sambodiplanco

Hi folks,

First-time poster so: Hello, nice to be here, etc, hope you're all enjoying some peaceful, scally-free existences on the continent.

Right, down to business: Basically, I'm 25 and when it comes to life in the United Kingdom "I've seen enough", as they say at the football. I just can't cope anymore with the insidious crassness, vulgarity and cruelty that infects particularly the younger generations in this country: I'm tired of having to dodge drunken punch-ups and puddles of vomit in the town centre, of seeing headlines about pensioners being beaten up for the £5 in their purse or 19 year old girls being kicked to death for how they were dressed or 11 year old boys getting caught up in gang shootings.

And yes, for all you relativists out there - I KNOW nowhere's perfect, I know all Western democracies have their problems, and I know the more appalling incidents are still quite rare: but they're not rare enough in this country. Over the past few years I've had friends from Australia, Germany, Finland, Estonia and Spain who've all come here to work, study or visit and have all said the same thing: "God, aren't your young people scary over here? I've never been so afraid of kids."

Add that to the fact that I'm not a big drinker, not a TV watcher and not really a football fan, and British culture in general really isn't for me. I'd like to relocate to one of those quiet countries in Scandinavia, the Baltics or Central Europe where the majority of Brits will never venture because it's "boring" and the languages are too hard: and I'll live out my "boring" existence in peace.

On to my question: like a lot of people, I was fairly messed-up/confused in my late teens and early twenties, and for one reason or another I never got a degree. I do have good A Levels and a very strong academic pedigree otherwise - I'm pretty smart, I've always had a good affinity for foreign languages, and when I do set my mind to something I can work prodigiously. Now, I imagine that to get on and improve my prospects for the future, I'll probably need to add some extra skills/formal qualifications to my bow over the next few years.

I could stay in the UK to do that, but frankly the idea of being tethered here for another two, three, four years with some kind of education or training is just completely dispiriting. What I'd REALLY like to do is relocate and then potentially access education/training in my new country - how feasible is this in another EU State? Would I be able to get on university or college courses with my UK qualifications? And would I be eligible for whatever grants/student loans are normally available to learners in that country?

I've checked out the EU website and it seems to suggest the answer to these questions is yes - but it's couched in the kind of vague, bureaucratic language that always leaves you guessing. I'm hoping someone here will be able to give a direct, informed answer.

Thanks in advance for any help or enlightenment you might be able to provide.

Celtic Princess

The rules are simple and complex at the same time, which is a pain in the neck.

Simple: as an EU citizen you have the same rights to access education in any given member state as someone from that state. So if you are in Sweden they have to treat you in exactly the same way as they would treat a Swede.

Complex: each state has it's own way of doing things and there own set of rules, which is fine so long as they don't go against the simple rule.

I can only give you specific information about where I have lived, Sweden and the UK.

In the UK you do not officially need any qualifications to study at university level (take a look at the open university site). However most would expect you to have 2 Alevels or equivalent. More importantly in your case perhaps, they will want you to have studied at that sort of level during the last 5 years. Not because Alevels expire but because they believe that jumping straight back in after a long break is too hard.

In Sweden you have to have Swedish to attend university. You can teach yourself or pay for lessons and then sit a university entry level Swedish test or you can go to SFI classes. SFI classes are free Swedish lessons for foreigners. That's what I'm doing at the moment. And once I pass the next level (soon I hope) I will qualify for student money.

Good luck.

Samual

Oh my goodness you sound just like me, but older! I thought about studying in Norway, but decided to stay in the UK for uni.

I'm sure A Levels are accepted all over Europe and the world for university admission. I think each country will have its own rules regarding funding. Google countries you're interested in, heres a few:

www.studyindenmark.dk
www.studyinpoland.p
www.studyinsweden.se
www.studyin.cz
www.smartestonia.ee

If you haven't already, check out www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forums - its likely someone on there can give you a better answer than me.

I thought there are foundation years at some Scandinavian universities to learn the local language? I didn't know you had to pay though!