Location: France
Program: Postgraduate (Master’s Degree)
Eligibility: International Students
Duration: 2 years
Deadline: March 15, 2026
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The UNIV’R – University for Refugees Programme is a transformative and fully supported academic corridor initiative launched by UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, in partnership with Sciences Po Paris one of France’s most prestigious and globally renowned institutions of higher learning to provide exceptional refugee students with the opportunity to pursue a fully supported two-year Master’s degree in France, commencing in August/September 2026. Now in its fifth cohort, the UNIV’R Programme is built on a foundational belief that forced displacement should never extinguish academic ambition, and that the world’s most talented refugees deserve access to the same transformative educational opportunities available to anyone else. The programme provides comprehensive support to selected scholars including administrative, social, and financial assistance throughout their studies, coverage of visa application fees, a scholarship to cover travel and social security expenses, and access to Sciences Po’s world-class academic environment and global alumni network.
Sciences Po Paris is one of Europe’s most selective and internationally distinguished institutions, consistently ranked among the world’s top universities for social sciences, international affairs, law, and political science. Founded in 1872, Sciences Po has for over 150 years shaped the careers of heads of state, diplomats, academics, journalists, and leaders across every sector of public and private life in France and across the globe. With a deeply international academic community, Sciences Po attracts students from over 150 countries and delivers its programmes in both French and English, making it uniquely accessible to a global cohort of scholars.
Benefits of the Programme
This programme will provide the following to its recipients:
- Waiver of the €150 Sciences Po application fee for eligible refugee applicants
- Scholarship covering travel expenses to and from France
- Scholarship covering French social security (health coverage) expenses during the programme
- Administrative support throughout the visa and enrolment process
- Social support and integration assistance upon arrival in France
- Other benefit
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Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this programme, applicants must meet the following:
- Must be a refugee individually recognised by UNHCR or by the relevant State authority — valid proof of refugee status (certificate or card explicitly stating the status and date of validity, translated into English or French) must be provided
- Must currently be residing in a first country of asylum located outside the European Union — resettled refugees already living within the EU are not eligible
- Must hold at least a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in a field relevant to the chosen Sciences Po Master’s programme
- Must not be more than 30 years at the time of application
- Must meet Sciences Po Paris’s specific academic requirements, including evidence of a strong GPA and all other standard admission requirements for the chosen programme
- Must submit the fee waiver request
- Must then complete and submit the full application file on the Sciences Po admissions platform before February 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM Paris time, with proof of refugee status again attached
- Programmes are available in both English and French
- Must be able to obtain a French student visa to study in France for the duration of the programme
Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements
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Selection Criteria
The UNIV’R Programme selection process is conducted jointly by UNHCR and Sciences Po Paris and operates in two interlinked stages. The first stage is managed by Sciences Po through its standard admissions process all applicants, including those applying through the UNIV’R refugee pathway, are evaluated against the same academic criteria applied to all Sciences Po Master’s applicants. This includes the strength of the applicant’s undergraduate academic record and GPA, the quality of their motivation letter and research interests, the relevance of their prior studies to their chosen Master’s programme, and their demonstrated capacity to succeed in a rigorous, research-intensive postgraduate environment delivered in either English or French.
How to Apply
CLICK HERE to visit the official webpage and submit your application.
