- apply for housing ✓
- pay deposit ✓
- receive/double-check papers ✓
- pay SEVIS fee
- make copies of SEVIS receipt
- complete DS-160 form
- get new photographs taken
- schedule appointment at the U.S. Consulate
- pay visa processing fee
- make copies of DS-160 barcode
- visit GP with medical history form 4 weeks ago

The thing is that I’m not the richest person on the face of this planet, which usually doesn’t bother me. ‘Money does not equal happiness’ is one of the first and most valuable life lessons I’ve learnt.

However, I wouldn’t mind having some pocket money to make the most of my 5 or 6 months studying in the US. I’m aware that New York City – like London – isn’t cheap. I will do my best to get a job come June or July but the problem is that I won’t have enough time to make a decent amount of cash in a month, as a student…

So I was thinking of starting a fundraiser. However, I don’t want to start one without giving anything back to all those kind people that helped funding me.

Here’s my idea:

Everyone who helps to fund me will get a reward in return.

I know what I’m relatively good at and that is writing! So I’m going to write about my study abroad experience. I will go into every single detail and take pictures with my SLR camera.

I will ask my literary friends to proofread it every few weeks and make some changes. By the end of my trip I will self-publish my work and every person who donated between 10 to 20€ will get a free copy.

Every person that donates over 25€ will get a signed copy with a personal Thank You note and what not. For people who donate more I could send them a free print of one of my photos or something like that.

The thing is that I want to hear people’s opinions and whether this sounds like a good idea or not? This would be a great motivation for me to take my writing and picture-taking to a whole new level, and of course, having people fund me will make sure that I will give 200% to satisfy everyone. 4 weeks ago

I’m almost done with the application. The deadline is today but I got a few extra days from the college, which is a relief. I can’t wait for this to be over and done with. The next step will be getting a student visa. So little time and still so much left to do! 1 month ago

Filling out this application is a pain. However, my bank statement should be getting here soon and then I will hopefully be able to scan everything in and email it. I still need to figure out which courses I’m going to take.

I also need to go see my programme director to get some papers signed. 1 month ago

So this is my definite destination now. All I need to do is be quick and fill in the application form they sent me yesterday. The deadline is very, very soon so I’m a bit stressed. On top of that I have other deadlines to worry about so these next few weeks and months will be deeply stressful. Better start meditating and going for runs. 2 months ago

Instead of panicking I decided to keep myself together and it was the best thing to do. The mess is getting sorted slowly and everything is starting to fall into place. i’ve been assigned to a different school after all because my first choice didn’t offer on campus housing for exchange students.
My coordinator is trying to assign me to a college in the Bronx now which should hopefully work out! Otherwise it looks like I’m going to the west coast after all. After the Easter Break things should be clearer. 2 months ago

So many different issues have come up now all of a sudden and I’m in a lot of stress right now. It doesn’t help that I have 3 upcoming deadlines and classes to go to as well… Really the International Office are going to sort this mess out that they’ve got me into now UGH2 months ago

I’m going to study at Molloy College in Long Island, NY this fall. 2 months ago

THIS IS HAPPENING, OH YEAH3 months ago

Handed in my application this week, now I have to wait until mid-february for my university to give me their decision..

I’m very positive about it. Convinced my personal statement is strong, my reference should be positive too and all I need is the good grades. I got a first in one of my modules so maybe that will help me to be convincing enough! 4 months ago

All I need to do is finish my personal statement which is almost ready.. My tutor wrote a reference and he assured me it was ‘altogether positive’, which makes me quite excited. Going to the US will be so daunting but surely fun. Can’t wait to go.
Although I still can’t be where my boyfriend is I’ll be a lot closer. Only a 1 hr time difference will be between us and the flights will be a bit cheaper. Sadly it will be soccer season though so I won’t be able to come see him that much and especially viceversa. But being in the same country is a nice thing. And maybe I can stay over Christmas and got skiing with them in Colorado but all of that I will know once I get my visa! 4 months ago

East or (North)West Coast? hmmm 5 months ago

I was supposed to go to my boyfriend’s university but for several reasons that isn’t possible so I need to pick different universities. I try to stay motivated and get into the programme so that I’ll at least get away from here.
I’m so down and sad at the moment that it’s hard to carry on. But I was taught that no matter how many times I get knocked off my feet, I have to get up and keep fighting because that’s the only way my life can go forward. It is hard but I know I can achieve so many great things in life if I just work and try hard enough. Every time I fall, I get up stronger than I was before. 5 months ago

Trying not to give up on this, there’s still hope… 5 months ago

At the moment I’m extremely tense about this. My school has finally begun with the application process and the deadline is on the 25th January.
I feel very insecure and scared about this because if my grades drop below 60% I am pretty much screwed and won’t be able to leave. I need a 2:1 this semester (meaning 60% and over) to be eligible for the study abroad programme. I’m sad about this because I got 60% in 2 of my essays. I’m still waiting for 2 other essays and I still need to write 2 exams, have a group presentation and complete a final essay. I’m trying so hard to get good grades but don’t know how. So I might just book a tutorial with my lecturers and ask them how I could improve myself. It’s really important to me. I really want to go to the US next year. 5 months ago

I was told that the application process starts mid-november and I can’t wait. I hope I can go to the university of my choice. I will do everything in my power to get there! I’m really determined. I know I will be absolutely stressed since I have to write a personal statement and arrange all the necessary paper work. On top of that I have exams, presentations and essays to write, ah! 6 months ago

http://www.internationalscholarships.com
http://www.fulbright.be/ 8 months ago

• USC Grad School (Los Angeles, CA) offers a PhD in English (financial aid can be provided with stipends & fellowships; opportunities for assistant lectureships)

• Emory University (Georgia, ATL) offer PhD in English or Comparative Literature (basic stipends/salaries or fellowships coverin tuition and other expenses) 8 months ago

• financial aid is given to internationals through fellowships, scholarships, teaching and research assistantships, tuition waiver, grants and loans

• the amount of the financial aid depends on every institution

• it is a highly competitive process

• chances of getting financial aid are obviously higher when applying to several different universities

• according to current US immigration laws, internationals are not allowed to work off campus and they’re not allowed to work more than 20 hours per week during the semester

• intended work in the U.S. cannot be declared as a funding source when applying for a visa 8 months ago

I need to find a university that offers similar modules for the courses I’m doing in England. I’m only allowed to take back 45 credits so I need to make sure that I have enough credits when I leave. I shouldn’t be worrying about that though because I’m taking 5 modules (=75 credits) next semester instead of the usual 4 (= 60), so I’d have more than the needed 120 credits this year. 8 months ago

http://scholarship-positions.com/the-butex-scholarship-for-north-american-and-uk-students-2013-2014/2012/08/25/ 9 months ago

It’s always been in the back of my mind. To study abroad either somewhere in Australia or in the USA. I remember going to a few meetings and introductions last winter and I had decided against leaving for 2nd year. I was scared that everyone would have a house along with housemates that they know and that I’d be the homeless one once I came back from my study abroad programme, having to move in with people I didn’t know at all. Unfortunately, my uni only offers a semester abroad. They won’t have you go for a an entire year, which is fair enough.

However, my life has changed… Due to several reasons I want to go to the States. I no longer care about having to live on my own or with people I’m not familiar with. It’s just part of growing up I guess. I just hope that they will allow me to leave when I’m in my third and last year of uni. I will have to wait until late autumn to find out about my possibilities. My programme director likes me so maybe he will be willing to support me as he is an American himself. 10 months ago