I was awarded a scholarship by Apple that covered the entire tuition fees of my masters in the Royal College of Art in London. This enabled me to research extensively about human behaviour, relationships and mental health using auto-ethnographic methodologies.
I got the Apple scholarship in August. My RCA classes started in September. That close. So if there’s one thing I’ve learned—deadlines can feel like dead ends, but you still write the emails. You still explain your situation. You still tell them about your social and financial disadvantage. Institutions might surprise you. Apple did. They funded my entire tuition for the Royal College of Art—world’s best art and design university (QS says so). That £30,000? Gone. Lifted. What I would’ve spent on fees, I got to pour into living and learning. I went to every music gig I could find, every exhibition, every design festival, every conversation that spiraled into art or psychology or relationships. My loan? I spent it on exploring London with my eyes wide open. That one year—because of this funding—changed the way I live, think, and feel.
Studying in the UK is expensive. Whether it’s RCA, Goldsmiths, or Central Saint Martins—you’re looking at serious money.
And honestly, there was a moment where I regretted not securing funding earlier. But I kept asking. I kept applying. And when Apple said yes, it wasn't just a relief, it was a shift. That support gave me space. I printed a lot. Tried new technologies. Photographed everything I could. I probably have over ten thousand photos from RCA exhibitions—hidden corners to headline shows. I was growing not just in visual literacy, but emotional literacy too. I felt free, maybe for the first time, in an artistic space where nothing felt off-limits.
I had time to sit and speak with people about the mess and beauty of being human—therapy, emotions, mental health, loneliness, love. That kind of freedom isn’t just luxury—it’s fuel for someone like me. And I’ll always credit Apple for giving me that space.
