Sanctuary Scholarships — university funding for refugees in the UK

🎯 Who qualifies 0️⃣ Foundation year 📊 University table 📝 How to apply ⚠️ Common mistakes

01

What are Sanctuary Scholarships?

in short

Sanctuary Scholarships are awarded by individual universities to students who cannot access Student Finance England (SFE) — the government student loan. This is mainly asylum seekers waiting for a Home Office decision, but also some students with Discretionary Leave to Remain (DLR — leave to remain granted by the Home Office) or humanitarian protection.

These scholarships usually cover the tuition fees (you pay the home student rate) and often include a bursary for living costs. There is no central system — apply directly to each university.

02

Who qualifies?

4 groups

Asylum seekers (decision pending)

The main target group for most schemes. You cannot access SFE — a Sanctuary Scholarship fills that gap.

Refugees (Refugee Status), HP, DLR

Eligible for SFE. Some universities offer extra scholarships on top of SFE.

Ukraine schemes (Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family Scheme)

A number of universities explicitly include Ukraine visa holders. Check the criteria of each university.

Dependants

Eligibility depends on the scheme — confirm with the university scholarships office.

03

Foundation year — the grey zone

3 confirmed cases

⚠️ Most Sanctuary Scholarships do not cover a foundation year automatically

Oxford Brookes — explicitly covers the Integrated Foundation Course for all four years, provided you move up to the degree.
Sheffield — foundation course students must contact the university to discuss eligibility. It is not included automatically.
Gloucestershire (Michael Perham) — undergraduate and postgraduate taught degrees only. Foundation years are NOT covered.

What a foundation year is and who needs one — on the page “Foundation Year in detail”.

04

Scholarships by university

as of 08.05.2026

Amounts and conditions change every year. Always check the current university page before you apply.

University	Tuition fees	Bursary	Accommodation	Open to	Notes
University of Birmingham	Waived	£5,000/year	Yes (university-owned)	Asylum seekers, HP, DLR
Imperial College London (PG Taught)	Cancelled	£22,000/year + £1,500 equipment grant	No	Refugees, asylum seekers, Ukraine schemes	Postgraduate; there is a separate UG scholarship — full fees + £16,500/year, up to 4 years
Imperial College London (UG)	Cancelled	Full fees + £16,500/year + £1,500 laptop grant	No	Refugees, asylum seekers, Ukraine schemes	Undergraduate; up to 4 years, 1 scholarship per year
Birkbeck (Bonnart Trust)	Waived	£18,000	No	Asylum seekers, refugees, Ukraine/Afghan schemes
University of Glasgow	Waived	£5,000/year	No	Asylum seekers, refugees
University of Bristol	Waived	Varies	No	Asylum seekers, HP
University of Leicester	Waived	Bespoke package	No	Asylum seekers, DLR (4 awards)
University of Cardiff	Reduced to home rate	Together at Cardiff Bursary	No	Asylum seekers
Keele University	Waived	Study costs	No	Asylum seekers, forced migrants
Oxford Brookes University	Waived	Included	No	Asylum seekers, refugees	Explicitly covers the Integrated Foundation Course for 4 years
University of Sheffield	Waived + £10,300 living costs	£10,300/year	No	Displaced students	5 awards a year; foundation students must contact the university to discuss
University of Gloucestershire (Michael Perham)	UG and PG taught only	—	No	Students with forced migration status	Foundation years NOT covered
UCL	Waived (UPC Waiver)	No	No	Asylum seekers	Foundation course only
University of Cambridge	Waived	Full funding	Yes (residential)	Students with disrupted education
University of Edinburgh	Waived (pre-sessional)	Living costs	Case-by-case	Asylum seekers and refugees
University of Southampton	Waived	Maintenance support	No	Asylum seekers
LSE	Waived	Maintenance	No	Asylum seekers
Durham University	Waived	Varies	No	Disrupted education
University of Leeds	Waived	Varies	No	Disrupted education
Newcastle University	Waived	Maintenance	No	Asylum seekers
University of Nottingham	Waived	Maintenance	No	Asylum seekers
University of Warwick	Waived	Maintenance	No	Asylum seekers
University of York	Waived	Maintenance	No	Asylum seekers

Many more universities run extra scholarships. Full directory: STAR (Student Action for Refugees).

05

How to apply

4 steps

1

Choose your universities Make a shortlist of 3–5 universities where you want to study and which run a Sanctuary Scholarship.

2

Check the criteria at each one Confirm which immigration statuses are accepted, whether a foundation year is covered, and how much the award is worth this year.

3

Email the scholarships office early If your situation is unusual, a short email before you apply can save you a lot of time.

4

Apply before the deadline Most schemes run once a year with a fixed closing date. A missed deadline means a missed year.

06

Common mistakes

what to avoid

⚠️ Why people most often lose a scholarship

Assuming the scholarship automatically covers a foundation year — most of them do not.
Missing the individual deadlines — most schemes run once a year.
Applying without checking that your immigration status fits — some scholarships are for asylum seekers only, others for people who already have leave to remain.
Not emailing the scholarships office before you apply when your situation is unusual.

Frequently asked questions

Can asylum seekers apply for a Sanctuary Scholarship?

Yes. Most Sanctuary Scholarships are designed specifically for asylum seekers who cannot access Student Finance England (SFE) — the government student loan. Each university sets its own eligibility criteria, so check the page of the university you are applying to.

Does a Sanctuary Scholarship cover a foundation year?

It depends on the university. Oxford Brookes explicitly covers the Integrated Foundation Course for the full four years. Sheffield is a grey zone — foundation students must contact the university to discuss eligibility. University of Gloucestershire (Michael Perham) does NOT cover foundation years.

How do I apply for a Sanctuary Scholarship?

There is no central application system. You apply directly to each university. Each has its own deadline, usually once a year. Email the scholarships office in advance, especially if your immigration status is unusual.

Can I get a scholarship if I have refugee status rather than being an asylum seeker?

If you have refugee status or humanitarian protection (HP), you are entitled to Student Finance England (SFE) from day one. With limited leave to remain (DLR and similar) there is no SFE entitlement by status — only through “long residence” or after ILR.

Are there scholarships for postgraduate study (Master's, PhD)?

Yes. Imperial College London offers the Postgraduate Sanctuary Scholarship — £22,000 a year plus a £1,500 equipment grant (plus a separate Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship — full tuition fees + £16,500 a year + a £1,500 laptop grant, for up to 4 years). Birkbeck (Bonnart Trust) offers £18,000 — covering both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) study.

Where can I find the full list of Sanctuary Scholarships?

The STAR (Student Action for Refugees) directory at star-network.org.uk maintains an updated list. You can also contact university admissions and scholarships offices directly.

Sources: STAR Network · full list of Sanctuary Scholarships GOV.UK · Student Finance England UKCISA · fee status for refugees Refugee Education UK (REUK)

Last updated: 8 May 2026. Sources: STAR Network — list of Sanctuary Scholarships, GOV.UK — Student Finance England, UKCISA — fee status. Scholarship amounts and conditions change every year — check them on the university website before you apply.