SOAS statement on Afghan Chevening Scholars

16 August 2021

We welcome Boris Johnson’s promise to help 35 Afghan Chevening scholars to get visas to travel to the UK after they were informed that the UK Embassy in Kabul could not administer the paperwork for them to take up these prestigious scholarships as planned.

This needs to be followed up with urgent action, as time is short and the security situation in Afghanistan is complex. Many of the scholars are women and from minority communities, and as such may be vulnerable in the context of a Taliban-controlled government.

We call on the UK government to honour its commitment and to expedite visas and departure arrangements, as soon as possible, so that this group of future Afghan leaders can take up their scholarships in the UK.