US Ends $25 Million Grant to Afghanistan’s Main University for Women

The American University of Afghanistan serves as one of the final academic institutions where women can earn degrees in the country. The United States government has ended its financial support for the school, a move that threatens the education of approximately 1,000 current students.

The decision was announced by the State Department, which stated that the university has a history of lacking accountability for millions of dollars in taxpayer money. A US report from 2018 noted that the United States paid nearly 90% of the university's costs. With the refusal of a $25 million grant, the institution faces an uncertain financial future despite having other smaller donors.

Students are currently studying in secret because the Taliban controls the campus. Most students use online platforms to attend lectures from their homes. They often keep their cameras off and use aliases to protect their identities. Laila, a mid-twenties political science student, said she knows her classmates only by their voices. Her name is changed for safety.

Laila began her studies after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. She was finishing a degree at another university in Kabul when the group banned women's higher education in December 2022. She won a scholarship to the American University of Afghanistan and restarted her academic path. She noted that not every woman had the chance to transfer and continue their studies.

The university opened in 2006 with millions of dollars in initial US funding. Laura Bush, the former first lady, announced the commitment and described the school as a place to train future leaders, particularly women. Patrick Fine, the former USAID mission director, said the Bush administration viewed the project as a way to stabilize a young democracy and build goodwill. He noted that some officials inside the agency considered the idea risky and a potential waste of money.

US inspectors investigated the university's finances in 2016. By 2018, they concluded that poor accounting practices made it difficult to trace how the aid money was spent. John Sopko, a former federal inspector who oversaw the probe, expressed surprise that the US continued to fund the institution. Fine rejected the State Department's recent reasoning as smear tactics. He said earlier audits found the school struggled with regulatory rules but did not uncover major fraud.

The State Department said the university is free to find other partners and funders. This means the end of US taxpayer money does not automatically close the school. However, the loss of the largest share of its budget creates significant pressure on its operations. The university has long relied on American support to maintain its programs.

Laila said the news has crushed her motivation. She has barely left her room since learning about the funding cut. She expected to graduate years ago and pursue a master's degree abroad. Now she estimates it may take five or ten more years to finish her degree. She worries that Taliban authorities may search her phone and find university emails. She has experienced home searches and threatening calls from peers and officials.