What is Challenge 26?

Challenge 26 is bringing together Newcastle University alumni to raise awareness of the refugee crisis and raise much-needed funds to support students from asylum-seeker and refugee background to access higher education at Newcastle University. 

Alumni are taking on the challenge and completing a sporting activity including the number 26 between Monday 13 September – Saturday 9 October. For my challenge, I'm completing 26 different Olympic Sports in 26 days! From the 5000m to archery, trampolining to track cycling, climbing and even skateboarding, I'll be travelling across London to try my hand at some of the sports featured in Tokyo at this year's Olympics. 

Why scholarships for refugees and asylum seekers?

Access to higher education is not only a right – for many, it is a life-changing opportunity. It is a means of improving job prospects, and an essential part of wellbeing. But at the moment, people seeking refugee protection in the UK are often locked out of higher education.

Globally, just 3% of refugees worldwide have access to higher education, compared to 37% of the general population. In the UK, people seeking asylum are treated as international students and asked to pay international fees, yet do not have access to student finance and are not allowed to work. 

Providing financial support for refugee and asylum seeking students opens up more opportunities for refugees to go to university. Any donations will go towards Newcastle University's Sanctuary Scholarships. Find out about the scholarships here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees-funding/scholarships-bursaries/sanctuary/. 

Thank you for donating!