Afghan female students face deportation after US cancels scholarship program

More than 80 Afghan women studying in Oman risk deportation to Afghanistan after the U.S. canceled their scholarships under widespread cuts to foreign aid, NBC news reported today.

The students, part of a USAID-funded program at Middle East College, were informed on February 28 that their funding had been terminated, leaving them without support to continue their education.

In a letter to aid organizations, the women pleaded for urgent assistance, warning that returning to Afghanistan would expose them to persecution and severe restrictions under Taliban rule. “This is a life-or-death situation for many of us,” the letter stated.

The Women’s Scholarship Endowment, launched in 2019 with a $50 million fund, had allowed Afghan women to pursue higher education abroad. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that 83% of USAID programs had been cut, with remaining initiatives merged into the State Department.