Patents are linked to the market. If someone appreciates creativity and is willing to help you pay considerable patent application and maintenance fees, that would be very good. If no one is willing to contribute, the applicant will have to pay the bill.
However, when applying for a patent, you don't need to pay tens of thousands of dollars, only a few thousand dollars at most. If the applicant is a student, he can also ask for a fee reduction, and only need a few hundred yuan to apply.