<p>I am currently a sophomore at boarding school in CT. My family is Irish and after I graduate we are moving back to Ireland. I am thinking about going to University in the UK and was wondering what I need to do to apply or prepare. I am a citizen so that isn't an issue. Any advice?</p>
<p>Being a citizen is totally irrelevant to the UK application process. If you have lived in the EU for the last 3 years (i.e. your parents have paid taxes in the EU) you will be treated as a “home” student a pay reduced fees. Otherwise you are an overseas students and will pay full fees, regardless of your nationality.</p>
<p>Applying in the UK is very simple are there is just one form, called the UCAS form.</p>
<p>[UCAS</a> - Home](<a href=“http://www.ucas.com%5DUCAS”>http://www.ucas.com)</p>
<p>You can only apply for a maximum of 5 schools. You cannot apply to both Oxford and Cambridge in the same year, or for more than one course at either Oxford or Cambridge. Applications open about 1st September and are effectively rolling apart from oxbridge and some very competitive subjects like medicine (which have an early application deadline of 15 October for admission the following year). You have to specify the subject you are applying for when you apply, and in general it is quite hard to switch. In most cases there are effectively no minor subjects (and no general requirements. You apply to study English literature for example, and that’s all you will be studying. There is usually more flexibility in Scotland but it is NOT the same as the US. Still much more restricted). In England, NI and Wales most courses are 3 years undergraduate (with some exceptions such as often engineering). In Scotland most courses are 4 years long and you get what is known as an undergraduate masters at the end. </p>
<p>If you are coming from the US high school system, APs and SATs are likely to be required for admission. GPA is usually irrelevant. Also, grades in unrelated subjects will not be considered (they don’t care about your algebra grades if you are applying for English for example). ECs are also irrelevant unless directly related to your proposed course of study (going back to the English example, if you had acted in a Shakespeare play at school, that would be relevant and you could discuss it in the personal statement section of the UCAS form. Your sporting achievements and being president of 57 different high school clubs however have no place on the UCAS form).</p>
<p>My advice for you is to go away and think about it. It may be easier and cheaper for you to go to college in the us. Also think about what you would like to study and have a look on some UK uni websites at their entrance requirements. Note that for oxbridge entry and some specific subjects there are extra tests involved. Some courses which are graduate only in the US are undergraduate in the UK eg medicine, pharmacy, law.</p>
<p>Why do you not want to study in Ireland? Or are you going to apply there as well?</p>
<p>The only reason I brought up the citizen thing is people often tell me that I need a visa (which I don’t). I am applying in Ireland as well. Money isn’t a huge issue and my family technically live in Ireland and we pay taxes there I just haven’t had any schooling in Ireland since I was six so I was just wondering what I need to do. Thanks so much for the advice!</p>
<p>How can you technically live in Ireland if you live and go to school in the US? You’d be very unwise in the current climate of austerity to try and secure home fees on a technicality.</p>
<p>I live at school. I am a boarding student, I live in a dorm.</p>
<p>So you don’t technically live in Ireland, you live in the US.</p>
<p>^ Why are you mad- he said his family “technically” live in Ireland which means they pay taxes and like have a residence, business or extended family there</p>
<p>@OP dont worry Dionysus just gets angry any time he hears the word America</p>
<p>Email the schools you are interested in and ask for what they would need/expect from American students. I am sure you areaware of the popular Irish universities (Trinity college dublin, university college dublin and university college cork e.t.c</p>
<p>Also consider St Andrews so many prep school kids attend St Andrews. You will feel extremely much at home</p>
<p>I’m not angry, but his family technically living in Ireland or not is irreverent he doesn’t so he can’t apply to British or Irish universities as a home/EU student.</p>
<p>Ladies, please. sefago I think that your accusation of anti-Americanism against Dionysus58 is misplaced and offensive. Dionysus seems to get angry about all kinds of things, I don’t think America in particular bothers him.</p>
<p>OP: you need to look really, really carefully into the residence rules if you care about money. Mostly they care about whether the country has been your ‘primary residence’ for a set number of years. Having a house or a passport or a bank account won’t cut it. I think they don’t count time abroad ‘solely for the purposes of getting education’ so you might sneak in - but it’s very complicated.</p>
<p>But if the money’s not important to you (can you afford to do without student loans?) then don’t worry about it.</p>
<p>If you’re wondering about whether you would be paying home fees or international student fees, this might help:</p>
<p>[Paying</a> home fees or overseas fees](<a href=“http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/fees_student_support.php]Paying”>UKCISA - international student advice and guidance)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Nah he is very Anti-American. Most of his posts are motivated towards criticizing Americans on an American online student forum. Maybe at most elaborating on the superiority of British/European Education on American forums and all those who disagree are ignorant and dont know geography lol. Anyways- Look the OP said this:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Also he is a boarding school student. Boarding schools in Connecticut cost a decent amount, I doubt he is trying to, or even knows/cares about the residence rules required to pay home fees.</p>
<p>I detest the phrase ‘anti-American’ - it doesn’t mean anything, it’s just a way to dismiss someone’s opinions. Too many people on this forum have the unfortunate propensity to believe that notion that America and its institutions are the best, if challenging that makes me anti-American then so be it.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sorry I don’t think so. You’re coming across as a whiny American. Dionysus routinely points out when certain unis in the UK are terrible. I think you’re seeing prejudice where none exists.</p>
<p>I can understand how after growing up in an American bubble, any talk of the US with a more detached eye will look like ‘anti-Americanism’. But I don’t think that’s at work here.</p>
<p>’‘I can understand how after growing up in an American bubble, any talk of the US with a more detached eye will look like ‘anti-Americanism’. But I don’t think that’s at work here.’’</p>
<p>I must say I agree with this.</p>
<p>So to the point; COReilly, do you know what you want to study at university? I would highly advise joining “a site name that has been banned apparently”(the student room - had to use spaces there.) personally speaking because that will give you the most accurate picture of studying in the UK compared to here.</p>