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Sanctuary Scholarship

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. The scholarship provides comprehensive support for eligible students pursuing full-time undergraduate degree programmes or doctorate level programmes (PhD, EngD, EdD, MPhil). Applications are considered from individuals who have submitted asylum claims, been granted Limited Leave to Remain, awarded Humanitarian Protection or Refugee status, or who have left care in the UK and are assessed as international for fee purposes. The scholarship is designed to remove financial barriers for sanctuary seekers who cannot access traditional student finance options. For undergraduate students, the scholarship provides a full tuition fee waiver plus a grant for living costs of £11,500 per year, along with an Access to Exeter Bursary of £2,300 per year. For doctorate students, the support is more substantial, with a full tuition fee waiver plus an annual living cost grant of £20,780. STEM doctoral students receive an additional research allowance of £5,000 per year for up to 3.5 years, while Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) doctoral students receive a research allowance of £750 per year for up to 3 years. The University offers up to 3 scholarships annually, with application deadlines in April and May 2026, with outcomes communicated in early June. The scholarship is not available for BMBS Medicine programmes due to NHS caps, or for taught or research Masters programmes. Applicants must meet academic requirements for their chosen programme and demonstrate eligible immigration status through Home Office documentation.