Maryhill Integration Network

Our community action has led to a fairer future for young people in Scotland, who will now be able to move into careers and professions which benefit our society. #OurGradesNotVisas highlighted the need for more young people in Scotland to be able to access higher education and fulfil their potential. This action is unique because it came directly from a young person who – before meeting us – didn’t know how to effect the change they wanted. Now they are at the forefront of the campaign and using their skills and passion to support more young people to get involved.

In 2022 Maryhill Integration Network (MIN) and JustRight Scotland (JRS) highlighted that many students in Scotland were being excluded from accessing higher education due to their immigration status. These students were from families who came to Scotland as refugees, yet despite settling and studying here, were treated the same as international students, subject to much higher fees to further their studies. This unfair system was the focus of the #OurGradesNotVisas campaign which led to changes within Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) regulations allowing more students to access funding and creating more equitable treatment for students in Scotland from refugee backgrounds.