International student pursues dream career thanks to scholarship

​​​Dupe Ogunfeitimi moved to the UK from Nigeria and is studying mental health nursing​, thanks to the Michael Perham Sanctuary Scholarship.

“I am sincerely honoured to be a recipient of the Sanctuary scholarship. I am grateful for your generosity both financially and morally. Without this scholarship, I would not have been able to attend the university as I am a parent-of-three and I have a limited ‘leave to remain’ without ‘recourse to public funds’ which means I am not entitled to a student loan. It was an obstacle that the scholarship helped me overcome.

I have always wanted to be a mental health nurse since I came from Nigeria to England and I have always thought that I wouldn’t be able to go back to school so I almost gave up. But I soon decided to do something with myself and I applied for the university, unknowing that I wasn’t entitled to a student loan. Luckily, someone told me about the scholarship which I applied for, not thinking I would get it.

When I found out I had got the scholarship I was over the moon. This scholarship has allowed me to pursue my dream while being able to look after my family and spend time with them without worrying how I am going to pay for my school fees and their childcare (the scholarship also funded the childcare).

I hope that many others in my situation will be able to have this opportunity as it can be helpful for those who may not be able to afford school or cannot take out a student loan.”

View our scholarships and other funding options here

View Dupe’s course here BSc (Hons) Nursing (Mental Health)​