Higher education stories: Jazz from Swansea

Applying for financial support for my Master’s was so easy and I was able to apply for a Disabled Students’ Allowance at the same time. It’s great that I can still get support to help with living costs as I continue studying.

Studying Clinical Psychology and Mental Health, Jazz hopes to use her own experiences of being diagnosed with autism and ADHD to help others through a career in research, something she wouldn’t be able to do without a Master’s degree.

Jazz says:

“After enjoying my undergraduate course, I knew I wanted to continue studying for a Master’s degree. I love learning more about psychology and understanding how people’s minds work. I also knew that it would really help my career prospects when I graduate if I continued studying.

“I’d love to work in mental health research, using some of my own experiences of being diagnosed with autism and ADHD at a late age compared to other people. Doing a degree has helped prepare me with the skills I need for a job like that, particularly because so many of my modules are research-based.”

As the first person in her family to go to university, Jazz explains how proud her family were, and how she managed to get the financial support she needed to help accept her place.

She continued:

“Being the first person in my family to be offered a place at university was so exciting, and all my family were thrilled. I’m from a working-class background, and generations before me just couldn’t afford to go, even though they wanted to. Without the financial support I get from my living cost loans of over £10,000 and my grants of almost £7,000 including the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) grant, I would have ended up the same way.

“I’m able to pay my accommodation and daily living costs through my loan and was able to apply for DSA after my diagnosis. I was given a specially adapted laptop with software programmes that help me to communicate what I want to say in a more professional way than I’d normally be able to, which is a huge help when I’m submitting written pieces of work.

“I also have a university mentor who supports me with my time management which I can really struggle with. She helps me to plan out my week so that I can make sure I get all my work done without getting stressed.

“Applying for financial support for my Master’s course was so easy, I was able to apply using the same details and website as I had with my undergraduate degree and it’s great that I can still get support to help with living costs as I continue my studies.”