The University of ÌÇÐÄTV is located on the outskirts of the city of Coventry which is recognised as a 'City of Sanctuary'. The is committed to building a culture of hospitality and welcome, especially for those seeking sanctuary from war and persecution. The University of ÌÇÐÄTV is committed to creating a culture of welcome for people seeking sanctuary within, and beyond, our campus, and was awarded University of SanctuaryLink opens in a new window status in 2017.
You may also be able to seek support from , who help academics from any country in the world, on any continent, who are being forced to flee.
Applications for the Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship for the International Foundation Programme route and Clearing route are currently open for 2026 entry. Please read through the information below to find out more and apply online hereLink opens in a new window.
Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship (International Foundation Programme) Overview
Asylum seeking students who are not eligible for direct entry to an Undergraduate course at ÌÇÐÄTV may be eligible to apply for the International Foundation Programme instead if they do not have UK qualifications (they haven't completed A Levels, for example). These Sanctuary Scholarships are available to students who are seeking sanctuary in the United Kingdom and are not entitled to receive Government Student Financial Support from Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, Student Finance Northern Ireland or the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.
Please note that there is 1 UG Sanctuary Scholarship available for 2026 entry through the IFP route and not all applications will be successful. We would therefore encourage you to explore alternative sources of fundingLink opens in a new window if you plan to apply for the scholarship.
Please read through the information below to find out more about how to apply for an Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship (IFP) for 2026 entry.
ÌÇÐÄTV's International Foundation Programme (IFP) is open to students who are classed as 'Overseas' for fees purposes and don't have the required qualifications to begin an Undergraduate degree course at the University. They may have studied for qualifications overseas that are not at the required level for direct entry for undergraduate study or they may have had their studies disrupted due to persecution or conflict, for example.
If you are not eligible to apply for an Undergraduate degree course at ÌÇÐÄTV due to your overseas qualifications and you are interested in finding out more about the International Foundation Programme, there is more information about the IFP course online hereLink opens in a new window. Students on the IFP are given a guaranteed conditional offer for an Undergraduate course place linked to their IFP stream.
If a student is awarded an Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship as an IFP student, the tuition fee costs of their IFP year will be paid for by the University in addition to the tuition fees for their Undergraduate degree course, should they progress onto this. They will also receive the full package of support available to Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholars as outlined under 'Award Details' (including maintenance/living cost support).
If you are interested in completing the International Foundation Programme at ÌÇÐÄTV, please take a look at the IFP course pagesLink opens in a new window for more information about entry requirements and English language requirements.
For questions about the Sanctuary Scholarship (IFP), please contact:
International Foundation Programme team (ifp@warwick.ac.uk) - for enquiries about admissions/entry requirements to the International Foundation Programme
Widening Participation Lifecycle Team (lifecycleteam@warwick.ac.uk) - for enquiries about the Sanctuary Scholarship award and how this is applied to the International Foundation Programme
There is 1 UG Sanctuary Scholarship available for the International Foundation Programme for 2026 entry. Each scholarship includes:
Financial support
Full tuition fee support: Students will be offered a non-repayable 100% tuition fee waiver for each year of study (up to a maximum of 4 years).
Maintenance/living cost support: Students will be awarded a non-repayable grant equivalent to the maximum government Maintenance Loan towards living costs and course-related expenses for each year of study (up to a maximum of 4 years), either at the rate for living at the parental home or living away from the parental home, depending on the applicant's circumstances.
Student Finance England's Maintenance Loan rates for 2026-27 are £10,830 for students who are not living in the parental home and £9,118 for students who are living in the parental home.
ÌÇÐÄTV Bursary: Awarded scholars also will be eligible for additional funding equivalent to the maximum undergraduate ÌÇÐÄTV Bursary (up to £2,500 per year of study, up to a maximum of 4 years).
ÌÇÐÄTV Scholars Bursary: Awarded scholars also will be eligible to join the ÌÇÐÄTV Scholars Undergraduate Programme, which will include the maximum ÌÇÐÄTV Scholars Bursary of £2000 (further details below).
Accommodation support
Students will be eligible for 52 week university managed accommodation where required during their studies. There will be a charge for this accommodation (for more information, please see the FAQs below) and Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholars can choose to deduct some of this cost from their scholarship payment.
Please note that students are required to move rooms as part of the University's 52-week accommodation package. Should UG Sanctuary Scholars wish to have university accommodation for the entire year, they will usually be offered a 40/44 week term-time room in university managed accommodation, followed by alternative accommodation over the summer vacation and pre-term shut down period (in early September).
Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholars are invited to join the ÌÇÐÄTV Scholars Undergraduate ProgrammeLink opens in a new window when they enrol at the University. This programme provides students with access to bespoke activities, along with academic, personal and professional development opportunities (such as internships and mentoring experiences) while students are at ÌÇÐÄTV. Students who join the programme will be eligible for the maximum ÌÇÐÄTV Scholars Undergraduate Bursary (£2,000).
Pastoral support
The Widening Participation Lifecycle Team will support you throughout your studies and will share information about opportunities that might be relevant to you. We can also signpost you to other areas of support across the university.
Please note that you must be able to provide documentary evidence to verify your circumstances in relation to each criteria. Applicants who do not meet the full criteria will not be considered for an award. If you have any questions, please contact the Widening Participation Lifecycle Team at .
Criteria 1: Sanctuary Eligibility Criteria
1. You must be living in the UK at the time of your UG Sanctuary Scholarship application. The UK includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We will not accept applications from students living outside of the UK.
We will not accept applications from students living outside of the UK. If this applies to you, you may find the following webpages helpful to navigate the options available to you:
– a place to search for Sanctuary Scholarship.
– a charity offering support and guidance to young refugees or asylum seekers around Further Education and Higher Education progression.
2. In addition, you must meet ONE of the following Sanctuary criteria:
You have sought asylum from the UK government (you are an asylum seeker) or were included as a dependent (e.g. a spouse/child) on an application for asylum. Please note: Spouses/civil partners must have been the spouse/civil partner on the date on which the asylum application to the UK government was made. Children/step-children must have been aged under 18 on the date on which the asylum application to the UK government was made.
OR
You have received a decision on your claim for asylum but your new visa status does not allow you to access UK Government Student Financial Support (i.e. Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans) nor does it give you Home Fee status. For example, if your decision contains the words "no public funds", this means that you cannot access UK student loans, therefore you would be eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Please note: If you have been granted refugee status or protection under specific schemes that make you eligible for 'Home fee' status and student loans from the UK government, such as theor , you will not be eligible for the Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship.
If your new visa status means that you are eligible for student financial support from the UK Government, we would advise you to contact the relevant student loans company for more information:
Criteria 2: Education Eligibility Criteria
You must also meet BOTH of the following educational criteria:
1. You must apply for an Undergraduate course (2026 entry) at the University of ÌÇÐÄTV by UCAS's 14 January 2026 deadline. If you have not yet applied for a course, we strongly encourage you to do so as soon as possible. If you do not apply for a course place through UCAS by the 14th January 2026, we will no longer be able to consider your Sanctuary Scholarship application. There is more information about how to make a UCAS application online .
You must be applying for one of the following courses starting in September 2026:
International Foundation Programme
Undergraduate course:
Full-time course which lasts up to 4 years
Part-time course
These include courses leading to either a Bachelors degree (eg BA, BSc) or an Integrated Masters (eg MA, MSc)
2. You havenot obtained an undergraduate degree or degree equivalent qualification from another institution or country.
Please note that you must be applying for the first year of study for your first undergraduate degree. Applicants seeking to transfer in from another higher education institution are not eligible for this scholarship.
Applications for the UG Sanctuary Scholarship (IFP) are open for applications for 2026 entry. Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please read through all of the eligibility criteria and then follow the steps below to apply.
1. Students should follow the step-by-step guide on the IFP application process webpageLink opens in a new window and complete an online application form for the IFP course. Please note that you will be asked to pay a £75 non-refundable assessment fee when you submit your application. If you are an asylum seeking student, you can indicate on the application form that you would like to apply for an application fee waiver. When asked about your reasons to request a fee waiver, please write that you have applied for a Sanctuary Scholarship.
Evidence of your Sanctuary, Financial and Educational eligibility for the scholarship, along with evidence of your right to study
Confirmation that you have received an offer of a place on the International Foundation Programme
3. UG Sanctuary Scholarships (IFP) applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will be offered to applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.
Refugee status, Ukraine schemes and Afghan schemes
If you are not eligible for an Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship (IFP) because you have been granted refugee status or protection under specific schemes that make you eligible for 'Home fee' status and/or student loans from the UK government, such as the Ukraine Schemes or Afghan Schemes, the following support may be available to you:
Contextual offers
We know that grades can be influenced by a range of factors so to make the processes fairer, we offer contextual admissionsLink opens in a new window on undergraduate courses for refugees – meaning we may offer a reduced grade requirement or remove other additional requirements.
Pastoral support
Students who are refugees are also able to access a wide range of support from the university. This includes:
Most students also have a personal tutor who they can reach out to for additional support when they study at the University. There is more information about the student support services on offer at ÌÇÐÄTV on this webpage.Link opens in a new window
If you are not eligible for an Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship because you have not sought sanctuary from the UK government please, or you are not eligible, visit our Scholarships search toolLink opens in a new windowto find out about other scholarships which you may be able to apply for.
Successful applicants
Accepting your IFP place: You must accept your IFP course offer in order for you to take up an Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship.
Terms & Conditions: ÌÇÐÄTV Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarships are payable in each academic year of your course. If you (or your parents or spouse/civil partner) are granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK, and you become able to access UK Government Student Financial Support (Tuition and Maintenance loans), your award will still continue for the duration of your studies. This is outlined in the Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship Terms and Conditions, which will be sent to you before you enrol.
Right to Study: Successful applicants must have the right to study in order to take up their University of ÌÇÐÄTV place and UG Sanctuary Scholarship. You will be asked to provide evidence of your right to study on the application form.
UK bank accounts: At this time we are only able to make Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship payments into a UK bank account. You may find our webpages on opening a UK bank accountLink opens in a new window useful.
National Asylum Support Service (NASS) and legal aid: If you are currently in receipt of and/or we recommend you seek advice from your immigration solicitor before accepting the award, as receiving this scholarship could have implications on your ongoing NASS entitlement and eligibility for legal aid.
Deferring your studies: If you are awarded an Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship (IFP) but are not able to take up your place in Autumn 2026, your scholarship offer cannot be deferred. If you defer your course entry start date, you will have to apply again for Sanctuary Scholarship for your new year of entry.
Unsuccessful applicants
If you accept your International Foundation Programme place but are not awarded an Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship, you can still start your studies using alternative scholarship fundingLink opens in a new window or on a self-funded basis.
Useful links:
– a charity providing funding for young people
– free legal advice for children and young people, including education and immigration issues
– a place to search for Sanctuary Scholarships
– a charity offering support and guidance to young refugees or asylum seekers around Further Education and Higher Education progression
– student-led network for supporting students who are seeking asylum or are refugees
– information and support on immigration statuses and fee statuses
– an organisation supporting migrant students
- a charity providing independent advice and guidance to support people seeking asylum in the UK.