BELFAST Metropolitan College is offering scholarships to a number of asylum seekers.
The aim of the scholarship award is to "provide opportunities to those who have been displaced, especially asylum seekers who do not have the right to work in the UK but can study".
The further education college said that with "extremely limited options provided to them to pay for their education", it was keen to offer asylum seekers access to education.
The Sanctuary Scholarship Award covers the total fees of the students’ college course for the forthcoming academic year.
Harry Robinson, head of academic and continuing education, said: "Belfast Met is recognised as Northern Ireland’s first College of Sanctuary and plays an important role in the education and integration of those seeking asylum in NI.
"I am delighted that we are able to provide the new Sanctuary Scholarship Award to help give much needed support to those learners that experience particular hardship and barriers to education due to their immigration status."
Louise Warde Hunter, principal and chief executive of Belfast Metropolitan College, added that they have "an inclusive, doors-open-to-all approach to teaching, with a particular focus on providing opportunities to those most disadvantaged in our society".
"It is only right that we offer the scholarship award to two asylum seekers who have sadly had to find refuge in Northern Ireland due to the very difficult conditions in their own country," she said.
"Education is a basic human right and we are proud to be able to support asylum seekers by providing them with skills, knowledge and qualifications which will hopefully be useful when they have their asylum recognised.
"We would be honoured to support you on your educational journey."
