marxistfeministdialectic

I was lucky enough to be able to sublet from a faculty member who was going on sabbatical. The place is furnished too, which was convenient after 20 hours of travel. Sure, I signed the lease before seeing the place in person but I felt a bit more secure knowing that my 'landlady' was a University employee.

According to the link xypathos provided it varies.

That's not what it says on the airline's (Emirates) website. I think this is the principle they adhere to but they seem reluctant to admit it.

This happened to me, for the first time, on a flight out of the UK in October 2012. The check-in attendant weighed my hand luggage (a wheelie bag), said it was overweight but asked if I had a laptop, asked that I remove it, weighed it again and because it was under the 7kg limit she said it was fine. I thought it was a bit strange (the bag was still overweight?) but was grateful!

I'm an international student and I applied to a PhD program at a Canadian university and I understand the desire for some specific figures. I think my department's website just said funding was guaranteed but nothing specific about *how much*. After I was accepted I was informed of the specific figures (total amount - international tuition = money for cost of living) and that helped me to make my final decision. I imagine that's how it works at other universities. Good luck!

When I studied in the UK I picked university accommodation (though off-campus) because it was much cheaper than private accommodation. Plus it was furnished and in an ideal location. As a postgrad I was offered a year-long contract but I think other posters are right that the university might be able to extend the advertised 39 week contract.

I'm most concerned about point iv. I've been saving and saving, I hope it's enough! I was able to find a one-way ticket that was cheaper than the return on two of my flights so it is possible. I use skyscanner.net when I'm looking for deals on flights and it hasn't let me down yet. I'd like to get the study permit application behind me. It's giving me sleepless nights!

I'm not sure about the PhD but many of the people I did my MA in Gender Studies with have gone on to do NGO work. I imagine if your research involved advocacy or policy completing a degree in Women's Studies would be good preparation for the kind of career you want.

I've made a similar post in the IHOG forum. This is a particular worry for me as an international student who is unable to visit my new city until just before the program starts. I'll repeat the advice I've been given in that thread: if you're forced to rent sight unseen, a short sub-let might be a good idea. That way you have a place to go when you arrive but if the place isn't as good as advertised, you're not stuck there long-term. Talking to current grad students might also be a good way to get information about the housing situation.

Thanks very much! I'll get back to you if I need to take you up on that

I lived in a university-owned house near London Rd station. I went into Brighton every day because it was a 15 minute walk into town (or if I was feeling lazy, a few minutes on the bus). There's also lots of accommodation aimed at students in Moulsecoomb which has a train station that is even closer to campus. The other popular spot for students is Lewes Road. For me though, the house I lived in was perfect. Five minutes by train to campus and fifteen minutes' walk to town. It was the best of both worlds.

Thanks everyone, those are all good suggestions. I'll try to find some sublets. respectyourheart, I have been visiting Western's off-campus listings. I think it's early days because most of the listings are for summer sublets or year-long leases that begin in May or June. I'll keep checking though!

I wish we could! We're moving from South Africa and work commitments mean we can't move any earlier than mid-August. I suppose our only options are either to get a crappy/expensive place within a week or to rent a place unseen. Sigh! Thanks for the insight

Hey. I'll be moving to London, Ontario.

So I'm moving to Canada to begin my PhD but I'm stressing about housing. This topic has come up a few times on the forum and I've read through those posts but I'm still struggling. For example, some posters have suggested sharing a house/apartment, at least for the first few months. This sounds great because it solves the problem of needing to furnish an apartment right away and gives you time to get settled. I'll be moving to Canada with my husband though, and many of the house//apartment shares call for single occupancy or only want female roommates. University accommodation is the other common suggestion but in my case, the couples/family accommodation is more expensive and unfurnished. I'm also trying to figure out when to arrive. If I arrive a week before term starts will that give me time to secure housing? I'm on a limited budget. Thanks very much in advance!

I think Brighton's population was about 300k the last time I checked. It's a really fantastic place and has lots to do and see. Falmer is a great campus but can be a bit quiet. I'd recommend living off campus (but maybe I'm biased) and commuting in. I lived near a train station so campus was always only a 5-minute train ride away. Most things are accessible and easy to get. I don't think I ever needed anything that required going up to London. Brighton has quite a few vegetarian restaurants so I wouldn't worry. Like wreckofthehope said, it's a hippy area so you should be fine. Brighton is fab!

I don't want to be near undergrads and don't have a car so any suggestions for that would be helpful. I've heard that having to take two buses can be a bit troublesome, is that true? I imagine cycling to school in the dead of winter is quite tough! Thanks for your suggestions!

I'm trying to do the same!

Anyone starting at Western in September?

I did my MA in the UK as an international student and I chose to live in a university-owned house off-campus. It was the best of both worlds; I had 10 roommates (it was a massive house) so while I had to share the kitchen and the bathrooms, I had some instant friends/people to hang out with. It also meant having a Residential Advisor living with us who could give us advice about supermarkets, pubs, public transport etc etc. The house was a five-minute train ride from campus so I didn't feel too far away from uni but far enough to feel like I was experiencing the city. The uni also had a (semi-flexible, it turned out) policy about who could get into what accommodation. The house I lived in was for postgrads. And it was furnished and cheap (it included all bills too). It really was a fantastic experience. So if your uni has something like that, I'd highly recommend it.