UNHCR’s scholarship program, DAFI, enables access to higher education for refugee students in their country of asylum since 1992. The Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative (DAFI) program provides undergraduate refugee students with scholarships that cover a wide range of costs: from tuition fees and study materials to food, transport, and accommodation. As such, the fully funded UNHCR DAFI scholarship program is available for application.

Further, DAFI scholars receive additional support to support their academic achievements and skill development. It includes close monitoring, academic preparatory and language classes based on students’ needs, as well as psychosocial support, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Fully Funded UNHCR DAFI Scholarship Program

The fully funded UNHCR DAFI Scholarship Programme covers a range of costs depending on the design and needs of the specific country program. Moreover, the scholarship covers most registration and tuition fees. Further, registration and tuition fees are generally payable directly to the institution.

Also, the students will receive a subsistence allowance to cover costs such as accommodation, food, books and study materials, and local transportation.

Who can apply?

In order to be eligible for a fully funded UNHCR DAFI Scholarship Program a candidate must:

• be a refugee with recognized refugee status;
• further, have successfully completed secondary schooling to a high standard;
• likewise, have no other means of support for university studies;
• select a course of study that is likely to lead to employment in the country of origin with a maximum three to four years duration;
• not be older than 28 years at the beginning of studies;
• Also, have no other family member receiving a DAFI scholarship.

Eligible Countries

Sub-Sahara Africa: Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cameroon; Chad; Cote d’Ivoire; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea Bissau; Kenya; Liberia; Mali; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Rwanda; Senegal; South Africa; South Sudan; Sudan; Tanzania; Togo; Uganda; Zambia & Zimbabwe.

Middle-East & Northern Africa (MENA): Algeria; Egypt; Kurdistan Region of Iraq; Jordan; Lebanon; Mauritania; Morocco; Syria & Yemen.

Asia & Pacific: Afghanistan; Bangladesh; India; Iran; Kyrgyzstan; Pakistan &Tajikistan.

The Americas: Ecuador & Mexico.

Europe: Azerbaijan; Russian Federation; Turkey & Ukraine.

How to apply for UNHCR DAFI Scholarship Program?

To apply for the DAFI Scholarship program, eligible candidates must:

• Check in the list above if there is a current DAFI Programme in your country of asylum.
• Check if you meet the above-mentioned criteria.
• You can contact the respective office by emailing your country of interest in the following contact form.
• Complete the country-specific application form and submit as indicated on the form.