University of Sheffield expands its support for students and scholars seeking sanctuary

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The University of Sheffield has pledged over £1 million to support students, scholars and other staff who are seeking sanctuary in the UK or affected by war in their home countries. 

The £1 million package of support includes hardship funding for current students, scholarships for new or transferring students, accommodation support, English language training and job opportunities for at-risk academics. In response to the war in Ukraine, staff from across the University and Sheffield Students’ Union have worked together to ensure that the University can offer a broad range of support for new and existing students and staff.

Scholarships for students affected by war

The University of Sheffield now offers 10 sanctuary scholarships for students who have experienced war or persecution in their home countries. These scholarships cover the full cost of tuition and provide a £9,840 award to support living costs for each year of study.

The scholarships are available for students from Ukraine who are either able to transfer to Sheffield from a university in Ukraine or would like to join as a new student from September.

The University has been offering scholarships to asylum seekers and refugees for a number of years and has previously supported students from a number of countries facing war, including Syria, Palestine and Iraq.

Support for current students

The University of Sheffield welcomes students from all over the world, including Ukraine and Russia. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the University has been in contact with students from affected countries to offer financial, practical and wellbeing support. Students who need additional funds to continue their studies at Sheffield can access hardship funding and a range of wellbeing support.

The University’s Student Wellbeing Service has recently hosted a drop-in event for students affected by war and plans to host more. Our Chaplaincy Centre also hosts a peace vigil every day (Mon-Fri) from 12:30pm.

Support for current staff

There is a range of wellbeing and practical support available for staff who are affected by the war in Ukraine. The University's HR team will continue to be in contact with line-managers to make sure staff from affected countries are receiving the support they need.

Supporting At-Risk Academics

The University has also committed to supporting academics who are fleeing war and persecution in their home countries. The University has partnerships with the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA), the Institute of International Education and the Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF Alliance) and the Ukrainian Scholars at Risk scheme.

Through these partnerships the University has already started to support scholars in countries affected by war and has plans to support some scholars to join Sheffield as visiting academics.

 The University also wants to support universities in Ukraine to rebuild and develop after the war and is exploring a number of opportunities around twinning and partnership support.

Homes for Ukraine

The University of Sheffield has registered over 200 rooms with the Homes for Ukraine scheme. These rooms are in student accommodation and will be prioritised for students from Ukraine but may also be used for refugees from other countries.

Getting involved with local organisations and volunteering

A number of students and staff from the University of Sheffield are volunteering their time to support refugees from Ukraine and other countries.

The University and Students’ Union are in contact with a number of organisations from across Sheffield and South Yorkshire to offer support and will continue to share opportunities to get involved.

Source

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/university-sheffield-expands-its-support-students-and-scholars-seeking-sanctuary