Asylum Seekers - Education and training

Children

All children, aged 5-18, are entitled to free full-time education or training in England. This rule applies equally across local authority schools, academies and free schools.

To apply for a school place in Wyre Forest, submit your application directly through Worcestershire County Council. Applications can be completed online Worcestershire Apply for a School Place

16 - 19 year olds

To apply for a post-16 (sixth form or college) place in the Wyre Forest area, you must apply directly to your chosen school sixth form or further education college, as applications are not processed centrally by Worcestershire County Council.

You can explore courses, check open days, and submit your application online through the local careers network, Careers Worcestershire.

Adults

There are no legal restrictions on asylum seekers studying in the UK unless you have a “no study” bail condition on your Bail 201 letter.

You can also study if it is over 6 months since you submitted your asylum claim to the Home Office and no decision has been made.

However, you will have to fulfil the entry requirements of the course and pay the course fees unless you are eligible for Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funded courses.

Obtaining a college place is at the discretion of the college in accordance with their admissions policy.

ESFA funded courses are government-backed programs managed by the Department for Education (DfE) in England. They include adult education training (funded via the Adult Skills Fund) and are designed to provide free qualifications to eligible learners.

English for speakers of other languages courses

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses are aimed at people who want to improve their English and don’t have English as their first language. They enable you to understand British culture and citizenship. Some courses will focus on employability and the job market in the UK. ESOL Courses are offered at a range of learning levels.

At the end of each level, you will have an exam which includes speaking and listening, reading, and writing. If you pass, you can progress to the next level. ESOL courses not only help you to improve your English language knowledge, and this is especially useful for those who are looking to get into work.

International qualifications

The UK national agency for international qualifications and skills (UK ENIC) offers Statement of Comparability | UK ENIC, which compares overseas qualifications to UK qualifications and framework levels. The Statement of Comparability service can evaluate part-completed school qualifications. This may help people arriving in the UK from overseas who want their children to study A levels. When you request a statement of comparability you will need clear colour photographs or scans of your final certificate(s) and/or transcript(s), and certified translations of your documents if your documents are not in English and you are not going to use UK ENIC Translation Waiver Service. Note that there is a cost for this service.