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The Sanctuary Scholarship scheme enables individuals seeking asylum and refugees who are not able access student finance to study at the University of Exeter.
Eligibility
Immigration Status
As well as meeting the academic requirements for your chosen programme of study you will also need to demonstrate that:
You have submitted a claim for asylum within the UK and are awaiting a response (this includes submission of a fresh claim) or
You have been granted Limited Leave to Remain (formerly Discretionary Leave to Remain) on the grounds of seeking protection in the UK and are not eligible for funding via Student Finance England or
You have been awarded ‘Humanitarian Protection’ or Refugee status in the UK but are not eligible for funding via Student Finance England or
You have left care in the UK and are assessed as international for tuition fee purposes and are not eligible for funding via Student Finance England or
(For applicants to postgraduate research programmes only) You have been granted refugee status* by the UK Home Office or
You are the family member of someone with one of the immigration statuses listed above with ‘in line’ or ‘dependent’ status
Please note: if you are a Ukrainian national who has been granted a visa under the Ukraine Extension Scheme, the Ukraine Family Scheme or the Homes for Ukraine scheme and are currently resident in the UK, you will be eligible to apply for funding via Student Finance England, and so will not be eligible for this scholarship.
We have produced our eligibility criteria to help you understand whether you meet our definition of a sanctuary seeker. The criteria are intended to capture the majority of situations, but we appreciate that there are highly individual circumstances that might not be captured.
Programme of Study
Sanctuary Scholarship applications will be considered from students applying to the following programmes:
The following programmes are not eligible for Sanctuary Scholarship funding:
BMBS Medicine – this is due to a cap imposed by the NHS on the number of home students we can recruit to the programme. Any change to the fee status of a student during their studies would put the University in breach of this cap
Any taught or research Masters programmes (eg MA, MSc, MPhil, MbyRes)
Value of Scholarship
Undergraduates – a full tuition fee waiver plus a grant for living costs of £11,500 for each year of study.
Undergraduate students will also receive a £2000 Access to Exeter Bursary during each year of study
Doctorate Students (STEM disciplines) - a full tuition fee waiver plus an annual living cost grant of £19,237. A research allowance of £5000 per year will also be paid. All funding will normally be for a maximum of 3.5 years.
Doctorate Students (HASS disciplines) -a full tuition fee waiver plus an annual living cost grant of £19,237. A research allowance of £750 per year will also be paid. All funding will normally be for a maximum of 3 years.
Summary
Application deadline:
2nd May 2025
Number of awards:
3
Value:
Full tuition fee waiver plus annual living cost grant
We will be in touch within 24 hours to arrange your initial consultation at your nearest SI-UK office. If you are unable to visit us in person, consultations can also be arranged over Skype.