“Birkbeck is enabling me to pursue my dream of becoming a teacher later in life with four children” For Ravea Khatun, BA Sociology with Foundation Year student, studying at[...]

16 September 2024

For Ravea Khatun, BA Sociology with Foundation Year student, studying at Birkbeck is a long-held dream to pursue her career goals and fulfil her late father's wish.

Ravea Khatun

The mum-of-four left education during her A-Levels, married young and started a family. She built her confidence and waited until her children were independent before embarking on a degree.

She said: "I wanted to be a role model to them and show them that with determination and hard work, we have the option to develop ourselves and our careers.

"I want to raise strong females who are solely dependent on themselves. I also want them to realise that women can still achieve many things even after marriage and becoming mothers and I want a career that is fulfilling and rewarding for myself.

"I lost both my parents at a young age. My father thought I was a bright student at school and when I got my GCSE results, he was ecstatic, he said 'One day my Ravea will go to university', and that became my goal. I am the first out of my seven siblings to attend university."

It is thanks to the Foundation Year Success Bursary that Ravea can return to her studies, allowing her to pay for her children's childcare and for a new laptop.

She said: "Getting the bursary made a world of difference to me, not just financially but mentally as well. It gave me a boost. I felt much more comfortable knowing I do not have to cut back on essentials for my family.

"I also managed to get to campus comfortably as I was able to pay for parking. This meant that after a long day at work, I was still able to serve my children dinner and spend a little time with them before leaving for university."

Being able to work and study at the same time was important for Ravea, who works as a teaching assistant and aims to become a teacher by completing teacher training, a postgraduate degree or a PGCE.

She said: "Not only has it been recommended to me by others, but the fact that I can still be employed and study without it affecting my working hours was what appealed to me the most."

Ravea described her degree modules as "interesting and captivating" and has enjoyed making new friends who have filled her evenings "with fun and laughter".

However, studying full-time whilst working and raising her children has not been without its challenges.

She said: "My children struggled with the change in routine and from separating from me in the evenings, particularly the middle two. They struggled at school with behaviour and were getting into trouble often which was not like them.

"This made me feel guilty and at times I would question whether this is the right time for me to be studying. My foundation year lead - Laura - really helped me with this. It took a couple of terms before my children started to accept the changes and I found better ways to manage my responsibilities and commitments to meet the needs of my children as well as being a competent student."

Reflecting on her dad's wish, she said: "My father would tell me to study well and he would also remind me to look after myself. He was a religious man so he would tell me to remember to thank God always."

Further Information

• Find out more about the Foundation Year Success Bursary
• Financial support at Birkbeck
• Study Sociology at Birkbeck

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