Sanctuary Scholarship 2025-26

Award details

 The scholarship covers full tuition fees and provides a £20,000 annual living cost allowance for Postgraduate Taught (PGT) courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year.

A maximum of four scholarships will be offered to UK-based students and four to students currently displaced overseas, including one dedicated to the memory of Dr. Maisara Alrayyes.

 

 

Award value

Recipients of the Sanctuary Scholarship receive:

1. Full tuition fee waiver for the programme’s duration.
2. £20,000 annual living cost allowance.
3. Support for visa-related expenses, including the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).
4. Funding for a return trip to the UK.

 

 

_{*Please note that a living costs bursary can jeopardise asylum support and eligibility to access Legal Aid-funded legal representation (subject to income and capital assessment). Upon receipt of funds, there is a risk that the individual will be deemed not destitute and asylum support can be withdrawn. This could include the withdrawal of subsistence support and accommodation provided under Section 4 or 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS).}

 

Eligibility criteria

To apply for the Sanctuary Scholarship, you must:

• Be an asylum seeker or have limited leave to remain in the UK due to an asylum claim, or be displaced by recent conflicts and currently outside the UK.
• Have applied to a PGT course (maximum two years in duration) at King’s for 2025 entry.
• Be unable to access Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans from Student Finance.
• Not hold a postgraduate degree from the UK or abroad.
• Ensure that your chosen course does not require work eligibility if your immigration status prohibits employment.

 

Eligible Courses

Only on-campus PGT programmes at King’s College London for the 2025/26 academic year qualify. Online programmes and those requiring mandatory work placements (if prohibited by immigration status) are not eligible.

 

Dr Maisara Alrayyes Scholarship

One scholarship is reserved for Palestinian students. Eligibility includes:

• Being Palestinian, with priority given to those in the West Bank, Gaza, or Palestinian refugee camps.
• Residing in Palestine or holding Palestinian travel documents.
• Requiring a Student Visa for UK study.
• Holding an offer of admission to a PGT course at King’s.
• Recipients are selected based on the following criteria, in order of preference:
1.  Palestinian MBBS graduates pursuing a health-related MSc.
2.  Palestinian health/science graduates pursuing a health-related MSc.
3.  Palestinian graduates in other disciplines pursuing any MSc.
4.  Applicants from a forced migration background. (If suitably qualified candidates are not identified under Criteria 1-3, applications from Pathway 3 will be considered)

 

Award conditions

Student Fees & Funding - Privacy Notice

 

Terms and Conditions

1. Successful applicants must accept their scholarship offer within 10 days.
2. Scholarships are conditional upon maintaining eligibility requirements, including visa status and admission to the selected programme.
3. Data provided during the application process may be shared with relevant departments for assessment and support purposes.

 

Application process

Applications are submitted via the Blackbullion platform https://www.blackbullion.com/funding/kings-sanctuary-scholarship.

Required documents include:

• Proof of immigration status (e.g., passport, visa, Asylum Registration Card).
• Evidence of displacement due to conflict (e.g., official reports, personal statements).
• Additional supporting documentation as applicable.

Note: If you encounter challenges in obtaining all necessary documents, contact the Sanctuary team for assistance.

 

Selection process

Applications will be assessed based on eligibility, completeness, and the quality of responses to application questions. Decisions will be communicated via email by Monday, 28 April 2025.

 

Support and Contact Information

For queries related to the scholarship or application process, please contact:

• Email: sanctuary@kcl.ac.uk

Additional support includes guidance on visa applications, financial advice, and access to King’s student services, such as wellbeing coaches and disability advisors.

For more detailed information, refer to the official guidance document provided by the King’s Sanctuary Programme, which can be accessed here.