Sanctuary Scholarship

City St George's is committed to supporting equal access to higher education for forced migrants. The Sanctuary Scholarship consists of full tuition fee support and a grant to help with the costs of living.

Award Value

The Sanctuary Scholarship covers full tuition fees, provides a grant equivalent to the full Student Finance England maintenance loan, and includes a £3,500 bursary for living expenses. For the 2026/27 academic year, the total award is £17,635.

Successful applicants will also receive a place in UniCares, a dedicated support network offering a range of help to enable you to navigate the ups and downs of your student journey from enrolment to graduation.

We intend to award up to 3 undergraduate scholarships for each academic year.

Eligibility Criteria

In order to be considered, applicants must be an asylum seeker or granted Discretionary Leave to Remain or some other form of temporary leave a result of an asylum or human rights application.

In addition to the above, applicants must meet all the following criteria:

• As a direct result of your immigration status not be eligible for Tuition Fee Loans or Maintenance Loans from Student Finance England/Wales/NI/SAAS
• Have received a conditional or unconditional offer of full-time Undergraduate study from City St George's, University of London, having applied through UCAS
• Successful candidates will need to have the right to study and must consent to the Visa Compliance Team contacting the Home Office to conduct a right to study check
• Be new full-time entrants to City St George's and starting the first year of their degree as a new student (i.e. those starting in Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4 are not eligible.)
• Be currently attending a school, college, community or voluntary group which can provide a reference in support of your application
• Must not hold an undergraduate/postgraduate degree awarded in the UK and/or abroad
• If you are applying for a programme that requires you to pass a DBS check in order to undertake clinical placements and participate in the course, it is your responsibility to ensure you have the necessary documentation. Failure to pass the DBS checks, will result in a suspension/withdrawal from the programme.
• Undergraduate courses at any of our campuses (Clerkenwell, Moorgate, and Tooting) are eligible for the scholarship. However, for the 2026/27 intake, the Medicine MBBS courses are not eligible. This exclusion will be revised yearly.