checkers4

Hi,
Am busily researching but thought I'd ask on here as well if anyone has any pearls of wisdom or experienced it themselves. I have 2 boys finishing grade 9 and 7 this June and I have the option to return to the UK now or in 2 years. The preference for the family would be to stay in the US for another 2 years so would mean moving back 2024 when they would have finished grade 11 and 9 so older one would start 6th form college and younger one do GCSE's. My worry is the older one wouldn't have finished high school so not sure whether his results to date would be transferable or would he have to take some GCSE's and effectively held back to get to a recognized level? If that's the case then only option is to go back this year so he can start them with the rest of the children his age as I want to minimize impact to him if possible. Any advice appreciated.
Thanks in advance..

petitefrancaise

Having moved my own children into the USA during high school, I'd definitely suggest that you move sooner rather than in 2 years. The longer you have to iron out the kinks in the 2 education systems before higher education applications the better.
Presumably your visa is a non-immigrant one (L1?) so that uni applications in the UK are as a UK resident?
Is there no way your elder son can finish 12th grade? Get his AP exams and graduate HS then go straight to uni in the UK?
Any chance of him doing an IB diploma in the USA? That might make for an easier transition to UK school and uni.
I have been pondering your situation since last night and in your situation I would move this year.

checkers4

Thanks for taking the time to respond petite really appreciated and been giving me sleepless nights now. Yes I'm on a L1 at the moment, it would run out at the end of 2023 and have been fully extended by then so to make the 2 years was going to apply for the green card to stay until the end of the school year. To stay for my eldest to complete HS then my youngest would have finished 10th grade and I believe I'd be in similar situation of him moving back to the UK "mid GCSE" timeline which I believe would be the worst outcome but may be wrong.
It's a real dilemma as the whole family want some more time in the US as our quality of life has increased and the boys, especially the youngest, are so settled yet we don't see it as a forever move with parents starting to age and I also have daughters in the UK. I'll look in to an IB diploma as not heard of that before, I think I probably need to find someone to speak to on it quickly, I came across this forum and had hoped someone has the same experience.
It may come down to a move back July or commit to staying for another 4 years and assess then but I have to be realistic my sons will probably definitely want to stay then.

petitefrancaise

If your company is offering a GC then I would go for that and stay until your sons have finished school. It also opens up the option for them to remain in the USA even if your long term plans are to go back to the UK. I'm all for keeping options open and that really would be the ideal outcome for all of you.

christmasoompa

Just to say we've enquired about this to lots of UK uni's, and about half have said we could pay resident's fees, the other half have said international fees would be due. So just being on a L1 isn't necessarily enough to convince them to waive the 3 years residency requirement.

I agree that the IB program is a great idea though, that's what we'll be doing with our teen.

checkers4

Thanks Christmasoompa for taking the time to respond. Job for tonight to look in to the IB program!

penguinsix

There is a converse of this forum for US expats living in the UK, including a sub-forum on parenting and schooling issues. They discuss a number of the issues they have had moving from US->UK schooling that might be helpful.

https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php...8ka3&board=8.0

morpeth

For resident university fees isn't there a requirement for student to have been resident for three years prior to university ?

Jerseygirl

From reading experiences on here…it depends on the uni. Our members have also had luck if they were on a temp. visa, as opposed to perm. residency.

mrken30

What is used to determine residency? Would bank statements suffice, or do you need signed letters from a teacher or doctor ect?

morpeth

I would assume being on electoral roll, tenancy agreement and/or utility bill.

durham_lad

for us it was utility bills to our new address.