Sheffield Hallam has reaffirmed its commitment to provide ongoing support for refugees, asylum seekers and people seeking sanctuary across all areas of higher education.

Sheffield Hallam achieved University of Sanctuary accreditation in 2021. Since 2019/2020 the University has awarded 15 Sanctuary Scholarships to students from refugee backgrounds. Each scholarship includes a fee waiver and a £4,000 study grant.

The University has also formalised its commitment to supporting scholars through the Council for At Risk Academics (CARA). This led to two CARA fellows joining the University in 2023 on two-year visiting scholarships, from Ukraine and Afghanistan.

Sheffield Hallam has supported more than 1,750 vulnerable people to be reunited with family members through its Refugee Rights Hub which was set up in 2018. The Hub was established to reunite families whilst also providing a unique learning experience to undergraduate law students who get to work on real-life cases.

The University is also partnering with Solidaritech, a Bradford-based charity, to collect donations of old phones, laptops and tablets for refugees and asylum seekers who are experiencing digital exclusion.

Professor Liz Mossop, Sheffield Hallam University Vice-Chancellor, said: “In a challenging global context it’s more important than ever for universities to play their part in extending opportunities to those displaced from their homes, helping them to rebuild their lives. As one of the UK’s leading civic universities, committed to making a positive impact on all peoples’ lives, I am delighted that Sheffield Hallam has reaffirmed our commitment to being a University of Sanctuary.”

Yordanos Gebrehiwot studied mental health nursing at Sheffield Hallam University with the support of a Sanctuary Scholarship.

Yordanos came to came to Sheffield in 2014 after fleeing war in her home country of Ethiopia. In 2020, she was offered a place at Sheffield Hallam after completing her English and Maths GCSEs.

She wanted to become a mental health nurse after losing her mother at a young age and seeing her brother struggle with addiction and mental health issues. She graduated in November 2023 and is now a full-time nurse.

Yordanos said: “Throughout my journey, my dream of going to university to study to become a mental health nurse never changed."

“My journey could not have been made possible without Sheffield Hallam University. When nobody considered me as a human being, the University provided me with an opportunity to make me feel like a complete person again. I cannot say thank you enough.”

Awarded by the charity City of Sanctuary, University of Sanctuary accreditation recognises and celebrates the good practice of universities welcoming sanctuary seekers into their communities and fostering a culture of welcome and inclusion for all.

Tom Martin, City of Sanctuary Sheffield's Director, said: “City of Sanctuary Sheffield's vision is for our city to be a safe and welcoming place for all people seeking sanctuary—a vision that we must all work together to build. We celebrate Sheffield Hallam’s reaffirmation as a University of Sanctuary. This demonstrates their ongoing commitment to fostering meaningful welcome, inclusion, and opportunity for people seeking sanctuary both within and beyond their university and we look forward to seeing the steps they take to live out this commitment."