Sanctuary Scholarships

• 5 fee waivers each year that cover the tuition fees for our 11–week English Language programme (starting in June each year) – £4,565 in 2022
• 4 bursary payments of £5,000+ each year of study for new applicants to undergraduate courses* with refugee or humanitarian protection status
• 1 bursary payment of £10,000+ (pro rata–ed for part-time students) for new applicants to postgraduate taught courses with refugee or humanitarian protection status
• 1 Scholarship of a fee waiver and a bursary payment of £14,200+ for each year of study for new applicants to undergraduate courses* with asylum seeker status
• 1 Scholarship of a fee waiver and a bursary payment of £14,200+ (pro rata–ed for part-time students) for new applicants to postgraduate taught courses with asylum seeker status
• 10 Scholarships for 2022/3 entry of a full tuition fee waiver and a bursary payment of £5,000 (pro rata–ed for part-time students) for each year of study for new entrants to undergraduate courses* or postgraduate taught courses who have entered the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme or the Ukraine Sponsorship (Homes for Ukraine) scheme. In addition, scholars under this route will be eligible for a full fee waiver which cover the tuition fees for our 11–week English Language programme (starting in June 2022) as well as reimbursement of the cost of a single English Language test, from our list of approved providers, up to the value of £185.

*includes all Undergraduate programmes for which the individual applicant’s visa requirements do not prohibit them from completing all elements of the programme (see below for details about those with work placements/study abroad years), including those with an integrated foundation year or integrated Master’s year, excluding the stand–alone International Foundation Programme.

+bursary payments are made in termly instalments.

Adam travelled to the UK seeking refugee status in 2019 after his situation in his home country became too dangerous for himself and his family. Speaking to me from his new home in Reading, with his 3-year-old on his lap, Adam talks about how transformational receiving the Sanctuary Scholarship has been. 

“It changed my life. As a father and a student, it has given me the opportunity to do so much more. I don’t think I would have been able to go to university without the scholarship and if I had managed to pay the tuition fees I still would have struggled - my course is very intensive, if I had to work full time to support myself and my family, I think I would’ve quickly fallen behind. 
Thanks to the scholarship, and the support of the University, I can dedicate myself fully to my studies. Last term, I received a distinction on all three of my assignments. I don’t think this would have been possible if I was trying to work alongside my studies.” 

Adam speaks about the relief that came from receiving the scholarship. “It was a changing point in our lives. We had already been through so much. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to pursue the type of work I wanted without a degree, and I was starting to become fearful for our futures. When I received the funding, it changed everything. It felt like the pressure had finally been lifted after so many years.” 

The Sanctuary Scholarship is available to those with refugee, humanitarian protected or asylum seeker status. Asylum seekers are currently not entitled to any student loan funding and so must find the money to cover higher education themselves. Those with refugee or humanitarian protected status can access some student loan funding, but often face challenges in covering the cost of rent and other essentials due to very low household incomes. The Sanctuary Scholarship offers those students an opportunity to participate fully in university. Funded by the university and support from donors, it acts as part of the University’s commitment to helping refugees, asylum seekers and otherwise displaced individuals to access higher education. 

Adam has hopes of continuing to study at Reading in the future. He has recently enrolled in the Henley Business School Emerging Leaders programme and looks forward to becoming a voice for other people that have experienced displacement. 

“When I finish my degree, and hopefully a PhD, I want to work with NGOs to help people like me and the many others from my home country and the rest of the world, who are fleeing war or persecution. 

"Without the help I have received from generous individuals, non-government agencies, and the university, I would not be where I am today. My son would not be safe, and my future would look very different. I have been extremely lucky to receive so much support and I hope one day to be able to give back.

"To everyone that helped me, I want to say thank you. Your support is transformational  for people like me. You gave me back my future. As a student, but more importantly, as a father: thank you for helping us.” 

Please note that Adam has asked us not to use his real name. 

For all awards, you must:

• be granted a temporary form of leave (limited leave to remain, discretionary leave to remain, humanitarian protection) as the result of an asylum application or human rights application; or be an asylum seeker, or have a right to remain in the UK through the Ukraine Family Scheme or the Ukraine Sponsorship (Homes for Ukraine) scheme
• You must have applied to the University of Reading for 2022 entry and have received either a Conditional or Unconditional offer;
• Preference is given to applicants who are local to Reading
• You currently reside in the UK

The different awards have different additional eligibility:

For those granted a temporary form of leave (limited leave to remain, discretionary leave to remain, humanitarian protection as the result of an asylum application or human rights application; or as an asylum seeker:

For the fee waiver you must: 

• be applying for the 11 week course starting in June
• have sat an academic IELTS test or recognised equivalent English Language qualification
• Be intending to complete university-level academic study after completion of the pre-sessional English programme

For the bursary awards your immigration status must currently allow you to access tuition Fee Loans or Maintenance Loans from Student Finance England/Wales/NI/SAAS. 

For the fee waiver and bursary award your immigration status must currently not allow you to access tuition Fee Loans or Maintenance Loans from Student Finance England/Wales/NI/SAAS.

Due to government regulations regarding asylum seekers and work placements, those with current/outstanding asylum claims are not eligible to apply for scholarships for undergraduate programmes that have work placements or study abroad elements as they may be prohibited from completing these elements of their course.

Please note that if you are applying for a course that is considered of an equivalent level to one that you already hold, you may not be eligible for support from the student finance authorities. Please contact the relevant student finance authority if you have any questions about this.

For those applying who have a right to remain in the UK through the Ukraine Family Scheme or the Ukraine Sponsorship (Homes for Ukraine) scheme:

• You must currently reside in the UK
• If you intend or are required to take the pre-sessional English programme as a condition of entry, you must also intend to undertake university-level academic study starting in 2022/3 at the University after completion of the pre-sessional English programme.
• Eligibility for a sanctuary scholarship does not depend on eligibility to access tuition Fee Loans or Maintenance Loans from Student Finance England/Wales/NI/SAAS.

We have a panel who advises us on the running of the scholarship. The panel will seek to ensure that there is gender parity across successful awardees and preference may be given to students living in Reading, or within a commutable distance of the University, but otherwise, awards are allocated randomly.

We will let applicants know if they have been successful by the end of June for Pre-sessional English courses and in September 2022 for undergraduate and postgraduate taught applicants (awards can only be given to students who meet the requirements of any offer made by the University, and so time is given for applicants to do this).

Any questions?  Contact us at refugeescholarship@reading.ac.uk.

By submitting a Sanctuary Scholarship application, you agree to comply with, and be bound, by these Terms and Conditions.

University of Reading Fees and Funding pages:

• Undergraduate fees and funding
• Postgraduate fees and funding
• Student Financial Support Team

Support for Sanctuary Seekers:

• Student Action for Refugees
• Reading Refugee Support Group
• Toolkit for students with Humanitarian Protected status
• Red Cross
• RefuAid

Advice for Ukrainian sanctuary seekers

• UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals

UK wide student advice

• Student Action for Refugees
• Reading Refugee Support Group
• Red Cross
• RefuAid

UK wide student advice

• UKCISA – information on Government Student Support
• UKCISA – information on fee status in Higher Education