By Laila Yousufy
The United States’s decision to halt the Fulbright scholarship program for Afghanistan has dashed the dreams of 140 semi-finalists who were hoping to study in the United States for the 2022/23 academic year.
“Despite all the challenges of my life, I have always dreamt of becoming a Fulbrighter. With money I received from weaving carpet, I took a TOEFL preparation course,” said Liala Bahar, 25, a Fulbright applicant. “With the suspension of this program by the United States, I really feel down.”
Of hundreds of bright young Afghans who applied for the prestigious Fulbright scholarship in early last year, 140 were shortlisted for interview. They wrote essays, took TOEFL tests, and filled numerous forms, waiting for nearly one year.
Then they all received an email from the U.S. State Department in January. The email stated that Fulbright program for Afghan scholars was suspended due to “significant barriers.”
If everything moved forward as planned, about half of 140 semi-finalists would end up studying in the United States.
“I was really shocked and could not believe it when I read that the Fulbright scholarship for Afghan students had been canceled,” Bahar said. “But to confirm, I texted my friends and saw it was real, I really felt disappointed.”
The Fulbright Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world. More than 850 Afghan students have benefited from the program over the past 18 years and about a quarter of Fulbright recipients are women, according to a press release published on the website of the United States embassy in Kabul in March 2021.
Bahar obtained her bachelor’s degree in computer science from a public university, hoping to do her master’s degree in MBA through Fulbright scholarship program in the United States. She said, “all my hopes were dashed.” When the program was canceled.
The Fulbright program started in Afghanistan in 1952 and continued until 1979. It was suspended for 23 years due to an ongoing conflict in the country. The State Department restarted awarding Fulbright scholarships for Afghans in 2003.
Atika, 26, another semi-finalist, said she made it to the semi-final on her third attempt. She said she was disappointed when she heard about the suspension of the program, and hoped the United States reconsider its decision.
“Getting ready for Fulbright from learning language to social and cultural activities are not easy,” she said. “Canceling this program has really depressed and disappointed us.”
