Sanctuary Scholarship

Value

Full tuition fee waiver and £6,000 maintenance allowance for three years of study.

An additional year of funding may be awarded in the case a student needs to repeat a year of study, at the discretion of the University.

Study level

New, full-time undergraduate students in their first year only.

Aim of the scholarship

There can be many challenges that face those seeking asylum in the UK. The Sanctuary Scholarship offers one student currently seeking asylum, who is unable to access UK student funding, tuition fee and maintenance support for an undergraduate course. The student will also receive ongoing immigration support from our international team.

Check if you can apply

You must:

• Hold a firm offer to study a new full-time undergraduate course in 2026/27, excluding foundation year and distance learning.
• Meet the English language requirements of your offer.
• Not currently hold an equivalent level qualification to the one you are holding an offer for.
• Not have an offer to support your course fees from a business, charity, or other organisation
• Be unable to access mainstream funding such student finance or a local authority grant. Scholarship awards will be paid until you are awarded status that entitles them to access mainstream funding.
• Currently live within a reasonable commuting distance of Manchester, and able to commute to Manchester Met through the duration of your studies.
• Have the right to study in the UK and your current immigration status can be described as either:
  • Discretionary leave to remain.
  • Awaiting a decision on application for refugee status: asylum seeker.
  • Leave as an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child.
  • Refused asylum seeker: application for refugee status has been denied and a fresh claim is in process.

Check the terms and conditions

Before you apply, read our terms and conditions.

They explain:

• What’s expected of people who get scholarships.
• What happens if you leave your course or we withdraw the scholarship.
• How we use your personal information.

How to apply

You can only apply for this scholarship if we’ve offered you a place at Manchester Met. 

You’ll need to:

• Before you apply, read our application advice.
• Complete the application form.

Applications will open 1 January 2026.

If we get a lot of applications, we may ask you to do an interview. 

Students will be notified of decisions at the start of September 2026.