The University of Sussex’s Widening Participation team have worked with Refugee Education UK to develop a short video to support refugees and asylum seekers looking to apply to university. 

The video features three young people from refugee backgrounds, including a University of Sussex student, who have all successfully applied to university and who are powerful role models for the next generation of prospective students. They share their advice, knowledge and experience of the application process and also provide encouragement to future students who are considering their pathways to Higher Education.

The barriers to Higher Education that refugees and asylum seekers experience can be complex and difficult to navigate. This video aims to provide information to refugees and asylum seekers on how to navigate the university application process and how to access the funding needed to go to university. The video also highlights the opportunity for migrant students to apply for scholarships and provides details of organisations that can offer students further support when making their applications to university. This includes the fantastic work of Refugee Education UK, Student Action for Refugees and, We Belong, who all support young migrants.

The release of this video coincides with Refugee Week, running from the 19^th – 25^th June. This week is a special celebration of refugees and asylum seekers across the world, so please consider watching or sharing this video during this time. Refugee Week encourages us to take part in Simple Acts to stand with refugees and build our communities. Therefore, the University of Sussex’s Widening Participation team are calling on our colleagues across the education sector to share this video with those who work alongside us, young refugees and asylum seekers and the people who support them.

If you are interested in finding out more about the University of Sussex’s work with prospective refugee and asylum seeking students please contact Paul Wiggins, in the Widening Participation team, who can provide you with more information.

Further information can be found below:

• https://refugeeweek.org.uk/about/
• https://refugeeweek.org.uk/simple-acts/

Further information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2RJSpDOq8w