More than 80 Afghan women who fled the Taliban regime to study in Oman are facing imminent deportation to Afghanistan after their U.S.-funded scholarship was canceled as part of the Trump administration’s cuts to foreign aid. The female students received an email on Feb. 28 informing them that the scholarship program administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development was terminated, leaving them at risk of persecution and life-threatening risks if they are forced to return to Afghanistan.
The Afghan students were pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in Oman under the Women’s Scholarship Endowment program, which was eliminated as part of the administration’s efforts to scale back USAID programs. The cancellation of the scholarship has left over 120 Afghan students without funding for their education abroad.
Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, they have imposed strict restrictions on women, including banning them from education and employment, and limiting their freedom of speech and movement. Several lawmakers, including Rep. Seth Moulton, have criticized the cancellation of the scholarship program, calling it shameful and urging the Trump administration to reverse course.
Nonprofit groups are working with the government of Oman to try to resolve the situation and prevent the deportation of the Afghan women back to Afghanistan. The students are appealing for urgent help to continue their studies abroad and avoid facing oppression and insecurity in their home country. It is a life-or-death situation for many of these women, who fear persecution and a lack of opportunities if they are forced to return to Afghanistan.
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