BNU launches new scholarships for refugees and asylum seekers
Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) has introduced two new student scholarships to provide financial support and a place of safety for asylum seekers and refugees.
The new scholarships – open to those without an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification and who have an offer to study at BNU – provide financial support to refugees and asylum seekers who are ineligible for funding from the Student Loan Company due to their immigration status. BNU will support students by:
- Meeting the costs of all their course tuition fees;
- Providing an annual maintenance allowance for the duration of their course;
- Covering the cost of accommodation in BNU’s halls of residence throughout their studies;
- Providing tailored pastoral support and guidance; and
- Offering free gym membership.
Asylum seekers will receive support of around £35,000 per academic year, and the total annual financial support for refugees will be around £15,000 per academic year. BNU is committed to offering at least one scholarship to both asylum seekers and refugees each year.
These scholarships will bolster the existing bursaries BNU has created to widen participation of people who are typically underrepresented in higher education including care leavers; students who are estranged from their families; and members of the Gypsy Roma, Traveller, Showmen and Boater (GRTSB) community.
Professor Nick Braisby, Vice-Chancellor of Buckinghamshire New University, said: “We are proud to launch two new scholarships for refugees and asylum seekers. These are key to our belief in the transformative power of education in helping students from all backgrounds to reach their full potential. At BNU, we provide a nurturing environment in which everyone in our diverse university community is respected, valued and supported. We are grateful for the guidance Wycombe Refugee Partnership continues to provide, and we will work closely with them to ensure every need of our successful scholarship students is fulfilled.”
Dr Stephanie Rybak, Vice-Chair of Wycombe Refugee Partnership, said: “We have seen bright students unable to take up the university places they were offered because they could not access funding, so these scholarships will be a godsend. We are immensely grateful to the Vice-Chancellor and to Buckinghamshire New University for their vision and generosity.”
Further details about all BNU’s scholarships and bursaries, and how to apply are available here on BNU’s website.