Refugee Education
UAF
Netherlands-wide
A foundation supporting refugee students, professionals and scientists with study guidance, financial assistance, language development and routes into work.
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Eligibility is narrower than the word student suggests. Support is for people who have applied for asylum in the Netherlands, hold an asylum-based residence permit, or arrived through family reunification with a refugee. An international student or worker without that status cannot apply.
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About
UAF, formally Stichting voor Vluchteling-Studenten UAF, is a foundation based in Utrecht. It grew out of the arrival in 1948 of Czech students and teachers who fled after a student uprising in Prague was suppressed, when Dutch universities arranged for them to continue studying and working here. Today it guides refugee students, professionals and academics through modules covering study and the route to work, and it can pay for or help arrange payment of tuition, language courses, books, a computer and travel. Since 2022 study loans are concluded and repaid with Kredietbank Nederland rather than with UAF, because issuing credit requires an AFM licence, and UAF helps clients apply. Registration starts with a form, a telephone call or an email, after which a person receives a link and a code for the registration form. UAF also works with municipalities, employers and higher education institutions, and it is registered with the Dutch tax authority as an ANBI public benefit organisation.
What they offer
- Help applying for a study loan, concluded and repaid with Kredietbank Nederland
- Knowledge sharing and advocacy with municipalities, employers and education institutions
Programmes
- Programma voor gevluchte wetenschappers (opens in a new tab)
For academics with a refugee background who want to do a doctorate in the Netherlands, or who already hold one from their country of origin and want to find matching work.
- UAF Academy
Dutch at A2 level is enough for the Academy, where most other support requires B1.
Good to know
- The published conditions include having applied for asylum, holding an asylum-based residence permit or arriving through family reunification with a refugee; around ten years of previous schooling; Dutch at B1 level for most support and A2 for the UAF Academy; and a study aim at MBO level 3 or 4, higher professional education or university.
- Since 2022 study loans are concluded with and repaid to Kredietbank Nederland rather than to UAF. UAF helps with the application.
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This entry describes an independent organisation. How to in NL is not affiliated with them, listing is not an endorsement, and it does not mean they can help with your particular situation. Check the details on their own website before acting.