Kavi is in his second year studying Economics at Queen Mary University of London and was awarded the Santander Brighter Futures Grant. Kavi shared how this grant will support him with his travel expenses and cost of living.
My name is Kavi, I live in Southwest London with my parents and two siblings. My father works as an accountant so my brother and I have followed in his footsteps, pursuing economics related courses at university.
I knew I wanted to study in London at a Russell Group University which made Queen Mary University of London a great choice. Studying here has also allowed me to explore a different part of London which I am really enjoying.
I am now in my second year studying economics and so far, it’s going well. The first semester was a big adjustment but once I settled, I really started to enjoy university life and recognise all the opportunities available here. I currently have exams, so things are a little hectic, but overall, I am finding my course really engaging.
I was very surprised when I found out that I had been awarded the grant from Santander. I am really thankful that the grant application was available to all students, it helps to reach people like me who could really benefit from the extra funds but don’t qualify for hardship support.
I work part-time to fully fund my travel costs to university, but this can be difficult to manage when I have exams and deadlines that need to take priority over paid work. This grant will allow me to work less shifts around exam season so I can focus on my academic work instead. I currently borrow a laptop while studying at university as my own laptop is too large and heavy to carry and commute with. This grant will contribute greatly to purchasing a new laptop that I can use daily to support my studies and note taking in lectures.
I think financial worries weigh heavily on students, particularly those who live in privately rented accommodation. I am fortunate to live with my family and be able to commute to campus, but I can imagine needing to put a much greater emphasis on saving and budgeting if I didn’t have that privilege. I have friends who live away from home and they create entire spreadsheets to track their expenses and budget their living costs. This goes to show how stressful managing finances can be as a student.
I have secured an internship in banking which starts in the summer, and I am looking forward to gaining industry experience. I hope that this will help determine if banking is the career path I want to pursue. I have also been considering teaching, but for now I am just enjoying being at university, taking advantage of all its amazing opportunities and using these experiences to help navigate my future.
I would like to say a big thank you to Santander. I am glad that financial support like this exists as it can make a huge difference to students like me. I know this funding will go a long way in helping students facing the cost-of-living crisis. It has already had a positive impact on my life by alleviating the pressure of having to work during exam season.