For students going overseas

[peachy3214]

so I am technology challenged. I plan on buying all my electronics over there EXCEPT my computer. I am buying a macbook pro this summer and taking it with me. Instead of worrying about all this convertor/adaptor business couldn't i just buy a new charger in Scotland? so that its works in plugs over there. I imagine that they are not different from US chargers besides what they hook into the wall with.

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[shortnsweet]

so I am technology challenged. I plan on buying all my electronics over there EXCEPT my computer. I am buying a macbook pro this summer and taking it with me. Instead of worrying about all this convertor/adaptor business couldn't i just buy a new charger in Scotland? so that its works in plugs over there. I imagine that they are not different from US chargers besides what they hook into the wall with.

Trust me...it's a waste of money to buy a whole new charger....either buy a standard adapter or go to the apple store and buy the world plugs and then you can just slide the appropriate plug into the charger. That official mac adapter in my opinion is not even worth it...the box on the mac charger does the converting for you...save your money and just get a UK adapter.

 

[ScotVet]

Mac people can easily get the wall plug-to-adaptor cord thingy at the apple store here. I charge my iTouch on my US wall charger with a simple plug adaptor.

Orange has a lovely two-for-one Cinema ticket deal on Wednesdays, but doesn't get reception at Easter Bush. Work out which is worth more to you.
O2 and vodafone are the only mobile carriers I know of that get service out here in the boonies, though that may change soon as the city is moving this way.

I have a pay-as-you-go O2 POS phone. It cost £5 with a £10 pound top up. If you buy phones from Carphone Warehouse then they come unlocked. Unfortunately I bought it from O2, so I can only buy O2 top ups. I don't think it would be hard to unlock it, as many places advertise the service. Anyway, I lived without a mobile for two years and only bought one when I got back from an overseas excursion to find i was locked out of my flat. (not fun!) Since I don't really give my number out, a £10 top up lasts me about 6 months. I only use it for 10p texting as calling is positively exorbitant on my plan. We have Virgin for internet/landline. It's about £23 pounds a month for really good internet and free local nights/weekend calls, but none of us use the landline as we all have mobiles. I Skype home cheaply (yay iTouch with mic headphones!) We tried to get tiscali, but you had to have a BT phoneline installed to get it then, and our flat was wired for now defunct Telewest.

My flat mate has a crackberry on a vodafone plan that she got here. She uses it all the time to keep in touch with Canadia. I'm sure Dr. Google could help you figure out if yours would be SIM/frequency compatible.

 

[flyhi]

So, i will probably be arriving in the UK a whopping 2 months prior to school starting since i am cruising over with dogs. I have looked into a Prospective student visa, which can transfer to a Tier 4....but, just not sure i will qualify.

Does the school require to see your visa to register? How about to rent a flat or open a bank account? I'm wondering if i can go over as a visitor and then go home on break and get my paperwork taken care of?

 

[lei325]

I'm planning on getting an iPhone when I get over to the UK (I'm going to RVC in the fall). There's plans through Vodafone and Orange that are fairly cheap and you get the iPhone for free.

The visa thing is driving me crazy because you can't really apply for it until you get your loans...and I've checked the RVC website and it says that we won't be able to apply for loans until July/August because of the new student loan bill. Does it take a while for visas to get approved?

Also, flyhi, this is some info for opening up UK bank accounts from RVC website:

Opening a UK Bank Account
The process of opening a bank account in the UK can take several weeks, so it is important that you bring enough funds to cover your expenses for this time. The safest way to do this is by using travellers cheques. To open a bank account, you will need to provide

-Your valid passport (containing your student visa)
-A letter from the RVC confirming your course and UK and overseas address
-An ‘overseas reference' from your bank at home would also be useful
-Your previous six months statements from your bank at home

 

[shortnsweet]

Does the school require to see your visa to register? How about to rent a flat or open a bank account? I'm wondering if i can go over as a visitor and then go home on break and get my paperwork taken care of?

I wouldn't try it...I know people who have been deported or held in the airport trying to get a visa over break or if something was flagged on their visa. It's not worth it.

I didn't need to the Visa to get a bank account, but I did need my passport and proof I was an enrolled student.

 

[DogTyred]

I'm planning on getting an iPhone when I get over to the UK (I'm going to RVC in the fall). There's plans through Vodafone and Orange that are fairly cheap and you get the iPhone for free.

I plan on getting one over there too. Funny story about that...I went to AT&T to talk to them about switching my phone to another provider when I get to Edinburgh and the dingbat behind the counter told me I couldn't do it because AT&T is the only provider for iPhones and they are not in Europe. I asked her, then, how all the people over there had them and she told me that they don't. "If they do have them, they have found a way to illegally unlock them." Ha! I told her, let me Google that for ya. I brought up the Orange website on my hubby's phone and showed her what an idiot she was.

 

[ScotVet]

that's hilarious! Goes to show more people should cross the pond more often.

 

[ScotVet]

Also, flyhi, this is some info for opening up UK bank accounts from RVC website:

Opening a UK Bank Account
The process of opening a bank account in the UK can take several weeks, so it is important that you bring enough funds to cover your expenses for this time. The safest way to do this is by using travellers cheques. To open a bank account, you will need to provide

-Your valid passport (containing your student visa)
-A letter from the RVC confirming your course and UK and overseas address
-An ‘overseas reference’ from your bank at home would also be useful
-Your previous six months statements from your bank at home

Opening a bank account with (Halifax) Bank of Scotland WAS taking weeks with no end in sight (much skypeing back and forth with them about whether I had received the snail mailed form yet, resending it, it never DID come) so I switched to Lloyd's and had a bank account and check book same day. Some people had more luck with Halifax, and it seemed the SOP for applying for an account differed depending on the day/branch/average rainfall in the amazon basin. Not sure how relevant my knowledge is since I think Lloyd's bought HBOS in the recession.

 

[lei325]

I plan on getting one over there too. Funny story about that...I went to AT&T to talk to them about switching my phone to another provider whene I get to Edinburgh and the dingbat behind the counter told me I couldn't do it because AT&T is the only provider for iPhones and they are not in Europe. I asked her, then, how all the people over there had them and she told me that they don't. "If they do have them, they have found a way to illegally unlock them." Ha! I told her, let me Google that for ya. I brought up the Orange website on my hubby's phone and showed her what an idiot she was.

Wow. Way to be ignorant, AT&T...

 

[chii chan]

I'm debating what to do with my AT&T account. I just switched from Sprint last June, so I'm more than a year out from my contract end date. I wonder if you can freeze it?

Orange/Vodaphone will give you a free iPhone, but can you keep your old one? But, then again, why would I turn down a free iPhone??

 

[flyhi]

I wouldn't try it...I know people who have been deported or held in the airport trying to get a visa over break or if something was flagged on their visa. It's not worth it.

I didn't need to the Visa to get a bank account, but I did need my passport and proof I was an enrolled student.

Grrrr, then i'm not sure how to do it . I have to cruise over 2 mos early and i guess will have to fly back to US to get my visa. It's such a cluster....

how long do you think it will take to get? I'm not taking out a loan.

thanks!

 

[lei325]

Grrrr, then i'm not sure how to do it . I have to cruise over 2 mos early and i guess will have to fly back to US to get my visa. It's such a cluster....

how long do you think it will take to get? I'm not taking out a loan.

thanks!

On the UKCISA website, they say it can take 2 days to 2 weeks to get a visa.

 

[flyhi]

thanks!