Tuition fees for Olia

Hello everyone,

I am starting my campaign as a last chance to raise enough of money to cover university fees. But let me tell a bit about myself first. My name is Olia and I am originally from Ukraine where I spent 24 years of my life. I have always been good in science. Not book-learning good, just good. Chemistry and physics was my favourite subjects at school and I did not even spend much time with text books as most of material came to me easily and naturally. This together with my eager nature helped me with my choice of future profession – I decided I want to be a chemist. A scientist. Coming from a poor family I worked hard to get my BSc in Ukraine as I had to learn hard to get bursary which I could loose in any point of my study if I fail exam. However I managed to finish my BSc in chemistry with Hons and to support myself I started working as a technologist on my last year of BSc being that time 19. Since that time I worked hard to gain more experience and to be able to continue my study one day as my aim is to get a PhD and work in R&D. Living on the bank of largest river in my country I learned the most horrible mistake people do with the environment – the just do not know what they are doing. Surely some of us knows we shouldn’t use washing powder with phosphates or shouldn’t flash medications down the toilet, but most of us never think about this tiny things which have huge impact bringing all kinds of pollutants we don’t know how to treat yet, to rivers, and later – to over taps again. For this reason I decided to study environmental sciences.

All 2017 I spent looking for opportunities to fund my study abroad as in my home country quality of higher education in the field I chose was not high enough, and I faced the huge wall – being considered as overseas student no matter how exceled my marks was I was just not eligible to apply for 95% of funded opportunities. Than by lucky chance I got MSc by research position in the UK University where I spent one year working on water treatment related project. Here I got not only experience but also a chance to work further towards my new goal – PhD degree.

However not everything can be easy. Having a project, a support from department I am still not eligible for funding. Any funding – I can not apply for bursaries, scholarships, most of charity grants and even loans – because of the restrictions. In simple words because I am Ukrainian. Surely I have checked whether my country can fund me but we do not have any scholarships for study abroad and no one will give me a loan in Ukraine as one year fees on postgraduate course costs 18900 p/a pounds and the salaries in Ukraine are at level 1400 pounds p/a most part of which goes for rent and living costs.

I don’t want to believe that I have all chances and abilities to study, but only because I came from poor family I can’t afford education that’s why I am asking you for help. Of course it is impossible to ask people give me the whole amount to cover all tuition fees, however every little amount will help and if I only can get started I will take a part time job to cover the difference. I don’t want my background to be a reason not to study and not to make a contribution to science when I know I can do it. I don’t want to give up on my dream when I am so close to it.