Sudden Suspension of Online Scholarships by the American University of Afghanistan Leaves 208 Female Students in Limbo

According to the American media outlet NPR, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which funded the scholarships, announced via email on April 5 that the program would be “immediately” suspended. This comes despite earlier assurances that the scholarships would continue until June.

Jeremy Levin, Deputy Assistant Administrator at USAID, stated in the email that the decision was made based on “a review and determination that this financial support no longer aligns with current government priorities.”

The NPR report noted that the program’s organizers were also caught off guard by USAID’s decision, and it remains unclear whether funding will continue through the end of the current semester.

The scholarships were funded through the “Women’s Scholarship Fund,” which was established in 2018 with a $50 million contribution from USAID to the University of Texas Foundation. According to fund administrators, tuition costs were covered by returns on investment, not by U.S. taxpayer money.

With the support of this fund, 120 Afghan girls were able to travel to Qatar and Oman for in-person education, while dozens more participated in online classes from within Afghanistan.

One of the affected students said, “This scholarship meant everything to me. It was like a light during the darkest days of my life. After the fall of Kabul, this program was my greatest hope for the future.” She is now in limbo due to the uncertainty surrounding the program.

Meanwhile, Sahar Fetrat, a women’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, condemned the suspension, saying: “These programs were the last remaining avenues for girls and women seeking higher education.”

It is worth noting that since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, girls have been banned from attending schools and universities, making online education one of the few remaining options for them to continue their studies.