Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to help ensure that people arriving from Ukraine and due to go to university from September 2022 will have access to a university place.

Alongside our allies, we are united in support for Ukraine. The department has been working closely with the education sector and across government to ensure that Ukrainian students are supported during this difficult time. The government is considering how best to support these students in continuing their education.

I reconvened the higher education (HE) taskforce, bringing together representatives from across the sector to discuss how we can work together in supporting Ukrainian students. We are encouraging HE providers to be as flexible as possible to support prospective students impacted by the situation in Ukraine. There are still many courses available through UCAS that students can apply for. We would encourage them to engage in conversations with their preferred providers to understand the full range of options available specifically to them.

The government will look to support Ukrainian students as they reassess their options in the UK.

I will continue to work closely with key representatives to explore how the HE sector can collectively support Ukrainian students.