Afghans feel ‘abandoned’ by UK after scholarship closure

Alumni of a prestigious UK government scholarship are disappointed that Afghan nationals have once again been shut out of the scheme, as the Taliban imposes new draconian restrictions on women. 

Applications for the latest round of Chevening Scholarships, which fund “emerging leaders” from around the world to study a master’s course in the UK, opened in August for all other eligible countries. 

Only applications for Afghan nationals remain closed, with the website stating that eligibility for this year’s programme “is still under review”, with a final decision about the scheme’s status for Afghans yet to be made.

“Afghan youth feel abandoned, as though their last hope has been extinguished,” said Khushal Nabizada, a Chevening alumnus from Afghanistan. “The suspension of the Chevening Scholarship has left many Afghans, especially those who were preparing to apply, feeling as if the last remaining opportunity for higher education abroad has been closed off.”

“It was quite shocking news,” said Naimat Zafary, another alumnus. “Chevening transformed my life. It wasn’t just a scholarship; it was a lifeline. As an Afghan, when the entire system around me collapsed, and my dreams were shattered, Chevening offered a glimmer of hope.”

Afghans faced a similar situation two years ago when, having prepared their applications, they discovered upon the cycle opening that they were unable to apply. Later that year, the government did open the scheme to Afghans residing outside the country. In the end, a cohort of 21 Afghan students studied in the UK under Chevening in 2023-24, 12 of whom were women. 

Mr Zafary said the news about the Chevening scheme was particularly “shattering” as it comes at the same time as a further crackdown by the Taliban. Under new laws introduced in August, women are prohibited from both speaking and showing their faces in public. 

The Taliban’s minister of higher education has also said that questions about women’s education are “suspended”, as the militant group shows no sign of budging on the ban that has locked girls over the age of 12 out of education, almost three years since it was enacted. 

Mohammad Haqmal, a former government official in Afghanistan and lecturer at City, University of London, said the UK government’s decision “not only deprives Afghan students of vital educational opportunities but also sends a troubling message that the international community, perhaps inadvertently, is aligning with the Taliban’s restrictions on education and women's rights”.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which runs the programme, declined to comment publicly but the government previously blamed safety concerns for the programme’s closure.

There is also the question of what happens to Chevening Scholars from Afghanistan once they complete their studies in the UK. Under the usual terms of the scheme, awardees are expected to commit to return to their home country for at least two years after their scholarship ends. 

For women in particular, this could put them in jeopardy. Those who came to the UK in 2023 expressed concern that they would be forced to return to Afghanistan once their visas expired, while others from previous years were granted indefinite leave to remain. 

Last week, 19 Afghan women arrived in Scotland to complete their medical studies after the government granted them home fee status.  

“The UK has a history of hosting leaders who will one day return to serve and of allowing them to keep a flame alive,” said Mr Zafary. “That is why Chevening's absence from Afghanistan feels like a setback for development.”

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com