Sanctuary Scholarship

Academic year 2025

Overview

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:

  • Full-time undergraduate degree programmes

  • Full-time Doctorate level programmes (eg PhD, EngD,EdD)

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

Duration of award:

per year

Deadline

Application will close on 02 May 2025

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

What our students have to say about SI-UK

Ishwar
I utilized the services of SI-UK in Chennai which proved invaluable for me. They provided great assistance throughout my application process, guiding me from evaluating my choices to selecting the university that best matched my profile.
Ishwar
Ishwar
Masters in Business Analytics, Lancaster University
Nidhi Agarwal
"SI-UK has been a crucial part of my UK journey. They assisted me in obtaining my bachelor's degree in August 2019 and now, they've aided me in securing admission to a top design university in London for my master's. The counselors at SI-UK offer personalised support to each applicant, helping us in each and every step including the final stage of obtaining our CAS letter once we receive the offer."
Nidhi Agarwal
Nidhi Agarwal
MSc Design Innovation, Loughborough University
Sudarshan
"The entire team at SI-UK was incredibly supportive. They provided me with a list of universities to consider, and I ultimately chose Aston University. With their assistance, I applied and received an offer along with a £5000 scholarship. I am grateful to my counselor and the entire team for guiding me through the visa application process and every other aspect. Thank you, SI-UK, for helping me pursue my dream."
Sudarshan
Sudarshan
Engineering, Aston University
Saumya Sharma
"Last year, I reached out to SI-UK, Jaipur for my Master’s journey, and it has been an incredibly fulfilling and successful experience. From guiding me through the application process to assisting with letters of recommendation and statement of purpose, and even following up with universities, SI-UK provided comprehensive support at every step of the journey. They went the extra mile, assisting with admissions, fee processing, accommodation arrangements, visa guidance, and coordination on medical checkups. I firmly believe that my admission to the University of Birmingham wouldn't have been possible without SI-UK. I highly recommend SI-UK to anyone seeking admission to a UK or Ireland university."
Saumya Sharma
Saumya Sharma
MBA , University of Birmingham
Jehabuz Khan
In September, I sought assistance from SI-UK for my studies in the UK, with a planned intake for January 2023. With the support of my counsellor who made exceptional efforts, I smoothly navigated the application process which culminated in the timely acquisition of my UK student visa hassle-free. I wholeheartedly endorse SI-UK to fellow students aiming to pursue their dreams of studying in the UK. Thank you!
Jehabuz Khan
Jehabuz Khan
MSc in Mechanical Engineering, University of Strathclyde
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