Sanctuary Scholarship

Key facts

Start dates

September 2025

Available to home or international students?

International

Study level

Postgraduate; Undergraduate

Award value

Various

Number of awards

1

Application deadline

25 May 2025

Overview

This scholarship is for individuals seeking asylum and those who have a form of protection from an asylum claim who are not able to access funding from government student finance.

In 2025/26 entry there will be one scholarship available. This will include:

  • A full fee waiver. This means you will not need to pay tuition fees.
  • A cash bursary of £4,000.
  • Financial support equivalent to £10,000 towards accommodation. If you intend to live in University halls of residence, you will automatically receive this support. If you intend to live in other accommodation (not University halls of residence), you will need to provide the University with proof of your accommodation costs. This is detailed in the terms and conditions of the scholarship.
  • Guaranteed accommodation in University halls of residence for 52 weeks per year, if you choose to live in University halls of residence.

This support will be available for every year of your full-time study.

Support

We provide all our students with a wide range of services to help them stay both physically and mentally healthy. Our services include:

  • Counselling,
  • Disability services,
  • Multifaith Chaplaincy,
  • Support with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties.

Student Welfare Advisor

If you successfully receive a scholarship, you will also have a Student Welfare Advisor to support you throughout the course of your study.

Throughout the academic year, you should meet with your welfare advisor at least four times. These meetings will cover both academic and welfare support. If you fail to attend these meetings, this may affect your ability to receive support through the Sanctuary Scholarship scheme if you need to repeat a year of study for any reason.

You will also be given support from the Centre for Academic Development. All students can book one-to-one learning development sessions and take Academic English modules with the Centre for Academic Development. If you receive a scholarship, you will also be be offered:

  • A named contact in the Centre for Academic Development
  • Three one-hour one-to-ones with this named contact over the first few weeks of Semester 1, covering:
    1. Welcome, study survival guide, assessment of needs.
    2. Familiarisation with Google suite and Moodle  - the online learning tools used for study at the university. Time planning to help you manage the semester ahead.
    3. Planning for your assignments.
  • If relevant, you will also be offered a one-hour session with an Academic English tutor to assess your needs, plan how you can develop your Academic English, and guide you
  • regarding Academic English modules.
  • You will have the option to request an Academic English tutor for a one-to-one session if needed.
  • You will have priority booking for appointments with the Centre for Academic Development.

Contextual offers - academic entry requirements

At Oxford Brookes we want to ensure that all students with the potential to succeed have equality of access. If you are applying for undergraduate study (including a foundation course) with the immigration status of ‘refugee’ or ‘humanitarian protection or similar’, you will be eligible for our contextual offer. The contextual offer is a lower entry requirement of up to three grades below the standard entry requirements. Please see our contextual admissions page for more details.

Eligibility

Eligibility criteria

You are eligible to apply if you have one of the following immigration statuses, you meet the relevant course entry requirements, and you are not in receipt of or eligible for government student financial support:

  • asylum seeker,
  • unaccompanied asylum-seeking child,
  • limited leave to remain (as a result of an asylum application,
  • discretionary leave to remain (as a result of an asylum application),
  • the family member of someone with one of the immigration statuses listed
  • above with ‘in line’ or ‘dependent’ status.

The scholarship will be open to applicants who have received an offer (or are awaiting a decision) for a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate taught course, including foundation year courses. Courses taught at Partner Colleges are not eligible.

This funding is available to students studying on the following courses:

Postgraduate

Undergraduate

Application process

Before applying for the Sanctuary Scholarship, applicants need to have applied through UCAS or directly to our Admissions Team.

Please read the terms and conditions of the scholarship below first and then complete the online application form. 

The form includes a personal statement section. This section assesses your suitability for the Sanctuary Scholarship. Please ensure that in your answers you have included:

  • Your reason for wanting to access higher education, including your future aims and ambitions and how your chosen course will help you achieve these.
  • The difficulties you have faced in continuing your education and how you have tried to overcome these.
  • Details of your financial circumstances and any previous applications you have made for funding.
  • The form contains further questions and guidance.

Applications will only be considered if they are accompanied by a Referee Supporting Statement that is signed and dated. This must be uploaded as part of the online form. Applicants will also be required to provide evidence of their immigration status.

Selected applicants will be invited to have an interview. Interview questions will be shared with these selected applicants before the interview. 

Terms and conditions

The following applies to applicants in 2025 only:

  1. This is a competitive process. Not all applications will be successful.
  2. Applicants must not be receiving or be eligible for government student finance support (i.e. loans).
  3. Applicants must expect to meet all the conditions associated with their offer in time to enrol at Oxford Brookes in September 2025 for the 2025/26 academic year.
  4. Applicants must enrol on to a full-time postgraduate or undergraduate taught course. This can be a foundation year course. Courses taught at Partner Colleges are not eligible.
  5. Scholarships will be provided for the normal duration of the student’s study and will be renewed every year. If students withdraw or suspend their studies, any future payments will be suspended.
  6. Students on an Integrated Foundation Course will receive the scholarship for the 4 year duration as they progress automatically to their degree if they pass the foundation year.
  7. Applications will only be considered if they include a Referee Supporting Statement that is signed and dated.
  8. Successful applicants will be must provide evidence of your current immigration status with documentation such as an Application registration card (ARC), Home Office letters or a solicitor’s letter. In addition, consent to give ongoing permission for International Students Compliance Team to contact UKVI for the immigration history check.  If you are unsure about your current immigration status, please speak to your solicitor or to your family members if you are listed as a dependent on a family member’s immigration application. 
  9. If you are successful in being awarded the Sanctuary Scholarship and your circumstances change before or during your course or programme of study, you must notify the University immediately. This is especially important if your immigration status changes.
  10. If your immigration status changes before or during your course or programme of study, and if this change means that you become eligible for UK government student financial support, you must apply for this government financial support without delay. Once your UK government student financial support has been assessed and awarded, your Sanctuary Scholarship entitlement will be reassessed. It is likely that you would no longer be eligible for a Sanctuary Scholarship once you have government student financial support in place.
  11. If you are successful in being awarded the Sanctuary Scholarship, you will not be eligible for any other Brookes Bursaries or Scholarships.
  12. You should meet with your welfare advisor at least four times a year.
  13. Guaranteed accommodation in University halls of residence is available for 52 weeks per year, if required. However, it is likely that you will have to move to another hall for at least 2 weeks, during the vacation period. You will be supported with this.
  14. Financial support equivalent to £10,000 towards accommodation is provided. If you intend to live in University halls of residence, you will automatically receive this support. If you intend to live in other accommodation (not University halls of residence), you will need to provide the University with proof of your accommodation costs. You can do this by providing a copy of your tenancy agreement to the University finance team.
  15. You must adhere to Oxford Brookes’ code of student conduct.
  16. If you are successful in being awarded the Sanctuary Scholarship, the Widening Participation Evaluation team will contact you during and possibly after your studies for feedback about your experience. Your feedback will help the University evaluate the impact of the scholarship and further improve the scheme. You can choose not to give feedback. Any feedback you give will be anonymous unless you give permission for it to be shared. Any feedback you give will not affect the support you are given.