Options for a UK citizen to visit the US for 1 year. (Mature student?)

December 29, 2014 4:04 PM

It's always been one of my ambitions to live in California for a full year. I've been thinking about enrolling in a university on a 1year post grad course, with a student visa. I am 35 years old. Is this a realistic route for me? I own a business in the UK which gives me a steady income. I have a good undergraduate degree from a top UK uni. How much do the cheapest 1 year post grad courses go for? (probably the humanities, though i do have a science degree) I do genuinely want to study, but I have no plans to use the degree, so really looking at the cheaper end of the scale. Is it easy and painless to get a student visa as a mature student for 1 year? Is the application process simple and non competitive? Is there another obvious option I have missed? Are there other routes I may have missed? I also have assets to qualify as an entrepreneur, but I understand this is a complicated and costly process.
posted by molloy to Education (8 answers total)

There aren't many post-graduate degree programs that are only a year long. Even accelerated ones are usually at least 18 months. A regular-paced MBA is more like 2 years. But I suppose you could just quit halfway through if you're just doing it to get a visa and not for the actual credential.
posted by Jacqueline at 4:08 PM on December 29, 2014

Response by poster: 2 years would be great too. It's not just for the visa. If this doesn't work out, I would probably apply to a UK uni instead.
posted by molloy at 4:12 PM on December 29, 2014

Well then looking at your AskMe history, I suggest applying to MBA programs with a Finance concentration. Tons of universities have MBA programs these days and it's easy to get in to any but the top programs. Most MBA students are older so being 35 won't be a problem at all.
posted by Jacqueline at 4:17 PM on December 29, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: There are programs through university extensions that offer a certificate in something, and are only a year long. (I was just researching these for a student of mine, also in his mid-30s.) Typically, the school handles the visa, and if you're coming from the UK, I imagine it's not that difficult. I don't speak from experience on that end, though.

Example extension programs (at UCLA--no idea how the tuition cost compares, but be VERY careful about cost of living when you're looking at programs!).
posted by wintersweet at 4:20 PM on December 29, 2014 [1 favorite]

The main prerequisite you'll need to deal with that you probably don't already have is taking the GMAT exam. I recommend the Kaplan books for studying.

If you want to keep your schedule relatively free, you might look specifically into "Executive" MBA programs as they usually meet much less frequently. As a business owner you probably have sufficient management experience to get into an Executive MBA program instead of a regular MBA program.
posted by Jacqueline at 4:23 PM on December 29, 2014

Here's the Student Visa page, which links to the forms.

Private universities will be easier to get into than State Schools. The most beautiful school is Pepperdine. It's right in Malibu on the coast. It costs the earth, but it sure is pretty there.

California has two University systems. University of California, which is very competitive. There are 10 UC campuses. California State University, which is much less so. Disclaimer: I graduated from San Francisco State University. I know whereof I speak. Cal State has 23 campuses up and down the state.

If you aim for a state school, Cal State is probably your best bet.

Steer clear of the for profit 'universities', Argosy, University of Phoenix, Kaplan,

It looks like Wharton (University of Pennsylvania) has a San Francisco Campus. It's a very prestigious program, and frankly, I'm baffled.

So do some homework, figure out what lights your fire, and if you like, send me your top choices and I'll vet them for you.

Here are my suggestions:

Sonoma State
San Francisco State
Northridge
Santa Cruz (UC school, but Santa Cruz is very hippy dippy)
Long Beach
East Bay
Fullerton
Monterey Bay
San Diego
Cal State, Los Angeles (not UCLA)

For San Francisco State here's the price schedule.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:16 PM on December 29, 2014 [2 favorites]

I just want to note that extension programs are typically not competitive at all (whether they're via UC Berkeley or CSU San Whatever), and typically don't require things like the GMAT. The quality varies, too, so do your research. (Sometimes they have lots of great professors, and sometimes...not.)
posted by wintersweet at 5:26 PM on December 29, 2014 [1 favorite]

If you MeMail me, I may be able to help you out.
posted by persona au gratin at 3:31 AM on December 30, 2014