otherwise I will have to wait a lot longer. Never mind, I will get there one day.

I studied and worked in London for a year, and ever since have felt this urgent need to move back. I love London, (and Cardiff too)...I can’t list a lot of things I don’t like compared to the city I’m in now. I just wish it were easier to find work abroad.

wanted to ever since i can remember