Hey,
I did a crowdfunding page and I will tell you that it is one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make. My country does not offer the course I want to do. I applied to three universities in the UK, got in but did not get funding. Got into Oxford and still no funding. As an international student I am not eligible for a loan in the UK or from my home country.
There are no scholarships or grants. Trust me, I have looked.
Which meant I had to give up on my academic and professional ambitions until funding becomes available. Meanwhile, I can not defer the course.
My friends suggested crowdfunding. Some donated money, others did not.