DCs studying abroad this year - support for us at home!

[NCTDN]

Thought this might be useful. DD is off to Austria next month.

What are people doing about phones? DD will be able to use her phone to message, ring via WiFi etc, but can't make international calls. We're thinking to get a cheap part as you go phone over there for when she needs to make calls to Austrian places?

@NCTDN we're still trying to work that one out. DS has a monthly SIM in the UK which gives him data in Europe but the fair use clause means he would have to use the majority of data in the UK which obviously won't happen. We think he'll get an equivalent French monthly SIM deal and stick his UK SIM in a cheap/old phone so his number is still available for verification or whatever else might be linked to it.

I’ll try and answer in a few days when we resolve @NCTDN

The intention is to use a dual eSIM (within one iPhone current handset) with her existing monthly plan/SIM, which is already complicated due its usage re the fair use clause of her time between UK and Ireland.

That’s impressive that he got funding. My son got a small academic scholarship - no where near that generous.

Some unis only give Turing to those there on contextual offers. They don’t have enough money so it’s means tested. DD couldn’t have taken a scholarship! There was no entry exams for unis abroad. She was selected for both her unis as they were undersubscribed and home uni wanted to see an essay explaining why those unis were the ones she had chosen. I guess some don’t get the places as one uni was restricted and scientists went too.

My DS was awarded a small academic scholarship too - specifically for his subject and based on his Y1 results. He hadn’t applied for it, so that also came as a really welcome surprise and helped enormously with his flight costs. I think that Turing works out at around £300 pcm for Europe and £400 for the rest of the world, but I get the impression it’s easier to get Turing for non-European countries as the whole thing is so expensive. We had to show $20k funds in my son’s bank account before we could get his US student visa - which was only made possible thanks to my dad.

You can make international calls on WhatsApp.

@mathanxiety even to just a normal landline abroad?

True mathanxiety, it’s more for the google maps, paying for an Uber etc usage here, though she’s trying the first few days on wifi alone.

Well we got a delightful surprise to find DS had applied for Turing and was awarded £3600 yesterday. Haven’t decided whether to try to recoup some of our additional costs - or whether just to let him keep the £. Obviously it’s a hugely expensive year for us to fund but it’s also a brilliant opportunity for him to have a fantastic experience/ do some travelling.

That's amazing!! DD didn't qualify to even apply! I think it all depends on the university.

Our DS’s Turing funds came in monthly, not in one lump sum, and (as far as I can remember) he had to send his UK university updates re his US course modules - everything had to be 3rd year level or above and relevant to his UK course - in order for the funding to continue (although there was never a problem, so it may have just been a box-ticking exercise).

We let him use Turing to cover his monthly expenses, since we had already paid for his flights, accommodation, medical insurance and campus meal plan up front. For his second semester we ditched the meal plan (he rarely eats breakfast anyway) and he used Turing for meals, travel, nights out etc. None of the dorms had self-catering (not unusual for the US) so eating out every day is expensive… but also much healthier than most of the on-campus food choices, and more flexible in terms of when he wanted to eat.

I’m sure your DS is going to have the most amazing time - mine is longing to go back!

Two years away but apparently the Welsh government fund their own scheme which they claim will duplicate the benefits of Erasmus.

DD heading off to Aberystwyth so hopefully will benefit from that.

Feels like this should be more widely known - if people were choosing between say, Cardiff and Southampton Unis it could be a deciding factor.

@HPFA my DD was awarded Turing funding by Aber for a volunteering trip to Africa this summer. The Welsh scheme is Taith. The uni also gave her two monetary prizes (one of which was extremely generous) She's studying International Relations, so her trip was sort of relevant to her course.

DD all packed ready for going in the morning. I'm so excited for her but wish I didn't have to go to work so I could take her.

@mummyinbeds

DD is doing French and International Relations so her year abroad is compulsory - I'm hoping that will put her in a good place for any funding.

Well done to your DD on her prizes!

It's ridiculous that our new government doesn't seem keen to restore Erasmus when it appears the Welsh government has done so without hordes of angry Leave voters storming the Senedd!

@NCTDN
Hope the move goes well tomorrow. I'm sat in the queue in Dover with a car load for DS. He's looking forward to getting his kitchen stuff so he can make some food.

@HPFA I hope your DD will love Aber Interpol as much as mine does. She's just going into year 2 and can't wait to get back. DS does French and Law (English uni) and has been awarded Turing funding for his compulsory year abroad. Apparently he'll get £12 per day for the 10 months he's there.

It's my job to send students on a year abroad, so happy to answer any questions anyone might have.

@ludocris a bit late for the millions of visa questions I had but I'm sure they'll be many more questions you can help with over the next few weeks 😊

That's one I area I can't advise on I'm afraid! We're simply not legally qualified nor do we have the expertise required. We send students to around 20 countries, and immigration law changes all the time. It would be impossible for a university to be able to provide that kind of service. However, we very much share the frustrations with it, and wish there was more we could do!

@ludocris dd is off to Austria in 10 hours but still unsure over the whole phone situation. She's got a good uk deal with 30vb of roaming per month. Calls home aren't an issue because she can FaceTime on WiFi. But if she needs to make calls within Austria we're a little unsure of the best option. I'm thinking a pay as you go sim from that country?

That's a little frustrating here. DC is Welsh speaking but going to uni in England. Maybe there'll be an alternative scheme available by the time the year abroad comes round...

Japan for a year on a science/lab placement ...please don't mention anything to do with mega quakes😪

Yes if she needs to make local calls I guess a local SIM would be best for that, though her mobile phone would need to be unlocked to operate on any network. If she has an old handset that's not a smart phone it might be an idea to take it with her, but she may not ending up needing one. If she makes local friends she can WhatsApp them and it may be that she doesn't end up needing to make other calls within Austria - it depends on her accommodation situation I guess. The main thing is she can roam, she can use WiFi and WhatsApp. She should probably also store the number for emergency services in her phone, keeping in mind that she may have to add the country code if she is using her UK mobile (obviously she may never need to use it).

I do hope so! The course looks fascinating and I'd be interested in some of the modules myself.

She's got a room in PMJ with three blokes and one whose sex is yet to be determined! Although she'd ticked for mixed sex she wasn't quite expecting that.

She did live in a shared house last year so has some experience of dealing with the usual problems.