She is the new poster girl for asylum seekers making Scotland a better place.
Nigerian-born Wendy Delapo Onabule is a role model for new Scots from around the world facing barriers just to get an education so that they can pay something back to their adopted homeland.
Despite excelling in school and receiving unconditional offers from Scots universities, Wendy – who came to Glasgow aged nine – faced being penalised by the UK Government’s hostile environment policy, because her family was seeking asylum.
But university chiefs were quick to see her potential and waived £15,000 international fees so the former Springburn Academy pupil could graduate with a masters in medicinal chemistry.
Wendy, 22, said: “I was applying for university and I realised because our status had not been sorted out, I wouldn’t be able to go to Glasgow University, although I had an unconditional offer.
“I was upset I wouldn’t be able to go to a place that I been desperate to go to for so long.
“Thankfully, through the people at Glasgow University and my old school, I was not only able to get a scholarship but they were also able to fund me in first year, where they effectively paid my fees.
“There are a lot of people who are in my position who have just given up. I am just so happy and grateful that I had the people fighting the case for me.
“I want to do a PhD and maybe become a lecturer. It would be good to work with the university to show other people if they have the grades and the determination then the university can lend a helping hand.”
Wendy appeared in a university social media video talking about the obstacles she had faced and it quickly went viral.
She has been applauded for single-handedly busting myths about asylum seekers.
Almost all are not allowed to work and are forced to rely on state support – this can be as little as £5 a day to live on. Head of widening participation at the University of Glasgow, Dr Neil Cross, said: “As an asylum seeker, you are free to complete your primary and secondary education, you can go to college to do further education.
“However, when you apply to university, you are then considered as an international student.
“You have no recourse to public funding so you are hit by international fees which means that is an impassable barrier.
“We were able to say that we regard Wendy as a home student. She has influenced other pupils and been a really great ambassador.”
Glasgow North-East MP Paul Sweeney said: “I regularly deal with cases where young people are denied the right to pursue their studies, which causes them huge distress, especially when they have lived in Scotland from when they were small children.
“I regard this as a barbaric way to treat our young people with so much potential.”
The Home Office said there is “nothing in the rules to prevent asylum seekers from undertaking a course of study while their claim is outstanding” and it does not regulate the admissions of universities or funding of asylum seekers.
