THE University of Reading is inviting eligible students to apply for its Sanctuary Scholarships scheme.
There are 12 awards available for sanctuary seekers – people with refugee, humanitarian protected or asylum seeker status – for 2023 entry, helping prospective applicants start or continue their education in the UK.
Scholarships range from undergraduate to postgraduate programmes, as well as support for pre-sessional academic English courses.
Professor Robert Van de Noort, vice-chancellor of the University of Reading, said: “No one studying to further their education and improve their life opportunities should be disadvantaged because they’ve had to flee their country in order to stay safe.
“The Sanctuary Scholarships scheme is our way of helping people who have had to do just that, and is one of many ways we offer our support to refugees and all sanctuary seekers here at Reading.”
Applications are now open and the deadline for submissions is 11.59pm on Friday, May 26.
Since 2020, the university has awarded scholarships to 26 students through the Sanctuary Scholarships scheme.
Adam, whose name has been changed, is one of the initiative’s beneficiaries. He travelled to the UK seeking refugee status in 2019 after the situation in his home country became too dangerous for himself and his family.
He said: “It was a changing point in our lives. We had already been through so much. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to pursue the type of work I wanted without a degree, and I was starting to become fearful for our futures.
“When I received the funding, it changed everything. I felt like the pressure had finally been lifted after so many years.”
