Unmarried student mothers face challenges related to childcare, the continuation of education, and stigmatisation, which can affect their psychological health and academic work. A focus group and nine individual interviews with 10 unmarried student mothers at a South African university who had experienced an unintended pregnancy explored their student-parent dilemma and how they drew on discourses of bad daughters, good mothers and good students. Guilt and shame underpinned attempts at reparation through academic achievement. These student mothers delegitimised their own need for support and felt unworthy of support through university counselling. Support group processes might enable student mothers to integrate parent and student identities, take up opportunities of support, and facilitate student retention.