The Open Futures Sanctuary Scholarship provides an opportunity for new, UK-resident students who have been displaced from their homeland or place of residence for political, economic, ethnic, environmental, or human rights pressures to study for free.
When a person has both the ambition and the chance to succeed, impossible dreams can become a reality. The Open University believes education should be open to everyone.
Our solution
Many people seeking sanctuary are successful and highly qualified professionals in their country of origin but need recognised qualifications to continue their careers in the UK. For others, the security of arriving in the UK after fleeing armed conflict or persecution in their home nation, often means they have their very first opportunity to engage with higher education and/or have access to meaningful employment.
The opportunity to access higher education enables individuals to pursue their passions and provides a sense of purpose, identity, and achievement. It enables people seeking sanctuary to invest in their futures and make substantial contributions to the society in which they make their new homes.
Sanctuary Scholarships are the latest initiative developed from our passionate advocacy for lifelong learning and our belief that accessible education is a powerful tool for social mobility, improving people’s lives, and building better communities.
How your support can make a difference
The Open University’s Sanctuary Scholarships – part of the successful Open Futures Fund - offer financial support for refugees, forced migrants and people seeking asylum to study with the OU and began in Autumn 2022. We have provide 36 full fee waiver scholarships, and, with your support, we look to provide more scholarships in 2025.
By making a donation to Sanctuary Scholarships you will enable people who have already come through great adversity to rewrite their future, for themselves and their loved ones. It is one incredible way in which you can help make a positive difference, by giving the gift of education, and by being part of the collective power of the OU donor community.
The Open University has numerous support programs addressing a wide variety of limitations or disadvantages that prospective students might face. For example, we offer financial support for carers, care experienced learners, Black students and disabled veterans and those who are seeking sanctuary in the UK. We also offer the study-related costs fund, which is open to anyone on a low income. Information on all our scholarships and assistance schemes can be found here: http://www.open.ac.uk/courses/fees-and-funding
If you would like to set up a regular donation by direct debit, please call 01908 655 044 or email giving@open.ac.uk requesting a call.