To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing again as a voice for the countless American University of Antigua (AUA) students who are at their breaking point. Our situation, already dire, has taken an even worse turn this semester, and it seems that no one in administration—especially those in New York—cares about the hardships we’re enduring.
We are almost two months into the semester, and many of us still haven’t received the financial aid we desperately need.
The school is trying to claim that the delay is due to issues with implementing a new computer system tied to the US Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), but we’ve heard this story before.
The excuses never seem to end, and frankly, we don’t believe them anymore. This isn’t the first time we’ve had issues with receiving our funds on time, and at this point, it feels like a deliberate effort to ignore our concerns.
Basic necessities—food, electricity, rent—are becoming harder to afford, yet when we asked for more money which we are entitled to, to cover our living expenses, we were flat-out denied by AUA’s president.
He told us that the $3,000 we get as an advance should be enough to last us two months and that we need to “learn how to budget better.” Can you imagine being told that while you’re struggling to make ends meet?
We are not looking for a handout, this is money we pay in taxes to the US government, which is to be used for our medical education.
For many of us, just rent, utilities, and groceries easily surpass $2,000 a month. I’m personally paying around $600 a month for groceries, and I’m not splurging. That $3,000 advance they’re giving us doesn’t even cover two months’ worth of living expenses. How are we supposed to focus on our education when we’re constantly stressed about whether we’ll have enough to eat or pay rent?
And the administration’s solution? They told our student government, ESGA, that they need to hold a meeting to teach us how to budget. The nerve of it! We are doing everything we can just to survive out here, and instead of addressing the real issue—the fact that we’re not receiving enough financial support—they’re telling us to learn how to budget better. How out of touch can they be?
Long story short: we are struggling. And the administration doesn’t care. They’re watching us sink and refusing to throw us a lifeline. The disconnect between the students here in Antigua and the administration in New York is alarming.
They’re treating this like it’s just another bureaucratic hiccup, but for us, this is our lives. We didn’t come here to be left in financial ruin; we came to pursue our dreams of becoming doctors. But those dreams are becoming harder and harder to hold onto.
Sincerely,
Year 2 AUA Student
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Please write to the Federal Government concerning this matter… They might be some red tape involve but they will get to the reason why the bursar’s office is not doing its due diligence and why its taking so long to process to take care of this matter especially for a returning student..,
Consider ACSOM in Dominica, rent in Portsmouth is the cheapest in the Caribbean plus you get American and Canadian Accreditation.
No mention of the new rules of the US department of education and how it affects Title 4. You should blame the US for changing policy to dissuade Caribbean medical students. These issues don’t only exist at AUA.
@Ricardo Mendez but what about when they leave Dominica. That school hasn’t graduated any students yet.