Seven Million Afghanis Awarded in Fall 2008 Semester

Nearly seven million afghanis ($140,000US) in financial assistance was awarded to deserving students this semester, or approximately 20,000 afghanis ($400US) per enrolled student.

Financial assistance is essential in enabling qualified and deserving students to enroll in AUAF and complete a degree program. The amount of financial assistance awarded to an individual student is deducted from her or his tuition costs, thereby lifting some of the economic burden associated with enrolling in an AUAF program.

"Everyone is supported equally according to their qualifications and needs," said AUAF Director of Finance, Mr. Noor M. Seddiq. "There is no discrimination for this distribution"

In a country with a per capita income of only 10,000 afghanis ($200US), an AUAF education is something that only a small portion of the population can fully afford.

Even with a regular salary, meeting the cost of tuition often proves challenging. Over two thirds of AUAF students are employed outside the home, earning on average between 10,000 – 30,000 afghanis ($200-$600US) per month.

One student, who declined to be identified, said: "The University does its best to help us and I appreciate that. However, there still is a huge gap that students feel."

Financial assistance is awarded on the basis of merit and need. To determine who qualifies for financial assistance, each student or aspiring student must complete an application form, which includes questions about their grade point average, salary, family annual income, and property. This allows AUAF to assess an applicant’s monetary conditions and offer discounts to tuition costs or scheduled installments, thereby making payment more flexible.

"First, we make provision for the most qualified students," said Mr. Seddiq. "And the other factors come into the next steps."

In the fall 2008 semester 71% of students in the undergraduate program and 34% of students in the foundation studies program have received financial assistance.

A 60% discount was the largest amount awarded this semester. The minimum was 0% percent, meaning students are expected to cover the entire cost of their tuition.

In addition to financial assistance provided by AUAF, a number of private sector companies have come forward with scholarships for their personnel, including Telecom Development Company Afghanistan "Roshan," Da Afghanistan Bank, and Pashtany Bank.

The University welcomes donations for student financial assistance and scholarships. Donations can be made directly to AUAF or, in the case of U.S. donors, to the American University of Afghanistan Foundation.

For more information on financial assistance, click here.