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Applying to Bath as a Refugee or an Asylum Seeker

Get help on the process to apply for support

Applying to Bath as a Refugee or an Asylum Seeker

If you have refugee, asylum seeker, Humanitarian Protection (HP) or Discretionary / Limited Leave to Remain, we can provide support before you apply to university, throughout your degree and after graduation.

If you are a Refugee or an Asylum Seeker, we will:

  • Give you advice and guidance throughout the application process.
  • Support you throughout your studies with 1:1 Check in appointments with the Student Retention & Success Team
  • Provide financial assistance
  • Provide year-round access to University accommodation, 365 days a year
  • Offer opportunities to take part in activities outside of the classroom

In the ‘More about me’ section of the UCAS application, you will see a question that asks if you are a refugee, asylum seeker, or have limited leave to remain in the UK. Select the status that most closely represents your circumstances from the drop-down box, so that the Undergraduate Admissions Progression Team can contact you as early as possible about the support available at the University of Bath.

For further information see UCAS Guidance: Student finance for refugees, asylum seekers, and those with limited leave to remain | Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Conservatoires | UCAS

The Undergraduate Admissions Progression Team can help with any queries about applying to Bath, you can get in touch via admissions-progression@bath.ac.uk They will consider your status as part of their contextual admissions process.

If you feel that your circumstances and/or lived experience have had an impact on your academic performance, then submit a mitigating circumstances form for the Undergraduate Admissions Progression Team to consider alongside your UCAS application.

What is a Refugee, Asylum Seeker, and other Immigration Statuses?

Refugee - a person who has successfully sought sanctuary in the UK following an asylum application. You have been given permission to stay in the UK, and granted official ‘refugee’ status. You have a letter from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to confirm this.

Humanitarian protection (HP) – you have permission to stay in the UK for humanitarian reasons. You have a letter from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to confirm this.

Limited leave to remain (LLR) or discretionary leave to remain (DLR) – you have been given permission to stay temporarily in the UK. You have a letter from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to confirm this.

Ukrainian students studying in the UK – Ukrainian students studying in the UK who are granted leave under the Ukraine Family Scheme, the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, or the Ukraine Extension Scheme will be eligible for home fee status, if they also meet specific residency criteria. Find out more via UCAS.

If one of the above definitions applies to you, then you could apply for student finance and may be eligible to receive the University of Bath Refugee Bursary and the Bath Bursary or the Gold Scholarship Programme.

Asylum seeker – you are applying for asylum, or you are waiting for a decision. Full details on the different immigration statuses can be found on the UK Visas and Immigration website.

If you are an undergraduate student and you have refugee status, humanitarian protection or granted leave under the Ukraine Schemes, you will be offered the same means-tested support we offer other financially vulnerable groups. This includes:

  • a guaranteed place in University accommodation for 365 days a year for the duration of your course. This includes the vacation periods and if you need to return for short periods between private housing contracts.
  • a non-repayable bursary of £1000 per academic year plus £1000 to help with start-up costs and a further £1000 on graduation. This is usually a maximum of £7,000 over a 5-year programme including a year on placement).
  • means-tested bursaries and scholarships including the Gold Scholarship programme (GSP), or the Bath Bursary subject to eligibility criteria being met. More information here.

Please refer to the UKCISA for further details on the various categories mentioned above.

Process to apply for the Student Retention & Success (SRS) Team Undergraduate (UG) Refugee Student Bursary

For information on how to apply for the Student Retention & Success (SRS) Team Undergraduate (UG) Refugee Student Bursary, please visit the Bursaries and Funding webpage.

Find out more from our students with Forced Migration Lived Experience

If you would like to be matched with a student with refugee or asylum-seeking experience, who is currently studying at Bath for some 1:1 online mentoring, you can contact our Speak to a Student e-mentoring service.

Book a Student Retention & Success (SRS) Team Appointment

The Student Retention & Success Team are your key contacts within Student Support to help you with any queries you may have and direct you to the appropriate services.

They will be able to provide advice and guidance before you arrive and during your studies, and ensure you are accessing all possible support at the University.

If you are a registered student at the university you can book an appointment, If you are an applicant please contact 01225 383838 to request a pre-entry appointment.

Student Retention and Success Team

Contact us for more information


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