ESOL, universities, scholarships, Coursera — everything for learning.
ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) — free for asylum seekers if you meet the following conditions:
📋 To enrol you need an ARC or Bail 201. Main enrolment is in September and January, but many colleges accept students on a rolling basis throughout the year.
Yes, you can study with an ARC! Scholarship programmes:
If you have refugee status — you do NOT need 3 years of residence for student finance. You are immediately a "home student".
Available:
For Humanitarian Protection — you need 3 years of ordinary residence.
For asylum seekers — student finance is NOT available until you receive status.
⚠️ 2026 Change: from 2 March 2026 refugee status is granted for 30 months (not 5 years). This may affect eligibility for student finance — check the current requirements with Student Finance England or your university before applying.
ECCTIS (formerly NARIC) — recognition of foreign degrees in the UK. There is a free programme for refugees through Refugee Education UK.
The Kiron platform provides free access to Coursera courses for refugees. Registration with eVisa or ARC is required.