Can Asylum Seekers Study in UK?

Schools

The most commonly available schools are state-funded schools, known as ‘state schools’, which are free to attend. Private schools are independent and are not free to attend; the cost of these schools is dependent on the school and their fees will be available on their website or on request.

University

You can apply to study any courses you wish at university. But in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you will have to pay your tuition fees at the ‘international/overseas’ rate and this cost may vary depending on the course and university you are applying for.

Although you will not be able to access student finance, there are some other funding options you can explore to cover your tuition fees, such as:

• UK university scholarships: Some universities offer scholarships for students who can’t apply for student finance due to their immigration status. The scholarships have different names but are sometimes called Sanctuary Scholarships, Equal Access or Article 26 awards and usually pay your tuition fees and support some of your living costs. Further information on scholarships for asylum seekers can be found on the Student Action for Refugees (STAR) website.
• Private scholarships: If you don’t have other funding options, there are some private scholarships that offer financial assistance that you can apply for, for example, Grenfell, Westheimer, Brittan, Marks Family, and Charitable Foundation scholarships.

Tuition fees are slightly different in Scotland;, further information on the fee regulations in Scotland is available on the UKCISA website.

Further Education and Sixth Form College

You may have to pay for the course you want to study at college; the cost will be listed on the course website of the college you want to apply to.

English and maths courses, at GCSE or Functional Skills levels, are free for any age as long as you haven’t previously achieved at least a grade 4 (or grade C) in the subject.

If you can’t pay for the tuition fee, there are other options available for you:

• Government funding: Different funding options are available depending on your age and the level you want to study.
• Bursaries: Further education and sixth form colleges often have financial support for lower-income students that you can apply for. You can also ask the student services at your college if there are any bursaries you can apply for; they may even reduce your fees or offer a tuition fee waiver if you ask if this is possible.
• Scholarships and educational grants: Some charities offer support to asylum seekers and refugees who aren’t able to pay for the course they wish to study. Different charities offer different grants with different criteria so you may have to look around to see if any suit your needs.
• LAC or care leave support: If you are currently or were previously in care, you may be eligible to have a tuition fee waiver. You can apply for a 16-19 bursary worth up to £1,200 per year to help with your course.

As an asylum seeker or refugee, a widening participation coordinator or hardship funds coordinator at the college is available for you to speak to about financial support or bursaries.

For School

Children under 16 years old are admitted to local schools in the same way as local children; by applying either directly or through your local council.

First, you must identify which local or private school you would like to send your child to and consider the eligibility criteria for the schools you’re interested in. Then, you will either apply for your child to attend school through your local council (for state schools) or directly to the school (for private education).

Typically, the school year runs from September to July each year; however, you can contact the council or school if you wish your child to start partway through the school year.

For College

When applying for college courses, you will apply directly through the college website. Different colleges teach different courses, so first you will need to identify which college teaches the course you would like to study. Colleges can fill up quickly on their popular courses so it is best to apply early before they close applications for that year.

The websites will outline the dates, any eligibility criteria, and what qualifications are needed for the course.

Main courses in further education and sixth form college run from September to July but there are also opportunities to study at this level at evening school or part-time at some colleges.

For University

For a full time undergraduate course, the university application process is managed through a website called UCAS. Here you will be able to browse courses, their locations, their requirements, and apply to up to five universities a year.

The application process for UK university takes up to a year. A university year runs from September to June and undergraduate students apply from September the year before the course begins.

For postgraduate degree courses, you can apply through the UCAS website for many universities or directly to the university’s website for others. There isn’t always a deadline for a postgraduate degree but it is best to apply early and give yourself plenty of time to apply for university scholarships.