Student forced to crowdfund £7,000 to cover university fees or face being thrown off course
The 20-year-old from Nigeria turned to fundraising as a ‘last resort’ after she feared being thrown out of university in her final year
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An international student has raised more than £7,000 after fears she would have to stop studying due to outstanding tuition fees.
Joanna Idowu, who is at Birmingham City University (BCU), was told she must pay half of the £14,500 outstanding by Friday to continue with her degree.
Originally from Nigeria, the 20-year-old set up the GoFundMe page as a “last resort” when she faced financial difficulty in the final year of her Bachelor’s degree in media and communications.
Her fees were previously covered by an extended family member, but they are no longer able to pay due to Nigeria’s worsening socioeconomic situation.
“I am also unable to self-fund as I can only work 20 hours a week in the UK, which I currently do as a recruitment assistant to fund my living expenses such as rent, feeding, and transportation,” Ms Idowu wrote.
“The completion of my education now depends on you. I am not asking out of entitlement, but rather out of desperation,” she added.
Since creating the fundraiser, Ms Idowu has raised more than £7,300- over half of the amount required for her tuition fees.
In an update on Tuesday, she wrote: “With so much joy in my heart, I want to inform you that my university has now updated me that I will be staying to complete my studies this year!”
She hopes to continue to raise money for the remainder of her tuition.
“We are only halfway through this journey so please continue to support me, share my story and make a donation,” she said.
A BCU spokesperson told the BBC: “Any discussions we have with individual students are on a case-by-case basis and remain confidential.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments