Thursday 26-11-2020 - 10:29

Sanctuary Scholars are students living in the UK from refugee and asylum-seeking background who have received a scholarship from the university. These students face many legal and financial barriers to accessing their education. 

 

Students from Bristol SU’s Amnesty International and STAR (Student Action for Refugees) have combined forces with Bristol Students’ Union to set up a new Sanctuary Scholars Legal Fund of £25,000 to support Sanctuary Scholars who don’t qualify for legal aid for any legal costs they may incur which might prevent them from completing their studies.

 

Last month, we received our first application to the fund from a Sanctuary Scholar who needed financial support in resubmitting an asylum claim. The requirement for this student to resubmit this claim demonstrates the pressures the hostile environment is putting on students at Bristol University. However, we're really pleased that we were able to help this student get the legal representation they required.

The fund is working to support students who might otherwise have fallen through the cracks. This student was facing legal costs of up to £10,000, so the help we gave was vital to them being able to continue their education at Bristol.

“I am not eligible to get Legal Aid. The stress of not being able to pay towards the legal fees caused anxiety just before I started my course. The Legal Fund helped me to finance these fees which is has been such relief. I had no one to help me with this matter. I am much obliged to all the donors. Thank you so much." - Sanctuary Scholar

 
Now we need your support to replenish the fund so that we can help other students in the future. Please donate to the crowdfunding page, buy a t-shirt, participate in one of our fundraising events, such as the Christmas Raffle or Fund Run, or plan a fundraiser yourself! 

 

It's vital that we come together as a university community to make sure that no sanctuary scholar has to drop out of university because of the legal costs of claiming asylum.

 - David Ion - Bristol SU Undergraduate Education Officer