Over 80 Afghan women studying in Oman under a U.S.-funded scholarship program are now at risk of deportation to Afghanistan after the U.S. government froze foreign aid programs, according to a BBC report.

These students, supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), were abruptly informed that their scholarships had been terminated following an aid freeze ordered by President Donald Trump in January.

“It was devastating,” one student told the BBC anonymously for security reasons. “Everyone was in shock and crying. We have been told we will be sent back within two weeks.”

Since the Taliban took control in 2021, women have been banned from universities and face severe restrictions on their rights, including employment opportunities. U.S.-funded scholarships had previously allowed thousands of Afghan women to study abroad or pursue online education, but many of these initiatives have now been suspended.

The students in Oman report that deportation arrangements are already in progress and have called on the international community to intervene. The BBC reviewed emails sent to 82 Afghan students, informing them that their scholarships were discontinued due to the USAID funding freeze. The messages acknowledged the distressing impact of this decision and outlined travel plans back to Afghanistan, sparking panic among the students.

“We need urgent protection, financial aid, and resettlement in a safe country where we can continue our education,” one student pleaded.

Most of these women, in their 20s, secured scholarships in 2021, just before the Taliban’s takeover. Many continued their studies at Afghan universities until December 2022, when the Taliban imposed a ban on higher education for women.

After spending 18 months in limbo, they fled to Pakistan in September 2024. USAID facilitated their visas to Oman, where they arrived between October and November.

Now, their future is uncertain.

“If we are sent back, we will lose everything,” one student said. “We will be unable to study, and some of us may be forced into marriage. Many also fear for their safety due to past activism or affiliations.”

The BBC reported that USAID’s media contact page is offline and has reached out to the U.S. State Department for a response.

Human rights organizations state that the Taliban has issued over 100 decrees restricting women’s rights. Advocacy groups have condemned these measures as dehumanizing and are urging the global community to formally recognize the Taliban’s policies as gender apartheid.