# US scholarship and move - help required



## RhysC (Dec 2, 2008)

Hi everyone,

Just to introduce myself, I'm a long time lurker here but this is my first post.

Myself and my partner are looking to move to the States as soon as we can. She is a qualified teacher here in the UK and will be looking for jobs in the States through teacher exchange programmes and other recruitment websites that are looking for Uk teachers.

My way into the States is through a soccer scholarship. I used to play on the youth team of a pro club here in the UK and have had some interest from coaches in the States for a few weeks now (have a few meetings scheduled over the Xmas period now too). I'm looking to carry on with my football but at the same time I'm looking to come out of the other end of this recession better qualified than I am now (with a degree)

What Im posting for really I suppose is general advice on the move to the US. I seem to be making steady progress with my application for a scholarship (all i need to do now is play well when the coaches arrive to watch me play) whereas my missus is hitting a bit of a brick wall so if anyone has any advice on how to go about the move from a primary school teachers perspective, please, any help if much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance

Regards

Rhys


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## Tiffani (Dec 4, 2007)

I take it that you are intending to play soccer at a university? You would probably in that case come over on an F-1 or a J-1 visa. Both have pros and cons; both allow you to bring a spouse (if you're not married though, she'll have trouble coming over). the J-1 dependent visa (J-2) would permit her to work after she applies for authorisation when she arrives, but it comes with a laundry list of possible complications. the F-2 visa (dependent of F-1) does not permit her to work at all, but in some ways is an "easier" visa with respect to the rules attached to it.

Once you get accepted and receive a scholarship offer (make sure it's a full scholarship that covers living expenses too because you'll have to show that at the Embassy) talk to the international office about whether a J-1 visa would even be an option for you, and then we'll talk more


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## RhysC (Dec 2, 2008)

Thanks for your quick response Tiffani.

Yeah, you're spot on. I would be intending to play soccer but am very much using that as my easiest option of getting into the US. It will be great to play soccer full-time again but I really am looking for that degree.

I will be looking for nothing less than a full scholarship if im honest as i think it will be very hard to find enough time to work, even if it were on campus.

As for my partner, she is very much looking to work over there and has registered with a few teach recruitment/exchange programmes so am hopeful that will work but again, if you have any further info on them that would be great.

Thanks for your info on VISAs, it's something we need to be looking at very seriously now. In your experience, would the University sort out my VISA or would that be something I would need to do seperately?

Also, for Rachel, I assume she would have to start her own visa paperwork now, or do these recruitment programmes do that for her too?

Thanks again for your help, it's much appreciated

Regards,

Rhys


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## Tiffani (Dec 4, 2007)

no advice on the teaching recruitment programs, maybe someone else can advise.

The university would issue your visa document (either an I-20 form for an F-1 visa or a DS-2019 form for a J-1 visa) and any international office worth its salt will act as a first "point of contact" for any concerns you have about the visa application itself. They won't really be able to advise you on how to complete the 157 form per se, but they can advise on the documentation from the university that you will need to show. The rest is up to you. Both these visas are non-immigrant ones so you would be required to show ties to your home country. 

I wouldn't advise this as the best route to actually get into the US though, especially if you want to play soccer for a living. If you're that good, you should be recruited by one of the MLS teams who will take care of the visa stuff for you. If you're not good enough to play for the MLS now, there's no guarantee that you will be when you graduate. And the year of work that a lot of people use after graduation as part of their visa means that you will have to work in a position that is commensurate with your level and field of STUDY, not sport.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Tiffani said:


> no advice on the teaching recruitment programs, maybe someone else can advise.


First note, I hope the partner is actually married to you. US immigration benefits for unmarried partners is a little sparse -- our puritanical heritage rearing its ugly head.

Teacher exchange programs would be a good solution. She should know better than anyone here where to look. 

Failing that, as a J2 (if you're on a J1), she can also apply for an EAD (employment authorization document) to work anywhere she pleases. However, if she wants to work as a teacher under this, she'll need to be licensed. Teacher licensing is state specific, so you need to go find the requirements for the state where you're heading. I can imagine it might take a few months to get the license together, then she has the issue of getting a job offer from a school -- they tend to recruit for start of the year!

However, if you're on an F1 or H1b, she's out of luck -- no work authorization available.

Also, all these visas are non-immigrant. you don't state whether you plan to stay, but the path to permanent residency is mighty tricky.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

You want a degree from a US university, and think that you can get a soccer scholarship to pay for it, right? And your partner is planning on qualifying separately, as a teacher, right?

She can't start paperwork until she has a job offer or an exchange set up.

One of your problems is going to be coordinating location. It will do you no good to be on scholarship at some college in Boston while she teaches in San Diego. She would, in fact, be a little farther away from you than she would be in London. So getting all this together and coordinated is going to be difficult as the timing for decisions are probably not going to be coordinated.


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## RhysC (Dec 2, 2008)

synthia said:


> You want a degree from a US university, and think that you can get a soccer scholarship to pay for it, right? And your partner is planning on qualifying separately, as a teacher, right?
> 
> She can't start paperwork until she has a job offer or an exchange set up.
> 
> One of your problems is going to be coordinating location. It will do you no good to be on scholarship at some college in Boston while she teaches in San Diego. She would, in fact, be a little farther away from you than she would be in London. So getting all this together and coordinated is going to be difficult as the timing for decisions are probably not going to be coordinated.


Hi Synthia,

Yes, things are looking very positive in regards to me being offered a scholarship in the US. I'm really glad to hear that the University will typically help out with the Visa as that sounds a really complex application.

My partner already has a degree in the UK and has been teaching permanently for 3 years now.

The idea is for me to be offered a few scholarships in different locations and for my partner to do the same (ie send in lots of applications and then we pick the ideal location). At the moment I'm having most of my encouraging responses from NC & SC, what are these locations like?

Thanks again all

Regards

Rhys


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

North and South Carolina are both beautiful states, and what they are like depends on where in the state you are located. They both have coastal areas and mountainous areas, so even the climate varies quite a bit.


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## dvedsctt (Dec 10, 2008)

*Charolotte*

The weather varies based on location but... currently it is 61 degrees in Charlotte, North Carolina and the low tonight is 40 degrees

For Charlotte, January is the coldest month of the year, historically, with highs averaging 51 degrees and lows averaging 32 degree. July is the warmest month, historically, with highs averaging 90 degrees and lows averaging 71 degrees


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## Tiffani (Dec 4, 2007)

I grew up in North Carolina and lived there for much of my life. You will have four true seasons, although winter tends to be a bit milder than the others. It's not quite as cold for quite as long, unless you get caught in a cold snap and then you can get snow. The summers are long, hot, and extremely humid. There's rarely a respite, but everywhere has A/C at least.

It's a very beautiful area but there aren't a lot of large cities so keep that in mind. If you're a big city person you may not be happy there.


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## American Guy (Aug 27, 2008)

I think you're overestimating your partner's chances of gaining employment.

First, in you're on a college scholarship, you'd probably be getting a student visa? That doesn't allow you to work at all (except very limited circumstances), so your scholarship would have to cover all expenses - tuition, housing, living, etc. The alternative is to get a less restrictive visa, for which you probably won't qualify unless you have a professional sports job lined up

As far as your spouse goes, even if you get a visa for her, I'd have to say her job prospects are slim right now. In the US, teaching jobs are offered by local school districts, not the state or national governments. Every town, pretty much, has its own school district. These school districts, for the most part, rely upon state funding and local property taxes to fund their operations. Nearly every state in the US is facing a huge budget deficit for the foreseeable future, and school funding is on the chopping block everywhere. So, teachers are being fired, not hired. Add to that the fact that your wife will have to be licensed to teach by whatever state you live in - that will take a lot of time and may require some additional education here in the US to qualify (depends on the state's rules). Hiring, if any, for NEXT year's teachers is beginning now, so you'll be looking at at least a year without teaching, or more depending on your move date. Most states won't even begin a licensing procedure until your wife is here and allowed to work, so my guess is that she'll be out of luck.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

She could look for work in private schools. Sometimes they will sponsor someone. Private schools tend to pay less than public schools, because there are so many teachers who are just happy to get away from the sort of discipline problems they deal with in the public (meaning government) schools.


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