Refugee Student Settlement Pilot Launched

Universities pave way for refugee students to build new life in Australia

The Australian government has greenlit the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway (RSSP), a new pilot program allowing refugee students to migrate to Australia to take up tertiary education opportunities in 2025.  

The pilot will initially allow 20 young refugees (18-30) living displaced in Malaysia, India and Thailand to move permanently to Australia in 2025 to undertake a mix of university qualifications in fields such as nursing, civil engineering, technology, business and economics. In addition to receiving tertiary education, students will be supported by a local campus support group to assist them with settlement and integration. Students will arrive in Australia on permanent humanitarian visas, enabling them to build a new life and career with stability.

The Australian Refugee Welcome University Sponsorship Consortium (ARWUSC), chaired by the Australian National University (ANU), has been instrumental in advocating for this pilot, working together with Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA) and refugee community and student leaders.

We are absolutely delighted to share that ANU has led the development of this new groundbreaking educational pathway , which will resettle young refugee who are displaced in the Asia Pacific via a university degree. This initiative will build capacity for Australia in areas where we have significant future skills shortages and offer the students the opportunity to become productive and highly educated new Australians.

- Professor Bronwyn Parry, Dean of The Australian National University's College of Arts and Social Sciences

Building on international best practice

The Refugee Student Settlement Pathway is inspired by Canada's refugee education pathways program, which has provided higher education qualifications and protection to more than 2,000 refugees since its inception. Dr William Mude was able to study at the University of Toronto thanks to this program, and later migrated to Australia to complete his postgraduate studies. Dr Mude is now living in Canberra and working as an academic and public health professional, with expertise in epidemiology and communicable diseases.

Accessing an educational pathway transformed my life, opening doors to new opportunities and aspirations I once thought were out of reach. It's exciting to see Australia launch this refugee student scholarship program, paving the way for countless others to experience the same life-changing journey and pursue their dreams.

- Dr William Mude

The ultimate aim of this pilot is to create a permanent complementary pathway for refugee students to migrate and settle in Australia to take up tertiary education opportunities. The first 20 students are expected to arrive mid-2025, and will lay the foundations for an expanded and multi-year program.

Ensuring the pilot succeeds

Dr Sally Baker and Steph Cousins in Canberra in October 2024 securing government support for the pilot.

Leading implementation of the pilot is Dr Sally Baker, who has championed education pathway for refugees for many years and led early co-design, and Steph Cousins, founder of Skill Path Australia and former Global CEO of Talent Beyond Boundaries. A coalition of organisations are supporting the pilot to be a success.

Refugee Education Australia (REA) will support the students’ academic readiness and English language preparation, prior to their relocation to Australia. This will set the students up for success, and is based on lessons from similar refugee education pathways programs in Canada, Ireland, Japan and the United States. 

Key to the success of the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway is the level of support students are given to be able to resettle and succeed academically. We have designed a ‘soft landing’ for students, offering tailored academic preparation before they arrive in Australia, as well as academic readiness and cultural orientation when they arrive on campus.

- Dr Sally Baker, Associate Professor of Migration and Education at ANU and one of the founders of REA.

Skill Path Australia will be the lead partner with the Department of Home Affairs to manage student applications, visas and relocation to Australia, as well as connect graduates with industry and employment opportunities. Skill Path is working closely with UNHCR, refugee organisations and community leaders to identify suitable students in Malaysia, India and Thailand.

Australia has critical skills shortages and an ageing population. We need more young people willing to work in critical fields such as health, technology, and green skills. There are thousands of displaced young people who would love to study in these fields, if given the chance. This program will build a workforce for Australia’s future, while at the same time giving refugees an opportunity to settle and fulfil their potential.

- Steph Cousins, founder of Skill Path Australia

Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA) has experience setting up welcome groups to support the settlement and integration of refugees in Australia. CRSA has signed on to the pilot to provide training and other know-how support to campus welcome groups at each participating university.

CRSA is proud to be involved in this initiative. Our organisation is committed to seeing all segments of society playing an active role in respond to the needs of refugees. Universities and their campus communities can play a significant positive role in opening up opportunities for people fleeing persecution to find safety and achieve their full potential.

- Lisa Button, CEO CRSA

Many other organisations have to advocate for the program and have committed to supporting students arriving, including the Refugee Council of Australia, Settlement Services International, Multicultural Youth Advisory Network, Amnesty International, Talent Beyond Boundaries, the Australian Refugee Advisory Panel, Duolingo, the UNHCR and others.

Supporting universities

This program is supported by the Australian Refugee Welcome University Sponsorship Consortium (ARWUSC), the leading coalition promoting university involvement in refugee settlement in Australia. Members of the ARWUSC include: 

  • Australian National University (Chair)

  • Charles Darwin University

  • Charles Sturt University

  • Curtin University

  • Deakin University

  • Griffith University

  • Monash University

  • University of Canberra

  • University of New South Wales

  • The University of Melbourne

  • University of South Australia

  • University of Tasmania

  • University of Technology Sydney

  • The University of Queensland

  • Western Sydney University

  • Victoria University

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Introducing Skill Path Australia