University of Sheffield Sanctuary Scholarships 2025 – Fully Funded for Asylum Seekers in the UK
- Omran Aburayya
- May 11
- 5 min read
If you are an asylum seeker or have been forcibly displaced and are seeking to begin or continue your higher education in the UK, the University of Sheffield is offering a valuable opportunity. Applications are now open for the 2025 Sanctuary Scholarships, designed to support students who have sought asylum in the UK. These fully funded scholarships aim to remove financial barriers and provide a supportive academic environment for eligible students pursuing undergraduate or postgraduate taught courses.
🎓 Sanctuary Scholarship Summary
Location: Sheffield, United Kingdom
Host Institution: University of Sheffield
Study Level: Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught (Master’s)
Target Group: Asylum seekers, individuals with humanitarian protection or limited leave to remain, and their dependents or partners
Fields of Study: All full-time undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses offered by the University
Award Value and Coverage:
Full tuition fee waiver
Annual living cost support of £10,300
Duration: Duration of the chosen course
Application Deadline: 1:00 PM (UK time), Monday, 30 June 2025
Start Date: September 2025
Eligible to: Individuals who have sought asylum in the UK and meet the specified eligibility criteria
💡 Scholarship Overview
The University of Sheffield Sanctuary Scholarships are part of the institution's commitment to supporting students who have been displaced due to conflict or other reasons leading to forced migration. For the 2025 entry, five fully funded scholarships are available, providing comprehensive financial support to eligible students. The scholarships cover full tuition fees and offer an annual grant of £10,300 to assist with living expenses throughout the duration of the course.
These scholarships are open to students commencing full-time undergraduate or postgraduate taught programs at the University of Sheffield in September 2025. The initiative aims to empower displaced individuals by facilitating access to higher education in a supportive and inclusive academic environment.
🎁 Scholarship Benefits
Full Tuition Fee Waiver: Covers all tuition fees for the duration of the course.
Annual Living Cost Support: Provides a grant of £10,300 per academic year to assist with living expenses.
Access to Quality Education: Opportunity to study at a prestigious UK university renowned for its academic excellence and research opportunities.
Supportive Academic Environment: Benefit from a university committed to inclusivity and support for displaced students.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the Sanctuary Scholarship, applicants must:
Immigration Status:
Have been granted humanitarian protection or limited leave to remain in the UK; or
Be a dependant or partner of someone with humanitarian protection or limited leave to remain; or
Be an asylum seeker, or have a parent/guardian or partner who is an asylum seeker, with a claim for refugee status submitted within the UK and pending a decision from the Home Office.
Education and Application Status:
Have applied for asylum upon arrival in the UK and before applying for a place at the University.
Currently attend a school, college, or community/voluntary group that can provide a reference in support of the application.
Hold an offer from the University of Sheffield to study an undergraduate or postgraduate taught course starting in September 2025.
Not hold a qualification equal to or higher than the one being applied for.
Be ineligible for support from UK funding agencies, such as Student Finance England.
Not be in receipt of other University scholarships or bursaries.
Additional Conditions:
Not have a 'no study' immigration bail condition or a 'restricted study' condition that prohibits study in higher education.
Not have exhausted all appeal rights without submitting a fresh claim for asylum or an application to remain in the UK under another immigration category.
📝 Application Procedure and Required Documents
University Offer:
Apply for and obtain an offer to study an eligible full-time undergraduate or postgraduate taught course at the University of Sheffield starting in September 2025.
Access Application Form:
Use your MUSE (My University of Sheffield Environment) for offer holders login to access the Sanctuary Scholarship application form. Note that it may take up to 24 hours after receiving your offer to access the form.
Complete Application Form:
Provide personal details and answer questions about your studies and the scholarship.
Explain your rationale for applying to the University of Sheffield, outline your future ambitions related to the degree, and describe personal circumstances that have presented challenges to academic progress and how these have been overcome.
Supporting Statement from Referee:
Obtain a supporting statement (maximum 750 words) from a referee at your current school, college, or community/voluntary group.
The statement should include:
Your personal and financial circumstances and barriers overcome to continue education.
Assessment of your suitability for the chosen course and realism of your ambitions.
Contributions to college life and/or the community.
Any other relevant information.
How the scholarship would benefit you.
Home Office Documentation:
Provide all documentation received from the Home Office related to your asylum claim.
Submission:
Submit the completed application form along with the supporting statement and Home Office documentation by 1:00 PM (UK time), Monday, 30 June 2025.
If unable to attach documents to the application form, they can be submitted by email before the deadline.
Notification:
All eligible applicants will be notified of the outcome of their scholarship application before the end of July 2025.
📌 Additional Information
Non-Deferrable: The scholarship cannot be deferred to a future academic year.
Payment: The scholarship will be paid once you have arrived in Sheffield and are fully registered.
Self-Funded Requirement: You must be self-funded to receive this award, i.e., not funded by a research council, government, private enterprise, charity, or any similar organization.
Exclusivity: This scholarship cannot be awarded in conjunction with any other funding awards from the University of Sheffield.
Full-Time Study: Your mode of attendance must be full-time.
Priority Consideration: Where applications are of a similar standing, priority will be given to students located within the Sheffield city region and surrounding area.
Award Ratio: The scholarships will be awarded on a ratio of 2:3 in favor of either undergraduate or postgraduate students, depending on the strength of applications received.
Unconditional Offer Requirement: Successful applicants will need to hold an unconditional offer by a set date, which will be confirmed upon receiving the award notification.
🔗 Useful Links and Resources
Official Scholarship Page: University of Sheffield Sanctuary Scholarships
Displaced Student Opportunities UK: Displaced Student Opportunities
Refugee Education UK: Refugee Education UK
Student Action for Refugees (STAR): Student Action for Refugees
UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA): UKCISA
For any inquiries regarding fees and funding, you can contact the Student Funding Team at the University of Sheffield:
Phone: +44 114 222 9754 (Option 1), available from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday to Friday.
Email: sheffieldscholars@sheffield.ac.uk(displacedstudent.org.uk)
🔗 OFFICIAL LINK
