Statement on Ukraine
We understand that the invasion of Ukraine will be distressing for many people in our community and we are here to support you.
We are deeply troubled at recent events and we fully endorse the Universities UK statement on this issue:
Our response
Our immediate focus has been on supporting affected students and staff. We have suspended all affected exchange programmes and have been supporting the safe repatriation of all affected students. We value our exchange partnerships but we have a responsibility to act in the best interests of our students and to take decisive action when there are concerns for safety and wellbeing.
We are working closely with students to minimise the impact of any disruption to their studies and to provide alternative placements. Ukrainian and Russian students who have been impacted financially can apply for hardship funding and their applications will be prioritised for assessment and payment.
Support for our students and staff
We're here to support you if you've been affected by these events in any way, both through the University Chaplaincy and counselling services.
Immigration and visa support
| Ukrainian citizens in need of free legal advice on UK immigration, visas and asylum from qualified and regulated lawyers can contact Ukraine Advice Project UK | Free UK immigration advice for Ukrainians |
| Temporary visa concessions have been introduced for family members of Ukrainian nationals, and British nationals who usually live in Ukraine | Temporary visa concessions |
| Information on concessions to immigration rules for Ukrainian nationals on work and study routes can be found on the UK Government website | Temporary visa concessions for Ukrainian nationals on work and study routes |
| UK Government travel advice | Foreign travel advice - Ukraine |
| The UK Government has announced further plans to support Ukrainian nationals with extended family members of British nationals to come to the UK | Further support for Ukrainians fleeing Russia invasion |
| University immigration support (please note that there is no change to visa conditions already in place for Russian students) | Student Immigration Service |
Financial support
Students from Ukraine or Russia who are impacted financially may apply for hardship funding. Applications will be prioritised for assessment and payment, and will recognise any difficulties you may have in providing the required documentation. Please note that funding can only be paid into a UK bank account.
The University will also support students from Ukraine and Russia who are impacted by sanctions and not able to make payment for tuition fees. If you have any concerns about your ability to pay tuition fees, please contact infopoint@ed.ac.uk.
Prospective students
We are supporting prospective students who have been affected by this crisis, acknowledging that they may have difficulties gaining the qualifications and English language tests required to meet any offer conditions.
Student Recruitment & Admissions
Study support
If you are worried that your studies may be impacted by the ongoing events, please contact your School's Student Support team or your personal tutor to discuss coursework extensions and special circumstances.
Supporting each other
This is a highly distressing time for all of us and we encourage our students and staff to come together and support each other, as we look to the future with hope for peace.
A message from the University Chaplain
We are proud of being one of the world’s most international universities and recognise our responsibility to our diverse community and partners around the world. We are committed to peaceful co-operation, mutual understanding and tolerance across borders.
Respect for our community
Harassment, aggression or abuse of any member of our University community is never acceptable.
If you have been affected, you should tell someone and seek support:
- Student Support teams, personal tutors and supervisors
- Residence Life (if you are in University accommodation)
- The Students’ Association Advice Place
Any conversations will be handled with due care and confidentiality, and our staff will work with you to find the appropriate means of safety and redress.
Our Scholars
We are committed to supporting academic colleagues and will work with the Council for At-Risk Academics, as we recently did to support Afghan and Yemeni scholars. We are also working with Una Europa to support Ukrainian scholars and fellows to access higher education across our alliance.
How to donate
There are a number of organisations who are coordinating donations and support to Ukraine.
A Ukraine appeal has been launched by the UK's Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to help the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the conflict. All public donations to the DEC will be doubled by the UK government, up to a total of £20m.
Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal
United Nations High Commission for Refugees
British Red Cross Appeal for Ukraine
The University has a longstanding partnership with the Council for At Risk Academics (Cara), and colleagues are working with Cara to seek to support academics displaced by the war:
Supporting the local Edinburgh community
We are liaising with our civic partners at the City of Edinburgh Council to explore how we can best support the Ukrainian community at this time. The city of Edinburgh is twinned with Kyiv, and we stand ready to provide whatever support we can. We will work with the Home Office, UUK and others to ensure a secure and welcoming environment for refugees and asylum seekers.
Further advice on how you can support communities, both locally and further afield, who are affected by the invasion of Ukraine can be found on the SharePoint site below:
Helping communities affected by the invasion of Ukraine
Reviewing our relationships
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has prompted heightened scrutiny of UK-Russia collaboration links. In view of recent events and the sanctions that the UK has implemented against the Russian state, we are reviewing our collaborations to take account of any potential security risks.
Investments
We have instructed our investment managers to divest of all our Russian investment holdings at the earliest opportunity.