Scholarship overview

  • Degree level

    Postgraduate taught, Master's research

  • Value

    Full tuition fees, stipend of £21,000 and £1,500 equipment grant

  • Number of awards

    1

  • Academic year

    2025/2026

  • Tuition fee status

    Home, Overseas

  • Mode of study

    Full time, Part time

  • Available to

    Prospective students

  • Application deadline

    25/04/2025

  • Additional information

    Scholarship page

    student.funding@imperial.ac.uk

  • Available to applicants in the following departments

    • Aeronautics
    • Bioengineering
    • Brain Sciences
    • Business School
    • Centre for Environmental Policy
    • Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication
    • Chemical Engineering
    • Chemistry
    • Civil and Environmental Engineering
    • Computing
    • Design Engineering
    • Earth Science and Engineering
    • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
    • Immunology and Inflammation
    • Infectious Disease
    • Life Sciences
    • Materials
    • Mathematics
    • Mechanical Engineering
    • Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction
    • National Heart and Lung Institute
    • Physics
    • School of Public Health
    • Surgery and Cancer

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for this award you must: 
  • have applied to study and received an offer for an eligible Master's programme (see below) starting in Autumn 2025 by the deadline of 11:59PM GMT on Friday, 25th April 2025.
  • have completed the Sanctuary Scholarship application form by the deadline of 11:59PM GMT on Friday, 25th April 2025.
  • fall into one of the following immigration status groups:
    • a refugee - a person who has been granted refugee status either in the UK or in another country
    • a person who has been granted humanitarian protection or some other form of protective leave to remain in the UK (including a Ukrainian Family Scheme, Ukraine Extension Scheme or Ukrainian Sponsorship Scheme visa)
    • an asylum seeker - a person who has made a claim within the UK for refugee status
Eligible Master’s courses

As well as the above criteria, you must also apply for an eligible course:

  • One-year full-time or two-year part-time Master’s course in the Imperial College Business School, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Centre for Culture, Languages and Communication
Course that are not eligible
  • Online/distance learning courses
  • Imperial College Business School MBA programmes
  • MA/MSc Innovation Design Engineering in the Dyson School of Design Engineering

Please note: This scholarship is not available to continuing students.

Application process

  1. Submit your Master's application. 
    • Search for an eligible Master's course (see list in Eligibility criteria), Create an online account and submit your application through our application portal by the deadline of 11:59PM GMT on Friday, 25th April 2025. Use our guide on How to apply for additional help. 
    • Receive an offer to study an eligible Master's course starting in Autumn 2025 by 11:59PM GMT on Friday, 25th April 2025. 
  2. Complete the Sanctuary scholarship application form by the deadline of 11:59PM GMT on Friday, 25th April 2025.
    • You will be asked to confirm your personal details, immigration status and provide a personal statement supporting your application. You will be asked to upload proof of your immigration status. If you cannot provide it at this time there is an option to explain why in the form.

Personal Statement

Your personal statement (submitted in application form) assesses your suitability for the Sanctuary Scholarship. You will be asked to address the following:

  • Why have you chosen to study at Imperial College London?
  • How do you feel the Sanctuary Scholarship would help you achieve your ambitions for the future?
  • Explain your personal situation and the barriers you have faced in continuing your education with reference to your current status in the UK.
  • Details of your financial circumstances. If you have attended school/college since coming to the UK, how have you supported your studies? Will you have any other means to financially support yourself at College other than this scholarship?

Outcome

Candidates will be notified of the outcome no later than 30 June 2025. 

Additional information

What does the scholarship cover?
  • Tuition fees paid in full (Home or Overseas rate)
  • Stipend for living costs equating to £21,000 per annum 
  • £1,500 equipment grant for the purchase of a laptop or other educational equipment
  • Costs pertaining to |English language proficiency test exam fee (if English language is required as part of the offer of admission), visa application (if applicable) and NHS surcharge.

Contact

If you have any additional questions, please contact us at student.funding@imperial.ac.uk.