College of Sanctuary
As a (prospective) FE College of Sanctuary, we support the ‘City of Sanctuary’ vision that the UK will be a welcoming place of safety for all, offering sanctuary to people fleeing violence and persecution.
We endorse the City of Sanctuary Charter and agree to act in accordance with City of Sanctuary values and apply the network principles within our work.
As part of our commitment to this vision, we:
- Work to ensure our staff are effectively equipped and trained to understand and meet the needs of students from forced migration backgrounds, and understand how we can foster a culture where everyone feels safe, has a sense of belonging, and can succeed;
- Seek to identify and overcome barriers to educational access and progression for students seeking sanctuary;
- Centre the voices of students with lived experience of (forced) migration to learn how we can improve our practice and provision, and enable them to lead sanctuary-related activities where relevant;
- Raise awareness about the experiences of people seeking sanctuary with everyone in our college community, challenging misconceptions and recognising how new arrivals enrich our community and the UK more widely;
- Connect and collaborate with other organisations and institutions working to support people seeking sanctuary;
- Recognise that we all have a role to play in building a culture of understanding, kindness and compassion, both in college and beyond.
On this webpage, we list relevant information, support and opportunities available for students seeking sanctuary (including refugees and asylum seekers) to help address barriers to access. Students who are also care leavers may be eligible for additional support.
If you are a refugee or asylum-seeking (prospective) student and have a question, please contact us.
What is City of Sanctuary UK?
Launched in October 2005 in Sheffield, City of Sanctuary started with the vision that the UK should be a welcoming place of safety for all and proud to offer sanctuary to people fleeing violence and persecution. From this start in a single location, the idea has spread into a grassroots network of more than 120 local groups in the UK.
Schools & Colleges of Sanctuary is an initiative from Bristol City of Sanctuary, which aims to:
- Foster positive attitudes within schools, colleges and their communities around people seeking sanctuary
- Support schools and colleges to take positive steps towards being places of safety and inclusion for all
- Recognise and celebrate schools and colleges that are committed to welcoming and supporting people seeking sanctuary
City of Bristol College is proud to have regained its status as a College of Sanctuary. This means we are committed to being a safe and welcoming place for people whose lives were in danger in their own country.
We are a college that helps its students, staff and wider community to understand what it means to be seeking sanctuary, and to extend a welcome to everyone as equal, valued members of our college community.
Useful links for refugees and those seeking sanctuary
Useful links:
Information about the asylum process
This Right to Remain guide on asylum is written for children and young people.
The Right to Remain toolkit goes step by step through the different stages of the asylum system for anyone over It also includes information about the immigration system.
