The University of Manchester Humanitarian Scholarships to Study in UK

Social responsibility lies at the heart of our University and we are committed to playing our part in helping those fleeing conflict and persecution by offering the opportunity to study at Manchester.

Set up in 2022, our Humanitarian Scholarship programme supports individuals at immediate risk who have been forced to flee their homes as a direct result of armed conflict. The awards cover tuition fees, living expenses and visas. 

Key dates for 2026 entry

Apply for a course via UCAS	From 2 September 2025
Apply for the Scholarship	From 2 February 2026
Scholarship application deadline	31 March 2026
Results announced	End of May 2026
Start your studies	September 2026

What the Scholarship covers

If you’re selected, the Scholarship will pay for:

• your tuition fees (the cost of your course);
• living expenses (money for food, housing etc);
• visa costs.

Eligibility (who can apply?)

You must meet all of the following:

• You’re at serious risk due to war or conflict.
• You had to leave your home country (or move within it) in the last three years because of conflict.
• You cannot start or finish a university degree.
• You’ve never studied in the UK or EU before.
• You’ve applied for an undergraduate course starting in September 2026 at The University of Manchester.
• You can explain why you want to study this course.
• You’ve done well in your previous studies.

Please note: you can’t apply if you’re currently living in the UK or EU.

English language requirements

You don’t need to show proof of your English language skills when you apply through UCAS or when you apply for the Scholarship. However, if you’re offered a place at The University of Manchester, you must meet the English language requirements stated in your offer letter. 

It’s important to note that the University does not accept Duolingo English test results. 

To see which English tests and scores are accepted, visit our English language requirements page and the course profile pages.

Please note that the scholarship does not cover any pre-sessional English courses at the University.

Academic course

Apply for an undergraduate course starting September 2026 at The University of Manchester via UCAS (Note: UCAS application fee not covered). You can register and start your application now.

Courses you can apply for

• Eligible: Most 3-year undergraduate degrees (browse our courses for specific academic and English entry requirements). A 1-year foundation year is also possible if needed.
• Not eligible: Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing or Architecture.
• Foundation options: You can apply for the Integrated Foundation Year or Biosciences Foundation Year if you don’t meet entry requirements.

Please note: no funding for Humanities foundation courses run with INTO Manchester.

• Check the accepted qualifications listed for your country on the university’s international webpages.
• Demonstrate how you’ve pursued your education despite the challenges you’ve faced.
• Detail your ability to meet the academic and English entry requirements of the course you want to study.
• Submit your completed UCAS Application from 2 September 2025.

Note: some courses may not accept applications after the UCAS Equal consideration date (14 January 2026). If you apply after this date, you must email the Admissions Team to check if they’re still accepting applications. You can find their email address on the ‘overview’ tab of each course page.

Before you apply

Find your course 

Choosing the course which is right for you is important and we have one of the largest selections of undergraduate courses in the UK. 

• Use our course finder to find the subject area you are interested in and filter your selections to show courses with options to study abroad, or narrow down further to show industrial experience, foundation year and scholarship information.  
• Watch our video to find out our top tips for choosing the right university course.

Check our entry requirements 

We normally expect applicants to offer three full A Levels or an accepted equivalent qualification.  

• Find out more about the University’s general entry requirements, included accepted qualifications and our English language and mathematics requirements, on our entry requirements pages.
• Course specific entry requirements can be found on our course pages.

About The University of Manchester

The University of Manchester is a centre of teaching excellence, world-class research, outstanding student experience, and social responsibility. Part of the prestigious Russell Group of universities, it’s institutions like ours that have the greatest responsibility to act as the world faces big challenges. Together, we face this head on.

Founded in 1824 for the advancement of education, we’ve since been home to 26 Nobel Prize winners and worked across disciplinary and geographic boundaries to give the world new ideas, discoveries and innovations.  

Inspired by and connected with our city – the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, home to an iconic arts, music and culture scene, and now the driving force of the Northern Powerhouse scheme – Manchester remains at the heart of everything we do.  

We’ve been making an impact since day one; from creating the world’s first nuclear reaction, to building the modern computer, isolating graphene, pioneering development economics, and transforming cancer diagnosis and treatment across the world. And it doesn’t stop there – our teaching and learning approach creates life-changing student experiences, inspires lifelong learning and shapes exceptional graduate outcomes for global citizens of the future.  

As we enter our third century, we’re not letting anything stand in our way as we continue to tackle the world’s biggest problems with unbreakable resolve. 

Our facts and figures

We’re ranked the 6th best university in the UK and 52nd overall in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (2024). 

A truly international university, our community includes more than 44,000 students, 12,000 staff, and 550,000 alumni from 190 countries working together to tackle the world’s biggest challenges.  

Our commitment to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals is unmatched. That’s why we’re the only university in the world to rank in the top ten for social and environmental impact in every year of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.  

Our university is a powerhouse of research and discovery; we were ranked fifth for research power – the quality and scale of research and impact – in the UK government’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.  

The institution is the most popular in the UK for undergraduate applications (UCAS 2023 cycle), and it is the second most targeted university by the UK’s leading employers (The Graduate Market, 2024).