Asylum seeker tuition fee status and scholarship

From 2026/7, if you are seeking asylum in the UK, we will work out your fee status based on your age at the time when your claim for asylum was made and where you are resident in the UK.

Who this applies to

To consider you for 'home' tuition fee status, you or your parent/guardian should have already submitted a claim for asylum to the Home Office and not yet received a decision from the Home Office on that application.

Who this does not apply to

If you have already started your programme of study at the University of Edinburgh, you will not be eligible for a reassessment of your tuition fees status.

If your asylum claim has been successful and you have been granted Refugee status, you will not be eligible for an Asylum Seeker Scholarship.

What you need to do

Apply for admission

Before we can assess your tuition fee status, you should have applied for admission to a degree programme at this University commencing in 2026-2027.

Undergraduate admission

Provide a supporting statement

You will be asked to provide a supporting statement from your legal representative or the charitable body representing your case in the UK.

This supporting statement should provide details of your current immigration status and an indication of timescales for the Home Office decision on your asylum claim.

This statement should be sent by email to the Fees and Student Support team.

Email your supporting statement to fees@ed.ac.uk

Applications will not be considered without this supporting documentation. 

Hearing back from us

You will be notified of your fee status review after we receive your supporting statement.

We will contact your representative by email before the start of each academic session asking for an update on your claim and your current immigration status.

If your status changes

If your status changes at any point prior to or during your studies, you must notify the Fees and Student Support team immediately regarding your change in status.

University of Edinburgh Asylum Seeker Scholarships

For students commencing study at the University in session 2025-2026 the University will offer up to:

  • three undergraduate scholarships (excludes students who already hold a 1st undergraduate degree)

Each scholarship will cover the 'home' rate of fee and provide living costs per annum equivalent to the UKRI rate (for guidance, in 2024-2025, this was £19,237).

 

Applying

Further information, including application procedure can be found on the Scholarships and Student Funding webpages.

Asylum Seeker Scholarship for Undergraduates

 

 

This applies to asylum seekers who are ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date.

 

If you were under 18 years old at the time your application for asylum was made, you are a young asylum seeker or child of an asylum seeker, your fee status would be assessed as the Scotland fee rate. 

‘Child of an asylum seeker’ means a person who is the child of an asylum seeker as defined in section 18 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, and ‘young asylum seeker’ means an unaccompanied asylum seeker who is under the age of 18

 

If you were over 18 years old at the time your application for asylum was made, your fee status would be assessed as the "UK fee rate (Asylum Seeker)" which is the same fee level as the Scotland fee rate. 


This applies to asylum seekers who are ordinarily resident in England, Wales or Northern Ireland on the relevant date.

 

From 2026/7, if you were under 18 years old at the time your application for asylum was made, you are a young asylum seeker or child of an asylum seeker, your fee status would be assessed as the RUK fee rate. 

‘Child of an asylum seeker’ means a person who is the child of an asylum seeker as defined in section 18 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, and ‘young asylum seeker’ means an unaccompanied asylum seeker who is under the age of 18

 

If you were over 18 years old at the time your application for asylum was made, your fee status would be be assessed as the "UK fee rate (Asylum Seeker)" which is the same fee level as the Scotland fee rate. 


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