Opening doors: Supporting HE access for displaced students
The numbers tell a compelling story: by the end of 2024, 123.2 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to conflict, persecution, climate change and other crises. Many fall within the typical age range for tertiary education, and a significant number were previously enrolled in higher education before displacement interrupted their academic journeys. This presents both unprecedented challenges and remarkable opportunities for European higher education institutions to make a meaningful difference in lives that have been disrupted by forces beyond their control. To assess the current understanding of the experiences, barriers and opportunities facing forcibly displaced students in European higher education, we conducted a narrative review of existing research and developed evidence-based recommendations for institutions, which form the basis of the policy brief we developed as part of the COST Action CA20115 - the European Network on International Student Mobility: Connecting Research and Practice (ENIS), with funding from COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). This blog builds on that policy brief, highlighting the key findings and exploring practical ways institutions can turn what may seem like insurmountable challenges into opportunities for growth, innovation, and meaningful social impact.
Recent research reveals that while some countries and institutions have introduced support measures, responses across Europe remain frustratingly fragmented. Forcibly displaced students find themselves caught between categories - neither domestic not international students in the traditional sense - leaving many institutions unprepared to address their needs. Yet the potential for positive impact extends far beyond individual student success, reaching into communities and contributing to a more inclusive, globally-minded higher education landscape.
Forcibly displaced students find themselves caught between categories – neither domestic nor international students in the traditional sense – leaving many institutions unprepared to address their unique needs.
The challenge: More complex than housing and fees
While accommodation and financial constraints are obvious barriers, the reality facing forcibly displaced students is far more complex. These students must navigate new learning styles, academic expectations and writing conventions while coping with ongoing uncertainty about their legal status. The misalignment between long-term academic planning and the unpredictability of asylum procedures creates a unique form of stress that traditional student support services aren't designed to address.
Language barriers compound these difficulties, particularly in countries where the academic language isn't widely used internationally. Meanwhile, many students struggle with profound social disconnection – feeling isolated both from fellow displaced individuals who may not understand their choice to pursue education rather than immediate employment, and from the broader student community who cannot relate to their complex family responsibilities and concerns about loved ones back home.
Perhaps most challenging is the tendency for institutions to treat displaced students as a generic "vulnerable group," overlooking the intersecting inequalities of gender, race and ethnicity that create additional layers of discrimination and exclusion.
Four transformative opportunities for institutions:
1. Rethinking access: Beyond traditional admissions
Creating dedicated admission pathways for forcibly displaced students represents more than administrative accommodation – it's an opportunity to pioneer innovative approaches to recognising human potential. By developing alternative methods for validating prior education and qualifications, such as the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees, institutions can lead the way in acknowledging that learning transcends formal documentation.
This approach requires flexibility with application deadlines and eligibility criteria, but the reward is significant: institutions that successfully integrate displaced students often report enhanced diversity of perspectives in classrooms and increased cultural competency among all students and staff. This is the case of the University of Bologna that has launched a special admission pathway for displaced students, refugees and Afghan or Iranian women living in their home countries for the 2025/26 academic year, in the Business and Economics (CLABE) and Management and Economics (CLAME) programmes.
2. Financial innovation: Comprehensive support models
Moving beyond simple tuition waivers, forward-thinking institutions are developing comprehensive financial aid programmes that recognise the full scope of student needs. This includes not just accommodation and meals, but transportation, healthcare, educational materials and understanding that many students support family members both locally and abroad.
The key is creating transparent, standardised eligibility criteria that respond quickly to crisis situations while avoiding the creation of hierarchies based on immigration status or nationality. When done well, these programmes can become models for supporting all students facing financial hardship. One example is Nova University Lisbon that has implemented special financial support for Ukrainian refugees, including access to social grants and scholarships, as well as equal treatment with national students regarding tuition fees, other fees and stipends.
3. Academic and social integration: Building belonging
Successful programmes go far beyond orientation sessions to create ongoing, tailored support that addresses the unique academic and social challenges displaced students face. This includes specialised language support that helps students navigate both academic requirements and broader social contexts, mentorship programmes that connect them with peers and academic mentors, and recognition of the psychological impact of displacement.
The most innovative institutions are supporting bottom-up initiatives, helping displaced students establish their own associations and providing platforms for engagement in academic life. This approach recognises that these students are not passive recipients of support but active contributors to campus communities.
4. Institutional capacity: Training for transformation
Perhaps most importantly, successful programmes invest in mandatory training for administrative and academic staff on addressing the specific needs of forcibly displaced students. This isn't just about cultural sensitivity – it's about building institutional capacity to recognise and respond to complex needs while fostering an environment where all students can thrive.
The ripple effect: Impact beyond individual success
The benefits of well-designed support programmes extend far beyond the students they directly serve. Faculty report that diverse classrooms enhance learning for all students, while institutions often find that their reputation for inclusive excellence attracts high-quality students and staff from around the world.
Moreover, these programmes help institutions fulfil their civic purpose by demonstrating how higher education can respond meaningfully to global challenges. Students who receive this support often become powerful ambassadors for their institutions and contribute significantly to alumni networks.
Overcoming implementation challenges
Implementing comprehensive support for forcibly displaced students requires significant institutional commitment and resources. Concerns about costs, administrative complexity and ensuring quality outcomes are legitimate. However, institutions that have successfully developed these programmes emphasise that the investment pays dividends in enhanced reputation, increased diversity and fulfilled mission objectives.
The key is starting with clear institutional commitment, investing in proper training and support systems and developing partnerships with relevant agencies and community organisations. Success requires moving beyond short-term, project-based responses to develop coherent, sustainable support pathways.
A call to action: From challenge to opportunity
The presence of forcibly displaced students in European higher education is not a temporary challenge to be managed – it's an ongoing reality that offers institutions the chance to demonstrate leadership in addressing one of the most pressing issues of our time. By developing comprehensive, thoughtful approaches to supporting these students, institutions can transform potential difficulties into opportunities for growth, innovation and meaningful social impact.
The question isn't whether institutions can afford to invest in supporting forcibly displaced students – it's whether they can afford not to. In an increasingly interconnected world, the institutions that thrive will be those that embrace complexity, demonstrate genuine commitment to inclusion and recognise that supporting the most vulnerable members of their communities ultimately strengthens the entire educational ecosystem.
The research is clear, the need is urgent and the opportunity for positive impact is immense. The time for action is now.
In an increasingly interconnected world, the institutions that thrive will be those that embrace complexity, demonstrate genuine commitment to inclusion and recognise that supporting the most vulnerable members of their communities ultimately strengthens the entire educational ecosystem.
