Home/ Directory/ Scholarships/ Sanctuary fee waiver for OET preparation programme (health professionals)

University of Leicester · England · Leicester

Sanctuary fee waiver for OET preparation programme (health professionals)

What it gives

full tuition waiver · English tuition

Full fee waiver for a 3-week intensive online OET preparation course; no cash maintenance

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 · stateless or s.67 “Dubs” arrivals · other categories — see terms

Level of study: English courses

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

You do not need to wait for an offer — the scholarship application can run alongside admission.

Complete the needs analysis form at the top of the English language classes and support page
Also recommended: complete Breaking Barriers' language application form for extra cost/exam-fee support
Contact sanctuary@le.ac.uk if interested in this provision

How they select

application form · 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

Rolling admissions

Where the date comes from: “Ongoing/rolling opportunity, up to 40 fee waivers awarded per year»

Deadline

Ongoing/rolling opportunity, up to 40 fee waivers awarded per year (course runs 4x/year); apply via needs-analysis form

When applications open

Course runs 2-3 times per year (page states this, not 4x/year); each run is a 4-week online semi-intensive course

How many places

up to 40/year

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?

Who to write to: internationalcpd@le.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 Leicester's Sanctuary Seekers' Unit, part of the Centre for International Training and Education. For qualified healthcare professionals with a refugee background who have IELTS 6.0+ and need to reach IELTS 7.0 to re-register to work in 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 →

Direct WebFetch of le.ac.uk blocked (403 for automated tools); details confirmed via a search-engine cache quoting the institution's own page text. […]