CAMPAIGN: Equal Access to Higher Education

Individuals who are waiting for a decision on their asylum application or who have been granted Discretionary Leave to Remain (DLR) in the UK as a result of an asylum claim do not have equal access to university.

They must pay the same fees as international students and have no access to student loans and grants. This excludes most from furthering their education.
As a student network, STAR believes that this is wrong and that colleges and universities should have fair admissions policies for all.

How can you expect someone who cannot work and who lives on £36 a week to pay £8,500 to £29,200 a year in university fees?

How can you claim that someone who has fled their country of origin to avoid war, torture and persecution is the same as an international student who has chosen to study in Britain?

What is the future going to look like if people seeking protection cannot learn the skills they need to build a future?

NUS and STAR National are campaigning together to open colleges and universities to those seeking refugee protection in the UK. STAR UCLU are demanding that UCL makes the following changes to its fees policy for those seeking protection:

1) All those seeking refugee protection to be able to study as home students

2) Students seeking refugee protection to be recognised as having additional needs just like other vulnerable people and to be given the same access to additional support, such as bursaries

This is not a big thing to ask of UCL. With such a strong history of opening up education to those previously denied it, UCL should be able to stay true to its dedication to equal access. Many universities across the country have already shown their support for the equal access campaign, such as Leeds, London Metropolitan and Manchester. We want UCL to join this list. 

What can we do to support the campaign? 

1) Come to our launch event 20th November, 7pm, LG04, UCL 26 Bedford Way!

Sign up for our event on Facebook and SHARE it with your UCL friends and professors!

2) Print out the petition and get people to sign it!

Email uclu-safr@ucl.ac.uk to ask for a paper copy OR download it here

3) Put a Photo to the Signature! 

Make a sign that reads Equal Access to Higher Education and take a picture with it in front of you! Add it to your Facebook page and tag UCLU Student Action for Refugees in the image, and we'll add it to our ever expanding photo petition. Or, you can email it to uclu-safr@ucl.ac.uk and we will put in our Facebook album! Tweet it (use the hashtag #equalaccess), share it, make sure everyone sees it!

4) Let everyone know why... 

Take a video of yourself where you state:

- Your name

- Who you are (UCL student/member of our society)

- What you study

- Finish the sentence: "I support Equal Access because..."

Then just send it to uclu-safr@ucl.ac.uk and we will edit you into our growing video petition that can be seen above!