More than 80 Afghan women studying in Oman on a U.S.-funded scholarship are facing deportation to Afghanistan after their scholarship was canceled due to cuts in foreign aid by the Trump administration. The students received an email informing them of the termination of the scholarship program, leaving them at risk of persecution and life-threatening risks if forced to return to Afghanistan. The women are appealing for urgent help to continue their studies abroad and avoid being sent back to a country under Taliban rule.
The Women’s Scholarship Endowment program, launched in 2019 with a $50 million endowment from USAID, allowed Afghan students to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in Oman. Interest from the endowment covered the program costs without requiring additional annual funding. Nonprofit groups are now working with the government of Oman to try to resolve the situation and prevent the students from returning to Afghanistan.
Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, they have imposed new restrictions on women, including banning them from education and most employment, limiting their freedoms. Rep. Seth Moulton called the cancellation of the scholarship program “shameful” and urged the Trump administration to reverse its decision. The Afghan students fear that returning to Afghanistan would be a death sentence, as they face oppression and insecurity under Taliban rule. The State Department has not yet responded to the situation, leaving the students in a desperate situation.
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