Studying abroad

Zarlak

I want to do it. I keep thinking about it and wanting to do it, but every time I look into it I get put off. Mainly by the supporting yourself out there. It seems that everywhere I look I am not allowed to work while studying. How the hell do you support yourself?

Ideally I'd go out, study, and work to support myself. Otherwise how do you afford to pay for your tuition, pay for your housing, your food etc. It makes 0 sense to me. I could imagine a student loan for the tuition, but you've everthing else to pay for too.

WeasteDevil

Why don't you take Sol up on his job offers?

Zarlak

A few reasons, 1.) I thought it had already finished, 2.) I speak not a word of Spanish, how can I teach if the only way I can communicate with them is in a language they don't understand, 3.) I thought you went for it and didn't get it and you're obviously more qualified than I am so what hope would I have, and 4.) I'm mainly looking to study myself, not teach. I want something I can use later in life to secure a future career.

WeasteDevil

1) It's about to start again on the 8th of April all the way until 20th Decemeber.
2) We don't teach English in Spanish, that's the point, you teach English using English.
3) I just got my confirmation that I'll be starting again on the 8th of April.
4) Can't you mix the two?

Zarlak

To 4.) Possibly, can you send me the details? That's quite soon. I have financial commitments currently that would make it hard. After a break up taking everything on myself that was previously shared. I was looking to start something towards the end of the year.

I just can't get my head around how I could be judged as competent to teach English to someone if I can't show that I'm competent myself via qualifications etc. Or if someone can't understand what I'm trying to say - and wants me to explain it or tell them something specific but neither of us speak each others language.

WeasteDevil

I'll get them to you, but it's only Valencia and Santander that start on the 8th, others start later, and it ramps up through the year.

Zarlak

Cheers. That would be appreciated. It would be a great way to learn another language on the side too. I dismissed it when I realised it wasn't really an option at the time Sol posted.

Maagge

I'm pretty sure you can study and work at the same time in Australia.

Zarlak

I should point out it was USA/Canada I originally looked at to see that you can't work while study.

I did look into Australia and am sure I saw it there as well that you can't work whilst studying.

I have received some PMs from who I guess is a newbie telling me about Norway. Apparantly he studies there full time and pays £100 a year tuition fees. Fuck me sideways is that cheap. Only I can't speak Norweigen and it would be a requirement to be able to speak it so that I could work there to support myself.

Snow

What are you studying? How about going to a place that isn't natively English speaking? You'd get so much more out of it. Experience some culture. All my text books are in English so you'd already be ahead of other students in that department since we need to learn terms in two languages.

Zarlak

I'd love it, the only issue is I'd have to work to support myself. How do you deal with customers if you can't understand them, how can you do interviews if you don't speak the language etc.

WeasteDevil

Teach English? It sounds daft, but it's a way to earn money!

RDCR07

I did study abroad. I went to England. Absolutely loved it.

WeasteDevil

gza the genius

Weaste get me a job! Not on the 8th though, that's too soon.

WeasteDevil

You fancy living in Spain earning 2 grand per month?

gza the genius

That would be great. Teaching ESL?

Snow

Depends on the country. Here everyone speaks English. I'd say the same for Scandinavia but there it depends on the city. I lived in the third largest city in Denmark and English wasn't something that everyone understood. Mostly just people around 30 and younger.

Best thing you can do is talk to someone that has studied abroad from the same background as you. I've studied abroad but I enjoyed Northern privileges that you wouldn't have so it wouldn't be the same. I also don't know how your student loan system is.

I can advice you to come or not come here. It really depends on what you want to study. It's a pricey country mind you but there is a bunch of foreign students. What attracts them the most, I think, is the landscape. That's not everyone's cup of tea.

WeasteDevil

Basically, yes, oral English.

Wibble

20 hours per week if you have a student visa.

Wibble

Sounds like you can in the US as well http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...9080026AAnacDc

alastair

You should apply for the British Council. They'll pay you to teach in a school about £650 a month, reimburse you on transport costs, and it's only about 12 hours a week so there's plenty of time to do other things, like learning the language of the country you're in, and maybe topping up your salary with a part time job.

Zarlak

Thanks for the replies guys. Snow where are you from?

I'll relook into US/Australia, and Alastair how do you mean the British Council? They send you to teach in a school aroad?

Zarlak

'Pharmaceutical sciences' in Amsterdam.

Seems legit.

Hitchcocker

Is it open to Asians?!

WeasteDevil

As long as they can speak English.

WeasteDevil

I'm not sending anyone any contact information unless they are serious about doing it.

sullydnl

Seeing as you're talking about tefl, have any of you been teaching in South Korea? Just about to apply to go over for the year, any advice would be nice.

Legendz

I'm teaching here right now.

Who/what are you applying for? Any specific questions I'd be happy to answer.

JezChan

I was studying abroad in the US last semester, and I was told that on a J-1 visa, you could be employed by the university, but only by the university, which is sponsoring your visa.

Eboue

It would be very easy to get a food service job at almost any US university. So if you are restricted to working on campus, it really isn't much of a restriction.

Snow

I'm Icelandic. I'm surprised at hearing that you aren't allowed to work if you're a foreign student. That's not how it's done in the North. And we aren't half as socialistic as Scandinavia.

The school here is cheap. Well, University of Iceland is. It's a little over 300 pounds for the year. 60.000 Ikr. University of Reykjavik costs about 4 times that.
Everything else is pretty expensive though but maybe you won't find it bad because of the exchange rate from your POV.

Really depends on what you're planning to study and what your interests are if I'd recommend you coming here or not. The country is PL crazy. The night life is excellent. If you're after some women folk then I guarantee you won't be disappointed. If you're after men folk, I guess you wouldn't be either.

Myself, I don't care that much about a good looking nature. It's the selling point for most people though. I'd imagine if that was your cup of tea you'd know about it already.

Grinner

I studied in the US and it was bastard expensive.

Zarlak

I'll give that a look into as well. The really disappointing thing I found is that the University of Copenhagen and also Bergen don't offer postgraduate degrees in English.

Wibble

20 hours a week on campus during term and unlimited during holidays. You can work off campus but you have to apply for a permit, no idea what you have to demonstrate to get this, perhaps that there is no on campus employment or perhaps that it ties in with your course?

Grinner

You can also apply for scholarships. I got some free money that way.

dmode

Studying abroad has been one of the best moments i've had in my life. Don't even hesitate, GO FOR IT, international exposure is very important.