Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Welcome

A huge welcome to Riverside College. We hope to see you soon and help you with your studies

We understand the difficulties for our Asylum seeker and refugee students to fully understand the education system in the UK and the support and opportunities college can provide. Below you will find all the key information about joining our college and other support in the local area. If you need further support or guidance regarding you application to college, you can contact our dedicated email for Asylum Seekers and Refugees

guidance@riverside.ac.uk

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Joining the college

Each year we have one main enrolment/registration period for new students, and this is in late August and early September.

We often have a second enrolment/registration in January which takes place after the Christmas break and offers limited adult courses.

We have several Open Evenings throughout the year – (click here for information about the next events) – Riverside Open Evening Dates 

Our Open Evenings are opportunities for you to meet with staff and ask questions about the college and our different courses.

You will not enrol on a course during an Open Evening, but you can be supported in completing an application of interest. This way we will have your contact information and be able to keep in touch. After this, we will invite you to the next enrolment event.

If you are not able to attend one of our Open Evenings, you can complete the application of interest on our website – Click here to apply. Apply Now!

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Enrolment

When you receive an invitation to an enrolment event, please bring the following documents with you:

• Proof of residency and support

We accept the following forms of ID and proof of residency and support:

• eVisa
• ARC Card
• BAIL Letter of Support from Solicitor with a Passport photo
• A provisional or full driving license alongside your Home Office documents proving that the prospective student asylum application is in the process – dated 6 months ago.
• For those with entry clearance visas in their passport e.g. those on family reunification or resettlement visas, your visas will be considered as proof of residency.

Proof of previous qualifications

Please bring any previous qualification from your home country or the UK. This will help the admissions team to make a more accurate assessment of your academic ability and find the most suitable course. If you are able to, you can also send your home country qualifications to ENIC (link) for them to be compared to UK qualifications.

When you arrive at the college for your enrolment appointment, you will be greeted at reception. You will then be taken to complete the different enrolment stages by a member of our admissions team. The different stages are:

1. Evidence check
2. Meet the tutor
3. English and maths assessment (If required)
4. Application form completing
5. ID Badges and confirmation: You will be supported at every stage by our admissions team, teaching team and student ambassadors.

Before you leave the enrolment event you will receive all the information about your course start date, time and room.

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Course opportunities

We have a range of courses available at the college, ranging from Entry level to technical to Higher Education (HE). You will find all our courses here. Riverside Courses

We also have specific courses designed for students who need extra help with English before they start a full college course. You will find the ESOL courses here. ESOL – Riverside College

For each course you will find a detailed explanation. Please read carefully the entry requirements and costs carefully. If you have any questions about a course’s entry requirements or costs, please email guidance@riverside.ac.uk.

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Financial support

We have a range of support in place to assist with the costs of studying at college. The support given is based on eligibility and status. 

Transport – Bus pass

• Asylum seekers who live 1.5 miles away from the college.
• Refugees who live 1.5 miles away from college and are receiving Universal Credit.

Course costs – Bursary

• Funds to help you purchase equipment or kits for your course
• All learners Adult Learner Loans – Funds to help pay for the full cost of a course
• Refugees 19+ LOCAL SUPPORT AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS If you have been in the UK for less than 6 months, do not have the entry criteria for a course or you feel you are not ready to commit to studying at college at the moment, we are still here to provide support and guidance.

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Below are our local support groups and other educational providers.

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A Better Tomorrow is a Multi Ethnic community support group.

They organise a range of activities to help people integrate into Halton. They do this through regular social gatherings in the Runcorn and Widnes area.

For more details, please check their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/abettertomorrow.Halton/

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