New scholarship to support Afghan women to study at Oxford
A new scholarship will enable an Afghan woman each year to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Oxford, alongside a dedicated leadership development programme, thanks to a US$2.5 million gift to the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust.
The donation, made by Afghan educationalist and Oxford alumna Shabana Basij-Rasikh, will endow the scholarship in perpetuity, creating a lasting opportunity for future generations of Afghan women to access graduate education and develop their leadership potential.
The scholarship will be open to women of first- or second-generation Afghan descent who meet Oxford’s academic admissions requirements and receive an offer of a place on an eligible master’s course. It will cover full course fees, provide a stipend towards living costs and offer a pre-travel grant to help with expenses before arriving in Oxford.
Ms Basij-Rasikh is a leading advocate for girls’ education and co-founded the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA) at the age of 18. She is herself a graduate of the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme, having completed a Master of Public Policy at Oxford in 2019–20.
Speaking about the gift, Ms Basij-Rasikh said: 'This is all we’ve ever asked: not to be pitied or patronized, but only to have access to the tools we need to build our own futures, our own successes. At Oxford, an Afghan woman leader’s journey will begin. Another Afghan woman will come the following year, and it will continue, year after year, woman after woman.'
The new scholarship reflects Oxford’s wider commitment to expanding access to graduate education for talented students from under-represented and at-risk backgrounds. Through initiatives including its Academic Futures scholarship programme, the University provides financial support to students who have experienced barriers to higher education, including refugees and people affected by displacement. Oxford was also recognised as a University of Sanctuary in 2023, reflecting its longstanding commitment to supporting those affected by conflict and persecution.
The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust supports outstanding graduates and professionals, primarily from developing and emerging economies, to undertake fully funded graduate study at Oxford alongside a specially designed Leadership Programme, equipping scholars with the skills and networks to address challenges in their home countries and beyond.
Find out more about the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust: Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme | Oxford University
