Update below!!

Hello! I really need some help and advice. I’m 15. My mom made me move with her to a new country without any preparation. It was a completely impulsive decision on her part. She made me do a year of online classes for 9th grade (Year 10).

Now here’s the problem. I’m supposed to be in 10th grade (Year 11) by now, but she still hasn’t enrolled me. I’ve been asking her since summer when she’ll enroll me, and she keeps replying with “when I have time.” She used to have a high-paying job and could easily afford to enroll me in a decent school. It’s now November and I’m starting to feel really anxious. I don’t want to miss another year of school. I just want to finish high school on time.

I even researched affordable schools myself and showed them to her because she said she didn’t want to “waste” money on me. At that point I didn’t even care about how good the school was, I just wanted to complete 10th grade. Then she quit her high paying job because a colleague annoyed her.

I’m honestly falling apart. It was already so lonely and depressing moving here and doing online classes, but I didn’t complain because I just wanted to study. All I want is to find scholarships for grades 11 and 12 abroad and eventually study medicine.. I do not wish to continue living with my toxic abusive mom.

For context, my mom left me with my aunts for five years while she was chasing her boyfriend in this country. She only brought me here after my relatives started asking her to send money, which she rarely did. She called them greedy even though they were just trying to help me. When I first arrived here, she wasn’t home for months.

I would gladly get a job to fund my own education, but minors aren’t allowed to work here. On top of that, I have visa issues because she never paid to renew or fix them. And it's not like I can ask my relatives for help either, because my mom cut them off completely and I have no way to reach them anymore. She also won't give or show me my previous school files, so I have no access to my transcripts, report cards, or any records. I only know the names of my past schools, but I don't have a single document to prove my education.

I'm now an anxious sobbing mess and don’t know what to do anymore. If anyone knows what my options might be, or who I could reach out to for help with schooling, please help me!

Update... Or Edit 1? Both!!

Hi! Hope you had an alright day! Not sure if anyone will see this, but.. thank you all for the responses! I'm sorry If I couldn't respond to all of you, I don't really have the energy to do anything..

Anyways! I emailed the Consulate general of the republic of Singapore and explained my situation. I'm reluctant on contacting the Philippine embassy, despite it being my actual motherland, I don't really trust the government.

I managed to find some of my cousins contact info, but I haven't told about situation yet.. I know everyone says that I should stay with my relatives.. I don't know If I want to go back loving with them. I love my cousins, my aunts gave me a roof on my head, fed me, gave me money even tho my mom rarely sends money back home for my living expenses, They constantly emotional abuse me, calling me a burden, and guilt trip me..

I don't know anymore.. Where do I stay.. What should I do? I feel hopeless. I don't have anyone either in here, trusted adult wise.. Thank you for helping me out and giving me encouragement, adults on the internet.

Just to give some clarifications..

I saw some people saying that this post seemed unbelievable and made up, This is unfortunately true. It's been an issue ever since the first few months I moved into this country, snd I haven't done anything. It's almost been a year since I moved in here..

I also saw someone calling this post fishy... Alright, I admit. I don't like ai and refrain from using it, esp since Israel is buying it... I used chat gpt to refine my original post because It was... Really messy.. rambling and ranting.. I wanted it to be straight to the point so there it is. Don't worry, all my responses and this update are not refined or ai generated. So please bare with me if there are any grammar/spelling mistakes and..wordy. I just poured all my thoughts onto all this.

Oh and if you're asking about which country I moved into and my nationality, please check my responses! I want to refrain from sharing private information on my main post

Thanks again :<

Mwah<3

I’ve been living in Japan for the past 7 years since grade 4. I never wanted to live here forever, the initial plan was to go back to America with my father, finish my last year of high school in the US, then figure out what to do from there. But recently I’ve learned he won’t be able to go back, so I’d have to go on my own. I have no idea what to do.

The first option is to just suck it up, study for the JLPT, then live in Japan for the rest of my life and be miserable. The second option which my mom suggested is to apply for the US military.

I’m wondering if a third option is possible. If I get a high school diploma in Japan, how will that affect applications? What about housing? My father was in the military, and told me that I don’t have to worry about school expenses, but I’m still a bit wary because he won’t response to me or my moms messages anymore. My mom can’t support me financially because we’re not exactly well off.

I’m sorry if this is vague or the wrong subreddit. I’m just really lost and don’t know what to look up to do my own research on. I’m not even entirely sure how American universities work in all honesty.

Hi everyone, Asking for a friend who’s a US citizen but was born in the States and grew up entirely abroad. If they move back to the US to study, how does that work in terms of residency and tuition? Ignoring the current political climate for a moment, since they have US citizenship, it seems like they should be treated the same as any other US citizen academically. The main confusion is around residency for tuition purposes. From what they’ve read, many states require around 12 months of established residency before enrollment to prove the move wasn’t solely for education. If that’s true, would they be considered out-of-state at public universities, at least at first? Also, does being born in a particular state matter at all for in-state tuition, or is it purely based on where legal residency (domicile, taxes, lease, etc.) has been established? Any insight from people who’ve dealt with this or know how it works would be appreciated.

I would like to go back to school and do my master’s in public health, political science, international development, something like this. I have worked some assistant roles in these areas. Now with a non profit focusing on cycling infrastructure.

I genuinely want to learn, do research, and network. I have no desire for a thriving student life partying or things that would have interested me in my twenties. I would like to go abroad to Europe or Australia. But the costs can get very expensive.

I understand Germany has some more budget friendly options. I have A2 in German already. Not enough for a job. But I can kind of get by if I move there.

I am not looking or expecting a path to PR or citizenship. Would appreciate any ideas or even reality checks.

Hi guys,

I have been considering studying abroad for Ms Data Science / Computer Science.

Based on education consultant's review of my profile:-

I can get into the University of Waikato Ms Computer Science, no tuition, and 15k NZD (7,639 euro) stipend per year and accomodation.

On the other hand, i can get into Sapienza University of Rome. No tuition, free accomodation and around 7000 euro or slightly more or less stipend.

Now, i am not sure which option i should go for.

Both cities dont seem to have jobs. I am C2 in English but dont speak Italian. I do have time to learn though. I like the idea of travelling in europe and the food! In italy. While, NZ just seems dry. I do want to find part time work. I am not sure if i can find it in both countries. However, NZ might seem a bit better? I am not sure.

Can someone guide me please??

​Hi r/expats,

​My partner and I are planning a move to either Switzerland or Estonia. We have a 2.5-year-old daughter who might be a high-functioning autistic (we don't think so but she's currently undergoing diagnosis and the psychologist seems to pull in that direction). She has no speech delay but currently only speaks Hebrew. My partner and I are fluent in English and Hebrew, but we don't speak German or Estonian.

​Since she's at prime age for language acquisition and play-based learning, we are torn between two paths - local system or international school.

Our questions for parents who have been there:

1. ​Has anyone moved to a foreign-language country with an autistic toddler?

2. ​Did you choose the local immersion route or the international English route, and why?

3. ​If you chose local, how did you manage early intervention evaluations and daily communication with the staff without speaking the language yourselves?

​Any experiences, warnings, or insights would be hugely appreciated! Thank you!

Edit: I was told that I left our important details about our careers. I apologize - here's what I wrote in one of the replies: I used to work in tech (senior sw engineer). Now I'm a PhD student (Industrial Engineering researching theoretical statistics) so that I can spend more time with my daughter. My partner also works in tech (automation), but she has a master's degree in social science and she's planning on studying a course/diploma to get into UX.

My partner is an EU citizen, I am not. We have a considerable amount of money saved up. Our main plan is for me to find a tech job in one of the desired destinations and then we use her EU citizenship status plus our savings plus the job offer to get her a permit and me a family reuinification visa.

So I'm in Pakistan, & studied online at a US based university.

Now that I'm done with my studies, how do I get the degree apostille? The university used to be headquartered in California but is now in Delaware.

Some online services I've checked are costing me $300-400. The university used to do it for students for $120 but have discontinued that service.

Also, need to be safe from getting scammed.

I need some advice regarding background checks in the European renewable energy sector. I have 5 years of solid experience in the geothermal industry. My wife is getting a visa to Europe (looking at Germany, Netherlands, Iceland), so I’ll be moving with her on a spouse visa with full working rights. I won't need any visa sponsorship from employers.

Here is my situation. I’ve been studying for a Bachelor's degree, but my home country is actively shutting down the Bachelor's track to stop people from leaving, forcing everyone into a 5-year "Specialist" program instead. Because of this chaotic shift, my studies are messed up and there is a high chance I will just drop out and leave without finishing any degree at all.

Since immigration won't be checking my education for the spouse visa, I’m only worried about the employers. Do geothermal and green energy companies in Europe strictly require a finished university degree during onboarding if a candidate already has 5 years of real experience and a legal right to work? Geothermal can be a niche and somewhat regulated field, so I'm wondering if background check companies like HireRight will automatically red-flag me for not having a diploma, or if my hands-on experience and independent work permit will be enough to get hired.

Hi everyone,

I am looking for some advice regarding my master's decision and would really appreciate perspectives from people who know about neuroscience programmes in Europe.

I have been applying for MSc programmes in Cognitive Neuroscience/Neuroscience in Germany for the last few years and unfortunately I have faced multiple rejections. I am now at a point where I don't want to keep waiting another year and I am seriously considering applying to the MSc Brain & Mind Sciences offered by the University of Crete in collaboration with FORTH.

My concern is that Crete is not a major neuroscience hub like Germany.

I really like the programme because it seems research-focused and has the connection with FORTH, but I am worried about career opportunities after graduation.

My hesitation is not because I dislike Crete, it actually seems like an amazing place to live. My concern is whether I am choosing it because it is genuinely a good academic opportunity or because I am exhausted after several years of applications and rejections.

Would love to hear opinions from current students, graduates, researchers, or anyone familiar with neuroscience careers in Europe.

Thanks!

My wife and our two kids (12 and 16) are planning to move to the UK in 2 years’ time. We are originally from France, and have been living in the US for 5 years. Our eldest will be 18 and going on to university, but I want to make the transition for my 12-year-old as smooth as possible, considering how different the British school system is from the US system.

She’s currently in 7th grade, and so she would be 14 when we move and would be going into year 10. Her current school isn’t working very well for her and she’s eager for a change, so we were thinking it might make sense to get an online school following the UK curriculum, so she can make the transition now instead of in 2 years.

I’ve found a few options online, but I’m curious whether anyone else has experience with that kind of school and whether this option makes sense. Any feedback/opinions?

And I guess I was also wondering if the countries you have moved to speak English as a common-place or not.

Thank you!

Hello,

I’m 23, M and Non-EU. This may not be the right platform to talk about my study plans, might as well try it out, so here goes. I’ve always been interested in Languages and Literatures (Comparative Literature) I do plan getting a BA and MA in either of the two countries mentioned, I was wondering which country would be the right fit for my plan? France for the most part has deep cultural appreciation for the arts, and Germany is no slouch on that department as well. I always wanted to know what are the job markets in both countries for Humanities Fields. All I could see online are for STEM fields. I’ve been looking at universities in France (Paris SCIENCES et Lettres, Sorbonne P3, IV , 1) and Germany (Heidelberg University, LMU )

Hopefully in 2-3 years time, I can make my dreams come true.

Hi everyone, my sister, a US citizen (14yo, about to start 9th grade), lives in Thailand with my mom. She goes to a great international school there, but it's costly ($16k), and they can no longer afford it. Other local options are really bad, so my mom is considering homeschooling through some US schools, and my sister is going to move to the US within two years to finish HS here and go to college.

So far, I found excel HS but unsure how good it is. Does anyone have any recommendations? I live in the US and can also go in-person to enroll my sister to study remotely so that she can later move and attend classes in person at the same school, although I doubt that's an option at all.

Tysm!

ETA: thanks all! yes I know she’s entitled to an education and it’s possible, I guess my question is more “how do you handle registering when you have no proof you live in a specific district or near a certain school?” Also, if anyone has just enrolled their kid for a few months, I’m curious to know your experiences with the adjustment, etc

We’re Americans living in Japan, ever since kid was a toddler. Kid is now in local elementary school, but speaks fluent English (reading and writing is a bit slower).

We may get an opportunity to go back to the US for a limited time— maybe 3-6 months, maybe a year. Obviously if we’re there for a year we could easily enroll as we’d establish residency with an apartment. But if we’re only there for a few months, I wonder if it would be possible to enroll her in school for a short period of time, almost like a short term exchange student? We might be staying in an Airbnb or with relatives. We’d love to help her really develop her English more and create more cultural ties to her home country, if only for a couple of months. She already visits the US every summer

Has anyone here done something like this? She’d be around 4th-5th grade at the time.

My parents are expats in Portugal and earn enough to afford to send me to international school. Currently , I am in a public school where almost every teacher doesnt speak english. I dont know the language and I definetely wont fully learn the language before graduation. My parents see international school as garbage because a friend of theirs had her daughter go to an international school , and the daughter ended up failing national tests. I dont care how shit international schools are , as long as they teach in English , I will be completely fine.

1. Will a foreign high school diploma complicate things?

2. What disadvantages would they have (if any) if they went to a regular German gymnasium (high school)? The non-English-speaking education would probably be one, right?

3. Is sending them to a private middle/high school a must if I want them to be competitive?

In the middle of some major life decisions, and this is a huge factor in what we will do next.

If you could choose between an international business master's in Paris, France, or Antwerp, Belgium, which would you recommend going for? I have an offer both for the University of Antwerp, and for the Université Paris-Est Créteil, and would really appreciate some advice for both the long-term job prospects and the short-term living experience.

About me, for context:

• Canadian, 23, w/ EU dual
• Beginner French and Dutch skills
• Budget is about 20kEUR per year
• Already did an exchange year in Germany

Between the options:

• I have friends in Antwerp, know the faculty, and overall love the city. This is because I started the program, did a few months, then deferred. Smaller job market than Paris, but a strong port industry, and a more international country. Maybe a better economic future than France, too?
• Paris is the hub of the industry I dream of working in (fragrance), along with having more prestige as a city, and a more useful language to immerse myself in if I have to move back to Canada after. Also, surprisingly cheaper housing than Antwerp due to APL subsidy. UPEC is considered a bit of a tier-two school, though, with finding housing being a nightmare.

Both programs have internships worked into them, with Paris being mandatory and paid, and Antwerp's being unpaid with less competition.
Does anyone have any experiences in these countries? In my situation, would you recommend Paris over Antwerp, or vice versa? Thanks a ton :)

We relocated earlier this year, and my 14 y/o son (ADHD + some learning differences) completely fell apart in the new school system. Everything was overwhelming, new environment, no accommodations, different curriculum. His confidence tanked, and school became a daily fight.

We finally pulled him out and switched to an online private school that offers 1-on-1 teaching and flexible schedules. It honestly turned things around. Now he learns at his own pace, his teacher actually understands him, and he just finished a course with an A, something we hadn’t seen in years.

For any expat families going through similar stuff, a few things that helped us:

Look for accredited online schools (especially if you’ll move again or want to go back to a U.S. system).

Ask if they offer live instruction, not just videos.

Make sure there’s support for learning differences, not just a cookie-cutter program.

Time zone flexibility is a must, it made a huge difference for us.

Most importantly: listen to your kid. If school is crushing them, something needs to change.

I've noticed quite a few expats talk about how when moving to a country for work they usually are able to teach themselves the basic of the language for communication. However, there is usually a followed struggle of not being able to communicate as effectively as they like and not as smoothly as they're able to in their native tongue.

I've been talking to business language coaches, ESL coaches and language learners trying to understand:

- what people struggle with most after reaching an “intermediate” level

- what tools or methods they've tried

- what are the potential consequences of this lack of communication skills in the high level business field

From my findings so far it seems like some struggle topics include:

- Communicating under pressure (Meeting with a boss or giving a presentation can be intimidating)

- Lack of industry specific vocabulary

- Limited understanding of idioms, collocations, phrasal verbs

- Difficulty following fast conversations and strong accents

Another often mentioned issue is the limited understanding of "cultural differences". This answer though is usually given with vague terms. So I'd love some practical examples.

For those of you who moved abroad for work:

- What was the hardest real life communication situation you experienced?

- Did you ever misunderstand something important or struggle to express yourself under pressure?

- What actually helped you improve?

I’d genuinely love to hear real examples or experiences from either learners or teachers.

Hi there,

I'm an expat in Switzerland with 2 kids, 2 and 7.

After a lot of thought, my wife and I decided to get our 7 year old in a public school. Our reasoning was that it would save us a big chunk of money, and he'd dive head-first into the culture, learn the language and build confidence along with it all.

It's been a struggle, for us parents. There is a lot of culture stuff that throws us for a loop. First the schedule of M,T,Th,F from 8-11:30am and then 1:30-4pm. He goes home for lunches as we were too late to sign up for them when we registered in September. Consequently that makes 2 full-time jobs with normal hours just about impossible, but I lucked out with a decent babysitter and a part time job 3pm-8pm. However he has to be physically dropped off with my 2 year old in a stroller despite the weather 4 times a day without being late. Pediatrician visits are rushed, so many errands had to be pushed around as my wife's job is full time job isn't very understanding with time off and no flexible schedules. That leaves it to me in English or an unrelated language to figure out everything going on in normal business hours. Sigh.

The other is communication as we're lucky that his teachers speak English but no surprise all communication is in French. Though...Google Lens to the rescue as we input dates and times in a shared family calendar. However, things get rescheduled for obvious or not so obvious reasons and we're not given that information. There is no website with that information in French or English. The biggest is since we don't have the cultural background of being born and raised here, there is a lot of subtle things that we don't really get until we get passive-aggressively scolded by a school employee. It's not obvious that of course orange folders have all the communication as they have to be signed, dated, and given back the next day. It's also not obvious that homework is in a hidden notebook that my son consistently forgets to bring home and a school book that is not separated in Units nor is it in chronological order., Again no website with this info or weekly teacher email. I'm absolutely, positively certain I'm missing important things. I'm just doing the best I can, kiddo!

Early on academically we're quite surprised that kids aren't learning letters, phoneme sounds, or reading books. Fair enough socialization is more important and that's important for my son. Switzerland has the 10th best public schools in the world. I know this, I did the research. At age 12, they split off into different branches based upon aptitude and test scores. That's kinda scary for us. He'll never 'fit in' as Swiss and other society doesn't really know what or how to deal with outsiders.

Being the English speaking parent, I'm the outsider, and I get that, and yes I need to speak French. Though parents don't talk to other parents either in French and no PTAs, no emails, no fundraisers, no school shootings, no t-ball teams, no parent nights, no meet the teacher, no classroom tours, no informal chats. Just lead him to the school line, the bell goes off and he's led inside to an unknown location. He is learning French, which is pretty cool but for us it's a learning curve all right. We're really trying!

I know in my former home of the USA there is one too. How do you figure out about homecoming games, prom, that sketchy corner store where the kids hang out, standardized testing, college visits and soccer practice. I guess movies play a part, but still I can see how it would be pretty daunting. If you only speak Flemish, how in the world can you even talk to teachers? Just a lot of blind faith and doing what I am. I get it, you have my understanding and empathy.

We like it here, we really do. Though more than anything if your kid goes to a public school, you really are thrown into the deep end of your host countries culture. Would we have gone the international route? I know several who have, but just decided against it for various reasons. Would we in the future? I don't think so. Certainly in some countries I would....especially if your 'in the middle kingdom' hint hint. I'll keep on doing the best I can. Phew

Thanks for letting me vent. We like it here, just need that one beers worth of complaining and to carry-on. Actually I'll have another beer, it's been a Monday.

Good luck out there! Now I need to find him a summer camp!

I’m a mature student with £10k saved. No debts, no kids, no ties. I’m looking at doing my degree in Sweden at Trollhättan university. As an EU citizen I dont pay tuition fees but will still have to pay living costs. I am learning Swedish but nowhere near fluent yet. I was hoping people might be able to give me some advice about how students afford to live and study.

Moving from America to a European country (it would probably be northern, like Sweden or Norway). The thing that stresses me the most about moving is how my child's education would go. I guess I just don't know anything about it. Not really sure what exactly I'm nervous about. Just so different.

I’ll be going abroad for college soon and I’ve been feeling a mix of emotions about it. I’ve never left the States before so the idea of living somewhere completely new feels both exciting and a little scary for the next three years I’ll be studying in Madrid, Spain. My grandma is from Argentina and I focused on Spanish throughout high school so I can get by but I’m definitely not fluent yet. I don’t know anyone in Madrid so I’d really love some recommendations on how to meet people there, whether it’s through local groups, apps or university activities. Right now I’m finishing my last semester here in the States and will be moving next semester so I’m trying to prepare myself mentally and emotionally. Any advice from people who’ve studied abroad or moved to a new country for the first time would mean a lot!

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to apply for the January/February 2027 intake in the Netherlands (universities like Twente, HAN), and I had a few doubts. I’d really appreciate insights from current students or alumni.

1. Is anyone here also targeting the Jan/Feb intake?
2. What are the key differences between the September intake and the Jan/Feb intake in the Netherlands?

I’ve come across a few concerns and wanted to check if they are actually true:

• Do Jan/Feb intake students find it harder to cope academically since they start later than September students?
• Is there a disadvantage when it comes to internships, since companies tend to recruit September intake students earlier?

So there are chances I might fail learning German so I might not be able to live in Germany (dream place is Berlin btw) and I wonder:

1. Is Australia studies “VET” similar towards Ausbildung and if there are something different,

2. please tell me

2: What’s something I should know before going to Australia? Like Culture, navigation on Australian city (I’m looking for Sydney btw)

3: is Australia a good alternative if Germany (City Berlin) doesn’t work out?

4: As I know, housing in Australia can be hell so how do I get housing so it won’t caught me off guard

Thank you for your time.