DCU University of Sanctuary Scholarships 2025/26

The DCU University of Sanctuary Scholarships offer a vital opportunity for students from asylum-seeking and refugee backgrounds to pursue higher education in an inclusive and supportive environment. Dublin City University (DCU) is giving five postgraduate scholarships to international protection seekers and refugees who are not eligible for state assistance, starting in September 2025. The scholarship application process is open until June 20, 2025, at 5 p.m. The application form is at the bottom of the page. The Sanctuary’s email address is presently unavailable. If you need any information or assistance, please contact karina.curley@dcu.

Scholarship Eligibility

DCU University of Sanctuary Scholarships are open to:

• International Protection Applicants
• Applicants having refugee status or Permission to Remain who are not eligible for state help, such as the Free Fees Initiative or Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant.

DCU University of Sanctuary Scholarships eligibility criteria

Applicants must be:

1. enrolled in the Department of Justice
2. I have applied to teach master’s postgraduate courses at DCU, either full-time or part-time.

Priority will be given to:

• Applicants who have been in Ireland for more than 12 months
• Applicants on the international protection priority list
• Applicants without a postgraduate degree

About the DCU University of Sanctuary scholarships

The scholarship covers 

1. A full fee waiver.
2. A yearly stipend of €5,000 for full-time students and €2,500 for part-time students. The stipend is provided in two installments, at the start of each semester.
3. Post-entry help and advice

Note: 

• Successful applicants will be urged to contribute to the DCU University of Sanctuary project, although this is entirely voluntary.
• There is no additional support for lodging or transportation.

Application process

Securing your DCU programme place

1. Applicants for a Sanctuary scholarship must first apply for admission to a DCU master’s course.
2. Apply for a postgraduate programme using the DCU Student Application Portal. The entry requirements for all programs are available on each of the course web pages.
3. Applicants who meet the requirements for a University of Sanctuary scholarship may obtain a cost waiver for their course application fee. Email sanctuary@dcu.ie.
4. All applicants must include evidence of English language competence. Please see the DCU English Language Requirements page for further information.

The Sanctuary process

1. The application for the University of Sanctuary is different from the program application.
2. Apply for a Sanctuary scholarship by completing the form at the bottom of this page.
3. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to provide certified written documentation of their legal status.

Guide to completing the application form

There are six sections in the form. Because the form cannot be saved and returned to later, we recommend gathering all of the necessary information before completing it.

Section 1: Privacy Statement. Before proceeding with the application, you must check the ‘yes’ box next to the privacy statement.

Section 2: Personal information. In this part, you will be requested to give your personal information, such as your PPS number and Eircode.

Section 3: Discusses previous education. To complete this section, you will need information regarding your undergraduate degree. You will also need information on any extra qualifications you intend to utilize to support your application.

Section 4: Addresses nationality status. In this part, you will be questioned about your current state. You will be requested to indicate the date you applied for international protection and the date you became a legal resident in Ireland.

Section 5: Your postgraduate programme. To complete this area, you will need information on the programme you wish to study at DCU.

Section 6: Personal Statement. There are two parts to this section. Part one requires you to write 500 words describing your previous achievements, including any abilities and experience that will help your application.

Part two requires you to write 400 words about how this scholarship will help you reach your long-term career or life goals.

Assessment process

1. The application procedure closes on June 20th, 2025 at 5 p.m.
2. Applications will be reviewed by an assessment committee.
3. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to participate in an interview.
4. Applicants will be notified of the results of the assessment process on Monday, June 30th.

Important Links:

This section contains connections to valuable websites about DCU University of Sanctuary Scholarships.

1. The International Protection Student Scheme for FE/HE Students is a student grant scheme for asylum seekers who are in the Protection System or on Leave To Remain (but not deportation order) and are enrolled in an approved Post Leaving Certificate or Undergraduate course.
2. Universities of Sanctuary Ireland (UoSI) is a program in Irish universities and colleges that aims to foster a welcoming and inclusive culture for protection applicants and the refugee community.
3. StudentFinance. Applicants who have lived in Ireland for three of the previous five years and have received refugee status or permission to remain may be eligible for state assistance.