I’m a FAST student currently free during summer vacations and honestly feeling very confused about what to do next.

Every semester costs me around 100k PKR including university fee (after financial assistance) and transport expenses. Supporting my education has become really difficult and if I cannot manage it somehow, I may eventually have to drop out.

Right now I’m learning n8n and automation stuff, but I just started so I cannot monetize it yet.

The thing is, I actually have some useful skills:

• Good video editing
• Social media posts/designs
• Can work as a social media manager
• Can edit reels/shorts/content

But despite trying, I still do not have clients or proper work.

The last option is working at the textile factory where my father works. If they give me work or a vacancy, I’ll probably earn around 25k–30k PKR/month for a 12-hour shift.

Something is definitely better than nothing, but even after 2 months it would only become around 60k, while I still need around 100k.

So I genuinely need advice from seniors or people who have been through difficult financial situations during university:

• Should I take the factory job no matter how hard it is?
• Should I pause studies temporarily?
• Or should I fully focus on freelancing/client hunting this summer?

Semester 2 just completed and my inner self constantly forcing me to find work/join factory and I honestly do not want to leave FAST after coming this far because i have CGPA of 3.4, but sometimes things feel overwhelming.

Any guidance or practical advice would really help.

I have written a brief explanation of my journey (story), but if you don't want to read it, you can directly move forward to Answers to Questions section.

My Story:

In my case, I have to study on my own. I did not even have money for the entry test, but I somehow managed to borrow it.

When I achieved enough aggregate for admission, I applied for Financial Assistance (FA). However, I received no email and no phone call. Still, I went to the campus, which was far away from my house, but they denied taking my interview. That was fine because rules are rules.

At the same time, I had to decide whether to submit the fee for GC University because I was on their merit list and had only two days to make a decision; otherwise, my seat would be gone. It was a 50/50 situation whether I should submit the GC fee or not. There was only a little pressure from my home, not a huge amount, so I had the courage to say, "No worries."

I tried to make my parents understand that if the GC seat was lost, it would not be the end of the world. GC is a good university too, but I used the example that it is not Harvard.

Since there was no interview and no decision regarding FA, I went back to the campus and requested them to take my interview. Instead, they told me that even if I got FA, it would be awarded in the middle of the semester. Therefore, I submit request form for Installments and the reduced the fee from 255k to 150k, i.e. remaining will have to pay in later installment during semester and still it was so huge amount. Mari family na tu 1 LAC b nahi pakra ya tu pr 1.5 tha but I was like FAST hi jana hai warna 1 year wait kr loun ga. I had to arrange the first fee installment myself, which was around Rs. 150,000.

Even after hearing that, I was disappointed. I asked one cousin for help, but he refused. Then I talked to a few other cousins and borrowed money from multiple sources ka apko return kr doun ga and education ka liya manga tha , apna offer letter wagaira dekhaya and then they agreed but bohat embarassment hoi. Which my parents dont know. If they came to know this ka maina kya kya kand kiya hain tu they will never trust in me and i will be in a huge trouble so Allah Forbade , Allah pak kabhi mugha mara haal pa mat chorna. I am nothing without you. Allah pak hamesha mari madad farmata rahna Ameen. Together, I somehow arranged the Rs. 150,000 and submitted the fee to secure my admission at FAST.

I was basically playing with risk.

Alhamdulillah, in the middle of the semester, I received 60% Financial Assistance.

Near the end of the first semester, before finals, the transport office started demanding fees for next semester even though ka abhi tu Final Exams b nahi howa. I was so angry and depressed ka ya kya chakr hai. Exams tu hona do or konsa new batch baithna ka seats limited honi. Wohi bacha hain jo abhi hain but still they gave a deadine and then increased 5k i.e. instead of 35k the student has to pay 40k. I could not afford the new amount, so I submitted an application requesting them to continue charging me the previous amount of Rs. 35,000. Fortunately, the seat was free, and they agreed.

In my very first semester, I achieved a GPA above 3.5.

In the second semester, after FA still, I paid the fee by borrowing amount with great difficulty. This semester, my GPA will probably be around 3.3–3.4+, mainly because I still do not own a laptop. The online classes caused a lot of academic loss for me. No laptop, no extra facilities, nothing.

At this point, I am in huge debt because of two semesters' fees and still do not own a laptop.

If I am unable to earn enough during the summer to cover the next two semesters' fees and transport expenses, then unfortunately I may have to drop out which i dont want because i can no longer borrow and also i am not others responsibility that is true.

Even with FA, arranging the fee is becoming difficult.

I thought that if I achieved a medal, I might receive Rs. 20,000–50,000, which would make things easier, but I could not achieve it. No worries. If I get the chance to continue studying, then next semester, In Sha Allah, I will aim for a medal.

Sometimes I think that taking admission at FAST was my biggest mistake, but at the same time, FAST is absolutely worth it.

The quality of education you get, the amazing teachers (I was fortunate enough to learn from extraordinary teachers), and the exposure you receive are all next level. However, these things feel great only when you can afford the expenses.

Sometimes I genuinely feel like a beggar who is constantly begging just to study in his dream university, which is now a reality.

My inner self often says: "ka tu tou bheekari hai" , "50, 70 rupees sa zayad ki kabhi sguar nahi li, EID pa tum kapra nahi bana sakta, mama ki medicine rozana lani pardti because cannot afford at a time and even pharmacy staff remembers me and request me to take monthly medicine. So, Why did you choose such an elite university?" and Bus keera tha dimaag mai ka CS krna or krna b FAST sa.

Yeah its completely worth it.

Getting a good GPA at FAST is not easy.

Every student around me is studying and learning using laptops, while I am worried about my next semester's fee, transport fee, and family responsibilities.

My mother is disabled, so taking care of her is my responsibility. Bringing food, washing dishes, cleaning the house, washing clothes, and handling many household tasks are part of my daily routine. but now i dont clean house daily, the mess still remains there. my mother scold me alot, but do i do? which is more important? The pending assignment , pending final project whose deadline is 12 am. you dont have a laptop to make things faster so how can i clean house when i know k other things are more important because my parents dont know ka mai bheek mangi hai pardhna ka liya.

For example, today is Sunday. I have my final exam tomorrow, but I have not even started studying yet because I have been washing clothes for both myself and my mother. (My fathers clothes comes under my brothers duty)

Meanwhile, when other students are studying for their exams, I am busy doing household work.

The funny thing is that my classmates think I study all the time because in my class out of around 50 students, only 6 achieved a GPA above 3.0, and Alhamdulillah, I am one of them.

So yes, sometimes my inner self tells me that maybe taking admission here was a mistake.

But despite everything, these two semesters have been absolutely amazing. and yes you are human too. Some teachers or some subject try to ruin your gpa, gives huge trauma. Wohi baat aa jati ka Gareeb hara tu iska tu kam hi ya hai but Ameer fail ho tu koi baat nahi prh sahi. Khair koi na. Allah pak hai na or IDK how came into FAST because you know the story now and you know that there was only 1% chance.

Answers to Questions

• Q1: What is the family income range?
• My father's monthly income is less than Rs. 50,000. i.e. 40-45k to be very precise.
• Q2: Required Documents?
• You only have to submit FA form along with your family income payslip, bank statement, latest home electricity bills, latest gas bills, house information. In my case along with the FA form, I submitted our electricity bill, my father's payslip, house is rental or your own. These documents were required. Additionally, I submitted my mother's disability certificate, my report cards to increase my chances of FA approval. (but that was unecessary)
• Q3: Chances of FA approval?
• You will get FA easily if you are genuinely deserving, but most likely not 100%, so you should be prepared to arrange the remaining amount.
• The percentage of FA depends on your family's income and expenses.
• Definitely fill out the FA form. When I went to campus, I saw many people from financially stable families applying as well. At first, I thought, "If these people get FA, then what chance do deserving students have?" But every family's situation is different. They may have more siblings, higher expenses, or other financial burdens. Someone may get 20%, someone 30%, and someone more. I even saw people from extremely humble backgrounds applying like gola baichna wala b tha. So never assume anything and always apply.
• Q4: Information about On campus FA Interview.
• The FA interview is mandatory and with your father or guardian. They will ask each and everything like do you guys manage everything and why is it difficult to manage fee or education expenses. This is necessary to determine the FA percentage so yeah tell everything honestly.
• Q5: Any fee waiver for Entry Test?
• There is no fee waiver for entry test. I am telling you from my experience that I had zero money for entry test registration so i emailed FAST LHR, FAST ISB, FAST CFD, FAST PWR k mugha free registration krwa dain but they said that there is no fee waiver for entry test and thats completely fine.
• Q6: Where to fill FA form?
• While applying you must fill FA form and also if you dont you can download the form their website and fill the form and submit on campus. Download Financial Assistance Form (click me)
• Q7: Is FAST worth it?
• Yeah Definitely, but you have to work very hard to maintain your CGPA and there will be less free time.
• Q8: Is it interest free loan?
• Yes, it is Qarz-e-Hasana, and the interviewer will tell you that it is Qarz-e-Hasana. Do your research as well.
• Q9: When you will have to repay?
• The repayment of loan starts three months after graduation or getting a job, whichever is earlier. The total amount has to be repaid within a period of four years after graduation. Students are required to sign to this effect.

Once you get into the university, you will definitely see changes and the way ALLAH swt open for you. So work hard and best of luck for the entry test and make sure to ACE it as if you come in the top then you will get 100% free tuition fee.

• Only take admission in FAST if you do not have major household chores / responsibilities like me. FAST requires a lot of grinding. You need peace of mind and freedom from constant stress and responsibilities. Like completely lock in. Deadlines raat ki hain tu apko ghar ka k koi sirf uni assignment or project hi krna hai na ka ghar ka kam.

Sometimes I have to refuse my parents' works because I have project deadlines at 12 am or assignments that must be submitted urgently. In those moments, I simply cannot leave my work.

Ghar bad mai ao, kam pahla like now my mindset is ka project or assignment is much more important right now so wohi kro ga na k mugha ya la do. sabzi la ao , khana kha lo, so if your family is dependent on you, dont come to FAST. You will cry ka kaisa time aa gaya maa baap ko mana krna pard raha. Allah mugha maaaf kara Ameen.

As a result, I sometimes appear to be a bad or disrespectful child in my parents' eyes. They think this is what FAST teaches that I have become arrogant or changed.

But the reality is that when there is a project deadline or an important assignment, it becomes the highest priority at that moment. Not because family is unimportant, but because the consequences of missing those deadlines can be severe.

So if your family depends heavily on you for daily responsibilities, think carefully before joining FAST.

and in the end, FAST definitely worth it hai. If you study daily or at least weekly you can have a medal, good GPA.

Best of Luck for the journey ahead and may Allah SWT bless you many more.

If you have any query or need any kind of information you can come to my inbox. I am not like ka ya na pochu bla bla. You can clear your confusions as well and if need help for FA information you are free to ask. I am always there for you. But i might not be able to reply you soon like i dont use socials much.

Thanks for reading.

Assalam-o-Alaikum everyone,

I hope you all are doing well.

Today, I lost a Rs. 1000 note inside Dhaba General Store at CFD Campus. While taking out my wallet, the note seems to have fallen somewhere inside the store without me noticing. Unfortunately, this was the last Rs. 1000 I had, and my mother had given it to me for an important payment that I was supposed to make.

I know the chances are small, but I would be very grateful if someone from the CFD hostel or anyone visiting Dhaba General Store could kindly ask the shopkeeper whether a Rs. 1000 note was found.

I won't be able to come to campus until Monday, so if someone could check before then, it would mean a lot to me.

If anyone has any information, please send me a message. It would genuinely help me a lot.

For identification, the Rs. 1000 note was folded, looked somewhat new, and may have been folded together with a Rs. 10 note.

Thank you for reading, and please upvote so more CFD students can see this post.

Assalam-O-Alaikum everyone,

Im a CS student at Fast, and I am going through a very difficult financial situation right now. I usually try to manage everything on my own but at this point I genuinely need help.

I took admission through Financial Aid (FA) because it exists for students who truly need support and my family has been facing financial constraints. My father is already managing household necessities so I try my best to handle my educational struggles myself.

I still do not have a personal laptop. During my first semester, I somehow managed assignments, quizzes, and projects through university labs. But now in the second semester, workload has increased significantly, and surviving without a laptop has become extremely difficult.

My original plan was to work in a textile factory near my home during summer vacations, and use that salary to buy my own laptop, pay the remaining semester fee, and manage bus fare expenses. I wanted to solve everything through my own effort.

But unfortunately, things are not going according to plan, which is why Im humbly asking for help from all of you today.

I’m currently dealing with my OOP project, other courses projects and tasks, and especially my DLD lab project, whose deadline is next week. Right now, the most urgent need is the DLD project, which is expected to cost around 3000 to5k for components and implementation.

So I sincerely request if any FAST alumni, seniors, or kind-hearted person can help in any of these ways:

• Help me purchase a basic laptop for studies
• Help me arrange DLD project components
• Help financially with the project cost
• Guide me to someone who may support a student in need

The immediate deadline is the DLD project, so even help with components alone would save me right now.

I have always tried my best to stay focused on my studies despite all these difficulties. By the grace of Allah, I have maintained a CGPA of 3.5+. I am only sharing this to let you know that I am sincerely working hard and doing everything I can for my education.

Your help would not be for someone who is careless or not serious about studies it would be for a student who is genuinely trying his best to build a better future through education.

I’m also a video editor (intermediate level). If anyone helps me, I would gladly return the favor through video editing, social media posts, startup content, reels, or designs post once I’m stable.

If anyone is willing to help, please DM me. I understand trust is important, and I can provide my Fast RFID student details, transcript privately if needed, but I request confidentiality and respect regarding personal information.

There is absolutely no pressure on anyone to help. Even guidance, sharing this post, or a kind word would mean a lot to me.

Thank you for reading.

Assalam-O-Alaikum everyone,

Im a CS student at Fast, and I am going through a very difficult financial situation right now. I usually try to manage everything on my own but at this point I genuinely need help.

I took admission through Financial Aid (FA) because it exists for students who truly need support and my family has been facing financial constraints. My father is already managing household necessities so I try my best to handle my educational struggles myself.

I still do not have a personal laptop. During my first semester, I somehow managed assignments, quizzes, and projects through university labs. But now in the second semester, workload has increased significantly, and surviving without a laptop has become extremely difficult.

My original plan was to work in a textile factory near my home during summer vacations, and use that salary to buy my own laptop, pay the remaining semester fee, and manage bus fare expenses. I wanted to solve everything through my own effort.

But unfortunately, things are not going according to plan, which is why Im humbly asking for help from all of you today.

I’m currently dealing with my OOP project, other courses projects and tasks, and especially my DLD lab project, whose deadline is next week. Right now, the most urgent need is the DLD project, which is expected to cost around 3000 to5k for components and implementation.

So I sincerely request if any FAST alumni, seniors, or kind-hearted person can help in any of these ways:

• Help me purchase a basic laptop for studies
• Help me arrange DLD project components
• Help financially with the project cost
• Guide me to someone who may support a student in need

The immediate deadline is the DLD project, so even help with components alone would save me right now.

I have always tried my best to stay focused on my studies despite all these difficulties. By the grace of Allah, I have maintained a CGPA of 3.5+. I am only sharing this to let you know that I am sincerely working hard and doing everything I can for my education.

Your help would not be for someone who is careless or not serious about studies it would be for a student who is genuinely trying his best to build a better future through education.

I’m also a video editor (intermediate level). If anyone helps me, I would gladly return the favor through video editing, social media posts, startup content, reels, or designs post once I’m stable.

If anyone is willing to help, please DM me. I understand trust is important, and I can provide my Fast RFID student details, transcript privately if needed, but I request confidentiality and respect regarding personal information.

There is absolutely no pressure on anyone to help. Even guidance, sharing this post, or a kind word would mean a lot to me.

Thank you for reading.

Assalam-O-Alaikum everyone,

Im a CS student and I am going through a very difficult financial situation right now. I usually try to manage everything on my own but at this point I genuinely need help.

I took admission through Financial Aid (FA) because it exists for students who truly need support and my family has been facing financial constraints. My father is already managing household necessities so I try my best to handle my educational struggles myself.

I still do not have a personal laptop. During my first semester, I somehow managed assignments, quizzes, and projects through university labs. But now in the second semester, workload has increased significantly, and surviving without a laptop has become extremely difficult.

My original plan was to work in a textile factory near my home during summer vacations, and use that salary to buy my own laptop, pay the remaining semester fee, and manage bus fare expenses. I wanted to solve everything through my own effort.

But unfortunately, things are not going according to plan, which is why Im humbly asking for help from all of you today.

I’m currently dealing with my OOP project, other courses projects and tasks which cannot be done without laptop.

So I sincerely request if any FAST alumni, seniors, or kind-hearted person can help in any of these ways:

• Help me purchase a basic laptop for studies
• Guide me to someone who may support a student in need

I have always tried my best to stay focused on my studies despite all these difficulties. By the grace of Allah, I have maintained a CGPA of 3.5+. I am only sharing this to let you know that I am sincerely working hard and doing everything I can for my education.

Your help would not be for someone who is careless or not serious about studies it would be for a student who is genuinely trying his best to build a better future through education.

I’m also a video editor (intermediate level). If anyone helps me, I would gladly return the favor through video editing, social media posts, startup content, reels, or designs post once I’m stable.

If anyone is willing to help, please DM me. I understand trust is important, and I can provide my Fast RFID student details, transcript privately if needed, but I request confidentiality and respect regarding personal information.

There is absolutely no pressure on anyone to help. Even guidance, sharing this post, or a kind word would mean a lot to me.

Thank you for reading.