Exeter College announced the creation of the Oxford-Exeter-Sandys Scholarship on 11th February and is preparing to welcome its first recipient in the upcoming academic year. The new award is part of the University of Oxford’s Academic Futures programme, an initiative designed to increase diversity and access within graduate education.
The scholarship has been made possible through a substantial donation from the Sandys Charitable Trust. This contribution secured 2:1 matched funding via the University’s Graduate Endowment Matched Scholarship (GEMS) scheme, significantly increasing the financial support available for future scholars.
The Sandys Charitable Trust was created through the estate of Richard Michael Oliver, 7th Baron Sandys. Lord Sandys and his wife were longstanding advocates for refugee support initiatives, dedicating much of their lives to humanitarian causes.
The Oxford-Exeter-Sandys Scholarship is intended for graduate students who have refugee status or lived experience of displacement, including those with partial or temporary refugee status, and those under humanitarian protection. It provides comprehensive financial support, covering full University tuition fees and college fees, as well as a maintenance grant for the entirety of the recipient’s course.
Announcing the scholarship, the University said that, while eligibility is not restricted to a single discipline, preference may be given to applicants for DPhil studies in International Development or Migration Studies. Particular consideration will be given to research proposals that demonstrate clear relevance and practical benefit to refugees and displaced communities.
The scholarship was developed through collaboration between Exeter College, the Refugee Studies Centre, and the University’s central funding team. A spokesperson from Exeter College told Cherwell: “Once admitted to Exeter College, scholars will become full members of our academic community. The College will work with each refugee scholar as an individual to support their success at Oxford. We are proud to contribute to this important initiative and look forward to welcoming scholars to Exeter.”
A spokesperson for the Refugee Studies Centre told Cherwell: “We aim to reach as wide an audience as possible with information about this scholarship. We will promote the scholarship widely through our networks and through the Refugee-Led Research Hub, which is based at the Refugee Studies Centre.
“The Hub supports individuals with lived experience of forced displacement to become leaders in humanitarian response, forced migration, human rights, and other areas of interest identified by affiliates. They do so by delivering academic programming to a cohort of students who have been affected by displacement, supporting access to graduate degrees (including through help with applications) and professional development opportunities.”
Professor Tom Scott-Smith, Director of the Refugee Studies Centre, said: “This scholarship represents an important commitment both to widening access to postgraduate research and to advancing rigorous scholarship on forced displacement.
“By combining full financial support with a clear academic focus, it will enable outstanding doctoral researchers from a wide range of backgrounds to undertake research that deepens our understanding of the issues surrounding refugees and forced migration. We are profoundly grateful to the Sandys Charitable Trust for making this possible.”
Information about applying for the Oxford–Exeter–Sandys Graduate Scholarship for entry in October 2027 will be available in due course. Details of the specific selection criteria, pre-application guidance, and other support offered to applicants for this scholarship are currently under discussion.
