UNHCR’s global tertiary education scholarship programme best known by its acronym, DAFI (The Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee initiative), is funded by the Government of Germany and administered by UNHCR.
Founded in 1992 by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and implemented by UNHCR, the DAFI programme has enrolled over 9,300 refugees in higher education scholarships during its existence.
The programme aims to contribute to the promotion of self-reliance of refugees by equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge through professional qualifications aimed at future employment. In addition, the programme is geared towards the development of a highly qualified and skilled human resource that will play a vital role in the reconstruction and redevelopment of their country of origin. In situations where repatriation is not feasible due to the persistent security situation in the home country, these scholarships may facilitate local integration in the short term as well as long term.
The purpose of the government of Germany funded DAFI scholarships is to allow deserving Afghan refugee students to attain their educational goals, meet their professional objectives and succeed to their fullest ability. These scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis with regard to merit, excellence and financial need. The programme grants scholarships to deserving young refugees enrolled in Higher Education Commission recognised universities, colleges and polytechnics in Pakistan.
DAFI Awards in Pakistan
In Pakistan, UNHCR has been implementing DAFI scholarships since 1992 and has supported more than 1,700 students.
The awards cover a wide range of costs from tuition fees and study materials to transport, accommodation and other allowances. Preparatory and language classes based on students’ needs, as well as activities encouraging peer support, are among examples of further resources available to DAFI students.
Beneficiaries
All current beneficiaries of scholarship programme in Pakistan are registered Afghans refugees holding a valid Proof of Registration (PoR) Card. The students in Pakistan are both from refugee villages and urban/rural settings. We have a limited number of female applicants from refugee villages and/or rural settings due to lack of secondary and post-secondary education opportunities. Therefore, in order to encourage female students, scholarships are also provided at the higher secondary school level.
Target Population
DAFI provides scholarships to Afghan refugee youth in Pakistan. The beneficiaries are mostly in the 19 to 30 years age group. Females range from 17 to 25 years whereas males range from 19 to 30 years. Most of the beneficiaries are from KP, Baluchistan, Punjab and Islamabad in Pakistan.