This is due to many factors including financial constraint paying the balance of school fees (especially those who are international students who travelled thousands of miles away from families who are in other parts of the world), inability to meet up with their rent payments, failed promises from sponsors on upkeep, family tragedies that meant stipends are now frozen, corrupt government especially in Africa and the list goes on.

Higher education makes a profound difference in both the lives of individual students and their communities. But not all students have the financial support that is essential for university completion. The Student Welfare Programme was created to support these students throughout England, meeting their needs through grants. However, not all students qualify. We have been there and so we can relate to their struggles.

Student welfare determines who will graduate and who will drop out. The European Educational Research Journal has found that student welfare issues such as homesickness, loneliness and inadequate finances all play key roles in UK student dropout rates.

We also know that students from disadvantaged backgrounds are especially vulnerable, many of whom drop out within 12 months of commencing their studies. On the other hand, those students who are financially stable are more likely to complete a full education. 

In some cases, students find themselves at odds with their family, leaving them to juggle the many challenges of student life alone. Student welfare reports demonstrate that students who are estranged from their families have additional financial hurdles to navigate. They may struggle to focus on their studies and often have difficulty paying for student accommodations–some to the point of living in homelessness.