Forty-three students awarded Refugee Grants for the 2025/26 academic year

According to UNHCR data, at the end of 2024 there were 120 million displaced people in the world, and only 7% of the refugee population had access to university studies. With the desire to contribute to reversing this situation, the UAB launched the UAB Refuge Programme 10 years ago, an initiative managed by the FAS to provide support to university students in need of international protection.

The #UABRefugee grants promote access to higher education as a fundamental right of people who have suffered forced displacement and/or are in a situation of seeking refuge, and aim to guarantee equal conditions in access to higher education. The grants are divided into two types. The first is a general grant with a tuition and academic fees waiver that was granted to 43 students and endowed with a total of €65,000. The second is an additional study grant, which mainly covers the costs of materials, transport and technology, and which was awarded to 38 of the 43 students, endowed with €28,000.

Grant holder profile

The scholarships have been awarded to students enrolled in different levels of study at the UAB: 18 undergraduate students, 14 master's degree students, and 11 PhD students.

Regarding the countries of origin, the 43 people who have obtained the grant come from 14 different countries. The countries with the most presence are Ukraine (11 students), Russia (8), Colombia (5), and Afghanistan, Iran and Palestine (3 each). There are also students from Algeria (2), Honduras (2), and Cuba, Iraq, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan and Uganda (1 each).

Finally, it is worth noting that this year the UAB launched the micro-fundraising campaign "The UAB with refugee students from Palestine". The funds raised will help to supplement the students' legal expenses.