Is anyone’s DC doing their year abroad in September?

[MrsSchadenfreude]

DD1 is waiting to see if it goes ahead. She is very stressed about it - if she has to do her third year here she will struggle to find somewhere to live, and the Department will have twice the number of students. There doesn’t seem to be any contingency planning in place.

He's been told there's also possibility of having to be quarantined in France before he could start work so dates completely unknown - as is location at this stage!! BC under severe financial pressure too - just wish we could get some sort of clarity!! His uni (oxford) haven't yet advised of any alternative arrNgements if year abroad doesn't go ahead....

Job still want DD - they made contact. Waiting for

So called 'air corridors' to open and for uni to help with final forms.
Insurance is an issue. One of her placements is a Law firm and they want quite detailed insurance.

Her uni will offer remote learning from home if things go pear shaped! Sad - no chance of returning to uni town. All accom. Full as they expect lots of offer holders to arrive.

Anyone here who’ve been through this before? Just wondering what they need to take if going to a uni. And how to get it all there!

I had a year in France and Germany (in the 1980s!) and just had one large suitcase. When we got to our accommodation we clubbed together and bought kitchen items. Think I just bought cheap bedding once there as well (but my memory is quite hazy!)

My son is coming to the end of his year in Australia.
Last July he took 1 suitcase and a backback as handluggage for his laptop and travel docs etc. He put a change of clothing into his backpack just in case his luggage went astray but it all went smoothly.
He has lived in University accomodation and they provided a kit of basics such as a pillow, quilt, bedding. I think the flat kitchen had basic equipment provided which the group has added to.
He has bought some inexpensive spare bedding and a couple of towels which he intends to donate to a charity shop rather than take up space bringing them home.
A couple of adapter plugs for electrical appliances are useful.
He arrived late evening and by the time he got to his accomodation everywhere was closed so it's worth having something in the main luggage to eat to tide over until the morning.

Bedding and towels is more my concern!

If your DD is due to go into University accomodation she could ask what is included in her rental agreement.
I'm sure DS had a list of what was provided so he knew what he wouldn't need.
We gave him a couple of small microfibre towels as they take up very little space.
Perhaps she could take a couple of pillow cases as a home comfort.
She also needs to allow space for bringing any souvenirs home at the end of her stay.

Still waiting for confirmation it’s happening. I’ll get her to ask around if anyone went to same place.

Guide: Student finance –
how you're assessed and paid
2020 to 2021

Can't link to the actual .pdf, but this is the calculation:

Students living with parents
• No contribution for total income of up to £25,000
• £1 for every £4.80 of the total income over £25,000, up to £42,875
• ^£1 for every £7.66 of the total income over £42,875, until 37.3% of
the full Maintenance Loan remains^
Students living away from home and studying in London
• no contribution for total income of up to £25,000
• £1 for every £5.13 of the total income over £25,000, up to £42,875.
• ^£1 for every £7.46 of the total income over £42,875, until 45.7% of
the full Maintenance Loan remains^.
Students living away from home and studying outside London
• no contribution for total income of up to £25,000
• £1 for every £4.903 of the total income over £25,000, up to £42,875.
• ^£1 for every £7.58 of the total income over £42,875, until 40.9% of
the full Maintenance Loan remains^.

When going abroad you can find out what’s provided if it’s university accommodation. My DD didn’t take bedding and the accommodation in Geneva provided all linens. All was provided in Bologna too by her private landlady. So she only took personal belongings in a large suitcase plus carry on. She had to move herself from Switzerland to Italy via train so had to manage her own luggage. If you need to transport bedding - don’t. Buy it there.

We went with DD to Switzerland to settle her in (that didn’t take long) and have a short holiday. After that, she managed herself. When she came home, she changed clothes around ready for Italy and heat.

She didn’t buy much whilst abroad as she spent more on travelling. However what they take needs to be one suitcase within weight limits and one carry on. If you go too, you can take another suitcase/bag and that works if they stay in one country and you pick them up at the end or you pay for excess baggage.

We collected DD2 from her NY internship and brought her an empty suitcase! Some people collect a lot of stuff in a few months.

DD heard today her internship can start online if needs be. She'll wait to see what quarantine is like in European country. So she's going when all's clear. Company are very flexible.

Hopefully, it will be good.

DS has been told the region of France he's going to, but waiting to hear from the school directly (language assistant with British Council) so we're not much further on in being able to secure accommodation etc.... anyone else heard anything? They also asked him to confirm he could work from home till Jan if necessary but hoping that's just a precaution...

DD is going. Just realised last night that she needs a student year abroad EHIC card- so on that. We are going with her to help find a flat.

Going (as long as Belgium lets her in), accommodation sorted and can pay for bedding to be there on arrival which is useful.

What do students do for banking during their year abroad? My DD is off to Lund in Sweden for 11 months and I think she's planning on opening a Starling Bank account in the UK as this seems the best account for abroad - but I'm wondering if this is the best option. What have others done?

My DD is applying for Starling.

DS got confirmation of his allocated school so we started flat hunting - but amazingly school has now confirmed the job comes with a fully furnished flat on site rent free!! Unbelievable!!

Fantastic! Dd1 is going into uni accommodation so that’s fairly straightforward

Uggh. Jealous. We are going flat hunting when we take her. Fingers crossed we find something nice

@TheDrsDocMartens

Anyone here who’ve been through this before? Just wondering what they need to take if going to a uni. And how to get it all there!

My DD spent a semester at the University of Hong Kong. There was only a bed and table in her student halls room. She went to Ikea when she got there to buy bedding etc. It’s definitely worth checking what’s provided in advance. Good luck.

Starting to get worried it won’t happen. Her uni has pulled all the Spain placements because of the travel issues. Luxembourg is now on the travel list and Belgium is next door 😬

Fingers crossed for your DD.

DD is waiting to hear about her accommodation. She was told by Strasbourg that she would find out by end July. No news yet and the woman dealing is ooo until 17 August. No help whatsoever from UK university. What does she do about EHIC after 31 December?

I got really good insurance covid included for DD. This lasts the year. Have to look for it.

My DD is relying on a school friend going. I really hope her uni doesn't pull . My DD has started work online here and hope's to travel soon. It's Spain! I think we will use expensive private international student accommodation.

@Mrs Schadenfreude According to the NHS website, if she starts studying/working in an EU country before 31st December, a student EHIC will be valid for the rest of her time there.