Warwick Postgraduate Taught Sanctuary Scholarships

University of Sanctuary

The University of Warwick is located on the outskirts of the city of Coventry which is recognised as a 'City of Sanctuary'. The 'City of Sanctuary' movementLink opens in a new window is committed to building a culture of hospitality and welcome, especially for those seeking sanctuary from war and persecution. The University of Warwick 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 cara.ngoLink opens in a new window, who help academics from any country in the world, on any continent, who are being forced to flee.

Applications for Postgraduate Taught Sanctuary Scholarships for 2026 entry are now closed. Applications for 2027 entry will open in November 2026.

Contact us

Widening Participation Lifecycle Team

Email: lifecycleteam@warwick.ac.uk

Postgraduate Taught (PGT) Sanctuary Scholarship Overview

Postgraduate Taught Sanctuary (PGT) Scholarships are available to students who are seeking sanctuary in the United Kingdom or have been awarded a protection status as a result of an asylum application.

Please note that there will be 3 PGT Sanctuary Scholarships available for 2027 entry 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.

More information about how to apply for a Postgraduate Taught Sanctuary Scholarship (2027 entry) will be shared here in November 2026.

APPLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED

Award Details

There will be up to 3 PGT Sanctuary Scholarships available for 2027 entry. Each scholarship includes:

Financial support

Full tuition fee support: PGT Sanctuary Scholars are offered a non-repayable 100% tuition fee waiver for 1 year (2 years if part-time).
Maintenance/living cost support: PGT Santuary Scholars are awarded a maintenance stipend in line with UKRI ratesLink opens in a new window (£21,805 for 2026/27 academic year).

Pastoral support

The Widening Participation Lifecycle Team supports PGT Sanctuary Scholars throughout their studies and will share information about opportunities that might be relevant to you. We can also signpost PGT Sanctuary Scholars to other areas of support across the university.

Eligibility Criteria

Please note that, once applications open, PGT Sanctuary Scholarship applicants must be able to provide documentary evidence to verify their 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. Eligible Postgraduate Taught Sanctuary Scholarship applicants must be living in the UK at the time of their PGT Sanctuary Scholarship application. The UK includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We will not accept applications from students living outside of the UK.

2. In addition, eligible Postgraduate Taught Sanctuary Scholarship applicants 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 (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.

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. the Postgraduate Masters Loan, 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 protection under specific schemes that make you eligible for 'Home fee' status and student loans from the UK government, such as the Ukraine SchemesLink opens in a new window or Afghan SchemesLink opens in a new window, you will not be eligible for the Postgraduate Taught 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

Eligible Postgraduate Taught Sanctuary Scholarship applicants must also meet  the following educational criteria:

1. You must hold a conditional or unconditional offer (or be awaiting a decision) for one of the following courses starting in Autumn 2027:

Full-time or part-time postgraduate Masters programme (LLM, MA, MSc or MRes)
Full-time Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
For a full list of Postgraduate courses, please see the University's Postgraduate course listLink opens in a new window

Please note that module based courses (courses not achieving 180 CATS over a 1 year full-time or 2 year part-time basis) and Distance Learning courses are not eligible.

Postgraduate courses leading to a Doctoral qualification (such as a PhD or MPhil) are not eligible for this award. If you are interested in a Doctoral programme, you can find out more about Warwick's Sanctuary Scholarships for Doctoral study online hereLink opens in a new window.

Priority will be given to applicants who have not obtained a Postgraduate Taught degree, a Postgraduate Research degree or a degree-equivalent qualification from another institution or country.

Application Process What if I'm not eligible?

Refugee status, Ukraine schemes and Afghan schemes

If you are not eligible for the Postgraduate Taught Sanctuary Scholarships, additional support may be available to you from the university or UK government:

Financial support

Refugees and students on the Ukraine and Afghan schemes are usually eligible for postgraduate financial support from the UK government (such as a Masters Loan). For more information about this, please take a look at our Student Funding Support pagesLink opens in a new window.

Warwick Taught Masters ScholarshipLink opens in a new window: If you are eligible for Home fee status, you may be able to apply for the Warwick Taught Masters Scholarship to support with tuition fee costs. You can find out more about this scholarship online hereLink opens in a new window.

Pastoral support at Warwick

If you find alternative funding and enrol at Warwick, all students have access to a range of support services while studying at the University, including:

Wellbeing SupportLink opens in a new window
Disability ServicesLink opens in a new window
Accommodation Support from the Residential Community TeamLink opens in a new window
Students UnionLink opens in a new window

There is more information about the student support services on offer at Warwick on this webpage.Link opens in a new window

If you are not eligible for a Postgraduate Sanctuary Scholarship because you have not sought sanctuary from the UK government please visit the University's Scholarships search toolLink opens in a new window to find out about other scholarships which you may be able to apply for.

Further Information

Application assessment

All eligible scholarship applications will be assessed by a panel. The panel will take into account your:
- Eligibility for the scholarship, based on the criteria on this webpage
- Previous qualifications and educational experience
- Supporting statement
- Reference

Further information about how to apply for a PGT Sanctuary Scholarship will be published under the 'Application Process' tab in November 2026 when applications for 2027 entry open.

Successful applicants

More information for successful applicants will be provided here once applications for 2027 entry open in November 2026.

Unsuccessful applicants

If you meet your academic course conditions but are not awarded a Postgraduate 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:

Coram Children’s Legal CentreLink opens in a new window – free legal advice for children and young people, including education and immigration issues
Displaced Student PortalLink opens in a new window – a place to search for Sanctuary Scholarships
Refugee Education UKLink opens in a new window– a charity offering support and guidance to young refugees or asylum seekers around Further Education and Higher Education progression
Student Action for Refugees (STAR)Link opens in a new window– student-led network for supporting students who are seeking asylum or are refugees
UCAS Link opens in a new window– information about postgraduate study
UKCISALink opens in a new window– information and support on immigration statuses and fee statuses
We BelongLink opens in a new window – an organisation supporting migrant students
Migrant HelpLink opens in a new window – a charity providing independent advice and guidance to support people seeking asylum in the UK.