Refugee Academic Grants

CARA grants aim to help refugee academics who are looking to take academic or professional qualifications to improve their employment prospects in the UK. CARA holds 2 grant rounds a year, with deadlines for applications every June and December. Decisions on applications are made two months after the deadlines.

Eligibility criteria To be eligible for a CARA grant you must

have worked as a lecturer and/or researcher at a university in your home country
have UK refugee status (ILR, ELR, HP or DL)
want to undertake a qualification to improve your job prospects.

If you were a lecturer or researcher at a university in your home country, but are still waiting to hear the outcome of your asylum application, please contact CARA to discuss other ways in which we can help you. Please also refer to the Useful Organisations page for information regarding other organisations and trusts that might be able to help you with funding, support or guidance. Please see Frequently Asked Questions.

How to Apply If you meet the above criteria, please contact CARA for an enquiry form on 0207 021 0880 or info.cara@lsbu.ac.uk or by post at CARA, London South Bank University Technopark, 90 London Road, London, SE1 6LN. For more information on how to apply, please see Frequently Asked Questions.

Types of funding A CARA grant can be used to cover tuition fees and related expenses. For example: exam or bench fees, research related costs, travel expenses, equipment costs (eg. computer), books, printing and stationery costs and childcare costs. CARA will also consider grants for work placements that will clearly improve your employment prospects. There is no fixed minimum or maximum amount that can be applied for.