Scholarships and Financial Grants

Engineering and architecture students in Afghanistan and elsewhere deserve every opportunity to overcome financial hardships and benefit from a holistic, effective education. To this end, we actively seek the sponsorship of our members and outside donors to fund scholarship programs and financial grants, providing Afghanistan’s engineering students with the incentive to achieve above and beyond the average in their learning experiences. While issuing scholarships has long been a foundational long-term goal for the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE), we have successfully translated this vision into concrete, ongoing financial support structures.

The SAE-Ashraf Roshan Scholarship for Architecture Education

Background and Objective

The SAE-Ashraf Roshan Scholarship for Architecture Education was established by Mrs. Tooba Roshan and her family to honor the memory of her late husband, Mr. Ashraf Roshan. Mr. Roshan was a distinguished Afghan architect, a founding member and former Treasurer of SAE, who graduated from the Architecture Department of the Faculty of Engineering at Kabul University in 1980. The objective of this scholarship is to further the education of architecture and design in Afghan universities in accordance with accepted national and international standards. By partnering closely with the Department of Architecture, we work to identify, select, and award academic grants to university students who distinguish themselves through outstanding academic excellence.

Beneficiaries and Grant Amounts

Every year, up to a total of six academic grants may be awarded—three allocated for female students and three for male students. These grants specifically target students at the Department of Architecture of the Faculty of Engineering at Kabul University. Supported by a dedicated annual donation of $5,000, each successful candidate may receive a one-time cash or in-kind academic grant of US $1,000.

Candidate Eligibility and Award Types

To be eligible, candidates must be active, full-time undergraduate or graduate students entering their 3rd, 4th, or 5th year of education. Students must demonstrate academic excellence—typically proven by holding the highest average grade across all subjects—and must successfully submit a project that meets our specific grant requirements.

Awards are distributed through specialized categories:

• Category I (Direct Prize): A cash award payable directly to the awardee, reserved strictly for fifth-year students.
• Category II (Supplies): In-kind grants providing architectural supplies and computers.
• Category III (Research, Travel, and Extracurricular Activities): Given only to third-year students, this award covers reimbursable expenses for goal-oriented activities, such as studying the Afghan built environment, organizing lectures, or designing art exhibits. Applicants must submit a 400-word formal essay detailing their goals and fund requirements, along with two letters of recommendation from program mentors.

Specific awards under this scholarship also include the Leadership and Excellence Award, the Best Architectural Portfolio Award, and specialized funding for research in heritage architecture.

Student Design Competition Grants and Awards

In addition to formal scholarships, we believe in fostering innovation by supporting Afghan students financially with the materials and equipment needed to design projects and compete on a global stage.

A prime example is the Bamiyan International Student Design Competition, where we raised funds among SAE members and donor organizations to help Afghan students cover costs related to design production, materials, and equipment. Through the generous donations of the Kazimee Family Charity Funds and the Tooba Roshan Education Funds, we awarded significant cash prizes to the top competition winners. The first-place winner received $2,500, second place received $1,500, and third place received $1,000. Furthermore, the jury awarded six honorable mentions—including a $1,600 total cash prize awarded to a team of four young female architecture students from Kabul University—as a token of our sincere appreciation for their time, dedication, and quality of design.

Direct Financial Assistance for Online Learning

The recent suspension of formal academic institutions for many Afghan students required us to pivot toward online education initiatives, such as the Afghan Architecture Studio (AAS) virtual classes. To ensure that financial barriers do not prevent students from advancing their education, our volunteer faculty members have generously covered out-of-pocket expenses to support students’ fundamental needs. Throughout the semesters, faculties have paid for students’ monthly internet fees and provided crucial supplies like tablets, notebooks, pens, and sketch papers to those in need. Graduates of these rigorous online studio programs have also been honored with cash awards alongside their certificates of accomplishment.

Get Involved: Support Future Afghan Engineers

We strongly encourage individuals, families, and businesses to support young Afghan engineering and architecture students through scholarships and grants. Financial support provides these bright young minds with the resources they need to enhance their educational experience, empowering them to become effective, highly skilled contributors to Afghanistan’s future development.

If you or your organization are interested in offering a scholarship, funding a design competition, or providing financial assistance to students in need, please reach out to us at info@afghanengineers.org.