This research aimed to investigate the role of the family in the construction of the professional project of young individuals belonging to the first generation in their families to enter Higher Education. A qualitative study was conducted, involving interviews with three men and five women, all scholarship students at a private institution in Rio de Janeiro, aged between 18 and 30 years, and residing in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro. The content analysis method was used to analyze the data. Five main categories emerged: You re going to be a millionaire!: family expectations; I want to renovate this entire house: social reparation as a form of family loyalty; family support at university; differentiation and belonging; challenges of university retention. The discussion of the results will be presented across three articles. It was found that it is through their relationship with their support network, especially their families, that young people build their professional projects, encompassing both the motivations and expectations for entering Higher Education and the meaning of work and university education. It was observed that, although the family is present at various stages of the students academic journeys, there are limitations in the support offered, often related to the family s lack of knowledge about the university experience and difficulties in covering the financial costs of academic education. In addition, it was noted that other support networks, such as classmates, professors and university support services, are fundamental for providing guidance and creating a welcoming environment for these young individuals in their academic trajectories, supplementing the support received from their families.