How Academic Futures is supporting displaced scholars at Oxford

Over the past decade, the University has offered scholarships for refugees and other forced migrants through initiatives including the Oxford Student Refugee Campaign and the Oxford Refugee Scheme. In 2023 – in the same year that Oxford was recognised as a University of Sanctuary – these schemes were brought together under Refugee Academic Futures Scholarships (RAFS), part of the Academic Futures programme.  

‘Across its history, Oxford has sought to provide sanctuary for scholars affected by conflict and displacement,’ says Professor Alex Betts, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for External Engagement, Sport and Community. ‘Refugee Academic Futures is one important example of how we are continuing that tradition by supporting talented students to pursue their academic ambitions and contribute their knowledge, experience and leadership to communities around the world.’  

Academic Futures is currently supporting almost 200 scholars on course from groups currently under-represented in the Oxford’s graduate student body, including Black British students, students with refugee and displaced backgrounds and care-experienced students.  In 2026/27, students from British Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds will join the programme.

Open to applicants displaced by conflict, persecution or other serious human rights violations, to-date Refugee Academic Futures has supported nearly 50 scholars from more than 25 countries across 38 courses.  

Scholars are selected on the basis of academic merit and potential, and the scholarship covers course fees and living costs, alongside a bespoke induction programme and ongoing academic and pastoral support through the Oxford Sanctuary Community (OSC), which brings together postgraduate students with experiences of displacement.

Pursuing change through study 

For many scholars on the programme, the decision to pursue further study – and the subjects they choose – is shaped by personal experience.  

Claudette (St Peter’s College), from Mexico, is studying for a Master of Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government. After beginning her career as a human rights lawyer, she became interested in intergenerational fairness. She was actively involved in negotiations around the UN Declaration on Future Generations, which commits governments to incorporating long-term thinking into policymaking.

Her interest in this area is deeply personal.  

‘When I was 13 years old, I lived as a displaced person,’ Claudette says. ‘I am originally from northern Mexico and I had to move temporarily to Mexico City because of cartel violence. My grandfather was kidnapped and we were threatened, so we had to leave my home state for some time.’

Reflecting on this experience has led her to think deeply about the consequences of policy decisions. In 2006 Mexico’s government launched a ‘war on drugs’, which resulted in increased insecurity and violence in the country.

‘They didn't consider that if the decision wasn't planned well enough, there will be collateral victims and damage. Short-termism it's a big problem in government and it's something that  has real life consequences.’

A similarly strong sense of purpose underpins the path taken by Reem (Lincoln College), who is studying for a master’s in neuroscience. After training and working in medicine in Sudan, she had been developing a project to support families affected by genetic and neurological conditions when conflict brought that work to a halt in 2023.  

‘This is where my passion stems from – working with those families,’ she says. ’We were starting a project to help them and then the war came. So, everything was stopped and then shut down.’

She began looking for ways to continue her work and move into translational research, building on her clinical experience.

Beyond financial support 

Neither Reem nor Claudette initially set out to apply for the Refugee Academic Futures scheme. Instead, they became aware of it during the admissions process.  

For Claudette, applying became an important moment of reflection.

‘It gave me the opportunity to reflect on my journey to this point,’ she says. ‘I was scared about applying because in my view the people who deserved those kinds of scholarships were people leaving conflict zones or moving across borders and that wasn't the case for me. So, when I found out that I had got the scholarship, I felt validated for the first time in my life. It gave me a lot of closure, as someone who had lived through displacement but couldn’t properly name it.’

The scheme offers more than financial support. Both Claudette and Reem say they were surprised by the level of community and pastoral support provided through the Oxford Sanctuary Community, which gives scholars opportunities to connect, reflect and access support when needed. Scholars are also in regular contact with a dedicated OSC coordinator.

'I met people from different courses, but at the same time I felt like they're very similar to me. We shared lots of things in common, mainly our background and experience of displacement and we can relate to so many things. I don't think I've ever felt closer to people,’ says Reem.

At the same time, the programme is careful not to define people solely by those experiences, says Claudette.

‘The programme is structured in a way in which the safe space is always present, but there has never been an expectation from us to bond around our experience. Just to enjoy the fact that we are here and connect because we are wonderful people, not because we have been marked by something sad.’  

As the academic year draws to a close, both are considering their next steps. Rather than return to a clinical setting, Reem hopes to now pursue research roles and explore how she might contribute to addressing underrepresented health conditions in Sudan. Claudette plans to return to Mexico to continue advising governments on long-term policy implementation. She is particularly interested in leveraging public budgeting processes, courts, and bureaucracies to make change a reality.

Both describe the Refugee Academic Futures scheme as a transformative experience. Reem is particularly passionate about raising awareness of the scheme and encouraging others to apply. ‘Your background doesn't have to stop you from reaching your potential,’ she says. ‘The Refugee Academic Futures scholarship for me was a major part for me to move towards achieving that myself.’

Find out more about Academic Futures.