Birmingham City University student crowdfunds £7,000 for course fees

Joanna Idowu is in her final year of a media and communications degree at Birmingham City University

An international student who faced having to stop her studies because of outstanding tuition fees has raised more than £7,000 in crowdfunding.

Joanna Idowu, who is at Birmingham City University (BCU), said she was "very happy and grateful" for the donations from 400 "strangers".

Ms Idowu, 20, was told she must pay half of the £14,500 outstanding by Friday, to continue with her degree.

BCU said it offered support and advice to students facing financial hardship.

Ms Idowu, originally from Nigeria, set up the online fundraising page as a last resort, after facing her financial problems with just four months left in her bachelor's degree in media and communications.

Her tuition had previously been covered by an extended family member, but they have been left unable to keep up the payments because of "Nigeria's socio-economic situation and devaluation of the naira," she said.

"I am also unable to self-fund as I can only work 20 hours a week in the UK, which I currently do as a recruitment assistant," she wrote on her fundraising page.

'Absolutely amazing'

Ms Idowu said the university told her she could continue with her studies as an "exceptional case," as long as she paid the £7,250 that she has been able to raise, with the remainder covered through a payment plan.

"It's not been easy, it's been overwhelming," she said.

After sharing the news about the online fundraiser with family and friends, Ms Idowu said she was "very happy" and "grateful" to those who had donated and described the support as "absolutely amazing."

"I just want to extend my gratitude to these people," she said.

"I am so, so thankful for these people."

A BCU spokesperson added: "Any discussions we have with individual students are on a case-by-case basis and remain confidential."