Article 26 Sanctuary Scholarships at Keele University 2026

Keele University are committed to supporting students from all backgrounds to access Higher Education and provide scholarships for asylum seekers and forced migrants who are seeking sanctuary in the UK. 

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Interview Process
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineApril 24, 2026
• Study LevelMasters , Undergraduate
• SponsorKeele University
• City to studyLondon
• School to studyKeele University
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

• A full tuition fee waiver for up to 4 years
• A cash award of £1200 each year towards living costs
• An additional award of £250 towards course costs each year of study to be loaded onto the student’s Keele card
• Personal support will also be available for each successful student to enable them to identify and overcome barriers to achievement on their degree programme.

Requirements

For 2026/27 entry we will be offering the following Article 26 Sanctuary Scholarships:

• 2 scholarships for eligible applicants wishing to study an undergraduate degree programme.
• 1 scholarship for eligible applicants wishing to study a postgraduate taught Masters degree programme (part-time or full-time).

Successful applicants for the Article 26 Sanctuary Scholarship at Keele University will be provided with:

• Full tuition fee costs for up to a maximum of four years.
• A cash award of £1200 each year towards living costs.
• £250 towards course costs loaded on the students Keele Card in each year of study.
• Personal Support: Support will also be developed for each successful student to enable them to identify and overcome barriers to achievement on their degree programme.

Applications will be considered from students applying for the following courses:

• Full time undergraduate degree and foundation programmes (up to a maximum of four years)
• Full time or part time postgraduate taught Master’s programmes (applicants must be studying a minimum of a Master’s qualifications; modular courses and the Postgraduate Certificate/Postgraduate Diploma are not eligible).

Applicants must fall into one of the following immigration status groups and be unable to access UK government funding because of their current immigration status:

• An asylum seeker – a person who has made a claim with the UK for refugee status
• A person who has been granted some form of temporary status, such as Limited Leave to remain, in the UK
• Dependents or partners of any of the above status groups, whose claim is dependent on a principal applicant.

Applicants must be able to provide evidence of their status, under one of the above categories.

Please note, some students with temporary status may be eligible for funding under the Long Residence category. For useful information regarding eligibility under this category, please visit the UKCISA website 

Priority will be given to applicants who live within easy commuting distance of Keele University.

Selection Process

Applicants are reminded that this is a competitive process and not all applications for the Scholarships will be successful.?

Stage 1? - Once the closing date for applications has passed, following an initial assessment, the University will contact applicants to let them know whether or not their application will progress to the next stage of the selection process.?

Stage 2??- Applicants who are shortlisted will be invited to an interview during Summer 2026 to verify the information they have provided on their application and to give them an opportunity to get to know the University. Applicants will be asked to sign a document providing permission for the University to share information with the UK Home Office in order to verify eligibility for the scholarship and status in the UK. Interviews will be held as soon as possible after the closing date.?

Stage 3?- Successful applicants will be sent an offer of an Article 26 Sanctuary Scholarship within two weeks of the interview. For more information about how we assess applications please see the Selecting Sanctuary Scholars document.?

Application Deadline

How To Apply

Apply now for the Article 26 Sanctuary Scholarship 2026/27

In addition to completing the online Article 26 Scholarship application form, applicants must also ensure that they have applied to a course at the University through our Admissions department. You can contact our Admissions department using the email address below: [email protected]

Applicants will need to read the guidance notes fully and complete an online application form. The Article 26 Scholarship application form will ask you questions about your individual circumstances, and you will be asked to provide a supporting statement to tell us more about your financial circumstances. You will also need to provide supporting evidence - we will contact you by email to discuss this with you.

All applicants will require a referee to provide a supporting statement for their application. This could be a school or college lecturer, support worker or community or voluntary group leader. All applicants will also need to provide supporting evidence of their circumstances by the application deadline.

For more details, visit Keele University Scholarship webpage