Over 44,400 people every day are forced to flee their homes across the world due to war, civil unrest and persecution. UN estimates at the end of 2017 suggest that there were over 121,000 new refugees who came to the UK, many of these individuals coming to start a new life, seek sanctuary and wanting to develop their knowledge and skills through education (UNHCR, 2019).

This year the Hallam Fund will support one of two new Sanctuary Scholarships for students who have sought asylum in the UK and are coming to study at Sheffield Hallam University. Both scholarships will provide a full package of support students during their studies so they can participate actively in the Hallam student community.

Lin Alhaj Hussin (BSc, Biomedical Science) fled Syria in 2013 with no English. Now she mixes her Hallam studies with translation work, volunteering and even a radio show.

“I do a radio show on the community station Link FM, and we talk about Sheffield a lot — about how welcoming the city is. People are really friendly. When you say something wrong no-one laughs. They correct you, they smile. That’s so important for someone coming from abroad. Sheffield is really multicultural.”

The new scholarship also compliments the work of Article 26, a project of the Helena Kennedy Foundation. Article 26 promotes access to higher education for people who have fled persecution and sought asylum in the UK. The University is committed to the principle that everyone has the right to education and access should be available to these prospective students on the basis of merit.

Sheffield has led the way in support for refugees since it became the UK’s first City of Sanctuary in 2007. It has built a reputation for welcoming individuals who have fled their home for fear of violence or persecution that hails back to the original relocation of children from the Kindertransport during World War II. By raising additional funds through the Hallam Fund, the University has committed to match fund a minimum of one additional scholarship.

Support for students seeking asylum makes a huge impact and, with your support, we can do more.

Click here for more information on applying for the Sanctuary Scholarship

* sources: https://www.unhcr.org/uk/figures-at-a-glance.html