The Sanctuary Scholarship scheme enables individuals seeking asylum and refugees who are not able to access student finance to study at the University of Exeter.

Eligibility

Programme of Study

Sanctuary Scholarship applications will be considered from students applying to the following programmes:

• Full-time undergraduate degree programmes
• Full-time Doctorate level programmes (eg PhD, EngD, EdD, MPhil)

The following programmes are not eligible for Sanctuary Scholarship funding:

• BMBS Medicine – this is due to a cap imposed by the NHS on the number of home students we can recruit to the programme.  Any change to the fee status of a student during their studies would put the University in breach of this cap
• Any taught or research Masters programmes (eg MA, MSc, MRes, MbyRes)

Immigration Status

As well as meeting the academic requirements for your chosen programme of study you will also need to demonstrate one of the following:

• You have submitted a claim for asylum within the UK and are awaiting a response (this includes submission of a fresh claim) or
• You have been granted Limited Leave to Remain (formerly Discretionary Leave to Remain) on the grounds of seeking protection in the UK and are not eligible for funding via Student Finance England or
• You have been awarded ‘Humanitarian Protection’ or Refugee status in the UK but are not eligible for funding via Student Finance England or
• You have left care in the UK and are assessed as international for tuition fee purposes and are not eligible for funding via Student Finance England or
• (For applicants to postgraduate research programmes only) You have been granted refugee status* by the UK Home Office or
• You are the family member of someone with one of the immigration statuses listed above with ‘in line’ or ‘dependent’ status

If you have been granted a visa under any of the Ukraine schemes and are currently resident in the UK, you will be eligible to apply for funding via Student Finance England, and so will not be eligible for this scholarship.  

We have produced our eligibility criteria to help you understand whether you meet our definition of a sanctuary seeker. The criteria are intended to capture the majority of situations, but we appreciate that there are highly individual circumstances that might not be captured. If this is the case, please do get in touch with us for further clarification.

Value of Scholarship

• Undergraduates – a full tuition fee waiver plus a grant for living costs of £11,500 for each year of study. An Access to Exeter Bursary of £2,300 per year is also awarded.
• Doctorate Students (STEM disciplines) - a full tuition fee waiver plus an annual living cost grant of £20,780*. A research allowance of £5,000 per year will also be paid.  All funding will normally be for a maximum of 3.5 years.
• Doctorate Students (HASS disciplines) - a full tuition fee waiver plus an annual living cost grant of £20,780*. A research allowance of £750 per year will also be paid. All funding will normally be for a maximum of 3 years.

_{*this amount will increase for 26/27 in line with the UKRI recommended stipend level.}  
 

How to apply

17th April 2026:

Deadline to submit an admissions application with us. For more information on the programmes on offer including entry requirements, please see our undergraduate or postgraduate study pages.

Research students: Submit your admissions application as early as you can, and by 17th April 2026 at the latest. You will only be able to pursue a research degree with us if we can offer appropriate supervision. Your supervisors will provide the necessary support and guidance and so need to have expertise in your chosen research field. You may join a research team or work with specific members of staff.

As a first step, you can identify if we offer your PhD research area by browsing or using our search. See section ‘PhD and research programme application process’ for details.

1st May 2026:

Deadline to submit an application for the Sanctuary Scholarship using our online application form. In addition to your details, you’ll need to upload proof of your immigration status, personal statement, references and for research students your research proposal.  

Immigration status: This can be your most recent Home Office letter or share code.

Personal statement: Make your statement personal to you and your plans. In 500 words, tell us why you want to study your subject specifically at the University of Exeter.

References: Your references should be from someone who is aware of your education history and can testify to your academic ability, ambition and potential. Referees are ideally from your most recent place of study.

Research students: Upload your research proposal.  

5th June 2026:

Outcome sent to applicants.  

Summary