650 Students Receive Orientation for UNHCR Scholarship Programme
By Kidega Livingstone
At least 650 newly selected refugee, returnee and host-community students have received onboarding orientation ahead of pursuing undergraduate studies under the 2026 UNHCR scholarship programme in South Sudan.
The students, selected from Aweil, Jamjang, Juba, Maban, Yei and other locations across the country, will receive support to pursue undergraduate studies in Juba and Lobonok.
The scholarship programme is supported through a partnership between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Mastercard Foundation and implemented by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF).
The programme is aimed at expanding access to higher education for young people affected by displacement while equipping them with skills that can contribute to the development of their communities and the country.
Speaking during the onboarding orientation workshop in Juba on Friday, UNHCR Protection Officer Tabasum Noor Jamal described the selected students as fortunate beneficiaries and urged them to take their studies seriously.
She encouraged the scholars to work hard, maintain strong academic performance and make the best use of the opportunity.
“Study hard and get high marks,” Jamal advised the students, emphasizing that academic performance could help them qualify for further educational opportunities.
Meanwhile, Kenyi Beneth Emmanuel, Education Project Manager at the Lutheran World Federation, said the number of applications for the scholarship increased significantly in 2026.
He attributed the rise in applications to the high demand for university education among young people, noting that there had been limited opportunities to apply for the scholarship over the previous two years.
The 2026 intake represents a major expansion of the programme. According to reports from the onboarding ceremony, the 650 students were selected from about 1,400 applications, making the intake the largest in the programme’s history in South Sudan.
The scholarship programme forms part of broader efforts to ensure that displacement does not prevent young people from accessing higher education. UNHCR has previously reported that tertiary education opportunities have been sustained for hundreds of refugee scholars in South Sudan through DAFI and other scholarship initiatives.
The Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative (DAFI), which provides higher education scholarships to refugees, has operated in South Sudan since 2016, with the Lutheran World Federation serving as a programme partner.
Also speaking during the orientation, Yawusa Daud Kintha, Deputy Director for Protection and Refugee Education at the Commission for Refugee Affairs, urged the beneficiaries to remain focused on their academic goals.
Kintha advised the scholars to prioritize their degree programmes and avoid distractions that could affect their academic performance.
He said education remains an important pathway for young refugees, returnees and members of host communities to build skills, improve their livelihoods and contribute to the future development of South Sudan.
The scholarship initiative also reflects growing efforts by humanitarian and development partners to link education with self-reliance and longer-term solutions for displaced populations.
For the 650 beneficiaries, the orientation marks the beginning of their university journey, with officials urging them to use the opportunity responsibly and return their knowledge and skills to their communities.
