Help me graduate

I have never envisaged a scenario for my professional future in which I was not at the forefront of the international research community. I enrolled in the graduate program of Biotechnology at the American University in Cairo 2 years ago. My savings were not nearly enough to fully cover tuition and therefore I applied for financial support from the university. Since my enrollment in 2017, I have steadily been receiving the Laboratory Fellowship, which significantly contributed to covering the costs for the courses. Having successfully finished coursework coming at the top of the class (and throughout managed to publish a review article in an international journal), I was due to start my thesis work. I applied for a support grant from my university to carry out the intended research work, which I thankfully received.

However, my advisor is regrettably not helpful at all and failed to advise me properly regarding the costs of the intended research work let alone various critical scientific aspects, which eventually led to informally seek out help from other professors. I cannot currently opt for a change of advisor because of some sort of clandestine bullying. A colleague of mine pursued such a change and he made sure she faced general disfavor from the department and effectively blocked various opportunities that came her way.

I also cannot change the proposal given the time frame within which I need to graduate. Beyond the fall of 2020, I will have to pay for each semester I remain in the university.

I had consumed all my personal savings and have leaned enough on my parents to deplete their pockets, throughout the past two years. Lastly, I resorted to pursuing a job, but the demand posed by the nature of the research work I am doing made it virtually impossible to perform in either.

I had never seen myself requesting financial support from strangers ever. But the dire need for it and the grave position I am currently in had me reconsider my position and swallow any pride I have.

I cannot possibly overstate how your support will help pull me out of this mess and effectively contribute in deciding the path my academic career will turn out. I simply do not see how I may finish my thesis work and graduate if some source of funding doesn't crop up shortly.