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Refugees and asylum seekers

We’ll be on-hand to offer support at every step of your university experience
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  4. Refugees and asylum seekers

Both refugee and asylum-seeking students are welcome to study at LSBU. We’ll be on-hand to offer support at every step of your university experience, helping you to settle in, focus on your studies and enjoy everything university has to offer.

A refugee student has been granted immigration permission in the UK whereas, an asylum seeker has applied to the Home Office to be recognised as a refugee but is yet to receive confirmation. For further information about how we can support your journey at university, please contact us via LSBU MyAccount or by using our Enquiry Form.

Our support package for refugee and asylum-seeking students includes:

  • Financial support – Both refugee and asylum-seeking students can receive support managing their finances from the Student Advice Team and, with this team’s support, apply for hardship funds when available.

    • Student Money Advice | London South Bank University (lsbu.ac.uk)

  • Year-long accommodation - we’re pleased to be able to offer both refugee and asylum-seeking students up to 52-week contracts (standard fees apply) in our halls of residence, including over the Christmas and summer breaks.
  • 24/7 accommodation support – in halls, our Operational Residence Management teams, Accommodation Office Team and Out of Hours Residential Wellbeing Managers are on hand 24-hours a day to provide welfare and wellbeing support.
  • A team to help – at LSBU, we offer students support for all queries, concerns and support needs, please contact us via LSBU MyAccount or by using our Enquiry Form.
  • STAR Student Group – Student Action for Refugees (STAR) is a national charity, comprised of 50 groups of 34,000 students, welcoming refugees to the UK. LSBU is one of the few universities in the country working in partnership with STAR to help refugee and asylum-seeking students to acclimatise to student life while campaigning and educating on their experiences.
  • Ongoing support – throughout your time with us, we can offer regular 1:1 advice, guidance and coaching, as well as signposting you to access wider student support services around the university.
  • Mental health and wellbeing support

    • it’s understandable if you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed. You can always speak to one of our mental health professionals about what’s going on. They can support you with any emotional challenges your experiencing and provide advice about next steps.’

Beyond university life, we understand the obstacles that may arise while maintaining a balance of life and studying. We recommend some of the following services for a variety of common issues that may arise for refugees and asylum seekers:

General enquiries for refugees and asylum seekers

For general enquiries that may help you on your journey as both a student and as a resident of London, here are a range of organisations that contain several resources that may prove useful.

Legal advice

For general legal advice, you can pay a visit to the Legal Advice Clinic on campus, where our ambassadors will be happy to help.

For immigration advice and enquiries, there a range of solicitors across London that offer free legal advice through Legal Aid or public funding. Before visiting any of the following solicitors, please ensure your case will be eligible for Legal Aid.

Barnes Harrild & Dyer

East Croydon Office  
4th Floor, Park House
22 Park Street
Croydon, CR0 1YE

Mobile: 07921 399 838
Mobile: 07921 399 839

West Croydon Office
76 London Road
Croydon, Surrey
CR0 2TB

Phone: 0208 681 5128                                        
Fax: 0208 686 9776
Email: enquiries@bhdsolicitors.co.uk
Website: www.bhdsolicitors.co.uk

Bindmans LLP

236 Gray’s Inn Road
London
WC1X 8HB

DX 37904 King’s Cross
Tel: 0207 833 4433
Fax: 0207 837 9792
Dedicated immigration enquiry line on: 0207 014 2090
Email: info@bindmans.com
Website: www.bindmans.com

Cardinal Hume Centre

Duncan Lewis Solicitors

New Cross Office
182 New Cross Road  
New Cross Gate  
London  
SE14 5AA

Holborn Office
107-111 Fleet Street
London
EC4A 2AB

Hackney Office
1 Kingsland High Street
Dalston
Hackney
London
E8 2JS

Telephone: 033 3772 0409
Website: www.duncanlewis.co.uk

Elder Rahimi Solicitors

Fadiga & Co

Balham Office
257- 259 Balham High Road
London
SW17 7BD

Tel: 020 8672 8779
Fax: 020 8675 5958

FREE ADVICE SESSION – ONLY IN BALHAM OFFICE
Every Saturday at 11:00am - 1:30pm

Stratford Office  
39 Broadway
London, E15 4BQ
Tel: 020 8534 9429

Email: admin@fadiga.co.uk
Website: www.fadigaandco.com

Howe & Co Solicitors

1010 Great West Road
Brentford
TW8 9BA

DX 315004 Brentford 5
Telephone: 0208 840 4688
Fax: 0208 840 7209
Website: www.howe.co.uk

Kesar & Co Solicitors

Lupins Immigration Solicitors

Luqmani Thompson & Partners Solicitors

77/79 High Road
Wood Green
London  
N22 6BB

DX 34715 Wood Green 2
Telephone: +44 20 8365 7800
Fax:+44 20 8826 0148

Website: www.luqmanithompson.com

Sutovic & Hartigan Solicitors LLP

271 High Street
Acton
London
W3 9BT

Telephone: 0208 993 5544
Fax: 0208 993 2555

Trauma Support and Counselling

In addition to the ongoing guidance and support on offer on campus, there a range of centres both in the area local to LSBU and across London that specialise in offering help to refugees and asylum seekers. These centres offer a range of services from counselling, therapy, discussion groups and health advice, to different kinds of wellbeing, education and support services. There are also trauma support services available under the NHS, although they may require a referral from your GP.

African Society for Relief and Development (ASRD)

Somali Integration & Development Association

South London Refugee Association

Southwark Refugee Communities Forum

Streatham Drop-in Centre for Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Waterloo Community Counselling (Lambeth and Southwark)

Centre 70

Talking Therapies Southwark - South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Notre Dame Refugee Centre

Joint Committee for the Welfare of Immigrants

Refugee Therapy Centre

Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers

Haringey Migrant Support Centre

Hackney Migrant Centre

CARIS Haringey

Praxis Community Projects

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