Ernest Edward Scholarship

Aston University is delighted to offer up to four sanctuary scholarships for students who are seeking refuge in the UK.

These scholarships will benefit asylum seekers or those who have been granted a form of limited permission to stay in the UK, following an unsuccessful asylum application, and who are therefore prevented from accessing student finance.

These sanctuary scholarships will be known as The Ernest Edward Scholarships in memory of the generous donor’s grandfather, Ernest Edward Crummack, who left school aged 12 to work in a coal mine. 100 years on, so many young people and especially young refugees still find themselves deprived of the opportunity to grow and fulfil their potential.

Ernest Edward Scholars will receive a full tuition-fee waiver and support with accommodation and living costs up to a value of £25,000 throughout their course. They will also have access to a range of support services, such as language assistance if required, professional mentoring as well as support from Aston’s Students’ Union.

Summary of eligibility criteria

Ernest Edward Scholarships 2023

Course: Any three-year undergraduate or one year postgraduate programme

You must be:

• An asylum seeker or the partner/dependant of an asylum seeker; OR
• An unsuccessful asylum seeker/refugee or the partner/dependant of an unsuccessful asylum seeker/refugee who has instead been granted Discretionary Leave to Remain (DLR) or some other form of temporary status in the UK.

How do I apply?

Applications will close on 19 May 2023.

To be eligible to apply for an Ernest Edward Scholarship, you must have received an offer for an eligible Aston University course. Once you have received an offer please email and you’ll receive a link to the application form.

Interview stage

An Aston University panel will review all Ernest Edward Scholarship applications and a small number of successful candidates will then be shortlisted for an interview with academic staff from Aston. This interview will take place in June 2023 and successful candidates will be invited to this stage via email.

What happens next?

We will contact you by email to let you know if your application is successful. Please note, we will communicate scholarship decisions two weeks after each deadline date. If you have any further questions, you are welcome to contact us.

Can I apply for more than one scholarship?

You can only receive one scholarship, but you are able to apply for multiple scholarships. If you are successful in being awarded multiple scholarships, the highest value scholarship will be awarded to you.