Asylum and sanctuary seekers

With more than a quarter of our student body made up of nationalities from outside the EU, we place great value on what students from around the world can bring to our University.

We want you to succeed and The University of Manchester will support you on your journey, whether that be with funding, scholarships or helping settle you into your new UK life.  

Still in school or college?

Have you considered whether you want to go to university when you leave school or college? At Manchester we offer programmes for aspiring students to help you get a taste of the university experience and take the first steps towards higher education.

We run events for Sanctuary Seekers to find out more about university. Contact sanctuaryseekers@manchester.ac.uk for more information.

We also recommend connecting with charities such as We Belong and Student Action for Refugees. 

On course support

Financial support

We currently offer a tuition fee concession to asylum seekers, where you pay the home fee for your degree, rather than the international fee. This is subject to eligibility criteria and administered solely at the discretion of the University. 

Article 26 scholarships 

We offer Article 26 scholarships which cover tuition fees, accommodation and help towards living costs. We offer five scholarships for undergraduate study per year. 

Applications for September 2024 are now open, find out more details on our student pages.

Please contact sanctuaryscholars@manchester.ac.uk with any questions. 

Student ambassador work 

Current University students who are sanctuary seekers are offered paid work as student ambassadors. It is a great opportunity to have access to flexible, paid, part-time work, while also being able to meet other current and prospective students. It also helps students to further develop their skills in communication, teamwork and social and cultural awareness.

Student ambassadors are also offered the chance to work on the projects that we run with sanctuary seekers. Ambassadors act as role models by talking about their education experiences. 

Over 21?

Anyone starting their studies over the age of 21 is defined as a mature student by UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). UCAS is the centralised service you use to apply for an undergraduate degree in the UK. 

Use our mature student guide to help answer your questions about what your experience will be like at the University.