University of Sanctuary
The University of Liverpool is committed to supporting sanctuary seeking students from all backgrounds, through an extensive range of work from across our Schools, Faculties and Professional Services teams.
We are a signatory of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) Global Pledge for expanding refugee access to Higher Education, as well as a University of Sanctuary and a signatory of CARA. Our support for sanctuary seeking students is human-centred, multifaceted and ever changing, this page highlights some key areas of work and is regularly updated.
Support for Pre-entry students
Asylum Seeker Scholarship
Each year we offer at least two scholarships to Asylum Seeker students in the UK, supporting them to complete their undergraduate studies. The scholarships cover tuition fees and a living stipend, and students benefit from a moving in package and wrap around support through Liverpool Plus. You can find out more at our dedicated webpage, applications open each January for courses beginning the following September.
Humanitarian Scholarship
We offer 2 scholarships per year to students with refugee status outside the UK, who would like to complete their postgraduate studies at Liverpool. These scholarships cover tuition fees and around £18,000 for living expenses. You can find out more at our dedicated webpage.
Disrupted Education Project
Sanctuary seeking students can receive support with their application to higher education through our Disrupted Education project, which provides 1-2-1 information, advice and guidance, bespoke campus visits and a named contact to provide comprehensive, holistic support.
Support for current students
Liverpool Guild of Students
More information coming soon
Research and Teaching
More information coming soon
Refugee Research Hub
More information coming soon
Law Clinic
The Liverpool Law Clinic, supported by qualified solicitors and expert solicitors, offers free legal advice to members of the public who would otherwise be unable to afford it. Alongside work in family and education law, the Law Clinic has a focus on immigration, offering advice only and some full representation on issues of statelessness, naturalisation as British for adult refugees and stateless people, child registration as British and some other immigration applications.
Alongside supporting individuals in need of legal aid, the Law Clinic offers current students practical ways of learning about the real lived impact of current UK immigration policy. Over 350 students per year benefit from experience at the Law Clinic.
While the focus of the Law Clinic is primarily providing free legal advice, they also partner with agencies across the Liverpool City Region to deliver outreach projects and provide education about legal issues.
Academic Scholarship
Academic colleagues from several different Faculties, including Law, Political Science, Psychology, Architecture and Sociology are completing vital work on the issue of forced migration.
More information coming soon.
English Language Centre
The English Language Centre offers free language classes to refugees and asylum seekers in the Liverpool City Region. The small group classes focus on building confidence when communicating in English, improving knowledge of grammar and vocabulary and practising speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. The classes support new arrivals with employment and education transitions, and a wraparound programme of pastoral and well-being activities is available to all students.
It was heartening as well to learn of the much-enjoyed pastoral and well-being activities the center provides for its learners.