What is it like living in London for college?

I'm interested in living in England...What steps should I take?

• Currently I'm 19 and going to college. I've always wanted to spend time living in England. I'm not sure how I'll go about doing that though. If all goes well, I'll be going with my friend and her mom somewhere in England (they're visiting a friend of the family...I'm not sure where she lives) next year. I'll be able to see it and decide if I am truly interested in living there for a few months. What steps can I take? I'm completely clueless about visas and citizenship and things like that. How long can I stay without a job? What do I need to get a job? If someone can point me in the right direction on where I can search this type of info I'd be very greatful. Please don't just say google! What are living expenses like? I wouldn't want to live in London, but I would like to be on the outskirts of a city. Preferably on the South-East side. How much would it cost to rent a small but decent flat or townhouse? What about education...What would I need to go to uni there? How much would that be? I also have the option of staying with family...But, quite frankly I'd rather shell out my savings and stay on my own. The family that I've met are very upper class (with multiple homes 0.o) and...snobby. I feel totally out of place with them and I couldn't imagine staying more than a day with them. So...Yeah. That's about it, I think. (: TIA

• Answer:

  It might help if you said where you were starting out from...what nationality are you because there are different rules and regulations for people from inside the EEA (European Economic Area) than to those from somewhere such as the USA. Citizens of the EEA have the right to come here and work without the need for a work permit. However, unless they have the means to support themselves, if they do not have a job after three months they are supposed to return home. Depending on where they are from, citizens not of the EEA either need a visa to come here to visit or they don't...citizens of the USA are able to visit the UK for a maximum of 6 months in any 12 month period without a visitor's visa, however they would need to prove that they had ample funds to be able to support themselves whilst they were here as they would not be allowed to work. If they couldn't do that then they would not be allowed in the country. If they wished to live and work here then they would need a work permit and to get one of those they would need a skill that is in high demand here, or to get themselves transferred by an American firm that has a branch here and with whom they are already working. You can find all the rules and regulations at this Government Border Agency site... http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/ You will also find that our Government is also cutting back on the number of immigrants into this country who are not from the EEA. There is a scheme called the Youth Mobility Scheme, and depending on where you are from you may be eligible for that... http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier5/youthmobilityscheme/