Sanctuary Scholarship

Sanctuary Scholarship for Postgraduate Taught Masters Study

Swansea University Sanctuary Scholarship 2024

The Sanctuary Scholarship 2024 is now closed for applications.

Closing Date: The application deadline has now passed.

Swansea University are pleased to confirm that we will shortly be offering further information, support and guidance to our students who are asylum seekers, refugees and those with indefinite leave to remain (humanitarian protection) who are currently in the UK. Please check back for updates as are webpage is currently under development.

For any urgent queries, please email sanctuary@swansea.ac.uk

Swansea University Resolution of Support - City of Sanctuary Commitment

Swansea University Resolution of Support for Swansea City of Sanctuary Vision and the City of Sanctuary Charter.

Swansea University declares that it publicly supports the Swansea City of Sanctuary Vision and the City of Sanctuary charter. We pledge to take action to contribute to the vision becoming a reality and create a welcoming and safe place for those fleeing violence and persecution.

We have for many years worked to enhance the experience of all those seeking refugee and asylum in our university and the wider community through the work of our student and staff volunteers. Our research community contribute to researching and improving the refugee and asylum seeker experience.

We value the contribution of those seeking sanctuary and will embed their voices in our work. We will work continue to build stronger ties with organisations across our community through the work of our students, staff and the university as an organisation.

SUPPORTING YOU TO SUCCESS

Swansea is known as an inclusive and welcoming city with a melting pot of cultures, religions and ethnicities contributing to the city’s vibrant culture. The University mirrors this dedication to proving a nourishing environment for all, including the refugee and asylum seeker population.

Support for Refugee and Asylum Seekers

Sanctuary Scholarship - Key Information

Swansea University is proud to announce the Sanctuary Scholarship. The University is committed to providing equal opportunities in higher education for people seeking sanctuary in the UK and aiding them to meet their full potential and ambitions. The Scholarship offers three awards for entry to an eligible postgraduate taught master’s programme starting in September 2024, and includes:

A full tuition fee bursary, to cover the cost of postgraduate taught master’s course fees.
A grant is available towards living and study costs and is capped at £12,000 for the duration of the course, paid as a regular stipend.

In addition to the financial support listed above, throughout their studies Sanctuary Scholars will have access to a named contact within the University team and University support services, and will be able to access library support.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet all the following criteria to be considered eligible to apply for the Swansea University Sanctuary Scholarship.

You are one of the following:

You are a Person Seeking Asylum in the UK
You have been granted discretionary leave to remain or Humanitarian Protection
You are the partner/dependent included on the application of an asylum seeker in the UK

Please note: Spouses/civil partners must have been the spouse/civil partner of the applicant on the date on which the asylum application was made. Children/step-children must have been aged under 18 on the date on which the asylum application was made.

AND

You are currently in the UK
You have a conditional or unconditional offer from Swansea University for entry in September 2024 onto a postgraduate taught master’s degree course.
You meet the minimum IELTS requirement attached to your offer of a place on the course, and all other conditions of your offer, and you agree to undertake a SWELTS test to determine your IELTS status as part of the application process if necessary.
You have been assessed by the University’s Admissions Team as a person seeking asylum and therefore classified as an international student.
You have been assessed by the University’s Compliance and International@CampusLife Team as a person seeking asylum with the right to study in the UK
You are currently attending a school, college, community or voluntary group, which can provide a reference in support of your application
You have a UK bank account
Please note that priority will be given to candidates who have not previously obtained a degree at the same level.

Applicants must meet ALL of these strict eligibility criteria and be in a position to verify their circumstances in order to apply before the scholarship closing date of 4pm on Thursday 6th June, 2024. Applicants who do not meet all of the criteria will not be considered eligible for the scholarship. Applicants who are unsure of their eligibility to apply are encouraged to contact SanctuaryScholarship@Swansea.ac.uk for further guidance.

An eligible postgraduate taught master’s programme is a full-time or part-time degree leading to an MA/MSc/LLM qualification. Offer holders on the following degree programmes are eligible to apply for the Sanctuary Scholarship:

Full-time taught master’s programmes.
Part-time taught master’s programmes (for part-time programmes, financial support is offered on a pro-rata basis).

*Please note that all NHS sponsored master's degree programmes, including Nursing, Healthcare Science and Medicine are not eligible. Courses that include travel abroad and/or work placements are not eligible. Please see Sanctuary Scholarship Terms & Conditions for more information on eligible programmes.

Funding

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees.

A grant is available to help towards living and study costs and is capped at £12,000 for the duration of the course, paid as a regular stipend.

Dates of relevant payments will be confirmed once the sucessful applicants are notified.

Applicants must be unable to access mainstream funding in the Uk.

How to apply

You will firstly need to hold a conditional or unconditional offer to study at Swansea University on an eligible master’s course. Future Learn provides a free online course to help asylum seekers through the application process of applying to a UK university.

Applicants must apply before the application deadline of 4pm on Thursday 6th June, 2024. Please read the Sanctuary Scholarship Guidance Notes before completing your application.

To apply, complete and submit the following to SanctuaryScholarship@swansea.ac.uk:

Sanctuary Scholarship Application Form
A personal statement
A copy of your Swansea University offer letter
A letter of reference from a person of good standing who is aware of your circumstances and can verify your suitability to study a Postgraduate Taught Masters’ degree (for example a teacher or former teacher, a member of a community group or organisation that has been supporting you, etc).
Evidence of your current immigration status/pending status*

*Eligibility to apply for the scholarship is contingent upon successful confirmation of the student’s immigration status at the time of application, and the successful scholarship recipient will be required to reconfirm their immigration status prior to enrolment on their postgraduate taught master’s degree.

Applicants will be notified if their application meets the eligibility criteria within 10 days of the final deadline of the 6th June, 2024.

Once approved, applications will be put forward for assessment by the Sanctuary Scholarship Review Panel. Applicants may be required to attend an interview which will take place in June 2024.

Successful scholarship applicants will receive notification of the award by 1st August 2024.

Please note that this is a competitive process, and consequently not all applications will be successful. All students have the right to appeal decisions made regarding their eligibility to apply for the Sanctuary Scholarship - please contact SanctuaryScholarship@Swansea.ac.uk for further details. Appeals must be submitted within 3 working days of the application being rejected, and must be supported by relevant evidence.

Decisions made by the Compliance and International@CampusLife Team regarding students’ immigration status and right to study in the UK are final, unless you are able to provide new evidence for your current legal right to remain and study in the UK.

I have a question about the application process, who do I contact?

For Sanctuary Scholarship queries or further information on the scholarship application process, please contact the Participation@CampusLife Team via SanctuaryScholarship@swansea.ac.uk.

For course application process queries, please contact the Admissions Team: admissions@swansea.ac.uk.

For immigration status or eligibility to study as an asylum seeker, please contact the International@CampusLife Team: international.campuslife@swansea.ac.uk.

For IELTS score queries, please contact the English Language Training Services Team elts@swansea.ac.uk.

The closing date for applications is 4pm on the 6th June 2024.