New Member! Need honest advice!

[r7_human8y]

Hi All,

First of all, thanks for creating this forum. It is of much help for us information seeker.=)

Let me start by introducing myself, i am r7_human8y(member name), i am a filipino, 27 yrs of age. Currently I am base in singapore together with my wife. I am working here for almost two years as a consultant in an architectural firm.

I am planning to expand my expertise in Civil Engineering field so I applied for a Master's degree in UK London. Thank God, it was approved and i defer my intake to next early intake which is next year October 2014. I applied in UK rather than here in Singapore because the degree i will be taking is a new field in Engineering and only UK universities pioneered to offer it in the world.

I am very much excited but then again, more questions popping in to my mind.

If I will go to UK and take my masters degree, can I work part time?
If I will work part time will it be enough to support my family(parents)? Knowing the fact that I earned here in sg almost 170k php a month.
If I bring my wife, can she work full time?
How much typically she would earn a month?
I am sending more or less 30k a month to support my family in phil, can I earn it in UK so that while studying I can still support them?
Is it easy to find a job in UK?
Will it be easy for us filipinos to live in UK?
What are the things I should prepare before living UK?

I am passionate enough to pursue my dreams and ambitions in life. This masters degree would be my stepping stone towards working to an elite architectural company and possibly towards my PhD degree.
But I value much more my family rather that pursuing my career, so if all of this will cause them discomfort and financial instability, I would be much willing to set this aside.

So for you guys out there, can you give me an honest advice? Thank you so much!!!

[irishman12]

hi ,don't know if you already got a visa?if it is a visa to study,most likely it will mean you aren't allowed to work ,has your wife applied visa?

[Ako Si Jamie]

I'm not sure but welcome to the forum anyway.

[joebloggs]

the info you need is here..

http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/inf...our_family.php

http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/inf...ng_studies.php

you probably can work 20hrs a week max,
i doubt you could support your self and your wife and family and pay your uni fees on part time work

she could probably work full time, (read the links above) how much would she get paid, is she skilled ?

even with your wife working and you working part time, i think you would struggle to pay rent + bills, uni fees and support your family

[grahamw48]

Welcome to the forum.

It might be better for you just to come alone and your wife and family to live in the Philippines at lower cost, at least until you have established yourself and understand the costs involved here.

How long will your course last ?

I'm sure you would find yourself very welcome here in the UK, where there is a thriving and happy Filipino community.

[fred]

I thought that UK Uni`s don't accept Philippine high school and college qualifications?
How did you manage to secure a degree course?
Im very interested in finding out..
Thanks.

[Steve.r]

And you want to give up earning 170k in Singapore??

[Michael Parnham]

Yes, why give up £2,500 a month in Singapore? don't mean to be rude and a very warm welcome to the Forum

[grahamw48]

That's not a big wage these days Michael...especially in Singapore or Hong Kong etc.

[Steve.r]

Yes, why give up £2,500 a month in Singapore? don't mean to be rude and a very warm welcome to the Forum

Maybe he thinks our land is filled with milk and honey and the roads are paved with gold. The fact that on £2500 a month in Singapore swapping that for 20 hours part time in the UK will solve his problems. To be honest a few million people in the UK would be more than happy with the prospect of earning that sort of money. As for earning potential, I would stay in Singapore anyway.
My honest take on it is that he wants to bring the whole family over here on the pretense of studying. If this is not the fact then I stand to be corrected.

[Michael Parnham]

That's not a big wage these days Michael...especially in Singapore or Hong Kong etc.

With respect Graham, it's a fortune to me, we manage on that for three months!

[joebloggs]

not just that Steve, he will have to pay international student fees and that could be anything up to £17k a year

[SimonH]

Cost of living in Singapore is much higher than here, so £2500 a month really isn't much. However at 27 and the potential of getting a masters degree to put yourself at the top of your chosen industry and I would have thought making at least 4 x that amount a month, I know what I would be doing

[grahamw48]

Yes, it would make sense Simon, I agree.

[bigmarco]

Cost of living in Singapore is much higher than here, so £2500 a month really isn't much. However at 27 and the potential of getting a masters degree to put yourself at the top of your chosen industry and I would have thought making at least 4 x that amount a month, I know what I would be doing

Well said that's exactly how I see it
Welcome to the forum

[raynaputi]

When I was working in Singapore (2007-2008), I was earning 3500 SGD a month and was also sending 1000 SGD to my family back home monthly from that salary (exchange rate that time ranged from 30 to 32 pesos for 1 SGD I think). I was living very much comfortably during those times. It really depends on how you live your life in Singapore; i.e. the house you rent (whether you rent the entire house/apartment with other people or you rent it all by yourself), and of course your lifestyle.

I was renting a room in an apartment where the occupants are also Filipinos (a family from Davao) and I was paying 400 SGD a month for it. I contribute to the food and other stuffs too (internet, food, electric, etc.) but there really is no fixed price and the family I lived with most of the time insisted not to do so coz they said I was part of the family and my rent is enough (I know I was lucky ). I managed to save at least 1000 SGD monthly from my salary less all the bills I have to pay and my monthly support to family in the Philippines. Take note that I regularly go to malls to shop, Starbucks, dine out with friends, but I know how much I should just need to spend to be able to save that 1000 SGD.

If it was me on the OP's position, knowing the living cost here in UK, especially in London, I would stay in Singapore. Unless he has a lot of savings to manage here in the UK, then why not. It's just me.

[grahamw48]

But the qualification he is seeking can only be studied for here ?

[raynaputi]

But the qualification he is seeking can only be studied for here ?

The OP said that..I wonder why it's only offered here in the UK and not in Singapore?

[SimonH]

OP said
"I applied in UK rather than here in Singapore because the degree i will be taking is a new field in Engineering and only UK universities pioneered to offer it in the world."
Has to start somewhere, looks like it's here

[raynaputi]

Well I wish him the best. Like I said, unless he has a big savings to get on that course and live in London, and at the same time support his family back in the Philippines with just a prospect of earning a bit from a part time job here, then go for it. It's really the risk of surviving here with enough money.

[r7_human8y]

Hi All,

Thanks for the warmed welcome. And I do appreciate all your views and honest comments.

I said that only most of the UK universities offered this MSc degree because again, it is a new field in Architecture and Engineering which most of the rest of the countries doesnt/few only offer this course.

http://www.liv.ac.uk/study/london/pr...-modelling.php

And for the questioned also that how did the University managed to accept my bachelors degree, that I do not know. All I know is, I have a strong background in this field due to some courses and international certification that I get. And since I came here in Singapore, this is already my main expertise.
My working experience also, I work in 4 respected and big companies here in SG and oversea. I worked as a senior staff and a project base manager. Maybe because of that experience they give me a chance to study in their university.
For the comment also that I want to bring my whole family in UK for good, I think its wrong as far as I'm concerned. After earning my MSc degree, I will either go back in SG and take the offer of a construction company as a managerial role which I declined because of this opportunity, or go to Australia for my PhD if I can earn enough while working part time.
My only objective is to gain impressive expertise in my field and hopefully soon open a company in Phil or SG.
My only problem I guess in UK is how to survive for my daily expenses and the money to send back to Phil. And for my university fee, I have already set aside some money which is enough to pay for my whole course.
I want to bring my wife along with me because we are newly wed last Feb here in SG. And I am very lucky to have her because she is very supportive in all the things that I do. And I know there will be times there that I will feel homesick, and I know for sure, my wife is only my strength.
The second reason is that, she will be able to sustain i guess our daily needs in UK if she will be working full time and me part time. She has a degree in Phil and she is a nurse.
But I dont know if I will be doing the good thing for me and for my family. Thats why I really need your honest advice. It is really appreciated. Can you give me more advices and enlightenment? Thanks a lot guys!

[Terpe]

Is your sponsor on the UKBA approved listing?
Did your sponsor already provide your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)? Technically they should not do that more than 6 months ahead of your course start date.

You cannot make your UK visa application more than three months before the start of your course.

Be aware that having an acceptance to study or even having valid CAS doesn't guarantee that any visa application will be successful.
You'll need to meet all the requirements of the specific visa category and other requirements of the Immigration Rules in force at the time of application.

BTW your CAS can be withdrawn or cancelled at any time by your sponsor.

For a course at Masters level you'll be allowed a max 20 hours working per week.
This will almost certainly not yield anywhere close to the income you'll need to support yourself and your partner( not least UKBA demands)

Just as simple example and for yourself only, you'll need to demonstrate to UKBA that you will have minimum £1000 per month for living costs if you are studying in inner London, and £800 per month for living costs if you are studying in outer London or anywhere else in the UK. This is for the time whilst you are studying in the UK for each month of your course up to 9 months.
In addition to your own maintenance funds (indicated above), you'll need to show an additional £600 for each dependant for each month.

For the level and length of course you are planning (Masters 12 months and over) you will be eligible to bring your wife.
Your wife must make her own application for a UK under the points based system dependants’ rules.
Your wife MAY or MAY NOT be allowed to work. This really does depend on a number of issues, not least of which is that she must be granted leave to remain in UK for least 12 months stay in UK.
Your wife cannot make application until you have been granted a visa. Then depending on the conditions and restrictions at the time you get granted your visa you'll be better informed.

[r7_human8y]

Hi Terpe,

Thanks for the info, and all of you guys, it was really appreciated!
By the way, the uni is in UKBA approved listing. They will give me CAS after I pass the IELTS exam and give them the result and pay 50% of the total course fee. So that I can proceed to visa application, but I believe that the visa can only be applied early as 3months before the commencement of the course.
So that is why, as early as now, I am getting so many information as fast as I can so that I can weight wither i will be doing the right thing or not.
Anyway, thanks for you honest advice guys! So, even though I have already set aside a money for my whole course fee, it would still be impossible for me to survive in UK?
How much would I really earn if I will work part time? And how much would my wife earn if she will be working full time? Is it difficult to get a job in UK?
In terms of salary, is SG better than UK? Just a question though. Thanks guys!

[grahamw48]

I know that some of the posts may at first seem a little cautionary or negative, but really we would rather that you have accurate information so that you can avoid being SCAMMED...an all too common scenario, unfortunately.

As a guide, legal minimum wage here is only £6 to £7 an hour, so you can work up from that as your base expectation. Normally around 30% of your wages will be deducted in tax and National Insurance, but you're allowed to earn £9,440 before needing to pay income tax. The same figures would apply to your wife, if she was working too.

[r7_human8y]

Hi Graham, thanks for the info.
Is it easy to apply a job in UK when you are still in SG? If you can work in UK, are you allowed to do schooling? Is UK very strict in foreign talents? Thanks!
I am very much willing to pursue this degree, but it seems to me quite impossible to live in UK..ehehe at first i thot that UK is cheaper than SG, but the problem your salary will just compensate your daily needs if you are living in London. Am I right?
So, the best advice is not to pursue the course and just wait for the good opportunity to come? I am very confused.=)

[grahamw48]

SOME parts of the UK are possibly cheaper than SG, but London is a VERY expensive place to live.

For other information it's best to refer to those links posted by Terpe, as they are the proper government sites.

There is no shortage of part-time work here.....especially in London.

That kind of work is probably better to find once you are here though, and started on your course.

You could look at sites here such as 'rightmove' to give you an idea of rental costs.

[joebloggs]

And for the questioned also that how did the University managed to accept my bachelors degree, that I do not know.

if your degree is from one of the top 5 Unis in the Phils, (e.g. University of the Philippines, Ateneo, La Salle), the chances are your degree will be equivalent to one awarded in the UK. This means that your qualification will be recognized in the UK by the Home Office, Institutions, Regulatory Bodies and Employers.

The second reason is that, she will be able to sustain i guess our daily needs in UK if she will be working full time and me part time. She has a degree in Phil and she is a nurse.

http://www.nmc-uk.org/Registration/J...e-the-EU--EEA/

[r7_human8y]

hi all, its me again..

im preparing now for my ielts examination. but suddenly, an idea came in to my mind.
i am a member of linkedin professional networking site. i always saw that many from london are actually posting jobs related to my field, i was wondering if it is possible to apply a job in london and then i will do my master's degree at the same time. is it possible? are foreign skilled workers allowed to go to school after office hours? or i will just stick to my old plan, which is to study full time and then work part time.

your enlightenment and honest advice is highly appreciated. thanks guys!

[r7_human8y]

hi all, its me again. i am currently processing my ielts application as part of my visa requirement. anyways, from time to time, some ideas just suddenly came out at the back of my head. so i have another question for you guys, will it be feasible/possible to look for a job as a skilled professional/worker in london and take my master's degree as a part time basis or full time just after working hours? are foreign talents who are working full time allowed to go for schooling in uk? i am a member of professional network called linkedin. from time to time, so may job opportunities in london, i was wondering if its possible to look for a job then go schooling. my first option as i just shared to you guys is to go full time schooling and part time work. will it be possible?
i need again your honest advice. thanks a lot.

[sars_notd_virus]

will it be feasible/possible to look for a job as a skilled professional/worker in london and take my master's degree as a part time basis or full time just after working hours? are foreign talents who are working full time allowed to go for schooling in uk?
i need again your honest advice. thanks a lot.

yes ,why not try it first ? apply for a job once in /accepted go with your master's degree ... a lot of big companies offers courses to their workers to upgrade their status at work so give it a go...good luck