ABSTRACT
Researchers have long been interested in issues concerning access to Higher Education and students’ experiences (e.g. Smithers & Robinson, 1995). What is also interesting to note is that there exists a large body of international research and theory exploring students’ experiences of Higher Educations (e.g. Bourdieu & Passeron, 1977; Tinto, 1993). Much of this work focuses on the institutional practices, which impact on student retention rates and performance. Recent contributions suggest that financial hardship is one of the primary reasons that students drop out of university.
