RIBA John and David Hubert Bursary

What it gives

partial fee support · living costs

up to £4,000

£4,000 per academic year for the remainder of the course; maximum £8,000 total per applicant

Who it is for

asylum seeker (claim pending) · recognised refugee status · humanitarian protection · limited or discretionary leave · indefinite leave to remain · other categories — see terms

Level of study: undergraduate, taught postgraduate

The student finance condition

Open to applicants who do receive student finance

Having no access to student finance is not a condition here: people with recognised refugee status who already receive a student loan can apply.

How to apply

Read the bursary guidance notes in full before applying
Register for an account and apply online via RIBA's application platform (Good Grants)
Write a personal statement of no more than 400 words on why you'd be a suitable candidate
Submit evidence of date of birth (driving licence or passport) and proof of immigration status (a Home Office document or a solicitor's letter confirming your status)
Applications close 3pm GMT on the deadline (13 March 2026 for the current cycle)
Applications are assessed over 6–8 weeks; the first instalment is paid in October, once enrolment is confirmed

What to prepare

Evidence of date of birth (driving licence or passport)
Proof of immigration status (Home Office document or solicitor's letter)

How they select

application form · personal statement · evidence of circumstances

There is no interview — the decision is made on documents. On most routes there are no subject entrance exams either: the main hurdle on the way into university is proving your level of English. The exceptions are medicine, dentistry and creative courses, where tests and portfolios do appear.

Dates

Can you apply now · as of 6 September 2026

2026/27 round closed · next date not announced

Next year's round usually opens in winter or spring. Write to the university early: ask for the date and to be added to their mailing list.

Where the date comes from: “closes 3pm GMT Friday 13 March 2026»

Deadline

3pm GMT Friday 13 March 2026 (current, confirmed open cycle)

When applications open

Opens annually; current cycle closes 3pm GMT Friday 13 March 2026; decisions roughly 6–8 weeks later; first payment in October

For how many years

Renewed for the following years of the course, as long as you keep studying.

Ask before you apply

We do not fill in the gaps for the institution. Here is what its own page leaves unclear — these are normal questions, everyone asks them.

What happens to the payments if I am granted refugee status mid-year?

Who to write to: https://www.riba.org/learn/bursaries-and-scholarships/john-and-david-hubert-bursary/

If this scheme is not for you

See the full list of schemes — it has a filter for your status and for whether student finance is available to you.
Check whether you are entitled to student finance — if it is, a scholarship stops being the only road.
Foundation year and Access to HE — routes for people who only have a school certificate.
Education hub — where to start if you have not chosen a route yet.

About the institution

RIBA is the UK professional body for architects, not a single university — the bursary supports students in forced-displacement situations enrolled on any RIBA-validated Part 1 or Part 2 architecture course in the UK; RIBA itself does not assess university fee status.

Source

We found this scheme in the STAR Network and Displaced Student Opportunities lists, but the institution's own site was unavailable when we checked: the page returned an error or blocked automated access. The record is therefore built from an archived copy and open sources — check the terms with the institution before you apply. Checked on: 22 August 2026.

The scheme page on the institution's site →

For students on RIBA-validated Part 1 or Part 2 architecture qualifications in the UK; assessed on financial need and commitment. […]