This was the best britaboo icon I could come up with

[gogmagog]

Well, today I was checking out sites about how to emigrate to the UK (as you do, especially if you're me and that's the one actual goal you have in life that you feel passionately about), and it turns out that according to their online calculator, once I graduate I may not be that far from being able to get a Highly Skilled Migrant visa (which, unlike a work permit, lets you actually GO to the UK while you're looking for work).

The minimum to be considered is 75 points, and I get 50 points for the Ph.D. once I have it. I get another 20 points if I'm still under 28 when I apply, which would involve finishing my dissertation in one or one and a half years (or possibly two, if I don't mind having basically a two-week period in which to apply, since I'd have to apply at least two months before my July birthday). Difficult, but not impossible!

The stickler of course is my income: my grad stipend is basically giving me no points whatsoever, but if I could make about 25K/yr or maybe a little over (including my stipend) next year or the year after, I could totally swing that extra five points! Unfortunately, I'm not sure what the likelihood of that is; it sounds unlikely. Any ideas for making that extra money? (Aside from turning tricks; don't get me wrong, I'd consider it if it would get me to England, but not only am I not suited for it, but I don't think they allow you to report it on your taxes, which would render it moot income.)

Once I'm over there, it wouldn't be too much of a problem to find SOMETHING; if I were living in England, I could stomach being a garbage man, for crying out loud (though of course it's not ideal).

Or I suppose I could try actually getting a scholarly job over there once I graduate, and getting them to get me a work visa, but given that the UK academic job market for the past several years has been where the US academic job market is now, after this recession I imagine it's in such crappy shape that I'd be more likely to get over there by making a glider out of balsa wood and string.

Ehhh, they're probably crazy plans, and maybe I'll have to find another way to get over there, but still, I guess it's worth trying for, maybe?

Comments

[eikitty.livejournal.com]

Or just take the easy way out, as a friend of mine from high school did: marry a British guy. ;)

[yoshitsune.livejournal.com]

I totally would (I have a friend who is taking that option as well), especially because the British Isles have a lot of cute guys; but sadly there do not seem to be any takers. (It's also surprisingly hard to meet British guys in the middle of Iowa.) :(

[eikitty.livejournal.com]

Well, they met in Japan while both were doing JET. So you never know...

[tastystirfry.livejournal.com]

You may just have to suck it up and have a loveless sham of a marriage with a British woman.

[eslington.livejournal.com]

*Bats eyelashes*