This policy brief, developed by REUK in collaboration with Routes, presents simple and effective policy recommendations to unlock the door to apprenticeship funding for refugees. 

This research explores the experiences of displaced children and young people in secondary schools in Oxfordshire. It was commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council, and sought to provide evidence to inform local intervention.

Refugee Education UK has been working with Professor Joanna McIntyre at the University of Nottingham to influence policy change around refugee education. As part of this work, we contributed to the development of reports and policy briefs on two key topics that are often overlooked in the field of refugee education: early childhood education and care (ECEC), and inclusive education for refugees with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

During Refugee Week 2025, REUK gathered together politicians, policy-makers and education leaders in the Houses of Parliament to launch our Vision for Refugee Children's Education in the UK.

A Sustainable Place for Inclusive Refugee Education (ASPIRE) is a research initiative between the University of Nottingham (led by Professor Joanna McIntyre) and Refugee Education UK (REUK). This study focuses on refugee education, by utilising a participatory methodology led by learners with asylum-seeking and refugee backgrounds.

This briefing presents practitioner-based insights from REUK’s experience of supporting young people from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds to enrol in further education in September and October 2024.

Refugee Education UK is working with the English and Comparative Literary Studies Department at the University of Warwick to develop a research-led access to Higher Education pilot programme for sanctuary seekers living in the Coventry area.

Inclusive and Sustainable Promising Practices in Refugee Education (InSPPiRE) is a learning project that seeks to identify and amplify promising practices from case studies of refugee education initiatives in high-income countries. The project incorporates learnings from 29 case studies of initiatives supporting refugee education across 12 high-income settings: Australia, England, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, the United States of America and Wales.

In 2022, Refugee Education UK, along with the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), were commissioned by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to work on a study that asked displaced young people about their experiences in England - the first of its kind from the ONS. This project was conducted with a team of seven peer researchers (young people with lived experience of forced displacement) to undertake more than 90 interviews with young people, between the ages of 14-18, and their parents up and down England.

Refugee Education UK partnered with UNICEF UK to undertake research on an under-explored and overlooked topic: the early childhood education and care experiences of the youngest refugee and asylum-seeking children in England – the under 5s. Through listening to the experiences of parents of refugee children and practitioners in the refugee support and early education sectors, our research uncovers the vital importance of quality, contextual and trauma-informed early education for refugee and asylum-seeking babies and young children, and their families.

Sustainable Transformative Inclusive Refugee Education (STRIVE) is a partnership between Refugee Education UK and the University of Nottingham, that draws upon extensive research of educational policy and provision for refugee learners, and experience of working directly with young people from a forced migration background.

This youth-centred longitudinal panel study focusses on the impact of post-primary education for refugees in Pakistan and Rwanda. The research was conducted in partnership with UNHCR and Jigsaw Education, and concluded in October 2023. This research was funded through the Dubai Cares Evidence for Education in Emergencies (E-Cubed) funding window, and links to UNHCR's efforts to support post-primary education for refugees and host communities.

Refugee Education UK (REUK), with support from The Bell Foundation, conducted research on access to education for late arrivals - young people, aged 13-19, who have been forcibly displaced from their homes (for reasons including war, conflict, trafficking and persecution) and who arrive in the UK late in the education system. The study was commissioned by The Bell Foundation in response to increased interest from policy makers and practitioners in supporting the needs of these newly arrived displaced adolescents.

This research report from the University of Warwick and Refugee Education UK explores the journey to higher education for refugee and asylum-seeking young people living in Coventry. It is the product of a partnership between Refugee Education UK and the University of Warwick's English and Comparative Literary Studies Department.

This report presents practitioner-based insights from REUK’s experience supporting over 550 refugee and asylum-seeking children and young people through the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative consultations took place with 10 frontline staff members, who shared their observations on the educational and wellbeing challenges facing refugee students, aged 14-25. The report aims to highlight the experiences of refugee students to ensure that their needs are prioritised as the UK Government implements their education recovery package.

Our response to the Nationality and Borders Bill draws on both our on the ground experience providing direct educational support to over 500 young refugees and asylum seekers, and numerous schools, colleges and universities each year, and on our extensive research into the education, integration and wellbeing of young refugees and asylum seekers, often conducted in partnership with UN agencies.

Developed with UNICEF UK, REUK's set of advice sheets is designed to help practitioners better support refugee and asylum-seeking young people's education. These advice sheets offer practical tips and guidance for individuals and education institutions for overcoming the challenges that young refugees and asylum seekers face during the transition to further education (FE) and higher education (HE).

COVID-19 resulted in global challenges to formal schooling and increased dependence on educational technology. In this context, the EdTech Hub, a research partnership supported by the UK government and the World Bank, asked REUK to produce rapid evidence reviews on the use of technology in refugee education, education in emergencies and girls' education.

This briefling outlines the emerging impact of the COVID-19 crisis on young refugees’ education and wellbeing in the UK, based on RSN’s direct support work with young refugees in recent weeks. It also details recommendations to central government, local authorities and education stakeholders to help ensure that young refugees’ education and wellbeing is not forgotten during this crisis.

For children on the move who come to the UK, education is one of the first and most critical services they need access to. UNICEF UK commissioned REUK to help understand how far refugee and asylum-seeking children are currently accessing their right to education in the UK.