u/CSDeg

Hi everyone,

I’m in a tough spot and honestly just looking for some advice.

I was recently accepted into an REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) program here in Galway, funded by the USA. It’s an incredible opportunity for my career.

The main problem is that the program organizers only gave me my exact dates last Friday. I need to be in Galway from the first week of June until mid-August.

I am well aware of the brutal housing crisis in Galway, and I’ve been frantically looking at all my options, but I am hitting a brick wall everywhere:

• University Villages: I checked with them, but they run on a lottery system, and allocations don't even start until late May for visiting students. I can't wait until a week before my flight to find out if I have a bed.

• Facebook Groups: I've been joining groups, but my inbox is just flooded with people who are very obviously scammers (demanding deposits before viewings, fake profiles, etc.).

• Airbnb: I have checked Airbnbs, but the prices for a two-and-a-half-month stay during the summer are absolutely astronomical.

I’m starting to wonder if I should just reject the offer. I would absolutely love to spend my summer living in Galway, and it would break my heart to turn down such an opportunity simply because I can't find a roof over my head for two and a half months. I just don’t know what I should do.

Does anyone have any advice on how to navigate this? Are there any specific platforms or websites for short-term summer sublets from students going home for the summer? Any tips on navigating this without getting scammed would be incredibly appreciated!

Hi everyone,

I’m a 23-year-old EU citizen and I’ve just been offered a fully-funded, tech-related MPhil/PhD project at King’s College London (KCL). The studentship covers all international tuition fees and includes a tax-free stipend of around £23k per year.

It’s an incredible opportunity because I would love to live in London and I really like the topic and the supervisor, but I’m having some serious anxiety about the practicalities of moving to the UK post-Brexit and committing to this. I’d love some candid advice from current London PhDs or anyone who has navigated this:

1. I know I’ll have to flatshare, but is it genuinely feasible to live on £1,900 a month in London right now without counting every penny just to survive?

2. Do KCL/London universities usually offer enough Teaching Assistant (TA) or lab demonstrator hours to make a difference, and does the visa restrict this heavily?

3. How much will I have to pay for healthcare upfront for the visa?

Any harsh truths, budget breakdowns, or personal experiences would be massively appreciated!

Hi everyone,

I’m a 23-year-old EU citizen and I’ve just been offered a fully-funded, tech-related MPhil/PhD project at King’s College London (KCL). The studentship covers all international tuition fees and includes a tax-free stipend of around £23k per year.

It’s an incredible opportunity because I would love to live in London and I really like the topic and the supervisor, but I’m having some serious anxiety about the practicalities of moving to the UK post-Brexit and committing to this. I’d love some advice from current London PhDs or anyone who has navigated this:

1. I know I’ll have to flatshare, but is it genuinely feasible to live on £1,900 a month in London right now without counting every penny just to survive?

2. Do KCL/London universities usually offer enough Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or lab demonstrator hours to make a difference, and does the visa restrict this heavily?

3. How much will I have to pay for healthcare upfront for the visa?

Any harsh truths, suggestions, or personal experiences would be massively appreciated!