Sanctuary Scholarships

Location

South West

Type of opportunity

University Scholarship

About this opportunity

The Sanctuary Scholarship scheme enables individuals seeking asylum and refugees who are not able access student finance to study at the University of Exeter at undergraduate or postgraduate research level.

Level of Study

Undergraduate
PhD

Eligibility

Asylum seeker, Refugee, Humanitarian protection, Limited or Discretionary Leave to Remain

Additional notes about eligibility criteria

As well as meeting the academic requirements for your chosen programme of study you will also need to demonstrate one of the following:

– 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 governmentfunding – 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

If you have been granted a visa under any of the Ukraine schemes 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. If this is the case, please do get in touch with us for further clarification.

What is included in this opportunity?

Fee Waiver (no fees)
Full bursary (study costs and full living costs)

Types of study available

Full-time
Face-to-face

Additional details about application process

17th April 2026:

Deadline to submit an admissions application with us. For more information on the programmes on offer including entry requirements, please see our undergraduate or postgraduate study pages.

Research students: Submit your admissions application as early as you can, and by 17th April 2026 at the latest. You will only be able to pursue a research degree with us if we can offer appropriate supervision. Your supervisors will provide the necessary support and guidance and so need to have expertise in your chosen research field. You may join a research team or work with specific members of staff.

As a first step, you can identify if we offer your PhD research area by browsing or using our search. See section ‘PhD and research programme application process’ for details.

1st May 2026:

Deadline to submit an application for the Sanctuary Scholarship using our online application form. In addition to your details, you’ll need to upload proof of your immigration status, personal statement, references and for research students your research proposal.

Immigration status: This can be your most recent Home Office letter or share code.

Personal statement: Make your statement personal to you and your plans. In 500 words, tell us why you want to study your subject specifically at the University of Exeter.

References: Your references should be from someone who is aware of your education history and can testify to your academic ability, ambition and potential. Referees are ideally from your most recent place of study.

Research students: Upload your research proposal.

5th June 2026:

Outcome sent to applicants.

Number of places available

3

Is this opportunity available for individuals outside of the UK?

No

On-going opportunity

Yes

For further questions contact Jim Price

Contact Us

Email Us sanctuary-enquiries@exeter.ac.uk

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