A hard-up law student has called for a radical overhaul of education funding after being so cash-strapped she cannot complete her studies.

The student has spent around $60,000 on her three-year law degree in the UK but is struggling to raise another $45,000 for a post graduate degree in London and has delayed her studies.

“We need a committee to look at a compete overhaul,” said the student who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“It needs to be creatively looked at. There is help but it's really cumbersome. It needs to be more accessible. A proper university should be built so people are not forced to leave the country.

“If they are not going to build a university then some support should come from Government.”

However Education Permanent Secretary Michelle Khaldun said application procedures had been streamlined following a review by consultants Ernst and Young.

Some changes have been made while others will come next year including on-line applications.

She said students now completed one form which covered applications for further education awards, teacher training awards, interest free loans and UK fee differential awards.

They simply ticked boxes indicating which awards they were applying for.

Students applying for the Bermuda Government Scholarship complete a separate form but there is only one set of supporting documents needed for students applying for both awards and the scholarship, explained Ms Khaldun.

There are eight Government scholarships at $25,000 per year while ten teacher training awards are offered at $10,000 each. Government gives out 145 awards every year including further education awards and UK tuition fee top ups of up to $7,500.

However the student said a few thousand dollars wasn't much for studying overseas.

“When you convert it, it's not a whole chunk of change,” she said.

International business should be required to contribute said the graduate.

“There is no excuse. It's an example of Bermuda failing to take care of its people.”

She said in her first year away she didn't get much help from anyone but she went anyway.

“I could not eat properly because I couldn't afford to spend much on food.

“I would eat spaghetti, tomato sauce and carrots. I had friends from the Caribbean and Africa, third world countries, paying for my movie tickets so I had some outlet.

“I had to borrow books off people. Every summer there was a prayer circle where my overseas friends would pray I would come back.

“The second year I was a bit more successful with awards.”

She said while some students could enjoy their summers home she spent her time working and applying for awards.

She said some awards required people to sign sureties.

“There are age requirements that I don't meet. Some scholarships are industry based. There are not many awards in law to get.”

The banks also needed to do more for students said the student.

However Ms Khaldun said the sureties are needed for Government's interest free student loans of $7,500 while there were National Education Guarantee Scheme Loans, administered by Government but funded by the banks, at 8.25 percent interest.

The interest for the first year of the $6,000 loan is taken out immediately after it is granted. In following loans interest is taken out monthly. Students must begin paying back the loan six months after graduation and complete repayment within seven years.

Only the Bermuda Government Scholarship has an age limit which is set at 23 years said Ms Khaldun.

She added there was an agreement between the Bermuda College and the University of Kent which allowed law undergraduates to stay on the island for the first two years of study.

A 149-page scholarship directory can be viewed at www.bankofbutterfield.bm