DAFI Scholarships Reach Record High in Female Refugee Enrollment in 2024

The Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative (DAFI)—a flagship higher education scholarship programme for refugees administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)—has reported its highest proportion of female scholars in over 30 years of operation. According to the UNHCR’s latest announcement, the 2024 academic year marked a major milestone in gender parity, even amid mounting financial challenges and rising global displacement.

Launched in 1992, the DAFI programme has supported more than 27,200 refugee students across 59 refugee-hosting countries over three decades. It is primarily funded by the Government of Germany, with additional support from Denmark, as well as various private partners and philanthropic foundations.

A Major Leap for Refugee Women and Girls

In 2024, women represented 45% of all DAFI scholars, up from 42% in 2023. Even more notable, 60% of all new scholarships were awarded to women—a sharp rise from just 40% the previous year, signaling a significant acceleration toward gender equity.

“This is not just a statistical achievement. It reflects years of effort to address gender gaps and remove long-standing barriers for young refugee women to access and succeed in higher education,” said a UNHCR spokesperson.

The increase is credited to targeted outreach campaigns, mentoring programmes, financial support for girls, and improved academic infrastructure in regions with entrenched gender disparities.

• In Ethiopia, female enrolment increased by 14%, with over 75% of newly awarded DAFI scholarships going to women. This outcome was achieved through enhanced academic tutoring and targeted support for girls at the secondary education level.

• In Pakistan, a bridging programme was expanded to help refugee girls complete high school and transition into higher education institutions, building a sustainable pipeline for future DAFI scholars.

Similar success stories are emerging from Jordan, Kenya, and Uganda, where community-driven education initiatives are helping dismantle socio-cultural and economic barriers to education for girls.

Shrinking Numbers Amid Rising Demand

Despite these gains in gender parity, overall enrolment in the DAFI programme dropped significantly in 2024, reflecting broader constraints in the global humanitarian landscape.

• 7,890 refugee students were enrolled in 2024, compared to 9,312 in 2023—a decline of over 15%.

• The number of new scholarships dropped to just 879, meaning fewer than 20% of applicants were successful.

• This is only the second time enrolment has declined since the programme began. The first drop occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

UNHCR attributed this decline to shifting global humanitarian and development priorities, with more limited resources being stretched across multiple protracted and emerging crises, including conflicts in Sudan, Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar, and the growing impacts of climate-related displacement.

The drop in new scholarships is especially concerning given the surging demand for higher education among refugee youth, driven by rising literacy rates and expanding secondary education access.

Higher Education as a Pathway to Empowerment

DAFI is more than a scholarship—it’s a transformational tool that unlocks self-reliance and hope for displaced youth.

“Access to higher education and training for refugees is not just about earning a qualification,” wrote Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in the foreword to the report. “It is a pathway for transformation, allowing refugee youth to build their own better futures, express themselves and their ideas, shape their vision beyond day-to-day struggles, and prepare to contribute to local and global development goals.”

To support this vision, UNHCR is broadening DAFI’s focus to include:

• Technical and vocational education and training (TVET)

• Work-based learning opportunities

• Job readiness and entrepreneurship support

• Long-term monitoring of graduate outcomes

• Research partnerships to better understand the impact of higher education investment in refugee communities

The Road Ahead: Scaling and Sustaining Progress

The strides made in women’s enrolment serve as proof that targeted strategies yield results. However, the resource gap poses a critical challenge to sustaining and scaling the programme.

UNHCR is calling on donors, development agencies, and private sector partners to renew and increase their commitments to refugee education, particularly in the face of rising displacement and the urgent need to equip refugee youth with the skills for the future.

As DAFI evolves into a more inclusive, diversified, and resilience-focused programme, its continued success will depend on global solidarity, funding, and policy support that treats refugee education not as charity, but as a strategic investment in peace, stability, and sustainable development.