<p>Hi! I was homeschooled in the USA, and I'm looking to study for my BSc in Biochemistry in the UK, since I'm not impressed with our system of repeating everything studied in high school for two years, thus making me pay for four years when only getting two years of subject-studies in. I also believe a UK BSc will better prepare me for a career in research in the biotechnology industry. </p>
<p>I hold a certificate of equivalency from my state's Board of Education. Since I doubt my qualifications will permit me to directly enter the first year, I'd like to do an international foundation year. I'm also need a refresher, as I've been out of school two years due to some issues. </p>
<p>I'd really like to study Biochemistry w/ Molecular Biology, or Microbiology w/ (Immunology or Virology) at the University of Leeds, with an industrial placement year. </p>
<p>My career goals after graduating are to get a job as a research associate at a red biotechnology firm, and eventually earn a PhD (hopefully I can convince my employer to let me register the research I'm doing for a PhD at University College London; I've read the regulations, so it's possible).</p>
If that is the impression you got, you were looking at the wrong universities. Most universities let students take the courses they are actually ready for. For example, if you already know first-year physics, you can start in the second-year course. No need to repeat anything. </p>
<p>If you take a couple of AP exams, you could probably test out of most if not all general education requirements if you wanted to. Even if you do have to complete all gen ed requirements, that does not mean that you have to repeat stuff you already know. Many universities have a divisional-requirements approach to general education. For example, I have to take two humanities courses to graduate, but I can pick the courses (including discipline and course level) myself. Again, no need to repeat anything from high school unless I actually want to.</p>
<p>Overall, American universities give you much more freedom to pick classes you want to take, within as well as outside of your major.</p>
<p>That’s not the only reason, though. Just answer my question, please. </p>
<p>My cousin studies in Leeds, and she really enjoys it. I CAN get exmpted from all my GEs due to community college credits, but my state is cutting all the funding to CSUs, so everyone is getting fired. I really would like to study in the UK, as that’s what my father did, and he says it was far superior in terms of depth than what he’s observed here. </p>
<p>Of course there are other good reasons to study in the UK. I wasn’t sure if you saw the edit in my initial post, so I want to post it again. </p>
<p>Have you looked at the visa regulations for the industrial placement year? Student visas often don’t allow foreign students to work at all, and getting a work visa might be tricky.</p>
<p>By the way, what question do you want us to answer? The only question I could find was, “Any advice?” Is there anything in particular you need advice with?</p>
<p>I’ve emailed Leeds for help on the application for the IFY, and whether I should send in my homeschool high school transcripts along with my equivalency certificate. </p>
<p>I’m going to see if I can finagle an agreement with a US company (they have an agreement with Mayo Clinic Florida, but I’m wondering about companies), which I’ve asked them. </p>
<p>Do citizens of the country where a company is incorporated need a work visa to work in foreign branches of that company? I’m guessing yes. </p>
<p>But I’m okay with filling out paperwork for a work visa. </p>
<p>I’ve contacted Leeds, and I’m expecting an email on Monday. </p>
<p>I want to experience another culture, get international research and possibly industry experience.</p>
<p>I’m sure a BSc in Biochemistry from Leeds, plus a year of research experience in a tp biotech company will look great on my CV when applying for jobs. Especially if I get letters of recommendation from a foreign branch of the company I plan on working for, like Genentech, or letters from prominent industry scientists.</p>
It may or may not be as easy as finding a job and applying for a work visa. For example, work visas in the US are capped. Even if a foreign student finds a job in the US that would sponsor them for a visa, their chance of getting a visa is less than 50% because there are so many applicants for so few visas. Just be careful that your odds of actually getting a visa in the UK are better than that. I have no idea about the visa situation in the UK, so I cannot help you with that.</p>