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Support for Ukrainian & Russian students


Support for Ukrainian & Russian students (2022/23)

Words cannot fully convey the impact of conflict, and at a time of increasing tensions and constant media coverage, it can prove difficult to predict how it will affect us, and at times, to navigate the support that is available. 

On 24 February 2022, we wrote to all Ukrainian and Russian students to re-state our commitment of support to all students.  You can find this email here.  Our International Advisers and Wellbeing Advisers are here to support you and answer any questions or concerns you may have so please do get in touch by email or visit their offices in Founder's East, 1st floor. 

Advice and personal wellbeing support for international students

Our International Advisers and Wellbeing Advisers are here to support you and answer any questions or concerns you may have so please do get in touch by email or visit Founder's East, room 132.

Wellbeing: International Advice

  •  Tom Pease, Catherine Lithgow, Scott Lindsay, Amanda Ellis and Szu Ho.

Wellbeing: Support & Guidance

  • Lucy Cox, Emma Stanley, Louise Clare, Susan Eastburn, Steve Stubbs and Chris Evans.

Immigration Advice – Ukraine Visa Schemes

 

The UK Government has introduced 3 new visa schemes to assist with the refugee crisis caused by the conflict and to provide protection to those currently in the UK.

These include

The Ukraine Family Scheme

The Homes for Ukraine Scheme

The Ukraine Extension Scheme

We recommend that all applicants and current students contact our International Wellbeing team for advice before applying to any of the above

 

Home fees and student loans for Ukrainian nationals

If you are granted one of the 3 visas included under the ‘Ukraine Visa Schemes’ list then you may be eligible to pay home fees and receive a student loan to cover the cost of your fees and contribute towards your living costs.

You can find details about the how persons with leave under the Ukraine schemes will be assessed for home fee status here

You can apply for a student loan via the page here

If you have any questions about gaining home fee status or applying for a student loan, please contact our Financial Wellbeing Team

Letter to Ukrainian students from the Universities Minister, Michelle Donelan 

Universities have been asked to share a letter from the Rt.Hon. Michelle Donelan, Minister of State for Higher and Further Education within the UK Government to all students from Ukraine.  This was shared by email with Ukrainian students on Friday 29 April and also shared here.

Financial support for students impacted by the war in Ukraine

Students impacted financially by the war in Ukraine are eligible to apply to the Study Support Grant for direct assistance. 

Apply to the Study Support Grant

Contact the Financial Wellbeing Team for further advice and support. 

Ukraine Advice Project UK 

The Ukraine Advice Project UK are a group of volunteer legal professionals with immigration and asylum expertise.  They are providing a free service to connect Ukrainian citizens in need of free legal advice on UK immigration, visas and asylum with qualified and regulated lawyers.

Find out more here

Student Space (Student Minds) 

Student Space is here to support you.

You can text ‘STUDENT’ to 85258 to start a conversation about your worries, or explore one of their other direct support services.

Find out more here.

Are you unable to attend, join lessons or struggling to learn effectively?

Contact your personal tutor to discuss the support that will help you at this time; we can make arrangements for you to join sessions online and discuss arrangements that will help if you are unable to learn at the moment. 

Extensions & Extenuating Circumstances

We cannot begin to imagine the full extent of the impact on your studies at the moment. We recognise that this will be different for each of you - and a situation that will fluctuate. 'Extenuation Circumstances' and 'Extensions' are available to support you should you have difficulties in being able to complete assessments, submit a piece of assessed work or undertake an exam.  You only need to let us know you are struggling and we will support you to make sure that your circumstances do not hamper your academic outcomes.

These regulations apply to all students studying on taught programmes (or for taught elements of a research programmes) including programmes offered with / via our partners, such as Kaplan (Singapore) and the NHS.

You can find out more here

 

Change in accommodation needs? 

If you are experiencing difficulties with being able to travel home as planned, please speak to the Residential Services Team in the Hub, George Eliot or Kingswood Receptions

You can find their telephone and location contact details here or can contact them by email

Support for everyone affected by the news 

We understand that the current news is distressing and worrying for everyone and not just those directly impacted.  It is understandable and okay to be experiencing these feelings and we're here to support you through this. Do remember:

  • It is a natural and normal response to feel upset, angry and distressed by world events. Take ownership of your feelings and share how you feel by talking to a friend, family or a member of our team
  • Take care of you and remember to do things that make you happy and relaxed - go for a walk, listen to a podcast, head to the gym or have a coffee with a friend. 
  • Regulate your consumption of the news in all formats and make sure when you do catch up you get your information from accurate sources.  Don't become overwhelmed with trying to keep up with every aspect of what is happening. 
  • Focus on the positive - for all the bad news we see each day there are reports of bravery, compassion and hope emerging from the conflict and it is important to recognise these for what they are. 

You can access all of our Wellbeing services on line or in person - find out how here.  

How can I help those impacted?

Many of us want to help those impacted by the conflict in Ukraine.

Our Volunteering team are also working with local charities, organisations and student societies to support arrangements for the collection and delivery of humanitarian aid. We will share new projects as we are made aware of them.

There are a number of charities already set up to assist with the provision of aid and you may consider helping via donating or supporting these charities and organisations. 

 

 

A Call for Volunteers, especially Ukrainian and Russian speakers

The UK Government's Homes for Ukraine visa scheme is making it possible for thousands of Ukrainians to come to the UK. 

Christ Church Virginia Water is just 5 minutes’ drive from Royal Holloway University, and are expecting to have 5 to 10 households willing to host refugees, and a greater number volunteering to help the hosts and refugees in various ways. They think there will also be many other hosts and refugees in the local area. Therefore they are planning to set up a “hub” in our church building where the refugees can meet each other and get support in different ways such as form filling, English lessons or a creche.

At the moment they can involve Ukrainian speakers immediately to provide support.  For instance they can speak on the phone to refugees in Europe who are in the process of being matched with our hosts, providing reassurance to both refugees and hosts. When the refugees arrive there are many ways volunteers could help, some time consuming, some not.  

If you are interested and can help then visit the Royal Holloway Volunteering Platform to join the volunteer opportunity. 

 

Founder’s Building lit in the colours of the Ukrainian flag showing our support for all those impacted by this conflict. (7 March 2022)

Founder's Ukraine (07-Mar-22)

 

 

 

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