Covid-19 has placed additional financial strain on students and their families. Medical student Stephanie tells us how the hardship fund has helped. “Before coronavirus really took hold of the UK, I was rotating between placements – my last one being at the Western General Hospital. I had just moved into a new flat at the end of January and was enjoying seeing friends in my spare time. I was preparing to go home for a week in March as we had a break from placements and was looking forward to seeing my family in this time. “The pandemic had a massive impact on my circumstances as I was unsure where I should spend the next few months; at home or in my flat in Edinburgh and if it was viable to keep renting the flat whilst living at home. I decided to live at home and keep renting the flat in Edinburgh as we had just gone through the stress of moving into the flat – to move all my belongings back home and face the prospect of virtual flat viewings and paying for another potentially more expensive flat was too overwhelming. As my course starts earlier in the year – it would have been difficult to find another suitable flat in time. "During what has been a life-changing few months, the support of the fund has really made a difference and will continue to make a difference over the next academic year – giving me peace of mind that I will be able to afford to live in the city without additional stress. “Either way, I do not receive student funding in the summer months and do not have the luxury of receiving money from my parents and what little they could give me would have been significantly reduced. My mother has been furloughed and is receiving less of her income than her current minimum wage job pays her. My father as a postal worker is no longer allowed to work any overtime, which he relied on to help me out in some ways. I could not turn to them to pay my rent over this difficult period, nor has it been easy for them to sustain me at home with their reduced income. “The funding I have received, is something I have never been more grateful for. In the coming months, I can afford to pay the rent for my flat as well as sustain myself – with food and paying bills and on my return to Edinburgh, pay for public transport. I am now much less anxious than I had been before I had received the funding and noted being able to focus more on my online classes as a result. During what has been a life-changing few months, the support of the fund has really made a difference and will continue to make a difference over the next academic year – giving me peace of mind that I will be able to afford to live in the city without additional stress. "It’s important to remember that not everyone in the university community has come from a background where they can have access to money from family members. “Life now is much less stressful and there is less strain on myself and my family as we do not need to worry about how I am going to afford the next academic year. I am now more hopeful for the coming academic year, as even though it will be challenging academically – I will be able to focus on the academic aspect of my life rather than worry about finances. “It’s important to remember that not everyone in the university community has come from a background where they can have access to money from family members. In supporting such students during even tougher times, you enrich the lives of individuals who are making the most of their opportunity of a better life.” Donate now to help students like Stephanie This article was published on 2024-10-29
