What does forced migrant mean?
We use the term 'forced migrant' as an umbrella term for the following immigration backgrounds.
- Refugee is a former asylum-seeking person who has been granted refuge in a country other than their home country. They have been able to prove that if they are returned home, they will be prosecuted because of their race, religion, nationality, social group or political opinion.
- Humanitarian Protection is given to people, if sent back, who would face punishment due to a previously unmentioned case.
- Asylum Seeker is someone who has lodged an application for protection on the basis of the Refugee Convention or Article 3 of the ECHR.
- Limited Leave to Remain is given for applicants with unique cases to remain in the UK for a limited period of time. This could include Discretionary Leave to Remain, or Leave outside the Rules.
- Unaccompanied asylum-seeking child status is given in unique cases for children arriving to the country separated from their parents, for a limited period of time, usually until they turn 17.5.
What will my fee status be for my degree, and can I receive Student Finance funding as a forced migrant?
We recommend that all applicants research their fees and funding entitlement before enrolling on their degree course at King’s, otherwise you may become liable for tuition fees and possible residences costs without any means to pay them.
Tuition Fee Status
The fee status criteria is provided under the Fees regulations and guidance and published by the governments in England and the three devolved nations. Different criteria will be applied depending on which country you are living in.
Your tuition fee status and Student Finance funding entitlement is assessed separately. Your fee status will be assessed by King’s during the admissions application process. Whether you receive ‘home’ or ‘overseas’ fee status will depend on many different factors, such as your immigration status, your UK residency and how long you have lived in the UK.
You can read more about guidance for home fees on the UKCISA website.
Student Finance funding eligibility
Broadly the eligibility rules are the same for Student Finance funding purposes, but you may be expected to submit more detailed evidence to support your application and stricter rules sometimes can be applied.
Please note that if you previously studied a degree level course in the UK or overseas, or if you hold an equivalent qualification, your Student Finance entitlement will be affected. Please contact the Money & Housing Advice Service [MHAS] f you would like to discuss your situation in more detail.
You can read more about the eligibility for Student Finance funding on Student Finance for Undergraduates.
I am an Asylum Seeker who is waiting for a decision from the Home Office, can I be Home for fees and receive any Student Finance funding?
If you're an Asylum Seeker living in the UK and the Home Office are yet to make decision on your asylum claim, you are likely to be assessed as an ‘overseas’ student for fees purposes.
This also means that you will not be able to access Student Finance funding. You would be expected to pay the course tuition fee yourself, unless you receive a successful outcome from the Sanctuary Scholarship. Please do consider your funding options carefully before enrolling on your course.
I already hold Refugee Status, Humanitarian Protection, Calais Leave, Stateless Leave, Section 67 Leave, Leave as a Victim of Domestic Violence, or Leave under one of the Afghan or Ukraine Schemes, can I be Home for fees and receive Student Finance?
To be considered for the ‘home’ rate of tuition fee and to be eligible for Student Finance funding for the duration of your course, you must be ordinarily resident the UK on the first day of the first academic year of your course and have been granted one of the above statuses or humanitarian protection by this date. For courses that start in August or September, the first day of the first academic year is defined as 1 September, for postgraduate courses that start in January it is 1 January.
In some situations, spouses and children of a person granted one of the above statuses can also qualify for ‘home’ fees.
You may also want to check if you qualify for ‘home’ fees from 1 August 2024 if you are a victim of domestic violence or abuse. You can read more about this on the UKCISA website.
Please read more about all these different types of leaves and the eligibility criteria on the UKCISA website.
What if I am granted a different immigration status partway through my degree course?
If you're awarded one of these above statuses (such as Refugee Status or Indefinite leave to Remain) after the relevant date, partway through a year of your course, you may be eligible to receive some Student Finance funding for your course, and may become eligible to pay the ‘home’ rate of tuition fee from the start of the next academic year. The rules can depend on when you started your degree, so please contact MHAS if you have questions around your eligibility.
What if I am granted Discretionary Leave / Leave outside the Rules (LOTR), or Limited Leave to Remain (through a category such as Right to Family Life)?
If you have been already living in the UK continuously for a significant period, and the Home Office grants you Discretionary Leave or another type of Limited Leave to Remain immigration permission in the UK, please consult MHAS if you need further advice on your fee status or Student Finance eligibility.
There may be a possibility that you can access ‘home’ fee status and Student Finance funding through the Long Residence category. The rules around this category are complex and you need to ensure you have been ordinarily resident in the UK lawfully for three years preceding the start of your course. You can read more about the Long Residence category on the UKCISA website.
What about the new rules for students who are assessed as ‘overseas’ for fees then acquire Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) during the course?
There has been a recent change for students who are granted Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) during their course. This change indicates that students can become ‘home’ for fees and become eligible for Student Finance funding in a subsequent academic year following their ILR status. This only applies for academic years on or after September 2024. It has now been agreed that a student must be settled on the “first day of the academic year” and not the “first day of the first academic year of the course” – this is different to previous academic years and some students may benefit from this new rule.
What about when I have gained British citizenship?
If you (or a relevant family member has) Refugee Status and you (or they) are considering applying for British citizenship, this could affect your fees status and/ or your eligibility for Student Finance funding.
When a refugee obtains a new nationality, eg when a refugee gains British citizenship, their Refugee Status is cancelled, which means a student would have to ensure they qualify for ‘home’ fees and Student Finance funding in a different category. Please seek advice from MHAS for guidance around this.
Where can I access more support or information?
If you are from a forced migration background and you would like more information about the support available at King’s, please contact priority-groups@kcl.ac.uk.
Additionally, this a list of useful links where you can find more information about support and advice for forced migrants:
- We Belong provides advocacy, support and assistance to young people in difficulty; particularly those in trouble with the law and at risk of exclusion from school.
- Schwab & Westheimer Trust: The trust provide grants and scholarships for young asylum seekers and refugees in education. Their scholarship programme is now open: closing date is the 31st May.
- Student Action for Refugees: STAR is a national charity of 26,000 students welcoming refugees to the UK. They volunteer at local refugee projects, campaign to improve the lives of refugees and educate people about refugees and asylum. They also maintain a list with universities currently offering scholarships for forced migrant students. Find a list of scholarships on the Student Action for Refugees university scholarships website.
- Displaced Student Opportunities UK
- Refugee Youth: Youth led organisation where young people work together to solve their problems through art workshops and events, e.g., poetry, painting, drama and film making.