Ukraine
The University of Stirling stands in solidarity with all those affected by the war in Ukraine and condemns the unprovoked Russian attack on the Ukrainian people. As an academic community, we welcome the actions taken by staff, students, and the Students’ Union, alongside members of the local community, to support the plight of Ukrainians whose lives have been affected.
The trauma of war is devastating for all involved, not least those students whose education has been impacted, and for whom the conflict has brought not only upheaval to their daily lives, but the breakdown of their hopes and dreams to carve out a future of their own choosing.
The University stands by the statements made on behalf of the sector and the networks of which we are a part, including Universities Scotland, Universities UK and the Young European Research Universities (YERUN). We are working closely with our partners and other members of the Scottish, UK and European university community to respond to this unprecedented crisis, and to offer assistance where we are best placed to do so.
Support for Ukrainian students
Applications for full-time study
Following the announcement of the Scottish Government on 14 April 2022, Ukrainians wishing to embark on an undergraduate or postgraduate (Masters) course in a Scottish University in the academic year 2023-24 and 2024-25 will be eligible for free tuition and living cost support, provided they have settled in Scotland through the "Homes for Ukraine", "Ukraine Family" or the "Ukraine Extension" schemes.
Students should apply for a place on a course at the University through the undergraduate application route or the postgraduate application route and meet the entry academic and language criteria for their chosen course of study.
To be eligible for SAAS funding, applicants should be ordinarily resident in Scotland at the time of applying for student support. Further information on eligibility criteria and the application process is available from the Student Awards Agency Scotland website.
Transfers onto full-time study
Students who started degrees at a Ukrainian university and had their studies interrupted by the war may be able to complete their studies by transferring to a course that matches their original programme. Students will need to meet the entry criteria for the course and demonstrate that they possess the level of prior knowledge required for advanced entry. Enquiries can be directed to wp@stir.ac.uk
Students transferring onto courses may be eligible for free tuition and living cost support through the Student Awards Agency Scotland.
Doctoral and dissertation students
Doctoral students whose research has been interrupted by the war may be eligible to apply for our CARA fellowship. Students should ensure that their research has a demonstrable, clear relationship with the areas of expertise at the University of Stirling. Please contact CARA in the first instance.
The University of Stirling is happy to offer informal academic supervision and guidance, and access to the University’s learning resources to Ukrainian students who need to complete independent projects or dissertations as part of their studies, and whose areas of research align with those of our academic staff. Students do not need to be physically present in Stirling to avail themselves of this support. Please get in touch by completing our request form:
Visa extensions for Ukrainians on student (formerly Tier 4) visas
The Home Office has announced it will allow Ukrainians in the UK to have their visas temporarily extended or be able to switch onto different visa routes.
Ukrainians already in the UK with a visa will be able to extend their stay by extending their visa or switching to another immigration route, where eligible, even if their visa does not normally allow them to do so. This includes those on student (formerly Tier 4)
Academics at risk
The University of Stirling is keen to help sustain and support the Ukrainian research and higher education community during the current crisis, by assisting Ukrainian academics and researchers to continue their work. We are a long-standing member of the Council for at Risk Academics (CARA), which provides fellowships of up to two years. Researchers wishing to avail themselves of these opportunities should contact CARA in the first instance.
We are also happy to sponsor applications from Ukrainian academics to the UK National Academies' Researchers at Risk Fellowship scheme, which supports two-year temporary fellowships to enable Ukrainian researchers to continue their research, enhance their skills and build long-lasting collaborative links with their UK counterparts. As the University will be required to submit applications on behalf of Ukrainian researchers, it is important that applicants contact the University to discuss their position at an early stage, either through their existing collaborators in the University, or by contacting Dr Thomas Marsden.
Support for local refugee and asylum-seeking community
The University’s staff and students are actively working with organisations that support refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable communities in the region. The University is happy to receive requests for assistance from local residents and organisations, and to explore ways in which its facilities, expertise and resources can be put to the benefit of these groups.
Our Student Action for Refugees (STAR) society works closely with Forth Valley Welcome, which you can visit for more information.
The University provides a limited number of Sanctuary scholarships to facilitate access to higher education for those individuals residing in the local area who have applied for asylum in the United Kingdom.