Hello, all! Longtime lurker on Reddit and now on Lemmy. I’ve tried looking into getting out of the US as things aren’t looking too great as I’m sure many of you know, but wanted some tips from those of us who have gotten out. Where did you decide to move to, and what were the things you looked at when deciding to move there? How did you go about the process? What are some stories you can tell about the immigration process? Where can I start? How can I realistically make it happen? I hope this isn’t silly to you all, as it matters quite a lot to me and I’m genuinely interested in getting away from here for good. Thank you all for your time!
Happy to answer questions!
In Australia, the big difference between domestic and international students is that domestic students costs are subsidized by the government via a federal interest-free student loan scheme, whereas international students must pay each semester up front. That cost varies depending on what you’re studying. (Every university should have info on their website about international student fees.)
The other limiting thing is that on a student visa, you aren’t allowed to work more than 20hr/week during the semester. So you either need to arrive with a very healthy bank account or put a lot aside during summer and winter break, in order to cover cost of living in addition to tuition. I was only able to do it because my parents were covering my tuition and accommodation.
(A possible point of interest: my bachelor’s degree as a full fee paying international student in Australia ended up being cheaper than my sister’s degree from a private college in the USA. Go figure!)
As an Australian, may I point out that one of the conditions of obtaining a student visa is being able to support yourself while you are here. There is a resentment of international students who get partway through a course and then cry poor. Our university (and probably others) held a big campaign during COVID lockdowns to donate money, clothing, groceries to international students who couldn’t work and couldn’t get back home; like so many other things, there were people who thought “of course we have to help these poor unfortunate people” and others who thought “oh no, anyway”.
As an Australian, I feel that (in my opinion) while Australia is in some ways an easygoing relaxed society, there is a low tolerance for (1) people trying to game the system and (2) stupid bullshit. Australian society can also in some circles, be racist and intolerant, especially towards those who are non-white and/or non-christian.
Understandable. I wasn’t aware of international students struggling when I was at uni (doubtless there were some, I just didn’t see them). COVID lockdowns and border closures were an extreme situation, and I would think there were probably some students who would have been fine normally but didn’t have the extra resources to deal with that large a curveball.
Generally, I think the rules around student visas are reasonable. You’re here to earn a degree, and that needs to be your focus… Not holding down a full-time job to put a roof over your head. Studying abroad is a luxury. (Of course, universities like international students because $$$…)