December 27th 2023.
I stood still on the central London pavement as I tried to work out the cheapest way to get home. I had already walked 6,000 steps that day and hadn’t eaten anything in six hours, so I was feeling quite light-headed. I knew I could treat myself to sushi, but the thought of budgeting everything down to the last penny stayed with me. I finally decided to take the bus and reached home.
This daily struggle of having to budget everything down to the last penny is a sacrifice I – and my parents – have made so that I can pursue my education in the UK. I started to think about my life back in Lucknow, India. I had a very comfortable upbringing where whatever I needed, my family and I always made it work. There were home-cooked meals, cheap cab fares, easy domestic help, and more. I must acknowledge my class privilege that allowed me these luxuries.
But in the background of this, India was grappling with a difficult political environment. As a Muslim, I saw my community being marginalised and facing discrimination, Islamophobia, and lynching. I felt powerless to do anything about it and this took a toll on my mental health. This is why I decided to move to the UK and pursue a master’s degree in Gender and Law at SOAS University of London.
Before I flew over, my family and I had budgeted for my first year in London. My parents took out a loan of £23,400 for the tuition fee, while I contributed three years’ worth of savings. My parents also sold a piece of land to fund the rest of the expenses. In total, that was £40,873.
Once I arrived in London, I felt an immense pressure to make financial decisions. I had to think before buying any meal, drink or transport. I couldn’t spend money on myself because I felt guilty about draining my family’s resources. I was also unable to work to earn money on the side because of how intense the master’s programme is.
This financial strain has impacted my social life as well. I was invited to an event by one of my university friends but had to decline as I couldn’t afford it. My friend felt ignored and embarrassed me. This made me feel so small.
After nine months of living in the UK, I am almost done with my course and am starting my journey to look for jobs. I am worried about not being able to pay back my parents for the help they gave me to move here. I hope that in spite of the financial pressures, I am able to carve out a space and create a name for myself in the UK.
My advice to international students moving to the UK would be to prepare for it financially a couple of years in advance. This way, you will be better equipped to deal with the monetary responsibility that will fall on your shoulders. The UK is an amazing place and there are a lot of things you can do that won’t cost you a lot. For me, the opportunity to build a better life makes the journey worth it.
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