Is 28k of student loans bad for 3 years of college?
My school is quite expensive but I'm getting a good education. Also, should I return before my grace period is over to get my MA/PhD so I don't have to pay student loans while in graduate school? The MA/PhD program will lead me to getting a job as a assistant professor. Really need advice. Nobody in my family graduated from college. Thanks!
Is it easy to get a job in Germany after pursuing masters from there?
Getting a job during Masters is not a problem at all. Getting a RELEVANT job during Masters is the main questions. Not let me break down the whole scenario to you.I came to Germany to study my Masters in the German taught course of Bauingenieurwesen (Civil Engineering). For me getting the job was no problem at all because I had C1 level in language and could immediately receive a job offer.Although many students who came to study in an English speaking course might not be have it so easy.Either you can go and work in fields that are not related to the subject of your masters, e.g. in Restaurants, Cafes or Printing firms (no German required). Although, the problem with the small businesses is that since the owners might speak very less or no English, that makes communicating with you not effective and you might have trouble talking. Other than the physical work everybody can very well do. You don’t need to open your mouth for that.You can check the notice boards of your universities because many a times there are notices by other small firms or professors who might need help of students for some parts of their projects.Also try to apply for “HiWi” or a “Hilfswissenschaftler”in the University in a subject. It will also look good in your CV and also make you have a deeper understanding with your subject and your professor.Having said that, don’t worry about a job during your Masters. There are hundreds of students who come every year and leave and they can get a job here. You will not be denied one, if you not let yourself get one denied!
What are the job opportunities for Indian students after doing a postgraduate degree from the UK?
As of 2016 - bleak.There are a number of reasons for this - the UK has a shrinking economy, hence jobs have reduced. The Guardian (2016) reports that graduate jobs have shrunk by 8% since 2015. Most of my students (maximum of whom were from the UK and EU) did not find any work after their under graduation.Being an Indian, you are on the 3rd list of priorities for any job opening - and this is as per regulation and has nothing to do with racism or qualifications. Priority 1 = UK citizenPriority 2 = EU citizens (despite all the talk of brexit, the employers have not changed the criteria)Priority 3 = Not priority 1 and 2 (People from India, Pakistan, Middle East, Africa, USA, China)If a person from UK and EU satisfies the criteria laid out for the job, then your applications will not even be seen. (I was plain lucky that no one from these countries qualified for my work as a lecturer!).Plus since 2013, any employer wishing to employ a non UK / EU citizen has to seek permission from the home office PRIOR to taking your interview. This includes paying them the fee - and most employers shy from doing this (My reasonably large university had paid the fee and obtained permission for employing 6 such people for the year that I was taken). This advance payment and permission system immediately repels most employers who do not find it worth the trouble.Even if your employer has the required permission, you will have just 2-3 months to search + find the job. You will receive your passing out certificate in October / November, and your student visa will be valid upto January. In other words, you have to hope for all the above to happen precisely at that time. That does not happen in the real world. For example: academic openings typically are advertised in Feb - May.And while you may be willing to do anything (even being a waiter / stacking shelves in Tesco) till you get better work in line with your education, these jobs will not get you a work permit, without which you are not allowed to live in the UK.Having said that, if you are keen, observant and eager to learn, the education that you receive in UK (from inside the classroom and especially from outside the classroom) is excellent, highly valuable and I simply cannot put a price on it.Just don't expect it to enable you to work there.
Could I get food stamps as a college student?
I'm a college student that comes from a low income family (that is already on food stamps). I have three younger brothers and sisters, and when I turned 18 my mom's food stamps were cut about $300. I'm in college, with no meal plan and I'm still listed as a dependent on my mom's tax returns. I don't have a real job, I babysit a lot for family friends & ex teachers, etc. & that's my only source of income. Is it possible for me to get food stamps? Even just $100 a month would really help me since that money could go towards my car insurance, gas, etc. I'm in Louisiana if that helps any.
Federal work study (FWS) or part-time (PT) job?
I don't believe that being dependent or independent makes a difference in this case. There is an annual maximum for work study, which you probably qualify for. (while I was in grad school - 2004-2006- I could make $3,000.) Some universities pay minimum wage and some pay slightly above that, but these jobs never pay well. You're right, unless you have an assistantship from your department you will have few aid options. There are some other things that you may want to consider in making this decision. For instance, will you be in a situation where it is more practical to work on campus or off? As you said, as an undergrad living off campus it was as practical for you to have a job off campus. I lived in campus housing as a grad student - without a car in an area where most off-campus jobs could only be reached via car. If you can find an off-campus job that will be flexible enough to fit with your class and study schedule, it will probably pay more. Can you get a job that will fit with your career goals? It may be worth it to make less money while in school if you can leave school with experience that augments your resume. Mine did, but clearly this is not possible for all fields. Barring that, you are more likely to find a work study job where they allow you to study if you're not busy with work. Library jobs and academic department assistant jobs usually let you do this. Could you continue to work at a work study job after you've earned the annual maximum? Some positions don't have any funding other than work study, so once you've used that you can't work at them until your funding renews. If you can find a position that's funded in other ways, you can work year-round. Basically, the short answer would be that it depends on the particular jobs, and a few other factors. Good luck with grad school!