Bob

most scholarships require you to be at minimum an LPR, so the OP won't get squat.

Bob

Online uni's over here tend to be a joke and not cheap, especially at anywhere half decent...it'll be cheaper doing one from the UK, well the missus is doing a masters from King's College, London, £7K...and that's top of the field, over here, something similar from some second rate uni was $20K...but that's a masters...

As for car insurance, UK history will be worthless over here, and no credit history will make things expensive over here, and insurance is expensive, so try and get them to pony up the cost for the first year at least

Vicky88

Just want to add my two cents worth about the community college. When I tried to enrol for a class here in the California, I had to produce a copy of the previous year's State tax return to prove I was resident for the 12 month period or I was going to get charged full costs, which was something like $370 a until. After the 12months is up, it is a cheap option to gain some educational qualifications.

Vicky88

Want to add do not do the University of Phoenix route, as from what I can see those who graduate with a degree from there can only use it as toilet paper. That said, they will only take someone who is currently in the workforce.

Elvira

Just to clarify: you mean $370 a unit for the full academic year? And it takes about 12-16 units to study full-time...

And that's just a community college!

Vicky88

It was per subject, so each subject is normally 3 or 4 credits, so for a full courseload it would be $370 x 4 subjects = $1480 for the semester. Think it's 3 semesters a year so the cheap community college option soon becomes expensive if you are living on one wage.

I know that here in San Diego, to go to UCSD full time it is $32,000 per year, for each of 4 years.

Elvira

Just to clarify, this is out-of-state tuition

I think we're going to be paying something like $7k.

It's the dorm that's the real stinker - over $10k for a *****ing triple room and one crap meal a day! Daylight robbery

Vicky88

Yeah, one thing I have never understood is why people would go to college out of state, taking into account the $'s in debt it puts them in.

If I was a parent there is no way I would pay an extra $25k a year so my kid could party in a better climate.

Elvira

I think US parents tend to go nuts over their kids' college education!

A friend of mine shelled out way over $30k/year for each of her kids' 'liberal arts' education. That's 4 x $30k+ x 2 :scared:

And that's just for a *****ing UG degree! Which have become so undervalued here - because "everyone" has got one... End results being that "no one" is going to get anywhere professionally without a bloody masters at least...

Jerseygirl

Its an American thing........right of passage and all that.

Jerseygirl

Excuse my ignorance but what's a LC? Can't recall having one.

Elvira

labor certification :scared:

just glad DH didn't need it as it appears to suck big time... (which is why I was urging the OP to check this out too if they are interested in going for the GC...)

Jerseygirl

OK Thanks. Pretty sure hubby didn't have one.

RoadWarriorFromLP

I haven't read the whole thread, so forgive me if I restate anything that has already been well flogged. As a native, I'll give you these points to ponder:

-- US$40k pre-tax is pretty modest pay in a major US city. That alone would give me serious reservations.

-- If the SO has such useful job skills, I would be negotiating a relocation package that includes a nice salary bump, benefits, and a career path, accompanied with an employment contract that includes a payout if the position is terminated. From what I could gather here, this sounds like a job that should be really putting her on a management track, and I'd want some assurances that the move is going to serve her long-term career interests, as well as needs for immediate financial gain.

-- Vacation time in the US is generally minimal, often two weeks per year for the first five years of service, in addition to about 10-12 holiday days per year. (And God forbid if you actually try to use this vacation time in one shot.) Remember that a lateral move would probably involve more work hours for the same pre-tax compensation.

-- You do NOT want to live in the US without health benefits. Make sure that she gets a package that includes free or near-free coverage for the two of you, so that you are assured of some coverage. Not having health insurance is extremely foolhardy here, and a healthcare disaster can create ramifications that would be unknown in the UK.

-- Without a university degree, your work prospects here are minimal. Unless you have a path to self-employment in which the degree doesn't matter, or if you get very lucky, I would consider this to be a huge detriment.

-- Car ownership here is generally obligatory, and you have to factor in the cost of car ownership, insurance (high), fuel (seems cheap to you in the UK, but given our general lack of convenient public transit, larger cars and longer commutes, the ultimate cost is probably much greater than you might appreciate), etc. when budgeting to live here.

--Yes, taxes are lower, but for someone of your earning level, the higher costs and reduced opportunities because of the lack of a degree could offset this.

On the whole, I'd be inclined to stay in the UK, given the above. If you do opt for the US, make sure that you consider all of the different expenses, don't just assume that it's just like the UK but with lower taxes.

Jerseygirl

Scot, please bear in mind what RoadWarrior has said he has been extremely helpful to me and certainly knows 'his stuff'.

BTW my hubby transferred ALL his vacation days to the US firm. It is generally frowned upon to take more than 1 weeks vacation at any one time. Most people just take long weekends.