Sanctuary Scholarships
Sanctuary Scholarships help forced migrants or refugees living in the UK to study at Sussex. They provide an opportunity for some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the UK to gain a graduate education and the chance to build a new life for themselves.
Many forced migrants or refugees arrive with their family, fleeing oppression, persecution and the prospect of torture. As young people they can receive education up to high school in the UK, but at the age of 18 they become an adult and their status as a forced migrant or a refugee means they are ineligible to apply for student funding. This financial barrier means that their formal education often ends at high school.
Sussex introduced Sanctuary Scholarships to address these financial barriers and provide forced migrants and refugees with the opportunity to gain a degree. The University provides for two fully funded undergraduate scholarships and a further scholarship for postgraduate students is made possible through donations to the Sussex Fund.
Since 2015, more than 13 students have benefited from Sanctuary Scholarships, providing them with a pathway to a brighter future. In recognition of its work to welcome and support forced migrants and refugees, Sussex was awarded the title of University of Sanctuary in 2020.
Reading the applications for Sanctuary Scholarships is humbling. For so many students, the chance to study at Sussex is a first step towards rebuilding their lives.” Amy andrews
scholarships office