I just want to study: access to higher education for young refugees and asylum seekers
REUK's first research paper into the barriers faced by young asylum seekers and refugees trying to access university.
In 2010 REUK (then known as Refugee Support Network) began a pilot programme providing advice, support and individual case work for young people who had the academic potential to access higher education, but who were facing significant barriers due to their immigration status. In 2011 this pilot was extended into a three year programme, funded by John Lyon’s Charity.
This paper is based predominantly on the experiences of the young people we have worked with throughout the pilot and initial stages of the current programme. Some 152 young refugees, asylum seekers and victims of trafficking have so far benefited from this programme. Of these young people 39 have received specialist one-to-one support, and the report is informed by the experiences of this latter group. The findings from our casework are supplemented where appropriate by findings from relevant literature and research.