Supporting refugees to access higher education

We’ve partnered with Refugee Education UK to help you support refugees to access higher education.

Many refugees arriving to the UK may have had plans to study at University before their lives were upended and they were resettled.  They may also now see this as a remote or unlikely possibility, because of lost years of education, their age, or feeling that the language barrier is insurmountable. Getting a place at University may not be easy and will require a lot of work and dedication, but with the right planning and support nothing is impossible.

We’ve partnered with Refugee Education UK (formerly Refugee Support Network), a UK-based charity with expertise in helping refugees build more hopeful futures through education, to develop resources outlining the key challenges that refugees aiming to progress to higher education may face as well as detailed step-by-step guide to applying to a University.

In the downloads section you can see a shorter version of the resource dedicated to Groups supporting refugees considering whether University is for them. This resource outlines some of the potential challenges and highlights how to support a refugee to decide if University is the right path for them. The full version of the resource, apart from including all of the above, adds useful context as well as a step-by-step guide to the application process.

Please note that these resources apply to refugees living in England. While much of the guidance is relevant for refugees living in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland there are some variations. In particular, the process of applying for university is noticeably different in Scotland. If you are supporting young people outside of England, please visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) to understand the specificities of fee status and costs of university for Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.