Swansea is known as an inclusive and welcoming city with a melting pot of cultures, religions and ethnicities contributing to the city’s vibrant culture. The University mirrors this dedication to proving a nourishing environment for all, including the refugee and asylum seeker population.
The financial help available to you, and the tuition fees you will need to pay, will depend on your immigration status and where you live (your residential status). Course providers charge different tuition fees for different categories of students, so make sure you enter the correct status on your application. There are two main rates of tuition fee:
It's a good idea to contact the university before you apply, to discuss your immigration status and how this may affect your fees and funding options. The options available to you will vary depending on your circumstances. UCAS have a helpful funding guide, which you can access on their website.
We recommend speaking to the Money@CampusLife team via live chat or email for general advice regarding your eligibility to student funding.
If you are a person seeking asylum and have ‘no recourse to public funds’ (NRPF) you will be unable to access student finance for your course until such an event as your leave to remain in the UK is granted. If your leave is not granted before your course start date then you may consider delaying your studies, or seeking alternative funding options which include charitable grants and bursaries, or scholarships to help towards tuition fee costs.
‘Scholarships’ are money that is awarded to you to help pay towards your education costs, such as your tuition fees. ‘Grants’ or ‘stipends’ are money that is provided to you, to help with your general living expenses such as accommodation, books, food and travel. This type of funding is non-repayable. ‘Loans’ are money that you borrow to help cover the costs of your studies, and are repayable at a future date. The Student Action for Refugees (STAR) network have a comprehensive guide to accessing university which you can access on their website. Please note that the scholarship schemes are usually very competitive.
Swansea University offer a Sanctuary Scholarship for postgraduate taught masters’ study. Please see our website for more information.
If your leave is granted or if you come under any of the immigration categories that are listed on the Student Finance webpage then you may be able to access funding for your course. This package of funding would cover your tuition fees and maintenance costs, such as living expenses and accommodation. If you think you may be eligible for student finance and would like to discuss this further please contact the Money@CampusLife team.
