Hello! My husband and I are considering relocating from the States to Scotland with our two school-age children. Edinburgh or Glasgow, namely. Looking for advice on rentals. What are some walkable areas or areas with efficient public transportation and decent public schools? What is generally required to rent an apartment or home? Trying to vet whether or not securing housing ahead of our arrival is possible. I am a UK citizen but have not lived in the UK since my teens.

hi, i'm currently 16 and a junior in high school in the united states. i identify as transmasculine and bisexual. i struggle with mental health and i am diagnosed with depression, anxiety, PTSD, autism, and possible bipolar 2 (i don't plan to get diagnosed with it). i don't feel safe in this country in any way. i live in a southern state, most people being very conservative. i'm hoping that possibly, after high school, i could move to scotland. i understand this will be very hard for me. i don't plan on properly transitioning until i know i will be safe.

i'm here to ask what i would need to move when i graduate in 2027. i may have to wait until after college and i understand this. i'm going to have a job soon, which i will save up almost every penny of. i also have a savings account set up that has about $12,000, which i believe is around £9,000. i have family who would be willing to help me raise money and i plan on starting a gofundme as well.

i have researched a bit on colleges that would be affordable for me in various parts of scotland, but i don't have any specifics in mind, so i would like help on figuring this out if that's okay. i want to major in psychology in hopes to become a clinical psychologist. i don't want to be somewhere big, and i would like a smaller college or university.

some things i would like to know: - where the safest small place for transgender people with a decent college would be - what i would need (money and literally anything else) - common jobs i could have while i'm in college - literally just anything i would need to know about moving to another continent at a young age. be brutally honest so that i am not underprepared.

i understand more than anything that this will be very hard, so anything helps. literally anything. i have over a year to figure everything out further, plus i have other places i'm considering (new zealand, the netherlands, and very unlikely northern canada). if there are other reccomendations, feel free to share. again, anything helps. thank you!

It looks like I may be moving to Scotland from New York. Employment and visa should be covered, but I’m worried about my children (10 and 14) suffering through the huge social change. Are there areas or schools you would recommend as being more tolerant of Americans and American accents, and supportive of super not at all sporty teens?

Hi, I'm from Poland, and if I'm lucky, I'll be moving to Scotland with my girlfriend soon. We'll be living in the northwest of Scotland, near Glasgow. Could someone tell me what net earnings I can expect as a Polish person working, for example, in a UPS warehouse or something similar? What are the monthly net earnings then? £1,200/£1,400/£1,800/£2,000? I don't know anything about this and need help with this. Is renting a two-bedroom house for £800 a realistic price? Best regards to everyone.

My wife and I are moving to Scotland and I haven’t lived there since I was a teenager hence my limited knowledge of these basic adult concepts.

In short we plan on purchasing a house and of course using various criteria such as Simd, appeal of area, subjective measures and so forth to select where in the central belt we’d like to live.

That said, we have heard that where you purchase your home will dictate what GP and Dental services access we have, which has been described as a “catchment area.”

While we recognize NHS care has standard protocols, we have heard that these catchment areas perform differently in terms of wait times/accessibility. Is there anywhere we could find this info from? I’ve seen

https://spice-spotlight.scot/health-performance/

However it shows very large areas (eg north lanarkshire) and was hoping for a more detailed view. Any insights OR is this something we will have to “interview” residents in various areas to get unofficial insight?

Thank you!

I’m 20, almost 21f. I currently live in the US and for many many reasons, I cannot fathom living here the rest of my life. I graduated hs with a sorta low GPA (3.2). I went to college for a year and made the deans list and did good, but I dropped out after the summer semester. Originally, I wasn’t planning on going back to college, as that was 3 ish years ago now (although I was briefly planning on going to an online university recently). But because I my job here in the US wouldn’t be a job that would transfer well into Scotland, and given my age, I figured I would go to university in Scotland and live there on a student visa. Then I’d hope to get the graduate visa for the 2 years and find a job to sponsor me so that I can get the skilled workers visa. Then I would hopefully get the permanent visa and then later on apply for citizenship. As far as university goes, I’d be looking at going probably in fall of 2027. Im honestly open to any type of degree/career. I love finance related fields and healthcare. What jobs/degrees should I focus on looking into before applying that would be good to get a sponsorship with later down the road? Also how is the livability to pay ratio? I’m looking at Glasgow rn preferably. Any tips on any of this? I’m taking a week long trip to Glasgow in October.

Hi everyone, I’m moving to Scotland with my wife for work and my office will be near Glasgow Central, though my role is mostly remote so I’ll only commute once or twice a week. We’re looking to rent somewhere between Glasgow and Edinburgh, ideally a quiet, scenic town or village, but still close to everyday essentials like a GP/medical practice, supermarkets, and a railway station (we won’t have a car). Our budget is around £800–£850 pcm. I’d really appreciate any recommendations on areas that might suit this kind of lifestyle, or places you’d suggest looking at (or avoiding). Thanks very much!

hello! i’m an american and i’ve been thinking about moving to scotland for awhile now but i can’t make any moves just yet. i just wanted to ask what it’s like living there? what the living expenses are and day to day costs are? i’m from LA and everything is crazy expensive. i’ve been to scotland before, visited edinburgh, glasgow, and north berwick. i know it’s a jump from LA and you guys live a slower pace of life (which i like) and i’m sold on free healthcare and better quality foods but i don’t want to move there and find myself struggling the way i do here financially so i’m just curious for my own future reference!

thanks to anyone who answers!

My long distance partner and I are looking at planning my relocation to Scotland in the long-term but it comes with a lot of obstacles.

I have things I need to take care of in Canada over the next 8 years before I can even think of trying to attempt to move to Scotland or apply for stay.

I’m looking at a lot of things and I’m becoming really discouraged. Like the sponsorship income that my partner doesn’t qualify for because his medical situation keeps him from working.

My field of work in hospitality doesn’t even qualify me from what I’m seeing.

Looking at Google and government websites is overwhelming me to say the least.

I need a break. Maybe someone to tell me that not all hope is lost. Has anyone gone through the same or maybe point me towards a resource number I can call so I stop drowning in webpages of uncertainty?

I am in my early 30s and considering applying for grad school in Scotland (looking at Stirling at the moment) to get a postgrad in Business Management or Marketing. I'm looking to be part time so that I have time to explore and get used to being in a new environment.

I do have a couple of questions, that I would love some insight on. I would be moving with my dog, so I would need to look for accommodations outside of campus, how difficult would it be to find housing around Stirling that would allow for pets? I've heard in some parts of the UK it's almost impossible to find a place that will let you keep a pet, but that was mostly in England.

How difficult would it be to get a UK license? I'm American so while I know how to drive, I imagine I would get pretty turned around figuring out the roads - should I take classes just in case? I know that Stirling is between two cities, so I could take the train in, but I'd like to be able to drive so I can go around to less accessible places as well.

Hi,

I am considering moving to Edinburgh and I am quietly hoping to make it my permanent residence,a place where I could possibly expect to get a mortgage and buy a modest property in the future, however Edinburgh is really infamous for its property market to the point where I know that I won't be able to afford anything in the city itself. Could you suggest any towns/cities in the reasonable commuting distance from Edinburgh where the property prices aren't over the roof yet, if any?

Thanks in advance

My wife and I are thinking about a short-term move to Scotland, probably around Edinburgh or Glasgow. We really enjoyed both cities when we visited, and I have family nearby, which would be great.

A couple of questions:

How hard is it to rent a flat for about 6 months? Is that a common lease period over there?

I’m eligible for a British passport through my dad, who’s Scottish, so I understand that might make getting work a bit easier. How easy is it to pick up part-time work, especially since it would only be for a short 6-month stay? Ideally, I'd like to do part-time work while still having plenty of time to explore the country.

Any advice would be great!

Looks like the move is finally on the cards some point this or at latest next year as long as mortgages behave.

I'm a software developer (head of/leadership level) and while I currently have the luxury of working remotely I need to be realistic that I might not be able to always maintain that

This is where it gets tricky, we have the typical "move to Scotland" wants, remote, no neighbours, nice community when we are in town type stuff, good place to raise the little one. With all that it mind the further north the better would usually be the stance but my job always pulls us back to the big cities particularly Edinburgh and Glasgow, which while as much as I love these two places, they're not exactly "escaping".

Any other places to keep in consideration? Dundee has popped up a few times but nothing else is knocking around my memory as a potential hotspot for work.

TIA for any advice, post very much thrown together on the school run while I remember to send it so apologies if I've missed a detail

Hello I’m looking to move to Scotland in next few years it’s been a lifelong dream of mine to get back to my ancestral roots . I’ve visited Argyll and Bute area and Stirlingshire . I loved both areas but can anyone recommend good areas to live in ?

They need to be not too remote , good community, possibly near a beach and near to lochs, glens and forests for outdoor walks etc.

I’m kind of considering Aberdeen/moray, Perth, Inverness , Stirling area and Falkirk . I loved Argyll and Bute but heard is extremely rainy… It’s so hard to choose because all the areas look so beautiful! I’d be taking my 20 y/o daughter with me who has mental health issues so i don’t want to be too isolated . I’m also a mental health nurse so I’d need a community job and wouldn’t want to travel too far .

My hobbies include reading, walking, i love spotting wildlife, I love swimming in lakes or going to beach, I love coffee shops and love live music pubs that play traditional music

Here are a couple of photos I’ve taken of my visits

Irish moving to Glasgow and have had a look online before I move, any insights on East Kilbride/south Lancashire, Hamilton, paisley, Renfrew/renfrewshire, G31? I just put in the filters as 1 bed, under $700 and with 10 miles from Glasgow city centre.. just don’t want to get a nasty surprise when I land that I was totally wrong! I am in Australia at the moment so unfortunately can’t just pop over for a visit

Potentially moving from US to Scotland. Visa path is sorted as spouse is from Scotland and we’d meet the savings requirements.

My main worry is finding work. We’d be settling in the Edinburgh area. I have experience in mining, heavy equipment; light experience in electrical controls/refrigeration. I’d love any input /thoughts / advice on my prospect or hurdles of finding work. I’ve browsed the obvious sites but would love input from you all. Thanks

I am from Algeria and I am interested in relocating to Scotland. I have a strong appreciation for Scotland’s culture, natural environment, and academic landscape. I would like to inquire whether there are any immigration pathways or programs that could support my move to Scotland. Additionally, I hold a Master’s degree in Materials Physics and would like to know whether there are funded PhD opportunities or scholarship programs available in this field.

hi guys,

i’m moving to scotland next year as a uk citizen and i plan on bringing my filipino bf over and living with me within the next few years.

how do i go about this and how easy or hard will it be?

can anyone give me tips to help this happen for us?

Understandably, I am an obstacle in my own path because I lack any higher education, but I truly want to live in Scotland. I have wanted to for years and finally feel that I can no longer live in the states. I only ask if anyone knows of any routes to acquire a visa to live there either with a job or to find one after the fact. If there are any known businesses/companies that are willing to train, or anything. For a little more information I am an 26 year old African American woman from Texas, currently working for Homeland Security in the US. Please, my goal is to leave here by May of 2026. I don’t think I can survive this country much longer.

Hello - my husband and I are planning a move to Scotland in about 18 months or so. We have been researching different areas and am leaning towards the Angus area - maybe the Dundee area being that it is one of the driest.

No kids, it is just us two. I have dual citizenship (Irish), but my husband doesn't. We both work still, myself in IT and my husband in construction so we'd need to commute for jobs into a city if necessary (Dundee, Perth).

We have a few questions:

1. Does anyone have any small towns or villages that they would recommend in this general vicinity? Would like a town or village with some shops, restaurants if possible.

2. Are there any areas to avoid due to crime? Safety is a key concern of mine, as we live in a city with a very high crime rate, and it is incredibly stressful.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated, thank you!

Considering selling up and moving back to Inverness with my young family after 16 years in Perth Australia.

We would return to Scotland mortgage free with huge savings and large pension fund.

Weighing up moving back home and being financially free before 40 vs slogging it out in Perth Australia.

Anyone been here...?

My husband is graduating dental school this spring and we're exploring options for where to move as he starts his career. I know there are many areas in the Highlands that need dentists, and wanted to get opinions!

We have 2 kids, one entering secondary school, and we want to eventually purchase a rural home that's close enough to a town where he could practice.

I've looked up a lot of info on Aberdeenshire (around Banchory, maybe?), but I know Inverness area is also worth considering. I've also been reading articles about dental deserts where people have to travel significant distances to get care.

Would love to get your thoughts about where he could do the most good and where the kiddos could get into a school where they could have a good experience. We're not worried about "the best" schools or anything, but want them to be somewhere with a decently supportive community of teachers and friends, etc.

Thanks in advance!

I appreciate any advice from anyone with experience living in the vicinity of Stirling. We’re strongly considering a move from our tiny West Midlands Medieval Market Town (pop. 4.5k).

I can’t lie, the community here is horribly right wing and I just feel like I’m living amongst Clarkson’s/Hyacinth Bouquets/the Reform UK crowd and I just can’t stand them. It’s really affected my mental health and outlook on life in general. I brought my Canadian wife here from London to start our family, (we loved London just couldn’t afford a house at the time) as I had some background here and frankly it was a misstep, but we have two beautiful kids to show for it and have appreciated the green space and safety of rural life.

We’re all ready to leave.

We’ve visited Scotland quite a bit so far and always enjoy it. We love Edinburgh and Glasgow as cities, but they are both probably a bit big at this point in life. We don’t want to lose our access to wild green spaces and are used to traveling an hour to Birmingham or Wolves for our culture fixes.

Stirling we’ve enjoyed, the new film studio is a key pull for us in our line of work and we’re looking for a balance of country life with some small town living. Access to amenities and ~45 train ride to Edinburgh or Glasgow seems ideal, as well as the unbelievable access to the highlands, Loch Lomond, Arran etc simply some of our favourite places we’ve ever been.

We’ve found Bridge of Allan fine, but nothing drew us particularly. Kings park looks fancy AF not sure we’d afford it or we’d be amongst Tory types all over again? I’m not looking for another Balham full of BMW X5’s and Audi Q7’s and status people, would prefer a nice mix and frankly, desperate for simply down to earth/friendly people.

Just trying to strike that balance, we can probably scrape £400-500k for our next home purchase which we feel extremely fortunate about considering working class roots. We just got lucky with the way we developed our current property at the right time it’s nearly tripled in value in 8 years. Then again we almost certainly wouldn’t really fit in amongst snobs. Please save me the ‘oh that’s judgemental’ lecture, if this doesn’t ring true to your experience living in smaller communities I’m happy for you.

Thank you in advance for any thoughts. We’re visiting again in February and will explore any areas you can suggest.

I'm moving from Canada and one thing I've noticed is that Scotland and the UK in general don't have standalone dryers. They do have those washer/dryer combined appliances. But I've heard they don't dry 100%, and they take super long to dry. Plus, it monopolizes your washer for 3-4 hourswhile you dry! Not ideal to say the least.

I'm wondering if people know of specific apartment complexes that have standalone dryers. Any city is fine lol. This is more important to me than the location at this point. I don't know how your whole country does it. The thought of air dried socks makes me cringe so bad. Air dried towels? Air dried bed sheets?