Sulaimani university scholarship program gets $5mn boost
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS) has announced the receipt of a $5 million grant from the US to fund its merit-based scholarship program.
“This funding is vital to building a stable and secure peace in the region. It helps us engage bright young people who have the skills, knowledge and commitment to build better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities. An investment in education is an investment in the future,” said university president Bruce W. Ferguson in a statement on AUIS’ website on Monday thanking the US Department of State for the grant.
More than 90 percent of AUIS students rely on some form of scholarship or sponsorship to assist them in their studies, the statement added.
Funds will be received over 2017 and 2018, according to AUIS, and will “cover the portion of each student’s tuition currently paid by the University.”
The US grant will “relieve financial pressure” on AUIS’ existing scholarship program but will not support new programs, Mehr Zahra, communications director for the school, told Rudaw English.
As a private, non-profit university, AUIS subsidizes an average of 30 percent of each student’s tuition “to help talented students attend,” Zahra explained.
This funding is crucial to students, especially during the ongoing economic crisis in the Kurdistan Region.
Zhyar Pshdari is an engineering student at AUIS. He had to quit his studies for a year because of financial difficulties. Though he has not received a scholarship from AUIS, he is hopeful he can in the future, telling Rudaw English, “I’m in need.”
Zahra acknowledged that fewer students are able to afford to attend a private university and funding like the US grant allows the school to “make quality education accessible to students.”
Without this grant, fewer students would be able to attend AUIS.
“This funding is vital to building a stable and secure peace in the region. It helps us engage bright young people who have the skills, knowledge and commitment to build better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities. An investment in education is an investment in the future,” said university president Bruce W. Ferguson in a statement on AUIS’ website on Monday thanking the US Department of State for the grant.
More than 90 percent of AUIS students rely on some form of scholarship or sponsorship to assist them in their studies, the statement added.
Funds will be received over 2017 and 2018, according to AUIS, and will “cover the portion of each student’s tuition currently paid by the University.”
The US grant will “relieve financial pressure” on AUIS’ existing scholarship program but will not support new programs, Mehr Zahra, communications director for the school, told Rudaw English.
As a private, non-profit university, AUIS subsidizes an average of 30 percent of each student’s tuition “to help talented students attend,” Zahra explained.
This funding is crucial to students, especially during the ongoing economic crisis in the Kurdistan Region.
Zhyar Pshdari is an engineering student at AUIS. He had to quit his studies for a year because of financial difficulties. Though he has not received a scholarship from AUIS, he is hopeful he can in the future, telling Rudaw English, “I’m in need.”
Zahra acknowledged that fewer students are able to afford to attend a private university and funding like the US grant allows the school to “make quality education accessible to students.”
Without this grant, fewer students would be able to attend AUIS.