Welcome
Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative (DAFI)
Alice, Congolese refugee student, © UNHCR / Antoine Tardy
The Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative, known as DAFI, offers higher education scholarships to refugees so that they can attend universities, colleges and polytechnics in their host countries, and more recently, in their country of return.
The Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative, known as DAFI, offers higher education scholarships to refugees so that they can attend universities, colleges and polytechnics in their host countries, and more recently, in their country of return. Refugees in Ruanda can be eligible for that program.
In close cooperation with German Embassies, UNHCR together with partners was enabled by the financial support of the Government of Germany to assist the most deserving refugees to rebuild their lives and to support their communities.
The primary objective of the DAFI Program is to contribute to the promotion of self-reliance of refugee men and women by providing them with a professional qualification geared towards future gainful employment. More generally, the DAFI Program aims to encourage
the development of qualified human resources for the future reconstruction of refugees' home countries upon repatriation, thereby supporting greater peace and stability in the region. In refugee situations where repatriation is not, or not immediately feasible, DAFI scholarships
may facilitate local integration, temporarily or permanently, and contribute to the development of the refugee community and/or the host country. DAFI graduates also serve as a role model for other refugee students to remain in school and advance their education. In
particular, female role models are needed to promote girls’ education, which is considered key to their empowerment.