Postgraduate Scholarship for Students Displaced from Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine

In partnership with King’s College London

Applications for academic year 2024/25 are now closed

We are delighted to announce that The Open University will be awarding a scholarship for forced migrants in 2024/25. The scholarship comprises of a full tuition fee waiver and a living cost bursary.

The scholarship will be available in the academic year 2024/25, for students who have been displaced from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine as a result of being at risk of persecution, violence and conflict.

The scholarship is open to students starting a masters degree in the 2024/25 academic year, starting study in October or November 2024, with priority being given for STEM subjects, in particular maths and physics. King’s College London is the grant-holder for this fund.

The scholarship will cover the full cost of your tuition fees and a living costs bursary, for a maximum of 3 years, starting in October or November 2024. 

Tuition Fees - the scholarship will cover the full tuition fee costs for the successful student’s chosen masters degree.

Living costs bursary – this will vary depending on the cost of the chosen masters degree, and is to help with living expenses. 

Individual allocations will be confirmed, in writing, to the successful student upon allocation of the award.*

*Please note that a living cost bursary can jeopardise asylum support and eligibility to access Legal Aid-funded legal representation (subject to income and capital assessment). Upon receipt of funds, there is a risk that the individual will be deemed not destitute and asylum support can be withdrawn. This could include the withdrawal of subsistence support and accommodation provided under Section 4 or 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS). It is each applicant’s responsibility to check how receiving a scholarship will affect their status.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible, you must;

• be a person normally domiciled in Belarus, Russia or Ukraine who is displaced and/or at risk of persecution, violence or conflict
• be unable to access or complete higher education in your home country for your chosen masters degree
• be ordinarily resident in the UK on 1 September 2024
• be enrolled or intend to enrol on an Open University masters qualification starting in the 2024/25 academic year, starting study in October or November 2024
• meet the entry requirements of your chosen masters degree
• be studying a minimum of 60 credits per academic year
• complete the qualification in no more than 3 years

Please note, the university will undertake checks on your eligibility for the scheme.

Course eligibility

All Open University masters courses are eligible. The scholarship will be prioritised for STEM subjects, in particular for maths and physics. 

Key dates

Applications closed at 11.59pm on 1 April 2024.

We aim to contact all applicants by the week commencing Monday 3 June 2024 with a decision.

If you have any queries about the application process, please contact Student Fees by emailing, fees-fs-bursaries-scholarships@open.ac.uk  

Frequently asked questions

Please find additional information regarding the scholarship eligibility criteria here: read the FAQs document.

How to apply

Applications for academic year 24/25 are now closed.

Extra considerations

This fund can only cover 3 years of tuition fees.