Abstract
This research explores the barriers and possibilities for refugees wanting to access higher education (HE) in the UK, with a focus on the south-west region. Worldwide, only around 7% of refugees attend university, despite the financial, psychological, social, and career benefits it offers. Recognising these benefits, the UNHCR has set a target of 15% of refugees accessing HE by 2030.
The study draws on interviews with 38 participants from refugee backgrounds, universities, Further Education (FE) colleges, NGOs, and local authorities, addressing HE’s benefits for refugees, the barriers and resources affecting HE access, and the challenges and possibilities for progression.
Findings highlight the intensifying hostile environment for refugees, created by discriminatory immigration policies, alongside rigid academic systems, and resource shortages. At the same time, the research documents the growing extent and expertise of support from universities, NGOs, and other sectors, particularly since the mid-2010s, which provide essential resources to refugees navigating these barriers.
The research identifies several key recommendations for improving HE access for refugees. These include removing asylum-seekers’ work and study limitations, increasing financial support through scholarships and maintenance grants, and providing free digital skills training. Universities, NGOs, and local authorities should collaborate to offer welcoming, refugee-centred, and holistic support, including alternative English language tests, better recognition of non-UK qualifications, and more accessible HE information. Transparent data on refugee admissions and outcomes should also be published to ensure accountability. The study calls for transformative, coordinated action to build an expanded, socially just, and refugee-centred approach to HE access.
The study draws on interviews with 38 participants from refugee backgrounds, universities, Further Education (FE) colleges, NGOs, and local authorities, addressing HE’s benefits for refugees, the barriers and resources affecting HE access, and the challenges and possibilities for progression.
Findings highlight the intensifying hostile environment for refugees, created by discriminatory immigration policies, alongside rigid academic systems, and resource shortages. At the same time, the research documents the growing extent and expertise of support from universities, NGOs, and other sectors, particularly since the mid-2010s, which provide essential resources to refugees navigating these barriers.
The research identifies several key recommendations for improving HE access for refugees. These include removing asylum-seekers’ work and study limitations, increasing financial support through scholarships and maintenance grants, and providing free digital skills training. Universities, NGOs, and local authorities should collaborate to offer welcoming, refugee-centred, and holistic support, including alternative English language tests, better recognition of non-UK qualifications, and more accessible HE information. Transparent data on refugee admissions and outcomes should also be published to ensure accountability. The study calls for transformative, coordinated action to build an expanded, socially just, and refugee-centred approach to HE access.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | Migration Mobilities Bristol |
| Publisher | University of Bristol |
| Number of pages | 73 |
| Publication status | Published - 28 Feb 2025 |
Acknowledgements
We sincerely thank all the individuals and organisations who supported this research project in various ways. Special thanks to our participants for their insights. Our gratitude goes also to those who gave us thoughtful feedback during the report development stages which helped to refine and enhance this project, to our University of Bristol colleagues Mfon Elvis Lowe and Ryan Lutz, and to the School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol. We appreciate the artists who shared their creative work, inspiring and enriching our research: Abdullahi Abdi, Ahmed, Alla Piatkova, Angel N., Annie Karuimbo, Bahara Parwani, Benyam, Majid Adin, Mir Abdullah Miri, Nicosall, Olga, Rana Haidari, Reza, Sam Pordale, Sayed Sajjad Yulia, and Zaynab. Many thanks to the University of East Anglia and King’s College London Universities of Sanctuary teams who facilitated this artwork through the March 2024 Refugee Week workshop, ‘Finding Home’ in Education (University of East Anglia, 2024). We are also grateful to the organisations whose work and resources greatly contributed to our research, broadening its scope and depth, including Refugee Education UK, Student Action for Refugees (STAR), Universities of Sanctuary, RefuAid, and Bristol Hospitality Network. Special thanks to Ann Singleton for her continued support before and during the research process. Lastly, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Bristol University’s Temple Quarter Engagement Fund for funding this project.Funding
Bristol University’s Temple Quarter Engagement Fund.
Keywords
- refugee education
- Higher Education access
