“I’ve worked so hard to get to this point, but now, I’m terrified I might lose it all.”
Gladys Garcia, a 20-year-old Venezuelan student in Aberystwyth, is staring down a cliff edge. With a full academic year left before graduation and £15,375 in tuition fees to pay, she has no family support, no access to traditional student loans, and no legal way to work full-time. Yet, she hasn’t given up.
Known by her friends as GiGi, Gladys is studying Politics and International Relations at Aberystwyth University. She holds a 2:1 average, speaks four languages, and plays both violin and piano. She performs in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and multiple local ensembles, while juggling six different jobs to keep herself afloat.
When Gladys left Venezuela in 2023, it was with her mother’s blessing and financial support. But on the 11th May 2025, everything changed. Her mother, a retired chemical engineer at Venezuela’s national company told her:
“It’s unfair that you’re in Europe living your life while I’m stuck here. I should be traveling, living the life I put on hold for you”
That sentence marked the end of Gladys’ only financial safety net. Her student visa restricts her to working just 20 hours per week during term time, and she has a medical condition affecting her feet that makes standing for long shifts painful and sometimes impossible. Yet, she’s been pushing herself through shifts as a youth worker, school supervisor, student ambassador, tutor, waitress, and more.
Despite her relentless effort, Gladys is facing systemic barriers. As an international student, she’s not eligible for UK student loans. Most private lenders require three years of UK residency or a UK-based guarantor. Even her application for a £5,000 scholarship was rejected – not for academic reasons, but due to her nationality restricting her eligibility for internships with organisations like NATO or the UN.
Aberystwyth University acknowledged her case with compassion:
“We are very sorry to learn that this student has lost her family’s financial support for her studies. We recognise that these are testing times for many, and we do our utmost to support our students who face challenges like this. Our policy on fees is designed to ensure that we support students to make payments, and the vast majority of any such issues are resolved successfully. Our Finance team works diligently to help students if they need support on repayments and it is extremely rare that international students cannot complete their studies. They also work closely with our Student Services team so that there is advice and support, including awards from our hardship funds and other schemes where appropriate.”
Universities Wales, a membership body representing Wales’ nine universities echoed the concerns:
“We recognise that there are international students who can face unexpected financial hardship due to changing circumstances and this can be difficult for them to navigate… We would urge any students who require support to contact their university.“
The university has offered to split her fees into three installments and Gladys is exploring support from alumni networks. But the maths still doesn’t add up: her expected income at minimum wage falls far short of her tuition costs.
If Gladys can’t pay, she will not be allowed to finish her degree. Her visa will be revoked, likely with a permanent black mark on her immigration record, making it nearly impossible to obtain future visas. And she won’t have a home to return to.
Gladys said:
“My mother told me, ‘You have no home to return to.’ And she meant it,”
She is not just fighting for a diploma, but for her right to stay safe, to remain hopeful, and to build a future. Her dream is to return to Venezuela, currently considered a dictatorship. Gladys wants to help rebuild it through diplomacy and education.
Gladys recently launched a GoFundMe campaign. At the time of writing, she had raised just over £228 out of her £15,375 target. Her story has struck a chord with those who’ve read it, and she remains grateful for every donation, message, and act of kindness.
“This isn’t about asking for charity. It’s about asking for a chance to keep going. I’m doing everything I can, but I need help to not fall apart before the finish line.”
She’s been offered a fully funded TEFL placement in rural Thailand this summer to teach English in primary schools – but may have to give it up to keep working and saving.
Gladys has never stopped believing in the power of education. “If I could remain a student forever, I would. Learning is the dream of my life,” she says. It’s a sentiment that reveals just how much she values what so many take for granted.
How to Help
Gladys’ GoFundMe can be found here:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/trying-to-graduate-with-six-jobs-and-no-family-support
This is more than a local story. It’s about the invisible costs of being an international student, the fragility of safety nets, and the strength it takes to keep going when you’re standing alone. And it’s about a young woman who, despite all odds, still believes she can change her home country, and the world.
