SAMU’s Student Refugee Program

Jan 29, 2024 | SAMU Blog

What is WUSC? WUSC stands for World University Services Canada, and it is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping young people (refugees and woman) living in countries facing crisis by offering the opportunity to attend post-secondary education. WUSC operates in about 25 different countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas but they only accept applications from certain countries of asylum which include Kenya, Malawi, Jordan, Lebanon, Uganda, and Tanzania.  

The three WUSC Campaigns: 

  • Building Welcoming Communities: This campaign aims to help newcomers to Canada who are facing barriers and need support. They also work to deconstruct misunderstanding and negative views on refugees.  
  • HerFuture: Rasing awareness of the education difficulties that are faced by young girls in areas of the world that are in crisis.  
  • InterConnexions:  Celebrating those who are living in Canada who work or volunteer to help refugees settle into Canada.  

 What is the Student Refugee Program (SRP)? It is a youth-to-youth program that help young refugees resettle in Canada and attend post-secondary education. About 150 refugees come to Canada through this program every year. WUSC has an agreement with the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec which lets WUSC bring in the refugee to attend post-secondary and become permanent residents in Canada.  The Student Refugee Program has had a great impact within the SRP student’s family and community because it gives hope for a better future for their children, and it encourages others in the community to continue pursuing education.  

SAMU/MacEwan University is one of many universities across Canada that takes in an SRP student which is one student every two years.  

The student here makes it possible for the SRP student to be here because $2.50 from student fees goes towards funding the Student Refugee Program.  

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