In addition to the general advice on the UCAS application, these are some extra points you may wish to consider if you are applying to university as a refugee or asylum seeker.
1) Writing about being a refugee or asylum seeker in your personal statement 
  • While no refugee or asylum seeker has the same experiences, you may have a lot of transferable skills to share on your Personal Statement. Try to think about the skills you have developed from living in the UK, perhaps ones which show how you have adapted to and settled into life in a new country 
  • You can write about relevant work experience, whether in the UK or your home country. If you have not had any work experience in the UK you may like to write about any voluntary work you have done 
2) Advice on a suitable UCAS referee 
  • A teacher or tutor would be the most obvious choice of referee if you are studying at college, or recently completed a qualification 
  • UCAS also accepts references from support workers, charity workers or advisers who are familiar with your circumstances   
  • Please note that UCAS does not accept family members, friends or neighbours as referees! 

For more guidance, UCAS and Student Action for Refugees (STAR) have put together an advice page for how to prepare your Personal Statement. You can also sign up for STAR’s mailing list, which contains useful updates about scholarships and higher education opportunities.

If you have any further questions, please contact the SHU Progress team at SHU-Progress@shu.ac.uk or (0114) 225 4777.