Internet Split Over Whether 40-Year-Old Man Being a Student Is a 'Red Flag'

A woman is asking if her husband's career choice is a "red flag" after revealing that he has been a college student for two decades.

In a post to Reddit's No Stupid Questions forum, user u/Prize-Report6742 explained that her 40-year-old husband is a "career student." The couple live in Australia and because her husband is of Aboriginal descent, he is "paid to go to school."

"The university offers a bursary for Aboriginal students and he's been the only applicant in some time," she wrote. "He gets it every year. But he also gets age-based grants and bursaries. None of it needs to be paid back."

Her husband receives around $40,000 U.S. dollars a year from the college—on top of his tuition fees—but only commits about 10 hours a week to his studies.

The man already has degrees in history, chemistry, linguistics, accounting and computer science, and is currently studying physics. However, he has never used his qualifications to try to get a job.

"He loves to learn and to teach others; he's the smartest person I know," the woman wrote. "He says he stays in school because it's his 'hobby.'"

The couple are completely debt-free but, after 20 years, Prize-Report6742 would like to see her husband try his hand at something else. She doesn't tell her friends about her husband's college life, saying only that "he's in school part time and doing other things."

She wrote: "I'd like to see him apply himself outside a school setting, but I want to know what other people think of it.

"Would that be a red flag for you?"

Noona Nafousi, a career and life coach based in Dubai, told Newsweek that being a perpetual student isn't a bad thing, but it's important to consider the long-term implications and whether the knowledge obtained can be applied to the real world.

"While it may not align with conventional ambitions, it does not automatically signify a lack of ambition," she said.

"But understanding what is behind this drive for learning, and what is being done with the information being learned, is a question worth asking."

Nafousi said a person in this position needs to understand their personal goals and what they're gaining from the experience, especially as relying on grants and bursaries may not be sustainable in the long term.

"Is the learner able and willing to support themselves or are they expecting someone else to cover their passion?" she said.

"While continuous learning is generally a positive thing, it can be negative if it is used to distance or disconnect from life, responsibilities or from self."

More than 13,000 comments have been left on the post—and Redditors' reactions are mixed.

"A lifetime of learning sounds like heaven to me," said Neither_Exit5318.

"Seems like he's living the dream. Would love to do the same," agreed stepitup9600.

"Nobody could even say he's just being lazy or wasting time since he's also finishing the degrees," wrote HurryPast386.

"It sounds like he's not amassing crippling debt and he's providing for both of your needs," said gamiscott.

"As long as you're comfortable with it then that's an awesome way to live."

However, some felt he was abusing the system and potentially taking opportunities from young people in Indigenous communities—even if the application rate is currently low.

Several users said he had been "occupying a space that was intended to help numerous Aboriginal folk" and that both he and the college should be working on outreach for the program.

"The part that turns me off here is that the scholarship is willingly being misused," said tsukiii. "Why isn't he recommending the scholarship to young people in his community?"

Low_Jello_7497 agreed, writing: "He could have raised awareness about this opportunity, helped so many more families lift themselves out of poverty. It's kinda icky."

Other Redditors warned that the college or the authorities could withdraw the funding at any point. They said the couple should prepare for this eventuality and think about how they would fund their retirement.

"At some point he's going to make a plan in case this gravy train runs out," said aethelberga. "What if he's not the only applicant one year?"

"His eggs are all in one basket right now," wrote _reeses_feces. "And funding for grants can be cut with no notice."

"He is 40 with 0 professional experience," commented SweetVarys. "Most things you do at work are learned while working and he has missed 15 years of it."

Newsweek has reached out to u/Prize-Report6742 for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.

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