4 Background Information - Student Action for Refugees

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£ Not allowed to apply for student loans In 2010/11 approximately 81% of all English students took up a student loan of an average value of £3,630 (Student Loans Company 2011). This loan combined with income from work, savings or other support allows students to cover tuition and living expenses. Many students would not have been able to go to university without a student loan, yet the Government refuses to give student loans to asylum seekers. National focus: Scotland takes a stand on Equal Access for asylum seekers In England, Wales and Northern Ireland asylum seekers must generally pay international fees and are not eligible for a student loan. In Scotland, however, if they are the child of an asylum seeker or a ‘young asylum seeker’ and meet precise residence conditions, they are classified as home students and are eligible for a student loan for their tuition fees. (Sadly this does not apply to Student Support for living costs. And nor does it apply to NHS Bursaries.) Check out the UKCISA website for more details: www.ukcisa.org.uk/ Why don’t individuals with DLR have equal access to university? Now you see it, now you don’t! Until February 2011, individuals granted DLR (discretionary leave to remain) in the UK as a result of an asylum application were eligible for student loans and paid home fees across the UK, just like British citizens and those with refugee status. In February 2011 the Government reversed this decision. This change has disproportionately impacted on vulnerable young people who have sought asylum in the UK. Of the 3,000 separated children who apply for asylum in the UK each year from countries such as Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq, most are granted DLR until they are 17 ½. Before reaching 17 ½, they can apply for an extension for another three years, after which they will apply to stay in the UK indefinitely. The number of young people who receive an extension of DLR and who are in a position to go through university is very low – around 290 for the past five years. Unlike other care leavers, they are now excluded from education at a crucial point in their lives. Who benefits from Equal Access? Here are just a few reasons why Equal Access is good for everyone: Students seeking refugee protection Research by UNICEF (2005) and the Refugee Support Network (2012) has shown that, once in the UK, education is a high priority for many refugees and in recent years countless asylum seeker students have proven their ability to achieve fantastic results at university in the National focus: regulations on access to higher education for students with DLR vary around in the UK England: students with DLR must pay international fees and they are not eligible for student loans or NHS bursaries Wales and Northern Ireland: students with DLR may be given ‘home fee’ status, although if the student is a family member certain conditions apply. They may also be eligible for a student loan, however they must have been living in the UK for 3 years and if the student is a family member certain conditions apply. Northern Ireland allows access to NHS bursaries, Wales doesn’t. Scotland: students with DLR are entitled to pay ‘home fees’ and eligible for student loan and NHS bursaries (yey!). Check out www.ukcisa.org.uk for more details.
face of many obstacles. Upon completing their degrees, for example, asylum seeker members of STAR have gone on to successful careers in diplomacy, advocacy, banking and healthcare. As most asylum seekers are denied permission to work, attending university gives them an opportunity to build skills that will help them to build their life in the UK or when they return to their country of origin. University is a great place to make new friends and studying provides stability which can mitigate the negative effects of traumatic experiences (Refugee Council 2005). The lives of those seeking refugee protection are already extremely difficult and current policy is making their lives unnecessarily harder. Universities Imagine if Einstein and Marx had never been given the chance to study… Yep, you guessed it. Both of these great thinkers were refugees! Universities want the very best students, with academic skills and commitment. Students who are in the UK seeking protection have often studied hard in difficult circumstances to meet the entry requirements and demonstrate strong motivation and intellectual ability. Because each university has the power to exercise discretion in the granting of ‘home’ or ‘international’ fees they are in a unique position to welcome such students on the same terms as their British-born peers. Several universities are already enjoying the benefits of Equal Access and, in doing so, have demonstrated their commitment to diversity and equal opportunities. These include: Manchester University, Leeds University, Royal Holloway University, Salford University, Canterbury Christ Church University and other members of the Cathedral group of universities. British society 82% of Brits believe that protecting the most vulnerable is a core British value and 67% are sympathetic to refugees coming to Britain (Refugee Council 2011). We should be proud to welcome them into the respected academic institutions which help make our country what it is! Ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to access education is fundamental for British society as a whole. Asylum seekers are not asking for special treatment, simply the same opportunities as other UK residents. Fahran (18) from Afghanistan: why Equal Access is important “When I came to the UK from Afghanistan, going to school was an adventure for me – I had never been before. I would stay late at school, until it was dark. I loved to learn then and I still do. At first I was put in Set 5 for English, right at the bottom…[but] I was working really hard and I was moved up to Set 2 after a few months. It was only when I got halfway through Year 11 that I realised about GCSEs. I had never sat exams in Afghanistan, some older men in my village would just teach me and my brother at our house. I got 4Bs and 2As, as well as distinctions in two BTEQs. I am now starting Year 13, and try to act as a role model for younger boys...I hope to become a civil engineer...My teachers think I could go to Oxford or Cambridge. I didn’t know about student finance, that I am not eligible, until I met with a Connexions worker. It has made me worried, and along with my asylum case has been difficult to deal with. It can be distracting, and I know I need to put work in to my A-Levels if I want to apply to good universities.” With thanks to Refugee Support Network.
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4 Background Information - Student Action for Refugees

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