Postgraduates

Sanctuary Scholarships

The University of Leicester is proud to have obtained the University of Sanctuary award. 

We believe that higher education should be accessible to all based on merit alone, and are pleased to offer up to four Sanctuary Scholarships to help reduce the barriers to participation in higher education faced by those seeking asylum in the UK.

Each Sanctuary Scholarship consists of a tuition fee waiver, and a support package to be confirmed following assessment with our Welfare Service.

The Scholarships will be awarded to up to four applicants wishing to begin their studies at the University of Leicester in September 2026 who can demonstrate that they have the ability to succeed academically, but face barriers to that success.

The awards 

The number of awards available are:

  • 2 x Undergraduate awards (3-year programmes only)
  • 1 x Taught Masters award
  • 1 x PhD award (3 years of funding)

Eligibility

  • Candidates must hold an offer of a place to study full-time at the University of Leicester beginning in September 2026
  • Candidates must not be prohibited from studying in the UK
  • Candidates must be in the UK:
    • waiting for the outcome of an initial asylum claim or having submitted an appeal or fresh asylum claim following an asylum refusal 
    • or having been granted Discretionary or Limited Leave to remain in the UK, following an application for asylum in the UK 
    However, forced migrants who hold other immigration statuses (e.g. refugee or Humanitarian Protection status) may also be considered if they are unable to access Student Finance in the UK.

  • Candidates must be unable to access mainstream funding in the UK, e.g. Student Finance 
  • Candidates must have provided evidence of their identity and current immigration status in the UK to the Admissions Team by the deadline of 11.59pm on 19 April 2026. Accepted documents include (but are not limited to):
    • Share Code 
    • Asylum Registration Card (ARC) 
    • Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), even if expired 
    • BAIL 201 (must not include a ‘No Study’ condition) 
    • If none of the above are available: an expired passport or driving licence with recent Home Office correspondence. We will not accept solicitor’s documents. 
    Please send your documents to: 

    Important information: Your documents must clearly demonstrate that you are residing in the UK on the basis of an asylum claim made before submitting your Sanctuary Scholarship application.

  • Candidates must have completed the sanctuary scholarship application form fully (see below) by the deadline of 11.59pm on 19 April 2026 to be considered for the scholarship.
  • Please note, priority will be given to candidates who: 
    • live locally in Leicester or at short commuting distance 
    • have not previously obtained a degree at the same level 

Caveats and exclusions

  • The scholarship is for September 2026 entry only: the award cannot be deferred to a different intake.
  • The scholarship is for Year 1 entry of a degree course at the University of Leicester.
  • The scholarship cannot be used for any NHS-funded courses (e.g. Medicine MBChB).
  • The scholarship cannot be used for Distance Learning, Certificate or Diploma courses (for information about DL Sanctuary Awards, please refer to our academic scholarships and home fees page).
  • The scholarship can only be used for full-time study.

Application timeline

  • 11.59pm on 19 April 2026 – application deadline for Stage 1
  • By 1 May 2026 – we will notify all applicants as to whether they have progressed to Stage 2 or whether their application has been unsuccessful on this occasion
  • Between 5 May and 22 May 2026 – applicants who have progressed to Stage 2 will have a meeting with our Welfare Service to determine their needs and suitability for the scholarship. Additionally, to complete our eligibility and compliance checks, the University will submit an Immigration History Check to confirm your immigration status and right to study.
  • By 29 May 2026 – we will notify all candidates who have progressed to Stage 2 whether they have been provisionally offered a Sanctuary Scholarship or not
  • By 13 September 2026 – successful candidates need to meet all outstanding course conditions by this date, otherwise the scholarship offer will be withdrawn. Candidates may then ask Admissions to defer their course offer to the next academic year, but they would need to reapply for the scholarship itself.

Application checklist

Have you:

  1. applied for your degree programme at the University of Leicester?
  2. received an offer of a place to study and your student number?
  3. checked that you are eligible for this scholarship (see Eligibility section above)?
  4. completed the Sanctuary Scholarship application form fully (please see below) and submitted by 11.59pm on 19 April 2026?
  5. submitted evidence of your identity and current immigration status to Admissions by 11.59pm on 19 April 2026?

How to apply

Complete the application form to apply for this scholarship

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