SOAS Sanctuary Scholarships 2023/24

Overview

The SOAS Sanctuary scheme to support displaced people was launched in 2015. It is designed to support those who might otherwise be blocked from embarking on a university degree especially those with a precarious forms of immigration status or who do not have access to Student Finance, and people taking their first steps into Higher Education.

The SOAS Sanctuary scholarships include a full tuition fee waiver for any full time undergraduate degree of 3 years duration, along with £12,000 maintenance per academic year, to contribute towards living costs.

Candidate criteria

Applicants must be a displaced person which includes the following types of status:

• Refugee status.

• Humanitarian protection status.

• Discretionary Leave to Remain.

• Limited leave to remain on human rights grounds including UASC.

• Refused Asylum Seeker (fresh claim submitted).

• Submitted an asylum claim in the UK.

• Asylum Seeker.

We also welcome applications from young people who attended school in the UK, until their 18th birthday, but now are having to resolve their immigration status and meanwhile cannot embark on a degree course due to lack of access to Student Finance.

Only new undergraduate students may apply: those already enrolled on a degree at SOAS are not eligible to apply.

Scholarship application deadline

• scholarship applications must be received by no later than 23:59 (GMT) on 30 April 2023.

• incomplete applications will not be considered.

• please note that you must have an offer of admission to your chosen degree at SOAS in order for your application for a scholarship to be considered by the selection committee.

• applications for admission can take up to 4 weeks to be considered by the Department, although this duration can vary depending on the time of year. You should be prepared to wait up to 6 weeks in busy periods.