Help a student finish their degree – the Student Hardship Fund
Posted Friday 14 February 2014
Most students embark on their degrees confident that they will get to complete them. However, occasionally they find themselves in severe financial difficulties and contemplate having to drop out. This is where the Student Hardship Fund steps in. For those students who have found themselves in this position, and always through no fault of their own, the fund is the difference between finishing their degrees or dropping out. As one former recipient of the fund put it: "What's the use of half a degree?"
During the last year the Student Hardship Fund has enabled 43 students to continue with their studies. One of those students was (pictured) Jason Seaton. During the first year of Jason's geology degree, he suddenly found himself in the very difficult position of having Student Finance UK declaring him ineligible for student support. Jason had a wife and a baby to support which placed enormous strain on his ability to carry on with his studies. After carefully reviewing his case, the Student Hardship Fund stepped in to help Jason through this difficult period. And after letters to his MP which prompted a thorough investigation by Student Finance UK, Jason's right to funding was restored. However, this took time and without the fund to tide him over, Jason would have had to drop out. Instead he went on to complete his degree and his now making his way in the world of geology. As Jason says: "The Student Hardship Fund was the difference between me dropping out or completing my degree. I cannot thank the donors to the Annual Fund enough, and will be making my own donation to the fund at the earliest opportunity."
The Hardship Fund isn't just there for UK students though. With students from all over the world coming to Kingston many kinds of problems can arise. For example, the current conflict taking place in Syria has had a direct impact on some of our students. This year the fund has helped five Syrian students continue with their studies. Indeed, one student told us "The conflict has left my home town devastated and the money that my family and I had put away to see me through my studies just isn't available anymore. The Student Hardship Fund was there to save the day and I and my family will be forever grateful to Kingston's amazing alumni!"
If you want to make a difference to students like this, donate to the Student Hardship Fund now. The difference you make will be truly life changing.
