Going to uni with no support, what do I do?

The situation is very complex and I don’t even knowwhere to start, but my parents have spent the moneythat they saved to send me to uni for who knowswhat. I have no legal entitlement to this money as it’spersonal savings, but it does mean I can’t afford togo to uni. They said this is to encourage me to do adegree apprenticeship but they don’t understand that,first they are incredibly difficult to get, and second ofall I’m doing a theology and religion degree 😭
I have plans to be estranged from them in the futurebut this is difficult as they are controlling ie,preventing me from getting a job, not allowing me toapply to most university’s (it’s been a difficult fewyears), and they are just generally financiallyirresponsible.
I’m also legally disabled, so I’m eligible for the DSA,and PIP. I don’t know if student finance takes intoaccount disability.

I have plans on informing my tutor of this situation, soI have a paper trail. I’m just unsure what to do fromthis point. Is there anything that I can apply to inorder to receive financial support, I know I’m noteligible for an indépendant student financeapplication. But can I reapply after my first year.

I would just like to know what you would do in thissituation.

Reply 1

University of Strathclyde Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

The situation is very complex and I don’t even knowwhere to start, but my parents have spent the moneythat they saved to send me to uni for who knowswhat. I have no legal entitlement to this money as it’spersonal savings, but it does mean I can’t afford togo to uni. They said this is to encourage me to do adegree apprenticeship but they don’t understand that,first they are incredibly difficult to get, and second ofall I’m doing a theology and religion degree 😭
I have plans to be estranged from them in the futurebut this is difficult as they are controlling ie,preventing me from getting a job, not allowing me toapply to most university’s (it’s been a difficult fewyears), and they are just generally financiallyirresponsible.
I’m also legally disabled, so I’m eligible for the DSA,and PIP. I don’t know if student finance takes intoaccount disability.
I have plans on informing my tutor of this situation, soI have a paper trail. I’m just unsure what to do fromthis point. Is there anything that I can apply to inorder to receive financial support, I know I’m noteligible for an indépendant student financeapplication. But can I reapply after my first year.
I would just like to know what you would do in thissituation.

Hi there!,
I’m really sorry to hear you’re going through all of this -it sounds like a really heavy situation to be handling on your own, and I’m really glad you’re thinking about telling your tutor so that there’s a record. That’s a really smart and important step. (:

In terms of financial support, I would definitely recommend reaching out to the universities you're applying to and asking to speak to their financial support/funding team. Most universities will have support schemes specifically for students facing difficult personal or financial situations. They won’t judge you for asking, and they may be able to walk you through options you hadn’t considered!

Also just wanted to say it might also help to speak with your university’s mental health or wellbeing team once you're enrolled (or even during the application process). What you're going through is a lot, and these services are there to support students like you, especially when things feel overwhelming.

It’s clear you’ve got a lot of strength and determination to be getting this far under such difficult circumstances, and while it might feel like things are stacked against you now, there are people and services out there that want to help and see you succeed. Please don’t hesitate to use them!

Hope this helps (:

Emily
Year 2, Chemistry
Official University Of Strathclyde Rep

Reply 2

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

The situation is very complex and I don’t even knowwhere to start, but my parents have spent the moneythat they saved to send me to uni for who knowswhat. I have no legal entitlement to this money as it’spersonal savings, but it does mean I can’t afford togo to uni. They said this is to encourage me to do adegree apprenticeship but they don’t understand that,first they are incredibly difficult to get, and second ofall I’m doing a theology and religion degree 😭
I have plans to be estranged from them in the futurebut this is difficult as they are controlling ie,preventing me from getting a job, not allowing me toapply to most university’s (it’s been a difficult fewyears), and they are just generally financiallyirresponsible.
I’m also legally disabled, so I’m eligible for the DSA,and PIP. I don’t know if student finance takes intoaccount disability.
I have plans on informing my tutor of this situation, soI have a paper trail. I’m just unsure what to do fromthis point. Is there anything that I can apply to inorder to receive financial support, I know I’m noteligible for an indépendant student financeapplication. But can I reapply after my first year.
I would just like to know what you would do in thissituation.

Hi there,

I am really sorry that you are going through this. It must be really tricky and I understand why you are worried and upset about this.

I would echo what Emily has said - it's a good idea to get in touch with the Uni that you want to go to as they will be able to help you with advice on finances and what extra money or support you may be able to get. If you can get the University's admissions email they may be a good place to start, or often you can fill out an enquiries form on the uni website which will get passed on to the relevant department.

Have a look and see if there are any bursaries or scholarships that you could get from your uni. Often they will have different ones that students can have depending on your situation at home so have a look as they should have a list on their website so this might help you out a bit. You could also ask your uni about this as they will know all of the details about each one.

Again, like Emily said, I would encourage you to talk to the wellbeing team when you get to Uni. University can be hard, and if you are already struggling with things at home it might be worth making sure you speak to someone if you need to. They can support you and make sure you have someone to talk to if you need it.

If you can, I would encourage you to try and go to university as it sounds like something you really want to do. I know it isn't that easy, but if you can find some funding it may help you. If you can get a part time job over the summer and save some of this it might help to, or get a job at uni, although I appreciate these aren't always easy and you may not be in a position to be able to do this.

I hope some of this helps and it works out well for you,

Lucy -SHU student ambassador.