University of Sheffield pledges over £1m to help those fleeing war in Ukraine

Since the war in Ukraine broke out following Russia’s invasion, staff from across the university and Sheffield Students’ Union have worked together to ensure the university can offer a broad range of support for new and existing students and staff.

The package of support includes hardship funding for current students, scholarships for new or transferring students, accommodation support, English language training and job opportunities for at-risk academics.

The University of Sheffield also offers 10 sanctuary scholarships for students who have experienced war or persecution in their home countries that cover the full cost of tuition and provide a £9,840 award to support living costs for each year of study.

The scholarships are available for students from Ukraine who are either able to transfer to Sheffield from a university in Ukraine or would like to join as a new student from September.

This initiative has been in place for a number of years and has previously supported students from countries facing war, including Syria, Palestine and Iraq.

The University of Sheffield said since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it has been in contact with students from affected countries to offer financial, practical and wellbeing support.

Additionally, students who need extra funds to continue their studies at Sheffield can access hardship funding and a range of wellbeing support.

200 rooms registered with the Homes for Ukraine scheme

Recently, the university’s Student Wellbeing Service hosted a drop-in event for students affected by war, with a range of wellbeing and practical support also available for staff who are affected by the war in Ukraine.

A statement from the university read: “The university's HR team will continue to be in contact with line-managers to make sure staff from affected countries are receiving the support they need.

“The university has also committed to supporting academics who are fleeing war and persecution in their home countries.

"The university has partnerships with the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA), the Institute of International Education and the Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF Alliance) and the Ukrainian Scholars at Risk scheme.

"Through these partnerships the university has already started to support scholars in countries affected by war and has plans to support some scholars to join Sheffield as visiting academics.”

The university also wants to support universities in Ukraine to rebuild and develop after the war and is exploring a number of opportunities around twinning and partnership support.

Apart from that, the university has also registered over 200 rooms with the Homes for Ukraine scheme. This student accommodation will be prioritised for students from Ukraine but may also be used for refugees from other countries.

The university said a number of students and staff from the institution are volunteering their time to support refugees from Ukraine and other countries.

The university and students’ union are now in contact with a number of organisations from across Sheffield and South Yorkshire to offer support and will continue to share opportunities to get involved.

For more information, visit: www.sheffield.ac.uk/about/support-refugee-students-and-scholars.

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