A wide range of additional support including tuition fee waivers, free accommodation and bursaries has been announced for current students and prospective students from Ukraine by the University of Aberdeen.
The package also includes support for students from Belarus or Russia who have been awarded refugee or asylum seeker status, or who cannot return home safely.
Building on the support outlined by the Scottish Government, the measures** consist of:
- Tuition fee waivers up to a value of £250,000 for new and returning students not eligible for support under the Scottish Government’s free tuition, bursary and loan support from 2022/23
- Free accommodation in University housing over the summer of 2022 and for 2022/23 for degree-seeking students
- Provision of laptops and other technical equipment for new students
- £50,000 to support £1,000 cash bursaries and increased hardship support
- Additional support through Recognition of Previous Learning (RPL) for students transferring from universities in the region
- Acceptance of a broader range of evidence for new students’ qualifications
- Adoption of the UNESCO Qualifications Passport for all displaced persons globally
The support is available to: students who were resident in Ukraine prior to the invasion; Ukrainian nationals; students who were resident in Belarus or Russia and have been awarded refugee or asylum-seeker status; and current University of Aberdeen students due to graduate in 2022 who are ordinarily resident in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia and cannot return home safely.
The University had already started the process of introducing annual support packages for refugees or asylum seekers, including tuition fees and a stipend allowance. The University also offers an international student hardship and support fund, managed in partnership with the Student Association (AUSA).
This support is in addition to the measures already outlined in our message earlier this month, including our official approval as a sponsor under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
The Ukrainian war has been distinguished from other global conflicts by the UN High Commission for Refugees, “in light of the emergency and paramount humanitarian needs of refugees from Ukraine”. As such international support systems are still catching up with the rapid escalation of the conflict and sudden mass migration of displaced persons into neighbouring countries and atypical support options are being devised.
Professor Adelyn Wilson, the University’s Dean for International Stakeholder Engagement, said: “Our University community has offered its unqualified support and solidarity for the people of Ukraine, and for our students who have spoken out to condemn the war.
“The measures announced today to support new and current students affected by the war reflect both this commitment and our position within the global community. These targeted measures build on the support we already offer to other refugees and asylum seekers, including our Sanctuary Scholarships.
“We are proud to now also accept the UNESCO Qualifications Passport for all displaced persons globally.”
Full details on the support availability, qualifying criteria and how to apply can be seen here.
**Terms, conditions, exclusions and eligibility criteria apply for all measures