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Funds a scholar for a semester (incl. tuition fees, travel, housing, food and books).
Funds a scholar for a year (incl. tuition fees, travel, housing, food and books).
Funds a scholar till graduation (incl. tuition fees, travel, housing, food and books).
Please make sure the amount is between 5 and 20,000 USD Custom Amount
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You've selected a donation of
6,049
Refugee scholars supported in 2025 across 50 host countries
1,953
Scholars graduated in 2025 into skilled professions
92%
Completion rate maintained across 50+ host countries
Last year, you met them. This year, see how far they have come.
When families are forced to flee, higher education is one of the dreams refugee youth have no choice but to give up on.
But mothers like Iman and Maysaa held on to hope, believing education to be the ultimate tool for dignity, protection, and self-reliance for their children.
Through your belief in UNHCR’s Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative (DAFI), their daughters defied the odds.
• Rasha has officially graduated. While she seeks employment, Rasha is volunteering to teach foundational literacy to children with disabilities within her host community.
• Sahar is now in her final academic year, consistently excelling in her coursework and on track to graduate early next year.
Your support gave them the opportunity to make their dreams a reality.
What does your donation do?
Empower
Removes financial barriers by covering tuition, essential textbooks, and living stipends for talented refugee youth.
Elevate
Champions gender parity in higher education, empowering female scholars who now make up a record 46% of all DAFI recipients.
Enable
Connects university education to real-world livelihoods through mentorship, internships, and digital skills training.
Why is it important?
A Shrinking Door: The Urgent Funding Gap
While existing scholars are protected through graduation, severe global funding cuts have caused the number of new DAFI scholarships to fall drastically over the past three years:
- 2023: 1,942 new scholarships awarded
- 2024: 879 new scholarships awarded
- 2025: 316 new scholarships awarded
Today, fewer than 1 in 5 qualified refugee applicants can receive a DAFI scholarship due to funding limits.
The Multiplier Effect: Meet Mohamed Belal
When you educate a refugee, the impact extends far beyond the individual. Mohamed Belal, a 4th-year Computer Science DAFI scholar in Egypt, founded a community initiative that trained nearly 200 job seekers in digital skills, helping 70–75 people secure employment or scholarships. He is now developing an AI application to match job seekers with employers.
“Without DAFI, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I want to transfer knowledge to people who never got a chance to study.” - Mohamed Belal
Every unawarded scholarship is a frozen future. Your support today determines how many new students we can admit this academic year.
Dedicate your gift in honour or memory of a loved one.
You can dedicate your scholarship gift to celebrate someone special or honor the memory of a loved one. Select the dedication box in the donation form, and we will send a personalized letter acknowledging your tribute.