A University of Bristol student has been told that she must defer her graduation ceremony because she is unable to afford the cost of a gown. Daniela Sanchez Ríos was due to graduate this summer, but the university will not allow her to attend the event on July 19 unless she hires a gown for up to £58 - even though she does not have the money to pay.
A spokesperson for the university said that it offers bursaries to students who can't afford the cost. However, Daniela says that she was unaware of this until after the deadline to apply had already closed on June 14.
She has now been told that she can defer her graduation until February 2023 and apply for the bursary before then, but she says this has left her "shocked and upset". She told Bristol Live: "I don't think it should be a rule for a university to discriminate against people in terms of how much money you have. I don't think it should be allowed - I don't think it should even be legal."
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Daniela finished her masters in film production in 2020, but due to the coronavirus pandemic her graduation was deferred until this summer. She says that she now feels "used" by the university after paying them £20,000 in tuition fees.
"I believe that this shouldn't be the only option for people that can't afford a ridiculous gown. The option shouldn't be not showing up.
"The university should be doing something for us to be there. We shouldn't be forced to step back from a graduation ceremony because of financial inequality."
Daniela intends to turn up the graduation ceremony without a gown and is hoping that she will still be allowed to take part, despite being told that it is university policy that she must wear one. And she says that she is not just protesting for her own gown, but for other people that have been or will be in similar positions to her.
Even before her experience with the graduation ceremony, Daniela felt that her year at the university was "worse than terrible". She says that she only received six hours of teaching per week, three of which were dedicated to film screenings, while she says that the Covid-19 pandemic and teacher strikes at the university made these problems worse.
"The universities have become money machines. They're not compensating the teachers for their services and they're not compensating or co-operating with the students who have become the customers.
"The institution has acquired so much power that they feel they can get away with exploiting their teachers and exploiting their students."
A University of Bristol spokesperson said: “We want all students to enjoy their graduation ceremony and have a great day with their friends and family celebrating their achievements. Unlike some other universities we do not charge students or their guests to attend and the only compulsory cost associated with the ceremony itself is the hire of their graduation gown which ranges from £45 to £58.
“We realise that for some this may not be affordable and do not want this to be a barrier to attending a ceremony, which is why we offer a bursary to cover the cost. Details of this and how to apply are given to all students as part of the graduation registration process.
“Unfortunately Daniela did not apply for a bursary before the deadline for applications closed on 14 June. Deferring her graduation to a later date would allow her to apply for a bursary to cover the cost of her gown hire.”
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