Online reaction to Warwick University's offer of scholarships to refugees

Warwick University will hand out ten fully-funded scholarships to refugees wishing to study in England, it has been revealed.

The further education establishment, situated on Gibbet Hill Road, in Coventry, will give war-torn refugees heading to England in this academic year scholarships worth £25,000 apiece.

A further ten students would be handed a university place in 2016/17, after staff and students called for the places to be made available to refugees fleeing war in countries such as Syria..

The cost will total £500,000 for the 20 students, and vice-chancellor Prof Sir Nigel Thrift said: "We strongly believe that we as a university community have an inherent responsibility to try to shape a more accepting society and we must never neglect that responsibility.

Story Link Warwick University offers £25,000 two-year scholarships to 20 refugees

"We will work unstintingly to support those who need a welcoming hand in this very difficult time and we will update the Warwick staff and student community with further developments on this work."

Telegraph readers responded to the initial story on Facebook, and you can view their opinions below.

Reader reaction

Loz Cotterill-Attaway: "Are they going to match it and give 20 Coventry kids free scholarships? I doubt that! This is just wrong!"

Stephen Dempsey: "Has the whole government and society gone nuts or what? We should be helping our own! This is outrageous on the highest level ever conceived."

Kelly Auwkit: "This is an absolute joke. There are people who don't go to uni because they can't afford to yet if your a refugee you just get given it free!"

Pete Griffiths: "Brilliant. Well done. Ignore the snipers who will say help our own as if they've campaigned all their life for free education and work for homeless charities!"

Rachel Frost: "Disgraceful bearing in mind there are so many youngsters uare unemployed. Why can't we ever look after our own?"

Steve Clark: "I don't agree with this at all. Do Warwick have any idea how hard WE work to get places at uni?"

Wendy Dove: "This just makes me angry. The people who make these decisions are real morons."

April Stevenson: " "How gracious of Warwick University. My son had to earn the right to obtain his LOAN!"

Kerry Darlow: "It would also be life changing for an Coventrian who can't afford to go to university. Shame on them."

Sara Kenny: "This makes me so mad. I can't afford to go to university at the age of 33 and I've always worked since the age of 16 and born and lived in this country."

George Ireland: "What about scholarships to children in Coventry who's parents are struggling to get by?"

Yvonne Nash: "Goodbye Britain."

Nobby Clarke: "Amazing opportunity for us to start to build a more positive image of this country in the world."

Craig Fennell: "What about giving scholarships to people from this country?"

Michelle Makepeace: "Absolutely disgusting! Can't look after our own."

Ryan Nelson: "Disgraceful!"

Katie Toal: "I'd never begrudge anyone an education, no matter how it happens to be funded."

Marti Curtis: "I think we all have a responsibility to help these people but this is at the detriment of our hard working families."

Source: Online reaction to Warwick University's offer of scholarships to refugees