Except she didn't go to school in America. Instead she "enrolled in a program at the London School of Economics and Political Science as an international student."
That might be true in our hellscape, but it is in no way valid. It's entirely the society's fault for not creating the material conditions that would allow all people including her to live in comfort to study such things.
You've said UK a couple of times there but I don't think that's what you meant. In Scotland for instance tuition is paid for by a government body with no expectation to pay it back, you'll normally get your fees paid for your first run through University plus one repeat year if needed. Additional grants and bursaries are available if required, and student loans are also available if you still can't cover living expenses.
I'm not too sure on the details so I could be wrong, but my understanding of the residency requirements is that you need to be either a UK national or settled immigrant and have been living anywhere in the UK for a few years. You'll also need to be living in Scotland specifically when the course starts.
If you're moving to Scotland just to study you'll have to pay out of pocket, but if you're in Scotland long-term you're probably fine. I'd recommend speaking to an advisor to be sure.