Rebuilding professional pathways
Conflict shouldn’t mean starting again from zero.
We help postgraduate students in the UK from conflict-affected countries re-enter their professions and lead change in their home communities.
Support beyond postgraduate study
Support beyond postgraduate study
Altenburg Fellows are doctors, engineers, educators, researchers and entrepreneurs from conflict-affected countries who have won competitive scholarships to study in the UK.
A scholarship covers the degree. It doesn’t cover professional exams, registration, a job or a home once it ends. The Fellowship fills that gap with structured academic, professional and practical support, so Fellows can complete their studies, re-enter their professions and keep building the projects they lead back home.
What the Programme offers
Six pillars of support
Practical support at every stage, from exams to employment.
Exam & re-accreditation support
Funding and mentorship for professional and language exams, helping Fellows translate their expertise into UK-recognised qualifications.
Registration guidance
Practical help navigating UK legal, visa and professional body applications, recognition and licensing processes, so Fellows can practise in their fields without delay.
Employment support
Job-matching, interview preparation, networking and work placement opportunities to connect Fellows with meaningful roles relevant to their professions.
Post-scholarship support
Guidance on visa routes so Fellows aren’t forced to return to unsafe situations, plus help with accommodation options while they complete re-accreditation and settle into work.
Community & social integration
Shared dinners, cultural events, and wellbeing activities that build genuine community and help Fellows feel at home in the UK.
Support for impact initiatives back home
Advisory support and seed funding for Fellows’ community projects in their home countries, because their work in conflict-affected countries matters just as much as their studies here.
Who our Fellows are
Exceptional people, falling between systems
Altenburg Fellows are selected for their academic excellence, professional experience and leadership in their home communities. Yet many are ineligible for student loans, hardship grants or statutory support, and face exam fees, visa costs and housing gaps the moment their scholarship ends.
Our support is an investment in people with the potential to contribute both here in the UK and back home.
Current Fellows
Our first cohort, 2025/26
Four professionals from the 2025 Fellowship cohort, combining postgraduate development in the UK with a wider commitment to community impact.
Audi Ahmed
Tsabeh Higazy
Scholarship
African Graduate Scholar (CP Charitable Trust)
Initiative
AL-MINA Diagnostic Lifeline
Nour AbuHassira
Nada Alfarra
Audi Ahmed
Tsabeh Higazy
Scholarship
African Graduate Scholar (CP Charitable Trust)
Initiative
AL-MINA Diagnostic Lifeline
Nour AbuHassira
Nada Alfarra
Support the Fellowship
Help a Fellow move forward
Individuals, employers, professional bodies and partners can remove practical barriers and open doors.
- Mentor a Fellow. Share your experience in medicine, law, tech, finance, education or the NGO sector.
- Offer work experience. Placements, internships, shadowing or roles.
- Open your network. Introductions, event tickets and industry access.
- Fund a milestone. An exam fee, a visa application or a month’s housing.
- Back initiative. Advisory support or seed funding for Fellows’ projects at home.
Examination preparation
Professional registration
Mentorship
Employment & networking
Accommodation
Community integration
Fellow-led initiatives
How to become a Fellow
Eligibility criteria
The Altenburg Foundation Fellows are drawn from a competitive pool of extraordinary applicants who Fellows are selected against the following criteria.
Prestigious UK scholarship
You have been awarded a competitive scholarship to a London-based university for postgraduate study.
From a conflict-affected or fragile state
You are from a country experiencing or recovering from conflict, fragility or crisis.
Professional background
You have qualified professional experience in medicine, law, engineering, education, entrepreneurship, science or community leadership.
Commitment to community impact
You are actively engaged in initiatives that strengthen your home community.
Academic excellence
You have a strong record of academic achievement that reflects your potential and drive.
Commitment to the Fellowship
you share our values of integrity, service and respect, and will take an active part in the Fellowship community.
Apply
Ready to take the next step?
Review the criteria above before beginning your application.