LordNorth

Hey, I'm putting together my experiences of applying to US PhD programs from the UK; I'll be sure to PM you when I'm done. It won't all be applicable, but I'm positive it'll allay at least a few of your concerns!

So who else has decided to accept Austin? I'm in an international student, will be studying International Relations and can't wait to get to Texas - it wasn't a difficult decision at all. It would be cool to hear from some of the others who I'll be joining in August! Maybe we can chat about locations to live etc - send me a PM if you wanna say hi on Facebook or something. LN

I'm 100 per cent definitely attending UT-Austin this autumn. I can't wait; very excited indeed. Anyone else accepted UT yet? Maybe we can swap ideas about accommodation and stuff like that. I think classes begin on 25 August so I'll be looking to arrive slightly earlier than that, I imagine. Yeah!

I'm definitely Austin-bound in August, and very much looking forward to it. The info on this thread has been really useful - but, as a more general question, what are the best ways to go about finding a shared place in Austin? I know at some universities it's pretty easy to pick up adverts for house-shares around campus. Or then, I suppose websites like Craigslist are big in the US? In the UK we have Gumtree... I'm gonna investigate the possibility of university accommodation when I get some time, but the best option for me would be to find a nice house/flat to share with one or two other people!

Good luck mate!

£800 total or £800 just for your rent? I think you should be looking to pay about £500 a month for one bedroom in a shared flat/house, and more than that if you want a one-bedroom place. Word of advice - I have a friend who spent a long time looking for a one-bedroom place, and all he found was disgusting stuff within his affordability range. I'd definitely say that shared house/flat is the way to go... Living centrally is not *that* expensive compared to living in zones 2, 3 or 4. You have to shell out £100 a month or more for a travel card if you're going to be using the Tube regularly as a commuter. Research areas carefully because there some quite undesirable places to live. However, there are also some amazing ones. I've lived in Hackney and Angel and love both areas.

I'm keen to hear from USC too. I noticed that two (?) acceptances have been posted on the results page, one of which was claimed on this thread (by somebody who reported having been notified in person, I assume having also been awarded a prestigious fellowship). Not sure when the rest of us can expect to hear. I can't remember what USC's intake is like, but there should be at least a few more places out there. Good luck! Edit: Sorry, I obviously didn't refresh the thread before posting this reply. The posts above appear to fill in a couple of the blanks

Thanks everyone, this is all great stuff. And please don't go for each other's throats on my account It looks like I should be able to make things happen with my funding package and limited savings. I don't drive (and don't much want to drive) so will research a place to stay that's as well connected as possible in terms of buses. From what you've all said, that shouldn't be impossible. I'd also definitely prefer to share a house/apartment, as living alone sounds a bit anti-social as well as being expensive. And yes - I'm currently living in the East End of London so I know a thing or two about places that are, shall we say, less well-off than others. I'm sure I'll manage!

That's a great help! Thanks so much.

Do you mean a one-bedroom apartment, or one bedroom within a multi-person apartment? I'd probably be looking to share. I'm just wondering if, say, $17k per year is enough to live on? Including rent, food, transport etc... Also - would you say it's essential to be able to drive in Austin? I can't drive, and doubt I could afford to buy/maintain a car! Thanks a lot for your help, much appreciated! LN

Hey guys, I'm wondering if anybody can advise me about the cost of living in Austin? I got accepted to UT-Austin and got my funding package through, but as an international student I have no idea whether it will be enough. How much do you think it costs to live/rent/eat/travel/drink in Austin per year, roughly? In total? $15k? $20k? $50k??? Any insights would be really welcome. Thanks, LN

Haha fair enough. I'm sure you'll have a great time wherever you go. It's great that you have a choice, especially of such good universities as these. Good luck getting in everywhere, and good luck deciding! Two things that I'd say are in London's favour are: (1) There are vastly more opportunities for interesting part-time jobs and internships in Parliament, think tanks, NGOs, public affairs companies and so forth. If you do this one or two days a week then it can really inform your studies and also adds something to your CV (research experience etc). (2) There are tons more talks and lectures going on at places like the IISS as well as all the different universities. You can go to several a week, hearing from ambassadors, serving members of the cabinet, US senators, top academics etc. I was able to do an awful lot with my time in London beyond just getting a master's degree, and I think it really helped me along (both with finding a job and getting into a PhD).

Ah cool. They're all great universities, although I'm not a fan of Durham as a city, to be honest! I studied at a University of London college so I know a few people who went to UCL and KCL. They both come highly recommended and I know that they both have excellent reputations/placement records too. Do you have a top choice?

Bristol will be great - I like a lot of what Jutta Weldes has written. If you have the opportunity to take one of her classes, I think that would be really worthwhile!

Rejected at Cambridge. Disappointing but not totally unexpected. And, I think I would have chosen UT-Austin over staying in the UK at any rate. Although it would have been nice to get in...