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What is WUSC?

The (WUSC) is a Canadian non-profit organization whose vision is to create a better world for all young people. It is a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable world in which all young people, especially women and refugees, are empowered to secure a good quality of life for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Since the 1920s, WUSC works in more than 15 countries with a diverse network of students, volunteers, institutions, governments, and businesses to improve education, economic, and empowerment opportunities for young people.

Local Committee members tabling in front of the SSMU building – 2017

The Student Refugee Program

The WUSC (SRP) is a unique program that combines resettlement with opportunities for higher education. Since 1978, WUSC has worked with UNHCR, IRCC and IOM to resettle 2,200 young people who are refugees and support them in pursuing higher education in Canada through institutions’ Local Committees. These students originate in more than 39 war-torn countries around the world and arrive in Canada as Permanent Residents.

WUSC receives over 6,000 applications from high achieving refugee youth who would otherwise not have the opportunity to pursue higher education, to place in 150 spots made available by 100 participating Canadian universities and colleges.

More than 90% of WUSC scholars complete their education and go on to become influential members of Canadian society.

WUSC at ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ

Local Committee members attending the WUSC International Forum 2020 in Montreal

At ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ, the SRP is managed and supported by the WUSC ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Local Committee, a student-run SSMU club and one of many campus groups across the country that provide day-to-day social and academic support for the SRP scholars, as well as raise funds, and awareness for the program and refugee education issues on campus.

WUSC’s Local Committee was formed in 1986 and has sponsored close to 60 scholars as of 2021. The SRP provides a year of full financial sponsorship, integration assistance, and a community of support. This is funded through a $4 levy collected from all ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ students every semester based on student referendum, which is administered by the Scholarships & Student Aid Office. At present, the fund can support 5 new refugee students each year.

³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ provides bursaries to cover tuition and fees for WUSC SPR Scholars’ subsequent years of study in their first ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ degree.

Students Helping Students - support ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ’s WUSC SRP!

Every 5 years, in hopes of continuing this program and provide even more refugees with the opportunity to study at ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ, the WUSC ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Local Committee hosts referendums for ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ undergraduate and post-graduate students at ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ’sÌýDowntown and Macdonald Campuses. In March 2021, we had a successful SSMU referendum which allowed us to raise our levy from $2 to $4 and therefore increase the number of students we sponsor from 3 to 5. We are thankful to ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ students for saying Yes in joining our efforts to fight for refugee education.

WUSC ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ welcoming newly arrived scholars 2021

WUSC ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ welcoming newly arrived scholars 2021

Join WUSC ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Local Committee!

Interested in joining us? Eligible volunteers will be recognized on their ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ co-curricular record!

You can also check us out on (@WUSC ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ) and (@wuscmcgill).

Other projects run by WUSC ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ

Local Committee members tabling at SSMU Activities Night Winter 2020

Along with supporting SRP Scholars as they navigate ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ, Montreal, and Canada, and raising awareness about refugee issues on campus, WUSC ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ is responsible for several student-led initiatives.

• The WUSC library is a wonderful resource available to all students who wish to loan a textbook for the duration of their course. This project was designed to mitigate the increasing prices of textbooks.
• The WUSC Winter Coat project is another initiative available for all students on campus. We keep a regular stock of winter coats to help students during their first winter in Canada. We also accept donations of winter coats from students who no longer need theirs. Although priority is given to the SRP scholars, any student at ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ is welcome to contact us regarding loaning books or coats.
• Ìýis the most recent of WUSC’s projects. The journal’s main objective is to support the WUSC ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ local committee in its goal of spreading awareness about refugee issues and rights. To this end, the Journal publishes works pertaining to refugee and migration issues, written by undergraduate and graduate students from ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ, in both English and French.

Meet a few WUSC ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Scholars

A message from Jeanne- WUSC ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ Scholar 2016

In 2016, I was one of the 25 students chosen to join the SRP from Dzaleka refugee camp in Malawi out of 200+ applicants. This opportunity gave my life an entirely different trajectory and a chance to go to university. I am eternally grateful to WUSC and to all ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ students whose contributions resulted in my being here. I believe it's everyone's responsibility to advocate for refugee education as many of my friends were left behind.Ìý

-Jeanne-Armelle, U3ÌýBsc

Vincent Yagayandi

Vincent Yagayandi is a third-year law student pursuing a Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Civil Law at ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ’s Faculty of Law. He came to Canada in 2015 through the WUSC ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ program. Prior to law school, he completed a Bachelor of Social Work at ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ.

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Gattuoch Kuon

Gattuoch Kuon is a 3rd-yearÌýComputer Science & Psychology student at ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ. He is originally from South Sudan. He came to Canada in 2018 through the WUSC-³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ SRP program.

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Amena Othman

Amena Othman is a U0 student in the Faculty of Arts. She is a Syrian WUSC scholar who was resettled from Lebanon to come study at ³ÉÈËVRÊÓƵ in 2020 thanks to the Student Refugee Program.

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