Opportunities

Scholarships, courses and programs

A curated guide to scholarships, online courses, universities, language programs, and study opportunities designed to help Afghan girls continue their education.

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Checked against official websites in October 2026. Always confirm details and deadlines on the official website before you apply.

What has changed — checked October 2026

United Kingdom: since 26 March 2026 the UK refuses new student visas for Afghan nationals applying from outside the UK, for at least 18 months. UK scholarships such as Chevening are not a route for now. GOV.UK
United States: since 1 January 2026 the US has fully suspended visas for Afghan nationals, including student visas. White House
Asian University for Women: scholarships for Afghan applicants have stopped for now; self-funded and sponsored applications are still welcome. AUW

Still open to Afghan women: online degrees (UoPeople, AUAF) and scholarships in Europe, Central Asia, Türkiye and Taiwan — see the listings below.

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Featured opportunities

Hand-picked programs to explore.

Geneva Graduate Institute

Maria Rosario Lazzati Niada Scholarship for Afghan Women

ScholarshipsCHF 25,000 a yearOpen

For Afghan women with a university degree: a two-year master's in international relations or development in Geneva, with 25,000 Swiss francs a year. First send a short online form with a motivation letter, CV, diplomas and transcripts; the candidate the committee chooses then applies to the Institute by 15 January 2027.

Country: Switzerland
Level: Master's
Language: English
Deadline: 26 October 2026

See how to apply

OSCE Academy in Bishkek

Fully funded MA programmes 2027–2029

ScholarshipsFully fundedOpen

Tuition-free master's programmes in politics and security, economic governance, or human rights, with a €450 monthly stipend and basic health insurance. Afghan citizens can apply. You need IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 90, and you must live in Bishkek while you study.

Country: Kyrgyzstan
Level: Master's
Language: English
Deadline: 31 January 2027

See programs

University of the People

Afghan Women's Scholarship Fund

ScholarshipsFully fundedOpen

Scholarships for women in Afghanistan to study a full bachelor's degree online at University of the People, an accredited, tuition-free university. There is no separate scholarship form: apply to UoPeople, then ask the admissions team about the fund at [email protected]. Far more women apply than there are places, so apply early.

Country: Online / USA
Level: Bachelor's
Language: English

Apply now

American University of Afghanistan (AUAF)

Online bachelor's degrees, Fall 2027

UniversitiesScholarships availableOpens October 2026

AUAF now teaches entirely online, with live classes in small groups. Undergraduate applications for Fall 2027 open in October 2026, and there is no application fee. Every applicant is considered for a partial or full scholarship, but scholarships are not guaranteed.

Country: Online
Level: Bachelor's
Language: English

See admissions

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Maria Rosario Lazzati Niada Scholarship for Afghan Women

ScholarshipsCHF 25,000 a yearOpen

Country: Switzerland
Level: Master's
Language: English
Deadline: 26 October 2026

See how to apply

OSCE Academy in Bishkek

Fully funded MA programmes 2027–2029

ScholarshipsFully fundedOpen

Country: Kyrgyzstan
Level: Master's
Language: English
Deadline: 31 January 2027

See programs

University of the People

Afghan Women's Scholarship Fund

ScholarshipsFully fundedOpen

Country: Online / USA
Level: Bachelor's
Language: English

Apply now

European Union

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters

ScholarshipsFully fundedApplications October–January

Master's degrees taught in two or more European countries and open to every nationality. The best applicants receive a scholarship that pays the fees plus €1,400 a month. Each programme sets its own deadline; most take applications between October and January.

Country: Europe
Level: Master's
Language: English
Deadline: Varies by programme (mostly October–January)

Browse the catalogue

Government of Türkiye

Türkiye Scholarships 2027

ScholarshipsFully fundedNext round: January 2027

Government scholarships for bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees in Türkiye, open to students from every country. They cover tuition, a monthly allowance, accommodation and health insurance, and the programme places you at a university. Applying online is free; age limits apply.

Country: Türkiye
Level: Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
Language: Turkish, English
Deadline: Usually 10 January – 20 February

Official website

Aga Khan Foundation

International Scholarship Programme

Scholarships50% grant, 50% loanNext round: early 2027

For students from Afghanistan and some other countries who want to do a master's degree (and sometimes a PhD) at a university abroad. It covers tuition and living costs: half is a grant and half is a loan you repay later. The 2026–27 round has closed; the next one opens in early 2027.

Country: Any country
Level: Master's & PhD
Language: English

Check eligibility

Scholarships

Funding to continue your studies.

Programs that cover tuition — and in some cases living costs — for Afghan women studying at home, online, or abroad.

Geneva Graduate Institute

Maria Rosario Lazzati Niada Scholarship for Afghan Women

ScholarshipsCHF 25,000 a yearOpen

Country: Switzerland
Level: Master's
Language: English
Deadline: 26 October 2026

See how to apply

OSCE Academy in Bishkek

Fully funded MA programmes 2027–2029

ScholarshipsFully fundedOpen

Country: Kyrgyzstan
Level: Master's
Language: English
Deadline: 31 January 2027

See programs

University of the People

Afghan Women's Scholarship Fund

ScholarshipsFully fundedOpen

Country: Online / USA
Level: Bachelor's
Language: English

Apply now

European Union

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters

ScholarshipsFully fundedApplications October–January

Country: Europe
Level: Master's
Language: English
Deadline: Varies by programme (mostly October–January)

Browse the catalogue

Government of Türkiye

Türkiye Scholarships 2027

ScholarshipsFully fundedNext round: January 2027

Country: Türkiye
Level: Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
Language: Turkish, English
Deadline: Usually 10 January – 20 February

Official website

Aga Khan Foundation

International Scholarship Programme

Scholarships50% grant, 50% loanNext round: early 2027

Country: Any country
Level: Master's & PhD
Language: English

Check eligibility

DAAD — funded by Germany

Empower Future Female Afghan Leaders (EFFAL)

ScholarshipsFully funded

German-funded scholarships (2023–2027) for Afghan women living in Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan or Pakistan: bachelor's degrees at the Asian University for Women, master's degrees at the American University of Central Asia, and bachelor's or master's places through partners in Pakistan. Funding ends in 2027, so new places are limited; each partner announces its own calls.

Country: Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan
Level: Bachelor's & Master's
Language: English
Deadline: Programme runs 2023–2027

Learn more

National Cheng Kung University

International admissions, Fall 2027

ScholarshipsFull & partial fundingOpens around December

Admission for international students, including Afghan women, with full and partial scholarships for bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees. The Spring 2027 round closed on 15 September 2026. Last year's autumn round ran from 20 December to 15 March, so expect the Fall 2027 round to open around December.

Country: Taiwan
Level: Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
Language: English
Deadline: Expected mid-March 2027

See announcements

Online courses

Learn from anywhere, for free.

Afghan-led academies and global platforms offering free or low-cost classes you can join from home.

Afghan Scholars Academy

Free online courses

Online coursesFree

A volunteer-run academy for Afghan students where every programme is free: one-to-one mentoring for college applications, live English classes, TOEFL and Duolingo English Test preparation, and an AI literacy course. It has also paid some students' Duolingo test fees.

Country: Online
Level: All levels
Language: English

See programs

Coursera

Coursera with Financial Aid

Online coursesFree with Financial Aid

Thousands of university and industry courses. Many now show only the first module for free, so use Financial Aid: apply on the course page, wait about two weeks, and if you are approved you get the whole course and its certificate free. Refugee programmes run through partner organisations such as UNHCR.

Country: Online
Level: All levels
Language: English

Explore Coursera

Khan Academy

Online coursesFree

Free educational videos and exercises in math, science, history, and more — all levels, many languages. Ideal for self-paced learning at school or university level.

Country: Online
Level: All levels
Language: Multiple languages

Start learning

edX

edX (audit mode)

Online coursesFree to audit

Courses from universities around the world. Most can be studied free for a limited time in audit mode; graded assignments and certificates cost extra.

Country: Online
Level: All levels
Language: English

Browse edX

Universities

Institutions that welcome Afghan women.

Degree-granting universities with a track record of supporting Afghan female students on campus or online.

American University of Afghanistan (AUAF)

Online bachelor's degrees, Fall 2027

UniversitiesScholarships availableOpens October 2026

Country: Online
Level: Bachelor's
Language: English

See admissions

UoPeople

University of the People

UniversitiesTuition-free

An accredited, tuition-free online university offering American degrees in business, computer science, health science, and education — ideal for Afghan women who need to study from home. See also the Afghan Women's Scholarship Fund above.

Country: Online / USA
Level: Bachelor's & Master's
Language: English

Apply now

AUW

Asian University for Women (AUW)

UniversitiesSelf-funded or sponsoredNo scholarships for Afghans now

A liberal arts university for women in Chittagong, Bangladesh, with a large community of Afghan students. AUW has announced that scholarships are no longer available for Afghan applicants for now. You can still apply with your own funding or a sponsor, and those applications are fast-tracked.

Country: Bangladesh
Level: Undergraduate & pathway
Language: English

Learn more

Various institutions

Other online and open universities

Universities

Distance-learning and open-university programs continue to expand for Afghan students. If you know of one that accepts Afghan women, share it with us using the form at the bottom of this page.

Country: Online
Level: Varies

High school & prep

Secondary education that stays open.

Safe online schools and exam preparation for girls in grades 7–12 whose classrooms have closed.

Begum Organization for Women

Begum Academy

High school & prepFree

The full Afghan school curriculum for grades 7–12 in Dari and Pashto: thousands of video lessons with quizzes and exams, and a free certificate when you finish your grade. Free to join online.

Country: Online
Level: Grades 7–12
Language: Dari, Pashto

SOLA (School of Leadership, Afghanistan)

SOLAx — school on WhatsApp

High school & prepFree

Daily lessons on WhatsApp in English, Dari or Pashto, following the Afghan school curriculum, plus English courses. All you need is a smartphone and a basic connection. It is free, and you get a certificate for each course you pass. To start, message one of the numbers on the SOLAx website.

Country: Online
Level: Secondary
Language: English, Dari, Pashto

How to join

Afghanistan Digital School

Afghanistan Digital School (ADS)

High school & prep

An online school for Afghan girls in grades 7–12, with live and recorded classes in Dari, Pashto and English and support for slow internet. Admissions for 2026 ran from 1 June to 31 July — check the website for the next intake. Its accreditation is still being prepared, so ask how its certificates will be recognised.

Country: Online / Afghanistan
Level: Grades 7–12
Language: Dari, Pashto, English

Apply online

Afghan educators & NGOs

Exam prep & study resources

High school & prepFree

Peer-led study circles and virtual study groups organized by Afghan educators and NGOs help girls prepare for exams and keep learning together, even when formal schooling is unavailable.

Country: Online
Level: Secondary
Language: Dari, Pashto, English

Language learning

English and test preparation.

Language skills are often the first requirement for scholarships and international programs.

Afghan Scholars Academy

English courses

Language learningFree

Free live online English classes from beginner to advanced, covering speaking, reading, writing and listening, with a flexible schedule for students in Afghanistan.

Country: Online
Level: Beginner to advanced
Language: English

See English classes

Afghan Scholars Academy / Duolingo

Duolingo English Test preparation

Language learningFree preparation

The Duolingo English Test costs US$70 and takes about an hour at home. Afghan Scholars Academy runs free preparation classes, the Rumi Organization for Research offers rounds of free test vouchers for Afghans, and the Duolingo app is free for daily practice.

Country: Online
Level: Beginner to advanced
Language: English

Practice on Duolingo

IELTS official

IELTS preparation

Language learningFree

Free practice tests, sample papers, and YouTube channels offer self-study IELTS preparation when a class isn't available. Start with the official free practice materials.

Country: Online
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Language: English

Free IELTS practice

Study circles

Learning together, safely.

Small online groups where students keep each other motivated, accountable, and supported.

Afghan educators & NGOs

Peer-led study groups

Study circlesFree

Volunteer-led study groups and informal virtual classrooms have been formed by Afghan educators and NGOs to help girls stay on track with their studies. Novara's community pages point you to active groups as they open.

Country: Online
Level: All levels
Language: Dari, Pashto, English

University of the People

How UoPeople's tuition-free online degrees work, from applying to graduating.

Watch

Trusted learning platforms

Contribute

Submit an educational opportunity.

Found a scholarship, course, or program that could help our community? Share it with Novara.

Every submission is reviewed by our team before it is added to the library. Contact details are optional — you can submit anonymously.

Scholarships, courses and programs

Where would you like to start?

Scholarships

Online courses

Universities

High school & prep

Language learning

Study circles

Hand-picked programs to explore.

Maria Rosario Lazzati Niada Scholarship for Afghan Women

Fully funded MA programmes 2027–2029

Afghan Women's Scholarship Fund

Online bachelor's degrees, Fall 2027

Search and filter every resource.

Maria Rosario Lazzati Niada Scholarship for Afghan Women

Fully funded MA programmes 2027–2029

Afghan Women's Scholarship Fund

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters

Türkiye Scholarships 2027

International Scholarship Programme

Funding to continue your studies.

Maria Rosario Lazzati Niada Scholarship for Afghan Women

Fully funded MA programmes 2027–2029

Afghan Women's Scholarship Fund

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters

Türkiye Scholarships 2027

International Scholarship Programme

Empower Future Female Afghan Leaders (EFFAL)

International admissions, Fall 2027

Learn from anywhere, for free.

Free online courses

Coursera with Financial Aid

Khan Academy

edX (audit mode)

Institutions that welcome Afghan women.

Online bachelor's degrees, Fall 2027

University of the People

Asian University for Women (AUW)

Other online and open universities

Secondary education that stays open.

Begum Academy

SOLAx — school on WhatsApp

Afghanistan Digital School (ADS)

Exam prep & study resources

English and test preparation.

English courses

Duolingo English Test preparation

IELTS preparation

Learning together, safely.

Peer-led study groups

Free guidance from trusted organisations.

Scholarships to study in Germany

IELTS preparation lessons

TOEFL official preparation

Academic English & study skills

Study skills & time management

Studying online at University of the People

Where to keep learning, for free.

Coursera

Khan Academy

edX

FutureLearn

Alison

OpenLearn

Duolingo

MIT OpenCourseWare

Submit an educational opportunity.