ozzieeagle

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ozzieeagle

I'll investigate a lot more fully today.... rather than ducking my head in the door on the wait out to work and asking her when she hasn't got her headphones on.... She told me 8K per subject per term, or so I thought she did.

Likes others have said, I've left that kind of thing up to her and the HECS system... God knows she lives here for free and gets some dosh now and again despite her working.... thats about my limit


I do know she was talking to Bournmouth University at one stage, before she got accepted back into Engineering.


BTW Isn't Melbourne Uni currently in the top 30 Universities in the world... ? With only 2/3 UK universities ranked higher ? Tis bloody hard enough to get into.

Dreamy

She may be confused (or you are ) because of the bizarre way they describe their fees.

They are charged per subject they take throughout the year, but this is multiplied by the weighting the subject has as a percentage of the full time study load.

Here's the fee page

Melbourne Uni Fee Calculator

Margaret3

[QUOTE=ozzieeagle;10613402]

Likes others have said, I've left that kind of thing up to her and the HECS system... God knows she lives here for free and gets some dosh now and again despite her working.... thats about my limit


Us too Mind you am a little sad that our daughter didnt get the chance to go to uni in Scotland. Just melancholy i guess

If we had been in a financial position to consider it then we wouldve, however perhaps we were lucky as the decision was made for us.

ossigeno

No it really needs to be considered now given that the last 3 years high school need to be completed in UK to be considered a local student. 15 is way too critical a time to move a child to school overseas so it would need to be 13 or 14 which is 1-2 years away.

Jerseygirl

There is a very good chance that she will stay in the country where she attends uni. Something to bear in mind.

Evelin

This was the main reason why my daughter went to Imperial College instead of a uni in her home country. No regrets there, it opened doors. On top of it, it didn't cost us anything, we are from EU. All this is a few years ago and attitudes towards certain universities have changed. Imperial for instance doesn't have the high ranking as it had at her time.

I believe Melb Uni would be fantastic too.

GarryP

OK, if you are thinking strategically, you really need to consider the wider picture.

First, why would she be going to university?

1. To get a well paid job/career when leaving?
2. To be exposed to the joy of learning at a higher level, the academic aspects?
3. For the lifestyle, the contacts, having fun?

The first of these is really getting very dodgy today, and will probably be even more dodgy by 5 years time. Hell, even newly graduated lawyers are finding it difficult to find jobs. The opportunities for entry and advancement to well paid, secure, careers is decreasing all the time. At the same time employers are tending towards requiring degrees for considering the application at all - mainly because they can, because there are too many 'university educated' - with McDegrees.

As such, be VERY careful expecting a degree to be a ticket to success, unless you know it for certain in today's and tomorrow's market.

The second and third reasons can still be valid (provided you have the money for it), and tend towards picking the right universities, with the right characteristics, as prime importance. To take these paths she either has be really be tied to the academic path/love of learning (which you should already know), or be looking for a life where the environment of a university will allow her to bloom.

You also have to consider that higher education, particularly in Australia, is a money making business. The costs are rising, and will probably continue to rise. faster than inflation, and much faster than salaries. There are already questions of if a degree is justifiable on a RoI basis, and with opportunities decreasing and costs increasing - these are only going to grow.

As a consequence, the expectation is that universities will go virtual relatively soon - with the top flight delivering tuition online and offering exams and recognition in a distributed fashion - cutting costs to students and university, and widening catchment and student numbers. That probably means a bloodbath, as lots of slower moving, less recognised universities go to the wall.

So bringing it together, in 5 years time you have to consider that the landscape could have significantly changed. If you are physically attending a university it probably needs to either be a very good one, or a very cheap one. The first gives you contacts and recognition. The second is work-a-day and gives you the piece of paper to put on the CV at minimum cost/hassle.


Personally, were I advising a nephew, I'd say pursue a parallel course from 16 onwards. Academic learning to a 'good enough' level, coupled with grounding in business and startups/business knowledge. Then take a 'year off' before university to pursue a business idea seriously. If it works, ditch the university, otherwise run in parallel with learning to make a little money to fund the course. That way you leave university with two avenues open to you, and potential to not be a wage slave (which does not look to be a good place into the future).

Famous 5

I have just been round this loop with my middle child who has just started at uni this year.

We are considering a move back to the UK in the next few years so thought we would look at the UK options too. Ultimately I think the issue of fees will kill the prospect of uni in the UK.

Following interviews in January she has offers from two highly regarded UK medical schools, but even though the course in the UK is only 5 years, the international fees will amount to £135k (yes, £ not $) and there is no access to student loans for international students. Here, the HECS debt will be about $70k (she's on a 7 year programme). In both cases living expenses are on top.

The uni/programme here is rated highly in terms of global rankings so we have no worries on that score. Perhaps Oxford or Cambridge might be worth the extra money, but I'm not so sure. The difference is significant (about $125k) and might be put to better use as a deposit on a property.

So if your daughter wants to study medicine in the UK it would certainly be worth relocating in time to qualify for domestic fees, but only if relocating is part of your longer term plan. We looked at this issue because relocation is part of our longer term plan and not because we think that uni in the UK will give our kids an advantage over going to uni here. There are good unis here and bad ones, but it's the same in the UK and any student should think carefully about where they choose to study/spend their money.

jad n rich

I know the Brisbane and Sunshine Coast universities allow Students to do a year of study overseas, and you pay for the year in Australian fees. My son was interested in the USA, even for a US citizen the fees for that year would be 25K plus but to him then around $9,000

Not helping the OP, sorry but relevant to the thread and may be of huge interest to someone else.

ozzieeagle

How much do you reckon you would have to allow for living expenses..... just a ball park figure for accom and food etc.

I'm guessing somewhere between 15 and 20K AUD ? Oh and are they allowed to work part time on a Student Visa in the US ?

BTW NickyC & Dreamy thanks for the explanation and the Link.

Still haven't got to the bottom of this with my Daughter yet.

bourbon-biscuit

Just moved my daughter at 15 and it has proven not at all "way too critical"-in some ways she has coped with it better now than she would have at 13/14 because she is more mature and was better able to appreciate the gains for herself. Didn't help that she had her first experience of falling in love just 4 weeks before we left though .... and also a little bit

The OP is clearly in the position of being able to fully fund his/her kid's uni fees, which is fantastic and then of course the difference between international and domestic fees in the UK becomes almost not worth worrying about. However, if you aren't in the position of being able to pay for your kid's/ kids' uni fees upfront, then being classed as a domestic student in the UK rather than international makes a world of difference as only the former has access to loans.

Almo

Do you have to complete the last three years of high school in the UK? Admittedly it was some time ago, but we moved to the UK in time for my brother to do his A-levels there and he then had a gap year to get to the three years. Just wondered if it had changed or whether you would consider that as an option? If she worked for a year it would be good for her CV, would open up avenues if her degree doesn't and would get some cash behind her.

KJCherokee

Fine, but the path that exists today will have been turned into a shopping centre car park in 6 years time. Make sure you have plenty of alternative routes available. And by then they may have demolished your destination anyway.

RedDragon2008

I heard in order to qualify for home fees in UK, she'll need to be back in the UK for at least 4 yrs prior to Uni entry to qualify. Seeing as she's 12 now, you'll need to move back when she's 14 ie in 2 yrs. Good luck!