context: i didn’t plan on going to university, and i was much more keen to get an apprenticeship. i didn’t get any of the places i applied to, even though i get very far along in some processes. i was accepted into the royal central school of speech & drama in february after my interview, and i have changed my mind and decided this is where i want to go. it is a backup choice, but i believe everything happens for a reason & i know the units of study on the course and firmly believe i’ll be engaged throughout my studies.

due to how things are at home for me (my older brother is an abusive nightmare), i’ve decided it’d be best for me to move out. my parents haven’t taken too kindly to this decision.

initially they were accepting, then reluctant, and now my mum is withholding her information from student finance until we reach an agreement - in her mind, this agreement should be me accepting to stay at home.

my parents reasoning for keeping me at home is that we’re close enough to london (would take me an hour and thirty to travel to royal central), and that i should treat this year like a ‘trial’ to see if i like the course / people. i’d have to house share, as central don’t offer halls, and private ones in london are ridiculously expensive. my parents believe that if i end up not liking this group of people, i’ll fall back on them to try and get them to pay for everything so i can get out.

although i understand their reasoning, i just know it’s right for me to move out. if they were simply disagreeing but accepting i’d live, but my mum withholding her information is getting to me.

how can i convince my parents this is right for me? if i can’t convince them, am i forced to live at home for a year? i’m eighteen, if that impacts anything. thanks.