This paper presents the findings of a three-year longitudinal study exploring the experiences of asylum-seeking higher education students in Australia. Universities serve an important role in promoting the socio-economic and political prosperity of individuals and nations. They are also sites that – ideally – promote democracy, equity, inclusion, and belonging (Brink, 2018). However, globally only six percent of refugees attend university compared to 37% of the population in general. Such figures are striking when considered in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 to ‘‘ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning’’ (UNHCR, 2015, p. 6). Much work is needed to realise the global philosophy of education for all, including supporting access to higher education for refugee and asylum-seeking students. A growing body of literature in Europe and internationally explores refugee and asylum-seeking students’ experiences of accessing and attending higher education, as well as their life beyond higher education (Marcu, 2018; Naidoo et al., 2019; Sontag, 2019; Webb et al., 2021). This study contributes to this body of literature by highlighting how universities can contribute to epistemic justice for all (Walker, 2020). Unlike in most European countries, asylum seekers in Australia are considered international students in higher education (Dunwoodie, et al., 2020). Therefore, access to higher education is usually dependent on two options: (1) to pay international student fees or (2) to receive a highly competitive scholarship – where available. For many, it is the latter which is the only option. Although these conditions differ in Europe, challenges discussed by our participants (e.g., money, language, cultural dissonance), apply in European universities, too (Marcu, 2018; Sontag, 2019). Findings from this study demonstrate that when students’ unique challenges are acknowledged and when their strengths are nurtured, these students can thrive. The analysis of the student experiences is framed through the concept of epistemic justice which explores how university practices can create spaces for different forms of knowledge and knowing and foster the conditions in which students can grow in confidence. Practices supporting epistemic justice enabled a sense of belonging so that our participants, who were underrepresented in higher education and had previously been underserved by many universities, were more able to share their knowings with others and succeed. These findings were drawn from interviews with 22 asylum-seeking students from seven Australian universities, conducted approximately once a year throughout the participants’ university studies from 2018-2020.

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