Erasmus+ Eligibility: Asylum Seekers

Lord Bishop of Sheffield Excerpts

Thursday 29th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[The Lord Bishop of Sheffield]

My Lords, I am proud that both the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University offer sanctuary scholarships to support talented students who have sought asylum in the UK. Noble Lords will know that many asylum seekers and refugees arrive in the UK already equipped with language skills, vocational training and, indeed, advanced degrees. Given the Government’s intention to introduce an international student levy on English higher education providers, will any of the revenue raised be reinvested in asylum seekers and refugees pursuing higher education or further education in this country?

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

All the revenue raised from the international student levy will be invested into higher education and the rest of the skills system, including the reintroduction of maintenance grants to enable students from all backgrounds to benefit from our world-class higher education. Our decision to lift the cap and to index-link tuition fee increases over the next few years will increase revenues to universities by £6 billion, while the international student levy will be a maximum of £1 billion, and not until 2027-28.