Canceling the Afghan Girls’ Scholarship Program Is a Political, Not Budgetary, Decision
On February 26, 2025, the U.S. government abruptly shut down the Women’s Scholarship Endowment (WSE) program, a lifeline for Afghan female students, as part of a sweeping policy shift that eliminated more than 8,600 USAID and State Department initiatives worldwide.
Managed by Texas A&M University’s Borlaug Institute, the program supported 210 Afghan female students, including 126 studying in host countries like Oman, 40 in Qatar, and at least 1,500 enrolled in online programs. With its sudden termination, these students now face an uncertain future, with many at risk of deportation or losing access to higher education entirely. Some of the WSE students in Afghanistan had hoped to enroll in health diploma programs, but those were recently banned by the Taliban.
As a result of the termination:
83 Afghan female students in Oman are facing deportation.
40 WSE beneficiaries studying in Qatar have also had their scholarships terminated, leaving their future unclear.
1,500 students, primarily women, at AUAF have lost their scholarships due to funding cuts.
Financial support for tuition, housing, and stipends has ceased.
Students who fled Afghanistan due to the Taliban’s education ban now face forced return, where they risk persecution, forced marriages, and the complete loss of their academic futures.
The WSE program was not dependent on continuous budget allocations. Instead, it was funded through a $50 million endowment established by the United States in 2019. The program used only the interest and returns generated from this investment to provide scholarships, while the original $50 million remained untouched. Regardless of the program’s continuation, the principal amount was always intended to be returned to the U.S. government at the end of the program in 2028. This means that the U.S. government had already accounted for this investment, and no additional funding was required to continue supporting these students.
The sudden cancellation of the WSE program highlights the dangers of hasty decision-making and politically motivated actions that disregard long-term educational commitments. This decision did not save U.S. taxpayers’ money, but it has instead disrupted the lives of Afghan female students, forcing them to abandon their studies and return to Afghanistan, where they face severe risks.
“After receiving the emails, three students had panic attacks,” said an Afghan university student in Qatar. “We have always lived in stress in Afghanistan, and just when we thought we could finally study in safety, this happens. We are worried about our future, and with midterm exams approaching, the fear is overwhelming.”
Terminating scholarships for Afghan female students is not just a financial issue. This decision, driven by policy rather than budget constraints, has had devastating consequences for Afghan students. Immediate action is needed from the international community, donors, and human rights organizations to prevent these young women from being sent back into a life of oppression.