Our Students

Group of diverse friends holding a Seychelles flag beside a lake between yellow houses in a scenic mountain setting

A Deliberately Diverse Community

At the heart of UWC’s distinctive educational model is a deliberately diverse, engaged, and motivated community united in pursuit of the UWC mission.

This defining feature of a UWC education is made possible through the collaborative work of National Committees in more than 157 countries and territories worldwide, together with the Global Selection Programme. Through this global network, students are selected not only for their academic potential but also for their commitment to making a difference.

A Truly Global Student Body

Each year, 204 students from around 80 countries come together at UWC Red Cross Nordic to live, learn, and grow alongside one another. Since the college opened, 30% of our students have come from the Nordic region, forming an essential part of our host community.

In alignment with the school’s statutes, we are deeply committed to welcoming students from marginalized backgrounds and areas affected by conflict and war. The vast majority of our students receive scholarships to attend UWC Red Cross Nordic. This commitment has been made possible through sustained support from the Nordic countries since our founding in 1995 - particularly from the Norwegian and Swedish governments - as well as strong partnerships with the UWC movement’s National Committees.

Students at the Centre

It is our students who define UWC Red Cross Nordic. Their perspectives, experiences, and aspirations shape a learning environment that is both unique and transformative.

Who are we looking for?

By 2030, an RCN education is accessible to all young people with promise and potential, regardless of background or ability to pay. We welcome talented students from a broad and representative range of nations, including a wide range of economic and social backgrounds, students from conflict zones and with refugee backgrounds, and those with different physical abilities.

We seek to protect and build upon the strong legacy of scholarship support and secure our ability to extend full scholarship funding to 80% or more of National Committee places in 2030 and beyond.

Our ambition is that we will seek out applications from students who represent a wide range of ethnic, cultural, national, religious, linguistic, gender, racial and socio-economic backgrounds, all of whom demonstrate great potential and promise. We also aim to ensure that we have the financial means to offer accessible places to all students who meet our criteria, regardless of their ability to pay.

To achieve this aim, we commit to the following objectives:

  1. Financing: We offer fully funded scholarships for 80% of National Committee places. This is supported by strong fundraising, sustained partnerships with the Nordic governments, and sound financial management.

  2. Capacity: We will enhance our ability to admit incoming students of promise and potential through a streamlined admissions process.

  3. Diversity: We welcome talented students from a broad and representative range of nations, including a wide range of economic and social backgrounds, students from conflict zones and with refugee backgrounds, and those with different physical abilities.

  4. Accessibility: In collaboration with the Red Cross and our neighbours at the Red Cross Rehabilitation Centre, we will develop programmes that enable young people directly affected by conflict and war to complete a UWC education.

The geographical distribution of the student body in 2026-27:

World map infographic showing 203 students from 81 countries: Asia 51, Nordic 50, Europe 40, Africa 26, North America 25, South America 9, and Oceania 2.

Our alumni since 1995:

World map infographic showing 3,000 alumni from 152 countries, with regional totals for Europe, Nordic countries, Asia, North America, Africa, South America, and Oceania.