Help build an education bridge for refugees

About the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway

The Refugee Student Settlement Pathway is a pioneering education initiative that offers young refugees living displaced overseas a unique opportunity to migrate to Australia, pursue tertiary education, and settle permanently through a humanitarian immigration pathway.

Students arrive on permanent humanitarian visas making them eligible for Commonwealth Supported Places and HECS-HELP loans. These students do not pay international student fees.

Nine universities have already partnered with Skill Path to welcome 33 refugee students in 2026: Australian National University, Curtin University, Deakin University, Swinburne University, The University of Melbourne, The University of Queensland, The University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, and Western Sydney University.

In addition to these pioneering universities accepting students in the first year of the program, the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway is supported by a wider network of universities participating in the Australian Refugee Welcome University Sponsorship Consortium. 

Who are the students?

The students in the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway are exceptional young people who have demonstrated remarkable resilience and academic achievement despite facing displacement, persecution, and limited educational opportunities.

Meet students like:

• Dorothy, originally from South Sudan, who lived as a refugee in Uganda before moving to Australia to study a Bachelor of Law at Deakin University

• Beheshta, who fled Afghanistan and is now pursuing a Master of Public Health at the University of Queensland, with a dream of becoming a nurse

• Obedi, a refugee originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who has always loved technology and is now studying mechatronics at Swinburne University

What's involved for universities?

Skill Path works collaboratively with its university partners to deliver the program.

Skill Path assists with the shortlisting of candidates, coordinating with the Department of Home Affairs for visa processing, travel logistics and mobilising Student Welcome Groups.

Our university partners provide students with settlement assistance that can include accommodation near campus, a start-up stipend and funding for study essentials like laptops and course books.

Together with our university partners and other groups, we ensure the students also have access to support networks such as mental health and wellbeing services, academic networks and peer social groups.

The impact

This is more than education - it's about building Australia's future workforce across a range of industries and sectors. This includes professions like nursing, engineering and teaching, as well as other areas with strong industry demand and projected national skills shortage.

Participating universities

So far Skill Path Australia has partnered with nine world-leading Australian universities to admit students through the RSSP. Skill Path is continuing to sign up more universities to accept students for semester 1, 2027.