Resources and support

STAR’s resources – While STAR does not offer an advice service, our Access to university pages include useful resources to support your application. Read our guidance for scholarship applications, watch our videos about applying to university and scholarships, or find the answer to your question on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Displaced Student Opportunities UK – Find study opportunities, resources, and access to further support for refugees and people seeking asylum.

EaCES Handbook Advice and information for Estranged and Care Experienced Students, created by students.

ENIC – Provide a ‘Statement of Comparability’ service to support recognition and comparison of international qualifications.

RefuAid – Access to education support including funding for IELTS and English exams.

Refugee Education UK – Information related to accessing further and higher education. You can also get in touch with questions related to accessing college or university via WhatsApp or email.

The Complete University Guide – Information about applying to university, general funding information, open days and frequently asked questions.

UCAS – The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) offers guidance for undergraduate applications, including a guide to applying on UCAS, advice on writing your personal statement, advice for people seeking asylum and refugees, and advice on choosing a reference.

UKCISA – The UK Council for International Students Affairs provides information and support to students classed as international and can answer questions about your eligibility for student finance and home fee status.

Uni4me – Online events, activities and resources from UK higher education organisations that support your learning and enable you to find out more about your future opportunities.

We Belong – Support for young migrants seeking to access university and advice on the long residence category (if you are not a UK national, but have lived in England for a substantial period of your life).

Afghanistan & Central Asian Association – Free and professional support for issues related to housing, employment, immigration, welfare and referrals for legal representation.

Coram Children’s Legal Centre – Legal advice and casework related to educational law.

Migrant Children’s Project Advice Line – Information and legal support about entitlements to education (for young people as well as children).

Migrant Help – Support with applying for asylum accommodation and asylum support.

Refugee Action – Support with the asylum process and your entitlements.

Right to Remain – A UK-based human rights organisation that provides information, resources, training and assistance to help people to establish their right to remain, and challenge injustice in the immigration and asylum system.

Breaking Barriers – Help for refugees in London to acquire the knowledge, confidence and experience to get stable, fulfilling employment.

Code Your Future – Free coding and employability courses for refugees and other disadvantaged people who are interested in becoming web developers.

Experts by Experience Employment Initiative – Application and interview support for people with lived experience of issues and challenges of UK asylum and migration system.

Find Courses – A collection of vocational courses and professional qualifications.

Kiron – Kiron offers online skills booster programmes for a range of professional skills.

Mosaik – A charity that supports refugees to access university through skills, guidance and finance programmes.

Renaisi RISE – A free service to help refugees in parts of London to find jobs.

RETAS – Assistance with access to education, re-qualification, training and employment to help them better integrate in their communities in Leeds.

Surviving To Thriving Project – A partnership project between the British Red Cross and the Refugee Council that helps young refugees and asylum seekers aged 11 to 25 in Birmingham, Leeds and Peterborough who don’t have parents or guardians in the UK to rebuild their lives and thrive in the UK.

TERN – Support and mentoring for refugees to grow their own businesses.

Transitions London – Support for refugee engineering and business services professionals to restart careers in the UK.

upReach – Support for young people to achieve their career potential through an intensive programme of support.

STAR – Join a STAR group at your university. STAR groups volunteer locally with refugees, campaign nationally for policy change, and learn about refugee protection in the UK with experts and peers.

Equal Access Network – An open, interactive and friendly forum where students from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds in the UK can connect and learn from each other’s experiences of higher education. The network is supported by STAR (Student Action for Refugees) and led by STAR Equal Access Activists who all have experience of accessing university while claiming asylum or with a temporary immigration status.

Do IT – A wide range of volunteering opportunities across the UK.

Tertiary Refugee Student Network – A global network of refugee students in higher education. Get in touch with them or sign up to their mailing list to keep up to date with events and opportunities. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

STAR campaigns to improve access to university for people who are seeking refugee protection in the UK, so we are unable to offer guidance to people who are overseas. However, the following organisations may be able to help:

UNHCR Opportunities – An online platform with information about university scholarships that are open to displaced people worldwide.

CARA (the Council for At-Risk Academics) – CARA provides urgently-needed help to academics in immediate danger, those forced into exile, and many who choose to work on in their home countries despite serious risks.

Information for students affected by the crisis in Afghanistan – We have gathered a list of resources and organisations that may be able to provide support for Afghan nationals who are studying or about to start studying in the UK.