A group of over 80 Afghan women who fled the Taliban regime to study in Oman are now facing imminent deportation back to Afghanistan after their U.S.-funded scholarship was cancelled as part of the Trump administration’s foreign aid cuts. The scholarship program, administered by USAID at the Middle East College in Oman, was terminated along with thousands of other initiatives on Feb. 28, putting the women’s education and safety at risk.
The Afghan students have appealed for urgent help to continue their studies abroad, as returning to Afghanistan would mean facing persecution, insecurity, and life-threatening risks. The Women’s Scholarship Endowment program for female scholars was launched in 2019 with a $50 million endowment from USAID, allowing women to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees without additional annual funding from the U.S. government.
Since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021, they have imposed harsh restrictions on women, including a ban on education and employment. The elimination of the scholarship program has been condemned as “shameful” by Rep. Seth Moulton, who called for the Trump administration to reverse course and save the lives of these bright young women facing a potential death sentence if deported back to Afghanistan. Efforts are underway by nonprofit groups to resolve the situation and prevent the deportation of more than 120 Afghan scholars who had their funding cut off.
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