<p>I'm interested in auditioning for a couple of drama schools in the UK (two of the three are in London), and the first of many problems that stand in the way of this are living costs. I know London is a ridiculously expensive city to live in (comparing this to to the Midwest here), so I figured getting a job of some sort might ease the burden a bit, as financial aid is limited for US students. First question - is it possible to work in the UK as a US citizen on a student visa? Or what kind of visas are available for this sort of situation (if any)? Secondly, would I have time? Obviously being a part of a performing arts school entails a lot of rehearsing and stage work during what would be the typical uni student's study/free time. Realistically, would I have time to balance a part-time job and the responsibilities of school? Are there any jobs that offer that kind of flexibility? </p>
<p>Sorry that I seem to have bombarded you poor CC-ers with that string of questions. Even if you can answer just one, that would be lovely...any information is helpful! </p>
<p>Also, I'm not banking on getting into any of these schools (if it helps, the London ones I'm looking at are LAMDA and RADA). These schools have phenomenal drama departments that many aspiring actors (myself included) only dream of getting into. It never hurts to be optimistic, though, and I want to get an idea of what the expenses are going to be before getting my hopes up.</p>
<p>And lastly, if you happened to read my earlier thread about the Otterbein BFA, I still plan on auditioning for that, too. Not trying to sound like a snob and diss Otterbein's program at all here ;)</p>
<p>My D is in her first year at LAMDA. The VISA does allow for 20 hours a week of work, however, the program is pretty rigorous and time consuming. There are opportunities at the school for different functions to work. I am not sure how much you can earn doing that. There is also a requirement to get a national insurance card. I don’t know what is involved in that. The cost of The school and living seems to be around the same as going to a school like NYU. I am sure there can be more of a budget involved as her flat is kind of expensive. She does know now that there maybe other places less expensive. There are loans available as in the US and the program is only three years so that is a plus. I must say she absolutely loves the program and is thriving tremendously there. With all of the schools she applied to, visited, got accepted to, experienced in callbacks, she could not be happier with her choice.</p>
<p>Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but (other hurdles aside) it is my understanding that the UK does not have a supply of fairly plentiful low-income jobs available like the US does.</p>
<p>Once, I was talking to a British person about the American stereotype of the “rolling stone” who drifts around from state to state, working at low-paying job after low-paying job. He said, “What?? There’s no such thing in England! There are not enough jobs!”</p>
<p>My understanding is that you can’t work during the school year, that even if you had the time (which you don’t) you’re not allowed to work. But i totally could be wrong. You could work in the summer if you had to, but then it would be most cost effective if you came home, lived with parents for the summer, and worked here.</p>
<p>Actingmom18, you mentioned your D is staying in a flat? Can I ask if this is a regular flat or is this a student dorm-style place? If budget is an issue for folks (like me!), there are places like the International Student House-you can stay in a quad for about 3000 pounds for Sept-June, which is very reasonable, about $5000 or so (depending on exchange rates). This excludes food. Food is expensive in London as it is in NYC, but you can cook your own. When my son went to RCS this summer, he lived in a student house and absolutely loved it because he got to meet people from all over the world. He is just a regular guy but managed with food (something that worried me!). He made a lot of grilled cheese and egg sandwiches! </p>
<p>Actingmom18, any other advice you could give would be much appreciated. I am so thrilled your D is enjoying herself there! Did she get the national insurance card already? When my D lived in Italy last year, it cost only $70 for the whole year! Do you know what it costs in England?</p>
<p>Thanks, everyone! This is really informative…and I’m starting to think that having a job while going to one of these schools would be somewhat next to impossible (if not difficult). My best option if I were to go would be saving up as much as possible now, and hopefully cutting costs where I can. Actingmom18, are you aware of any private scholarship opportunities that could be applied to studying overseas, as a supplement to gov loans? Obviously I have no idea what your financial situation is, but according to their website, LAMDA doesn’t offer any aid to foreign students (correct me if I’m wrong about this). And does your D share a flat with other roommates?</p>
<p>Under the Tier 4 visa it looked like you could work but not as an entertainer so you would not be able to get acting work while in the course but I don’t think any of the courses allow you to work as an actor during the course anyway.</p>
<p>Saving money now is definitely a good idea . . .</p>
<p>Make sure that you contact the schools you are auditioning for and find out whether you are even permitted to have a job during term time. Generally, the rule in UK unis and colleges is NO.</p>
<p>Ask the schools for advice on saving money. Think about what the “worst” conditions you are willing to live in are. That may be a silly way to put it, but are you willing to share an apartment/house with other students–sharing kitchen and bathroom, maybe even bedroom, doing your laundry at the laundromat around the corner, etc.</p>
<p>Not everyone in London is rich. There are “tricks” that people use to save money while living in London. Londoners do not shop, eat, live, etc. where the tourists stay, shop, and eat, they know cheaper places. It may take a newcomer some time to learn all this.</p>
<p>I hope you are also participating in the UK forum here on CC.</p>
<p>Somebody has to get into RADA and LAMDA, so why not you? I think it is great that you are going for it!!!</p>
<p>My D said there are plenty of students (not necessarily in the first year) working as bartenders because they can work the later hours. There are those at the school that have been working in the business that the school knows about and must approve. They don’t want you to work in the profession until they feel you are ready which is in the third year. They have had students on Downton Abbey the last couple of years. You can work in the summers. I don’t know of any prohibition on the VISA against working in the profession. That is the school policy. I don’t know how much the National Insurance number is. She is going to be looking into it. As far as private funding, i don’t believe there is any. They were very helpful in assisting us in obtaining US Fed direct loans and Parent Plus loans. As far as living arrangements, she arranged online over the summer to room with 4 others in her year. She has a great private flat but i am not going to lie, its not cheap. But it is a really nice place. She will be looking at something closer to the school next year and hopefully will be less money. There is no dorm or cafeteria. So she brings food with her and also cooks when she gets home which sometimes us 10:00 at night. Weekends they usually go out. The school was very helpful with arrangements and although you wouldn’t expect it, fairly nurturing. I cant tell you how much she has grown over this first term as a person and professionally. And she is soooo happy. So far its been worth the money! We will see. Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Thanks KEVP…great points. I’m lucky enough to know a couple people who live in the city (unfortunately not well enough to live with them for three years during school), so I’m was going to ask them about basic living costs (groceries, tube card, etc.).</p>
<p>And knowing your D’s experience at LAMDA is invaluable, Actingmom. Can’t say how great it is to have info from a person actually going through their program 
It’s good to know that working there may still be an option…it still makes be nervous thinking about how I’d be able to balance school and work (comparing this to my experience so far with high school/community theatre shows…with or without homework, rehearsals make for many a late night during the week). I’m so happy your daughter’s enjoying herself there, and hopefully setting herself up for success farther down the road…I have to say, I’m quite jealous ;)</p>
<p>Again, so grateful for all this advice…you have know idea how much it helps!</p>
<p>Oh, and one last question…what’s this I hear about dancing at LAMDA? I know that it’s part of their program, but I wasn’t too worried because their website mentioned nothing about having to dance at auditions. However, I was looking at some of the resumes for the 2014 graduating class, and many of them (I think all of them…can’t remember) listed various styles of dance on their resume. This may prove to be a problem for me because I don’t know squat about dancing, other than the amateur experience I’ve picked up through musicals. Am I missing something here? Is it part of the audition process?</p>
<p>My mistake, I guess the Visas are different for England and Scotland. This is the email I got from RCS speaking about the visa.</p>
<p>“Will I be able to work in the UK during my studies?
For non-EEA/Swiss nationals, permission to work is detailed on the visa vignette in your passport or on the conditions given on your Biometric ID card. The present permissions state that you will be allowed to work for 20 hours per week during term time and full time during the vacation periods.
Most types of employment are permitted, however the rules state that students with immigration permission in the Tier 4 category must NOT engage in:
self-employment
providing services as an entertainer (paid or unpaid)
providing services as a professional sportsperson
filling a full-time permanent vacancy”</p>
<p>If they don’t require you to dance at the the audition, I wouldn’t worry about it.</p>
<p>You’ll find a way to stumble through any movement requirements in the LAMDA curriculum!!</p>
<p>Succesful actors have a wide range of skills. Because, frankly, there is somebody out there who can do everything you can do AND can tapdance! Actors therefore put all their relevant skills (and sometimes a couple slightly irrelevant skills) on their resume. They may have learned the dance styles at LAMDA, they may have learned them somewhere else.</p>
<p>KEVP</p>
<p>Dance: there are some people that are great dancers and some that can’t at all. They have historical dance the first year and show dance the second year. So no requirement at all that you have yo know how to dance. Voice as well. They have a lot of voice which I am thrilled about. They do work on having well rounded, well versed actors. Good luck to you. Hope it all works out. Please feel free to ask me anything about the program or london and I can answer the best I can.</p>
<p>Something else occurs to me.</p>
<p>The National Health System in the UK is free. The difficulty in getting on the National Health isn’t money, it’s just very bureacratic.</p>
<p>I was a high school student in the UK and got free healthcare (despite being a US citizen and my parents lived primarily in the US). I don’t think it has changed since I was in high school.</p>
<p>This means that you do not need to budget for healthcare if you are living in the UK.</p>
<p>The UK Health System is incredible for emergency care, but there can be a waiting list for non-emergency care.</p>
<p>KEVP</p>
<p>I ran our questions about the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) by the folks in the United Kingdom forum, where I also participate.</p>
<p>They said, yes, it is completely free. Some politicians were talking about a L200 (200 UK Pounds, not dollars) one-time charge for foreigners, but this did not get passed. They also told me that in England and Wales (but perhaps not the rest of the UK?) there is a L7.85 cost for each prescription (Again, 7.85 UK Pounds). But it looks like apart from this it is completely free.</p>
<p>Any difficulty that foreigners are having getting on the NHS seem to be completely bureacratic.</p>
<p>My understanding is that the BIGGEST bureacratic obstacle to foreigners living in the UK is getting a UK bank account. The banks are legitimately afraid that foreign criminals are using their banks to launder illegal money, so you need to produce a lot of paperwork to prove that you are a real person and not a criminal before getting a bank account.</p>
<p>I encourage you to participate in the UK forum here on CCC, there are a lot of folks who would be happy to answer your questions, and know more about the UK than I do.</p>
<p>KEVP</p>
<p>We didn’t have a problem getting a bank account. You just have to make sure you mak an appointment with the bank and keep cash on hand because it may take some time to clear. The problem my D has been having is actually getting her debit. For some reason she has been having issues either with the mail or bank getting it at her flat and being that she’s on classes during banking hours she has a hard time getting to the bank. But really setting up the account was ok. There is national health available. LAMDA does inform the students of that. They suggest you register with a doctor which of course my D hasn’t done yet. But LAMDA I know does have an emergency physician they refer you to if needed.</p>
<p>My own D simply kept her own US bank account. She was only in Italy for the year, but I think keeping the US account is a good stop gap procedure while you wait for the UK bank account to be set up. Just a tip: Make sure to use debit cards only at the bank ATMs (as opposed to stores or train stations). There is a lot more ATM theft in Europe than here. Monies stolen in ATM thefts are covered in US accounts; I don’t know about UK accounts, but I assume they are covered too. However, the procedure is good to know before hand.</p>
<p>When my D went to LAMDA for a semester, she lived in Nido Student Housing at King’s Cross. I think that LAMDA has some sort of deal with them, because they put us in touch with them and worked the details out. It was small, but it was fine because it was so close to the tube. She also had a credit card we gave her that didn’t charge exchange fees. I think she also kept her home bank account for cash. She got a cell phone once she got there and just loaded it up when she needed to. Most of the time she just skyped us when she wanted to talk. </p>
<p>@chrissyblu Which credit card did you use that did not charge exchange fees? My son was accepted at LAMDA and will be starting the 3 year BA (Hons) course in the fall. </p>
<p>Another thing to note (as I have found researching for abroad options for my own D), LAMDA does have a FAFSA code, which means you can apply for student loans, etc. like you would for a US school. RADA does not, however, so any expenses for RADA would be completely out of your pocket or via a private loan. Just something to keep in mind. </p>
<p>The idea of a 3 year vs 4 year program definitely helps the costs level out, but it’s a lot more work getting the housing/food/income details worked out. </p>