CELTA Sanctuary Scholarship

What it gives

full tuition waiver

Full CELTA course fee waiver including exam fee; up to 1 scholarship per intake (5-week, 10-week, or 20-week course)

Who it is for

asylum seeker (claim pending) · recognised refugee status · humanitarian protection · limited or discretionary leave · indefinite leave to remain · Ukraine or Afghan scheme · BN(O) visa holder · stateless or s.67 “Dubs” arrivals

Level of study: other programmes

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

Apply online for a place on the CELTA course, meeting the course's own entry conditions
Complete the CELTA Sanctuary Scholarship application form
Submit both by the deadline for the CELTA intake you're applying to (5-, 10- or 20-week course)

How they select

application form

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

Rolling admissions

Where the date comes from: “Rolling — same as the deadline for the chosen CELTA course intake»

Deadline

Rolling — same as the deadline for the chosen CELTA course intake

When applications open

Rolling — same deadline as the CELTA course intake applied for

How many places

up to 1 per cohort

For how many years

Given for one year. For the next year you have to apply again or find other support.

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?

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 Leicester's English Language Teaching Unit. CELTA is an initial teacher-training qualification for teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Up to one full fee waiver (course fee plus exam fee) per cohort, for people with a background of forced displacement to the UK.

Mostly school leavers. Only 9.3% of students are over 30. If you are over 35, look at other universities on the list — there are more adults there.

In detail about University of Leicester: 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 →

Applicant must already have applied for a place on the CELTA course before applying for the scholarship. […]