UCL Humanitarian Scholarships announced for students fleeing conflict

The UCL Humanitarian Scholarships will see the university invest nearly £900k over three years to provide scholarships that will enable students affected by armed conflict or persecution to access education at UCL. The scholarships will cover tuition fees, living costs and other expenses such as visa and health charges.  

The investment by UCL will also fund dedicated resources to support students coming to the university through this scheme, who are likely to have complex needs, in order to maximise their chances of succeeding on their course and making the most of the wider opportunities for professional and personal development that UCL offers.

The scholarships are open to students applying to study on a Masters programme at UCL who:

• are at serious risk as a direct result of armed conflict, and/or are displaced inside or have been forced to leave their home country within the last three years due to armed conflict
• come from a lower income background and/or can demonstrate that they are unable to meet the full costs of study without financial support

UCL President & Provost Dr Michael Spence said: “For people whose lives and opportunities are blighted by conflict and violence, access to education can be profoundly life-changing. Providing scholarships is one of the most impactful things we can do to support not just individuals but also communities and countries.

“The new UCL Humanitarian Scholarships will give access to a world-leading education and university experience to people who will most benefit from it, as well as providing the tailored support they are likely to need to deal with the trauma and challenges they have experienced and reach their full potential. I am really delighted that we are adding this scholarship scheme to our suite of student funding and support, and I am looking forward to welcoming the first students to UCL.”

The scheme is expected to be open for applications in February 2025, with the first students joining UCL in September 2025. The current funding will support four students each year over three years. Further details about the scheme will be published online when they are available.

The UCL Humanitarian Scholarships join a number of other UCL initiatives that provide financial support for international students on the basis of financial need and personal circumstances, including our Global Scholarships and Access Opportunity Scholarships, the latter of which support students who, because of their immigration status, are not able to secure student loans. In 2023/24 we provided more than £9.6m in scholarships to international students, with £7m dedicated to postgraduates.

The university also has a long-standing partnership with the Council for At Risk Academics to support academics who have been displaced by conflict or persecution and enable them to continue their careers.