The University of Birmingham is offering five Sanctuary Scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate taught students who have sought refuge in the UK.
Offering five awards, this year’s scheme provides opportunities for those taking undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses with a full tuition-fee waiver, £5,000 per year of study to help with living costs and a fully funded place in University accommodation.
The scheme launched last year and applications for undergraduate and postgraduate courses starting in the 2023/24 academic year are now open to asylum seekers from anywhere in the world currently living in the UK. The deadline to apply is 30 April 2023.
Following the success of the inaugural Sanctuary Scholarships, we are delighted to again offer five awards for students starting at the University who have sought refuge in the UK. We are committed to providing a welcoming environment for asylum seekers.
Professor Robin Mason, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) - University of Birmingham
The Sanctuary Scholarships have been established to help prospective students who have sought refuge in the UK and cannot access student loans or other sources of statutory funding available in the UK, due to their residency status.
Professor Robin Mason, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) at the University of Birmingham, commented: “Following the success of the inaugural Sanctuary Scholarships, we are delighted to again offer five awards for students starting at the University who have sought refuge in the UK. We are committed to providing a welcoming environment for asylum seekers.
“The University of Birmingham continues to provide life-changing opportunities for individuals who have been displaced from their home countries. We are also applying to become a University of Sanctuary – committed as we are to creating a culture of welcome for people seeking sanctuary within, and beyond, our campus.”
Dr Jennifer Allsopp, Birmingham Fellow in Social Policy at the Institute for Research into International Migration, Refugees and Superdiversity (IRiS) and Founder and Co-chair of the University of Birmingham Sanctuary group, said: “We’re extremely excited to be able to welcome five more students to our vibrant community of Sanctuary scholars at the University of Birmingham.
“Current students are contributing a huge amount to our community across a range of disciplines including law, engineering, linguistics, and computer science – not to mention their roles in student debating, advocacy, sports, and the local comedy scene!
“Our scholarships create life-changing pathways for future leaders and help us to deliver on our commitment to be a truly inclusive university in a way that benefits our entire global community of educators, learners, and professional staff. Potential applicants can be sure to expect a warm welcome.”
The University of hosting a Sanctuary Scholarship Information Webinar on 30th March from 5-6pm with talks from the sanctuary scholarship team, accommodation, international student team and admissions and current sanctuary scholars. Potential applicants can sign up online.
There will also be a Sanctuary Open Day on 19 April - more information will be available on the University of Birmingham website shortly.
Dr David Tourigny, Birmingham Fellow in the University’s School of Mathematics, has been teaching Sanctuary Scholars and commented: "These scholarships represent an important step forward in the process of welcoming, accommodating and incorporating everyone, whatever their background, into our society. "
In relation to events taking place in Ukraine, the University of Birmingham has publicly committed to providing further practical help including financial support for new and displaced students from Ukraine. The University also supports Cara (the Council for At-Risk Academics) and their work and has extending its support further to provide more assistance to colleagues and partners in Ukraine.
