Refugees and asylum seekers
We recognise that refugees and asylum seekers may face many different challenges, including overcoming financial, emotional and cultural hurdles.
Is this support for you?
A refugee is someone who:
- has well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion
- is outside the country of their nationality
- is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of that country
An asylum seeker is someone who:
- has applied for refugee status and is waiting to find out if it has been granted
Support is also available for others in need, such as forced migrants and unaccompanied asylum seeking children.
Outreach events to help you explore your options
Visit days for specific student groups
The visit days for 2022-23 have now finished. Information about events for 2023-24 will appear here when finalised.
This event is specifically for refugee or asylum-seeking students aged 16+. You will have the opportunity to explore our University Park campus and talk to members of staff and current students, along with an informative and engaging session about the university experience. The visit day is free and refreshments will be provided.
Book a place on the Campus Visit
For enquiries, please email refugeesupport@nottingham.ac.uk
Funding support for refugees and asylum seekers
In recognition of the additional challenges you may face, the University of Nottingham offers some specific funding.
Refugees
- The core bursary provides £1,000 per year of study to students who meet certain criteria - one of which is having 'home' fee status and UK 'home' status for funding purposes.
- The Maycock-Whileman scholarship offers £1,000 a year to 'home' fee status students with refugee status in the UK who meet certain criteria.
- The university endeavours to support students who are experiencing financial difficulties – you may also be eligible to apply for the university support funds.
Asylum seekers
- The WH Revis Article 26 scholarship was set up as students who are seeking asylum in the UK may not be eligible for home funding. The University of Nottingham is offering one award consisting of the full international undergraduate fee plus £500 per year towards living costs to the successful applicant. Click here to check eligibility and to make an application.
Please visit the financial support page for more details of eligibility criteria for bursaries and scholarships. Information is always subject to change for future years of entry, so we would recommend checking regularly for further updates.
Student Action for Refugees (STAR) have created a guidance document to help highlight the potential impact of university scholarships and bursaries on asylum support.
The funding mentioned on this page is for undergraduates. Our funding for postgraduates page explains the finance available for masters or doctorate programmes.
Support with your Student Finance England application
UCAS.com have produced a finance guide to help support refugees and asylum seekers who are considering higher education.
For those applying to the University of Nottingham, students with refugee status in the UK will generally have home fee status and therefore be eligible for the same package of government and university support as other home students.
However, we recommend that you check your eligibility to know if you can apply for home fee status. This is dependent on your refugee/asylum status.
There are a number of different official status options. The following list offers a simple overview – you can find full details on the UK visas and immigration website.
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Refugee – you have been given permission to stay in the UK, and granted official ‘refugee’ status. You have a letter from UK visas and immigration (UKVI) to confirm this.
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Humanitarian protection – you have permission to stay in the UK for humanitarian reasons. You have a letter from UK visas and immigration (UKVI) to confirm this.
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Asylum seeker – you are applying for asylum, or you are waiting for a decision.
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Limited leave to remain (LLR) or discretionary leave to remain (DLR) – you have been given permission to stay temporarily in the UK. You have a letter from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to confirm this.
Lowered grade entry offers
We make contextual offers to students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement at school or college. Please visit this page to check the full eligibility criteria.
These offers are usually one A Level grade lower than the entry requirements on our course pages.
If our standard offer includes a specific subject grade, this will generally remain. For example, if the standard offer is AAB with an A in maths, the contextual offer would be ABB with an A in maths.
Choosing and applying for your course
The UCAS.com website has lots of useful information that can help you when applying to university.
Before making your application, do plenty of research to ensure you are making an informed choice for your future. Familiarise yourself with the application process and make sure you are ready to apply before applying.
Programmes to help you explore your options
The University of Nottingham has a range of outreach programmes for Year 12 and Year 13 students.
These will help you to explore your options, make informed choices and offer support through the application process. Find out more by clicking the links below:
Accommodation options available at university
The University of Nottingham has a wide variety of university accommodation available, to suit different budgets. Factors such as room type and length of contract will affect the overall cost – this webpage shows the differences in fees.
Whether you live in catered or self-catered accommodation, there is always someone you can contact, if you are experiencing any difficulties. The contact information can be found here.
The Students’ Union advice centre can help you with a range of accommodation issues, throughout your studies.
The University of Nottingham welcomes refugees, asylum seekers and those forced to migrate. In 2019, the university signed the City of Sanctuary charter and the STAR pledge. Our students' union have a number of societies working with local communities that you can get involved with:
Useful links
Here is a range of organisations* and resources that may help you to consider higher education:
*The University of Nottingham is not responsible for the content on external websites.
Contact us
If you need any specific support, please do not hesitate to contact us.