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This paper examines the experiences of a group of students who have entered higher education via diverse pathways in order to consider the implications of their experiences for academic support. Drawing on students' accounts provided as part of a longitudinal research project, we outline how these students manage their studies in the context of the competing demands on their time and the challenges they face. Perspectives from phenomenography, constructivism, distance education and adult education are used to frame the students' experiences. One major finding is the participants' limited usage of student support services provided by the university. Their primary source of formal support tended to be academic staff at the departmental level, while family and friends (including other students) were major sources of informal support. We discuss the implications of these findings for student support, raising questions about the boundaries of academic support, and how support services can be made more useful for these students.