Beyond Selidor

particularly as librarians are expected to take on more and more responsibilities that would previously have been fulfilled by social workers, council workers, or staff in welfare/unemployment centres. It's vital, important work, but it must be exhausting.

Exactly this.

You're almost certainly still right about getting sponsorship from an employer. The international officer told me it was difficult but not impossible, but she also admitted that she didn't know much about my particular field. You'd know better about that! I'm still going to apply for things (if things are available), but I'm not getting my hopes up.

My own country is just as bad if not worse (probably worse) about immigration, so I'm not totally surprised by how bad it is in the UK (even getting my study visa was more complicated than it needed to be). I do appreciate the perspective and I will keep it in mind.

My undergrad degree in Australia (admittedly this was some years ago) cost less than 10 per cent of what I paid in international student fees per year in the UK.

That's incredible! If had stayed at home, done the course online and gotten in-state tuition and stayed in my own house, it would have taken me at least two years to do it (longer if I was working full time) and probably would cost about what I've spent coming here, having places to live, having the foreign experience and it was all in one year. So it was definitely the right choice for me and I'm so glad I did it. Thank you for your good wishes!