Historically Fully Funded Verified against official source Applications closed

UCL Access Opportunity Scholarship

Offered by University College London (UCL)

UCL's Access Opportunity Scholarship supports qualifying UK-based asylum seekers and forced migrants with full undergraduate tuition plus an annual study-cost allowance. The 2026/27 round is closed.

Current status

Applications closed

The 2026/27 application round closed on 18 May 2026. UCL has not yet published the next application deadline.

Last verified: 21 September 2026

Next review: 15 February 2027

Historical details: Clearly marked below where applicable.

Quick facts

Current statusApplications closed
Study destinationUnited Kingdom
Degree levelUndergraduate
FundingHistorically Fully Funded
DeadlineApplications closed
DurationHistorical: Normal duration of the undergraduate programme
Study subjectsArts & Humanities, Business & Management, Computer Science & IT, Education, Engineering & Technology, Environment & Earth Sciences, Health & Medicine, Law, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences
Pakistan eligibleYes
Last checked21 September 2026

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Is the UCL Access Opportunity Scholarship open now?

No. The 2026/27 round closed on 18 May 2026. UCL has not yet published the next deadline, so old dates should be treated as historical only.

How much did UCL provide?

For 2026/27, UCL published full tuition coverage plus a £14,135 annual allowance for the normal duration of the programme. Two scholarships were available.

Who is the scholarship actually for?

This award is specifically for people affected by asylum or forced-migration status in the UK who cannot access normal student finance. It is not a broad overseas international-student scholarship.

Does nationality decide eligibility?

No. Immigration and residency circumstances are central. A student from Pakistan or another country could potentially qualify if they meet UCL’s UK-based asylum or forced-migrant conditions.

What did this scholarship historically cover?

These benefits belong to an earlier verified programme cycle and must be reconfirmed if a new call opens.

For the 2026/27 round, UCL offered two Access Opportunity Scholarships. Each award covered full tuition fees and an annual £14,135 allowance for the normal duration of the programme.

TuitionFull
Living stipendHistorical: GBP 14,135 / year
AccommodationPartial
TravelNone
Health insuranceUnknown

Other verified benefits

Full UCL tuition fees plus a £14,135 annual allowance for study costs for the normal duration of the undergraduate programme, subject to satisfactory academic progress.

Costs not confirmed or not covered

The award is designed around tuition and a study-cost allowance. UCL does not state that every personal, travel, immigration or living expense is separately covered.

Who was historically eligible?

These rules describe an earlier programme cycle. A future call may change eligible countries, fields or admission requirements.

Applicants needed an offer for a full-time UCL undergraduate degree and had to be asylum seekers, children of asylum seekers, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, or qualifying UK-based forced migrants who could not access student finance because of immigration status.

Nationality alone does not decide eligibility. A Pakistani national could potentially qualify if they are based in the UK and meet UCL's stated asylum or forced-migrant immigration-status conditions.

Prior educationSecondary-school qualification meeting UCL undergraduate admission requirements
Gender requirementNo restriction
IELTSDepends on host/course
Host institution requiredYes
Supervisor approvalNo
Admission before applicationYes

Eligible countries

Not nationality-based. Applicants must meet UCL's UK-based asylum, forced-migrant and immigration-status criteria and be unable to access student finance because of that status.

Language requirements

Applicants must meet the English-language and admission requirements of their UCL undergraduate programme.

Which documents were historically required?

This is a historical checklist, not a current application checklist.

  • Admission/offer letter

Which documents may be required conditionally?

  • Passport/ID

What should you do next?

  1. Secure an offer for a full-time UCL undergraduate degree.
  2. Check that your current UK immigration status matches UCL's Access Opportunity criteria.
  3. Confirm that you cannot access student finance because of that status.
  4. Download the current application form when the next round opens.
  5. Submit the form and supporting evidence by UCL's published deadline.

Frequently asked questions

Is the UCL Access Opportunity Scholarship fully funded?

For the 2026/27 round, UCL covered full tuition fees and provided a £14,135 annual allowance for study costs. It is a very substantial award, but UCL does not describe every possible personal, travel or immigration-related expense as separately covered.

Can a Pakistani student apply for the UCL Access Opportunity Scholarship?

Potentially, but nationality alone is not enough. The student must be based in the UK and meet UCL's qualifying asylum or forced-migrant immigration-status rules, hold a full-time undergraduate offer and be unable to access student finance because of that status.