Could someone be more specific about the differences in the 4 year vs. 5 year program? If I have a BS in Biology, I would be eligible for the 4 year program, correct?
I am seriously considering applying, but wonder how difficult it is to bring your pets abroad, too. Also, what about spouses? Do they need some type of visa to live there for 4 years?
Thanks!
Hi kids, chiming in from Edinburgh.
I don't know why they open up for late applicants, but they did it last year and that is how I ended up here.
First, the pets issue. If I knew then what I know now, honestly I'd have flown Delta with dogs as checked baggage, flown into the Netherlands and then taken a ferry from Hook of Holland into Harwich. International flight for a pet as checked baggage on Delta is $230. You cannot fly into the UK with a pet as checked baggage (have to be shipped "cargo") and the price goes
through the
roof (I am spending a small fortune to get my dogs here). Actually, if I could have booked in time I would have done what flyhi is doing and taken the QM2, but you have to book VERY far ahead (like, a year) of time for that option. BUT, it is possible to get pets here and a number of my classmates have brought pets with them.
Spouses - relatively easy to get a visa, as long as you get yours. You get your student visa, and your spouse is granted a visa based on the fact that you have your visa. Important thing to realize is that when applying for visas you MUST be able to show that you have finances available for your spouse! Last year, you had to be able to show that you had 3600 pounds (not dollars - well, you have the money in dollars but it must convert to at least 3600 pounds) in a bank account for at least 30 days prior to your visa application for 'spouse support.' I know one of my classmates just showed that the amount of financial aid she was getting was sufficient to cover her tuition, her living expenses, and her husband's required living expenses as well. As long as you're able to show them (in the way they need it) that you have everything, then getting a visa for a spouse is not tough. A lot of jumping through hoops, but you don't need to show that they have special skills that are needed in the UK or anything like that. There were MASSIVE headaches for some students last year getting visas (myself included), but a lot of that related to the fact that the UK changed the visa process late spring/early summer last year, so I would imagine that would work much more smoothly this year.
The 4-year program is like the 5 year program on speed, minus some bits. If you have a BS in Biology, then you're eligible to apply for the 4 year, and they'll evaluate the classes you've taken and see if they think you have the background needed to get into the 4 year program (known as GEP). You don't take a lot of the classes that the first year students in the 5 year program take, and they count on you having background science knowledge (which you'll have coming in with a science degree). Essentially, they take the bits they think you need from the first and second years of the 5 year program, and cram them into one year, the GEP year. After your first year, you'll join up with the students going into their 3rd year (when you should be heading into your 2nd year), and you'll be with them for the remainder of the program. So you complete the GEP year, then the next year you're in "third" year and complete "fourth" and "fifth" year with the other students (your year 2, 3, and 4).
I do agree with flyhi that things are well organized with the application process... and then you get here.
😉 Things not quite so well organized then! BUT, we're here, making it through VET SCHOOL IN SCOTLAND
😀 and we've just finished our before-winter break exams.
There are some very cool things about the UK schools - you're required to do what they call "EMS" which means you need to get 12 weeks of experience before the start of your second year (we have to be all completed and forms in by the beginning of August) with a variety of animals, just working on general husbandry type stuff. So, a couple of weeks working around cattle, horses, sheep, a week with pigs, dogs and cats, and small mammals. It's an interesting idea and it's kind of neat to have to go do this work with species you may be less than familiar with. You can complete up to 6 weeks of this before starting (and up to 4 weeks of that 6 weeks you can get exemptions for based on past work) and I highly recommend that you do as much as you can before starting, as that will leave more of the summer after your first year open in case you want to do research projects or go on an organized trip or something.
Anyhoo, any questions, feel free to ask and I'll do what I can to answer. If I don't respond, feel free to PM me since I don't check in here very often at the moment. Good luck!
👍
I wonder if that means they are close to sending out acceptances/rejections. I saw last year they were sent mid-Dec and guess whats almost here. How am I supposed to study for finals WITH THIS KIND OF STRESS!?!?!?!?
