Sanctuary Scholarship

What it gives

full tuition waiver · living costs

up to £20,780

PGR STEM: £20,780/yr living costs + £5,000/yr research allowance; UG: £11,500/yr + £2,300 bursary

Who it is for

asylum seeker (claim pending) · limited or discretionary leave · humanitarian protection · recognised refugee status · dependant of a person with status

Level of study: undergraduate, research postgraduate

The student finance condition

Only if you cannot access student finance

This scheme is for people without access to government student finance — usually asylum seekers and some limited-leave categories. If you have refugee status and can access student finance, this is normally not for you.

How to apply

Submit an admissions application to an eligible full-time undergraduate or full-time doctoral (PhD/EngD/EdD/MPhil) programme by 17 April 2026
Apply for the Sanctuary Scholarship online by 1 May 2026
Upload proof of immigration status (most recent Home Office letter or share code)
Submit a 500-word personal statement on why you want to study your subject specifically at Exeter, plus references from someone who knows your education history
Research students also submit a research proposal
Outcome sent 5 June 2026 (undergraduates) or 12 June 2026 (postgraduate researchers)

What to prepare

Most recent Home Office letter or share code (proof of immigration status)
Personal statement (500 words)
References
Research proposal (research students only)

How they select

application form · personal statement · references

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: “scholarship application by 1 May 2026»

Deadline

1 May 2026 for 2026/27 entry

When applications open

Admissions application by 17 April 2026, scholarship application by 1 May 2026 each cycle; outcomes 5 June (UG) / 12 June (PGR)

How many places

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?
Is the scholarship for one year or for the whole course?

Who to write to: sanctuary-enquiries@exeter.ac.uk

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

University of Exeter operates four UK campuses: Streatham and St Luke's in Exeter, and Penryn and Truro in Cornwall. The page does not describe how fee status is assessed.

There are adults, but they are a minority. 15% of students are over 30 and 23% are over 25 — an average picture for a UK university.

In detail about University of Exeter: all schemes, student ages, study modes →

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 →

Aggregator's 2nd source (hornby-trust.org.uk) is a 3rd-party trust, not Exeter's own - excluded. Taught/research Master's are NOT eligible per Exeter's own page.