KABUL— More than 80 Afghan women studying in Oman under a U.S.-funded scholarship program now face imminent deportation to Afghanistan, following the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid programs, according to a BBC report.
The women, whose education was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), were informed that their scholarships had been abruptly terminated after President Donald Trump ordered a funding freeze in January.
“It was heartbreaking,” one student told the BBC, speaking anonymously for security reasons. “Everyone was shocked and crying. We’ve been told we will be sent back within two weeks.”
Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have banned women from universities, imposed strict restrictions on their rights, and barred them from most forms of employment.
U.S. aid funding had previously enabled thousands of Afghan women to study abroad or continue their education online, but many of these programs are now suspended.
The students in Oman say preparations are already underway for their deportation and have urged the international community to intervene.
The BBC reviewed emails sent to 82 Afghan students, informing them that their scholarships had been discontinued due to the USAID funding freeze. The messages acknowledged that the news would be “profoundly disappointing and unsettling,” while also detailing travel arrangements back to Afghanistan, which caused panic among the students.
“We need immediate protection, financial assistance, and resettlement opportunities in a safe country where we can continue our education,” one student told the BBC.
The women, mostly in their 20s, had qualified for scholarships in 2021, just before the Taliban takeover. Many continued their studies at Afghan universities until December 2022, when the Taliban banned higher education for women.
After spending 18 months in limbo, they fled to Pakistan in September 2024. USAID then facilitated their visas to Oman, where they arrived between October and November.
Now, their future is uncertain.
“If we are sent back, we will face severe consequences,” one student said. “It would mean losing all our dreams. We won’t be able to study, and our families might force us into marriage. Many of us could also be at personal risk due to our past affiliations and activism.”
The USAID website’s media contact page remains offline, and the BBC said it has contacted the U.S. State Department for comment.
The Taliban have issued more than 100 decrees restricting women’s rights, according to human rights organizations. Advocacy groups have called the situation dehumanizing and urged the global community to formally recognize the Taliban’s policies as gender apartheid.
