The Refugee Students in Higher Education project is a research-led initiative developed in collaboration with researchers affiliated with the University of Westminster. The project examines the lived experiences, wellbeing and institutional support needs of refugee students in UK higher education.
By bringing together sociological research, student wellbeing and practitioner knowledge, the project explores how displacement, educational transition, financial uncertainty and institutional culture shape students’ access, belonging, participation and progression.
Refugee students often have a hard time entering higher education through their complex educational, social and legal pathways. Their university experiences may be shaped by interrupted education, displacement, financial uncertainty, language barriers, immigration-related pressures and limited access to appropriate support.
This project examined how these conditions affect student wellbeing, academic confidence, belonging and progression within higher education. It considers not only individual student experiences, but also the wider institutional structures, policies and everyday practices that shape access to support.
By bringing together sociological research, student wellbeing and practitioner knowledge, the project aims to support more inclusive and responsive approaches to refugee student participation in higher education.