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Hi everyone,

My name is Nigina, and I am a junior studying Fashion Design. I was born and raised in Tajikistan and moved from Russia to the US. I am dedicating this letter to anyone who might be able to help me with my tuition.

To keep it brief, your support would help me cover the remaining tuition for two semesters and allow me to register for the next classes. This would also secure my visa status as an F-1 student, so I wouldn’t have to leave the US permanently.

Below is a more detailed explanation if you are willing to read further.

During my second year, I was able to secure additional financial aid of $10,000 for the year, which helped me pay off my tuition along with money from my work-study positions at the university. I could only work 20 hours per week due to visa restrictions, and all my earnings went toward transportation costs, such as BART, and paying for tuition. I live with my uncle and his family, so with their support, I have a place to stay and food to eat.

As an international student on a visa, I cannot legally work outside of campus, even at a coffee shop. I cannot sell my art online, and most internships are unpaid. My parents live in Russia, and due to the salary conditions there and the difficulties with money transfers between the two countries, they are unable to help me financially. Therefore, my only income source is from college jobs. I struggled to pay for my fall semester and faced even more difficulties during the spring semester.

In the spring, my family faced a life-changing situation that required a legal hearing and a good lawyer. I immediately sent money to my parents through relatives to help support my family. Later, my brother was forcefully conscripted into the military, despite his medical condition making him ineligible. This also required legal help, and thank God, everything was resolved. During this time, the money I sent helped my family with food and other necessities, as none of them could work during the hearing. My family will always be my top priority.

At the beginning of my third year, my petition for additional financial aid was declined, and I can no longer afford tuition. My savings weren’t enough. I’ve had a hold on my account for the past semester and the current one, which prevented me from registering for fall classes. I am very grateful to my uncle for helping me cover last semester and part of the current one, so I could register just before the deadline. This was a stressful time because if I hadn’t been able to pay, I would have been disqualified as a student, which would jeopardize my visa status. If I had been deregistered, I would have had to leave the US within two weeks and return to Russia. Moreover, if I tried to return to the US to continue my education later, it would be nearly impossible to get a visa again with a Russian passport. I am the only Russian passport holder at my school who came as an F-1 student.

I am worried that I will not be able to fully cover my fall tuition by the deadline, which would prevent me from registering for the spring semester, and the visa issue could recur. However, this time, the consequences might be even more severe.

As an international student who has worked tirelessly—spending time, money, energy, and patience to get here—I am asking for your help, in whatever amount you can generously provide, to allow me to continue my studies and maintain my visa status. If you are unable to help financially, I completely understand. I would be incredibly grateful if you could share this information with as many people as possible. By spreading the word, we may be able to raise enough funds to cover the portion of tuition that my work-study income cannot.

Thank you for your time, empathy, and support!

With Love,

Nigina