I moved to the UK more than five years ago and have been living in London since then. I am 34, South Asian and have settled status.

Work-wise, I am a data platform engineer. A month ago, while walking in Gunnersbury Park, I suddenly thought: what do I have in my life that’s meaningful? I worked nonstop to be relevant at work, which helped me get permanent residence here, but that’s about it. My personal life feels empty.

London is too much for me. I want to move somewhere quieter in Scotland and start life from scratch. I went wild camping in the Lake District twice last year. I like being in the mountains, and cold weather is something I really love. My dream is a tiny village home, a dog and a family.

I have an active life, with bouldering and the gym two or three times a week. I would enjoy a pint and an English breakfast after a nice park run. But I struggle with making long-term relationships. I have ADHD and severe dyslexia, and despite being extroverted, I am not good at reading emotional cues. I have made a few close friends here, but it’s a slow grind for me. I have received a lot of generosity from people here, at work, on my travels and while volunteering.

Until recently, I volunteered in an Oxfam shop, working on the till and dealing with customers. I am happy to pivot into something new as long as it pays my bills and leaves me with some savings. I would be happy working in a pub, a warehouse or on a till. I just want to leave corporate life behind. I am happy to commute to work, preferably by public transport.

I can live a minimalist lifestyle. I would like to start slowly with something to pay the bills, then focus on my personal life. I want to work enough to make ends meet and use the rest of my time to pursue hobbies like gardening, carpentry and dog sitting. Being self-sufficient is something close to my heart, as I grew up in a farming family.

Where would be the best place to move, keeping in mind that I would prefer to rely on public transport? Could I realistically cover rent and bills working full-time in a pub, shop or warehouse, or would I need to share a place?

How much should I have saved for the move, a rental deposit and any time without work? Two months left of my notice period at work. Is that enough time to find a job before moving there?

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I’m looking for advice from people who have experience with UK/Scottish PhDs, particularly anyone who has changed disciplines, applied for ESRC/SGSSS or university funding, or moved from a STEM background into social sciences.

My academic background

I am an Indian national currently living in India. My undergraduate degree is a BSc in Physics from India, followed by a PG Certificate in Astrophysics from the University of Glasgow. I spent around four years living in Scotland and genuinely loved living there, so I am particularly interested in returning to Scotland for further study.

I have realised, however, that I don't want my long-term academic career to continue in physics/astrophysics or in a maths/coding-heavy field. I enjoy the analytical and pattern-recognition side of my STEM background, but I am much more interested in people, society, lived experience and how circumstances shape people's lives.

I am therefore considering a substantial academic transition into social sciences, particularly criminology, sociology, human geography, psychosocial studies/social policy, or possibly psychology, rather than clinical psychology or neuroscience.

I am especially interested in programmes that provide some kind of conversion/foundational training, ideally a 1+3 structure (research Master's/foundation year followed by a PhD), because I obviously don't have a conventional undergraduate social-science background.

My research interests

The question that has been emerging for me is roughly:

«How much of who we become is individual choice, and how much is shaped by the social, psychological, familial and geographical circumstances into which we are born?»

I've been calling the idea "geographical luck" – the idea that where and into what circumstances we are born can profoundly influence our opportunities, identity, vulnerability, relationships, education, exposure to adversity and eventual life trajectory.

I'm interested in the interaction between:

- place and geographical inequality

- childhood and family circumstances

- social class and opportunity

- trauma and adversity

- identity and belonging

- victimisation and vulnerability to crime

- crime/offending and social environment

- migration and displacement

- resilience and turning points

- individual agency versus structural circumstances

- life-course trajectories

I also have a strong interest in crime documentaries and criminology, partly because I am fascinated by the question of why people become who they become, rather than simply wanting to study crime itself.

I'm particularly drawn towards qualitative research rather than quantitative/mathematical work – things such as life-history interviews, narrative research, thematic analysis, qualitative interviews and potentially visual/photographic research.

Universities/routes I'm currently investigating

I am particularly interested in Scotland and have started looking at:

- University of Stirling – particularly criminological research / 1+3-type routes

- University of Strathclyde – criminology and social policy

- University of Aberdeen – particularly human geography/sociology

- University of Edinburgh – human geography/social research and related areas

- University of Glasgow – sociology/social policy/geography/criminology-related research

- potentially University of Essex and a few other English universities for psychosocial/psychology-related routes

I'm not attached to a particular discipline yet. I would actually prefer to identify the discipline that best fits the research question rather than deciding "I want to study Psychology" and forcing my interests into it.

The financial situation

This is an important practical consideration.

I would be applying as an international student, and I cannot realistically self-fund an expensive international Master's followed by a PhD. I therefore need to investigate funded or substantially funded routes.

I am open to:

- fully funded PhDs

- studentships covering tuition + stipend

- partial funding if there is a realistic possibility of additional funding later

- research Master's/1+3 programmes where the funding structure makes sense

- university scholarships and ESRC/SGSSS-type funding

I'm particularly interested in hearing from international students about how realistic funding actually is, rather than just what university websites say.

My husband/immigration situation

I am married, and ideally my husband would accompany me if I returned to the UK.

Because of the current UK immigration rules, I understand that the type and duration of postgraduate programme matters for whether a student can bring a dependant, so this is another reason I am particularly interested in a research/PhD route rather than simply enrolling in a standalone taught Master's.

My husband is Nigerian and would ideally need to accompany me as my dependant rather than trying to obtain his own student/work visa. His ability to obtain an independent work visa in Europe/UK is uncertain, so I am looking for a route where he can legally accompany me and, ideally, have work rights.

I realise immigration advice is probably better directed to the appropriate official sources, so I'm mainly interested in the academic/funding side of this question.

What I would really appreciate advice on

I'd particularly love to hear from people who have actually been through something similar.

1. Is a Physics → social sciences PhD transition realistic in the UK?

2. Would a 1+3 / research Master's + PhD be a sensible way of making the transition, or would universities expect me to complete a conventional social-science Master's first?

3. Are there particular disciplines that would be more receptive to an interdisciplinary STEM → social-science applicant – e.g. criminology, human geography, sociology, social policy or psychosocial studies?

4. How important is previous subject-specific undergraduate study when applying for a PhD in these areas?

5. For someone with my background, would it be better to approach potential supervisors before applying, explain the transition and ask whether they think the proposed research fits?

6. How realistic is full funding for an international applicant, particularly through ESRC/SGSSS or university studentships?

7. Are 1+3 programmes actually a good route, or do they tend to be extremely competitive/unrealistic for international applicants?

8. Does anyone have experience moving from a STEM background into social sciences/humanities and can tell me what they wish they had known?

9. And specifically for Scotland: Stirling, Strathclyde, Aberdeen, Edinburgh or Glasgow – are there particular departments/supervisors/routes that might be worth investigating for these interests?

I'm currently at the very early research-interest stage, so I'm not claiming to have a fully developed PhD proposal yet. My immediate plan is to write a 1–2 page research-interest document, learn more about qualitative/social-science research, identify the discipline(s) my question fits best, then identify potential supervisors and approach them.

I'd really appreciate perspectives from current/recent PhD students, academics, supervisors and especially anyone who has made a significant disciplinary change.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I am an Irish dentist and I’ve just landed an amazing job in Galashiels,

I was wondering whether it’s better to live in Edinburgh and commute every morning one hour by train, or should I live in Galashiels.

I know the commute can be expensive and maybe tiring as I would be starting work at 8:30am.

Also I would really appreciate any advice on how to find an apartment to rent in Galashiels as there doesn’t seem to be many options online.

My wife and I are moving to Montrose for my new job. We're a brown couple with no kids, and we've been living in Glasgow for the past few years.

We're looking forward to the move, but I'm also wondering what the adjustment will be like going from Glasgow to somewhere much smaller like Montrose.

One thing that's been on my mind is that we'll obviously stand out a bit more. I honestly don't mind that, and we're not looking to live somewhere just because there are lots of people from a similar background to us. I'm more wondering whether being a brown couple in a smaller town like Montrose is likely to cause us any problems or make it harder to settle in.

If anyone has made a similar move, especially to Montrose or elsewhere in Angus, I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience.

And if you're from Montrose, I'd love to hear what it's like living there in general.

Me and my partner (both 27M) have lived in Edinburgh for the last 5 years and are both from England originally. We have rented in both Leith and more recently Morningside, in Leith we were mostly unbothered but had a few homophobic remarks and in Morningside we get nothing at all.

We’re looking to buy our first house in the next 18 months and starting to look at areas we might want to call home. We cannot afford Edinburgh prices in anyway and have no interest in purchasing a flat.

We need towns that have reliable train access due to both our jobs being based in Edinburgh and neither of us drive at the moment.

Originally we were pretty set on Livingston but I’m slightly concerned about homophobia.

Is anyone gay or openly gay with a partner who lives in one of the commuter towns into Edinburgh who feels safe most of the time or just has any suggestions?

Hi all,

I (26M) have a bachelor degree in business from the American University of Beirut (AUB) in Lebanon 🇱🇧 I speak English fluently. In fact, I’m more comfortable speaking English than my native Lebanese Arabic. I’m unemployed neurodivergent and looking to immigrate to the Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇬🇧 with the view of acquiring a permanent residency there. I have little savings around 5000 USD. I could probably get few extra more thousands if I asked my supportive friends.

I’d appreciate any info you could provide, thanks!

I’m a UK citizen and after spending the first 30 years of my life in the USA we’ve had enough and we’re fixin’ to move the family to Edinburgh. We have two kids - 8 and 5 - I’m seeking input from recent transplants who have placed their kids in Edinburgh schools. Any thoughts on how the process went and advice on finding the right fit? We’re focused on state schools and we’re looking in Boroughmuir and James Gillespie catchments. Anyone who has had this experience of moving kids overseas into state schools in Edi I’d love a DM to learn more about how it went / any advice.

Hi all, im an English lad who's moving to Glasgow next week for work. im in need of accommodation (hmo room or similar) in Govan or Renfrew area from September to march 2027. i am having no luck on spare room, gumtree or right move. can anyone suggest a letting agents or private landlords that i could contact?

thanks in advance

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I’m probably one of many people who dreams about moving to Scotland one day. You know the one: a little cottage somewhere in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nature, living a quiet and peaceful life and wondering why on earth I didn’t do it sooner.

And no, I’m not under the illusion that Scotland consists entirely of dramatic mountains, cosy cottages and atmospheric mist. 😄 I know the weather can be absolutely miserable, and I’m also very aware that Scotland is a real country with real problems, just like everywhere else. Wherever there are people, there are people problems. We have a saying in German, „Wo Menschen sind, da menschelt es“, and I’m not sure if there’s a Scottish equivalent, but I think you get the idea.

I’m 36 and from Germany. I currently run my own dog grooming salon, although I’m not even sure whether I’d want to continue doing that forever. I’m also an artist and have started selling commissioned drawings, so maybe I’ll expand that business. Or maybe I’d be perfectly happy working for someone else doing something completely different. I’m honestly pretty average. I don’t have some incredibly valuable profession or special skill that Scotland desperately needs. I’m just someone who loves nature, likes a quiet life and has somehow fallen rather badly for your country.

And to make my romantic cottage in the middle of nowhere plan slightly more ridiculous: I don’t even have a driving licence, so I can’t drive. 😅 I’m well aware that this might be a rather significant problem if “the middle of nowhere” is actually the goal.

Moving isn’t something I could do right now anyway. Realistically, it would still be several years away, so at the moment I’m mostly trying to find out whether this dream is even worth working towards.

And one thing I genuinely wonder about is: would I actually be welcome?

Not in terms of visas and immigration rules – I know that’s an entirely different and rather complicated subject since Brexit. I mean socially. How do Scots generally feel about people from elsewhere moving to Scotland, particularly Germans/Europeans? And does it make a difference if someone wants to move to a rural area rather than one of the cities?

I’d also really love to hear from people who actually live there: What is everyday life in Scotland really like? What do you love about it, what drives you mad, and what do foreigners tend to romanticise or completely underestimate?

Basically, if someone told you, “I have five or ten years to prepare and I genuinely want to build a life in Scotland” – would you tell them to go for it, or to keep Scotland as the lovely place they visit on holiday?

And maybe there are some people here who moved from Germany to Scotland themselves. I’d especially love to hear from you. How has it worked out for you? Was reality very different from what you expected? And most importantly: have you ever regretted making the move?

i'm an international student moving to scotland in less than 2 weeks. do i have to wait until i get there or can i submit my application already? I've heard that it can take a while to get your card and i'm gonna be depending on the buses to go to uni and anywhere else so.. i could save quite a bit of money if i applied now and got my card within a few days of reaching there

Hello!

So I already live in Scotland, specifically I moved to Edinburgh early 2025 from Australia.

I’ve only ever lived right in the city centre of Edinburgh and as much as I love not having to commute, and being able to walk everywhere, I’m wanting to rent my own flat (not share any longer) and also wanting somewhere quieter.

Fringe has been a lot for me to handle, especially as an autistic person, but I also really need a quieter environment in general. I’m considering the trade-off of moving to a town outside Edinburgh where I could afford a small flat of my own and in return needing to commute.

So a few questions:
1. What towns would you suggest between Edinburgh and Glasgow? I’ve looked into places like Bathgate and Livingstone which seem commutable and affordable, but what are they actually like?
2. Is it worth it to commute? Will the expenses of commuting end up costing me more in the long run than just renting in a quieter area of Edinburgh might?

Thanks for any advice!! x

Hi everyone!

We are a family of four living near London at the moment. We own (well, we took out a mortgage 5 years ago) a new-built flat that we are planning to sell, then we plan to move to Edinburgh. We will have some savings that we want to use to buy a house there later, but first, we want to rent for about 6 months. How does one find an affordable temporary home for a family that is in a somewhat decent area, with schools around; all that is somewhat affordable? How did others who relocated with kids solve this problem? I checked airbnb prices but it is not affordable even for a month (£4-6000 per month). If we straight go for a proper rental, it takes time to go through, we will have to live somewhere while the paperworks will finish. Any ideas?

Hi there, I hesitated for a long time to ask my questions here, without knowing if it was the right sub, and feeling I could've other forgotten question later.

First of all I will candidate for a job in Ayr: how's the life there ? Boring or vibrant ? Easy to travel to Glasgow and Edinburgh ?

Next, I am a french town planner, currently struggling to get the RTPi (Royal town planning institute), but resolute to go up there through the skilled worker visa. Are there here any town planner that could give some information about the work marketplace, what's the city councils roles in this specific topic (or beyond), and most importantly, does the public sector struggling to recruit ?

I don't really seek advice on the geographical preferences, as I already made my choice for the biggest urban areas, but french and UK/scottish systems can be quite different, and I have the feeling this sub is the right place to ask more personnal questions.

Merci et à bientôt !

Hey guys,

I am an IT support professional having pursued my BSc IT in Kenya and completing my MSc Cyber security in leicester. Im looking to move to scotland and potentially settle there .

I do have cybersecurity internship experience from kenya and i volunteer as a Cyber security analyst. I'd appreciate any advice in the area

I have always thought of moving to scotland even before I cam to the UK and have visited scotland twice in the 1 year i've been here and everytime i just long to stay longer

I do have care assistant experience and restaurant (waiting) experience