Job Description

Opportunity of Alekain Scholarship

Are you an Afghan girl who wants to finish high school and needs a safe, free way to do it? The Alekain Foundation or Alekain Scholarship, a US-based nonprofit, runs the Claim Your Diploma Initiative in partnership with Smart Schools International, a fully accredited online high school based in Gilbert, Arizona. The program funds secondary education (Grades 9–12) for Afghan girls aged 16 and above who cannot attend school inside Afghanistan and awards a US-certified high school diploma on completion.

Key Details

• Provided by: Alekain Foundation (501(c) (3) nonprofit, Tempe, Arizona, USA)
• Host institution: Smart Schools International, Gilbert, Arizona, USA
• Location: Fully online; open to applicants currently living in Afghanistan
• Admission Deadline: Friday, August 30, 2026 (single deadline, all applicants)
• Degree Level: Secondary education (Grades 9–12), leading to a US high school diploma
• Scholarship Number: Not published for the 2026 cycle. Alekain’s first two cohorts enrolled 80 students combined out of 3,161 applicants, so plan for a highly competitive selection.
• Gender: Female (Afghan girls only)
• Type: Scholarship (fully funded secondary education program)
• Eligible Nations: Afghanistan (Afghan citizenship and current residence in Afghanistan required)
• Eligible Degree Programs: This is a secondary school program, not a university degree program. It covers the full Grades 9–12 curriculum needed for a US high school diploma. The official page lists no separate degree tracks or majors.

Claim Your Diploma Initiative Benefits

1. Full program access at no cost, delivered through Smart Schools International
2. A laptop for every enrolled student
3. A monthly internet package for every enrolled student
4. One-on-one peer mentorship, pairing each student with a US college student
5. Academic support and tutoring throughout the program
6. Mental wellness support alongside academic coursework
7. Outcome: an internationally recognized, US-certified high school diploma that opens pathways to university admission

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be an Afghan girl aged 16 or older (no published upper age limit)
• Must currently live inside Afghanistan
• Must have completed middle school, or be in the final year of middle school
• Must demonstrate motivation, leadership, and community engagement
• Must write every part of the application herself, in English, without AI tools or an online translator (violations disqualify the application)
• Must have a valid passport or national ID (Tazkira); a copy is required later in the process, along with a parent’s passport or Tazkira
• Parent or guardian consent is mandatory; both student and parent must sign a confidentiality agreement
• Must be able to commit to full-time online study, at least 25 hours per week, for 16 to 24 months
• English requirement: B2 proficiency on the CEFR scale. Applicants below B2 are asked to improve their English and reapply in a future cycle. Short-listed applicants take a placement test set by Smart Schools International to confirm this level.
• Language of instruction: English
• No minimum GPA, TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo score is published on the official application page.

How to Apply?

• Complete the online application through Alekain’s official JotForm, “Become an Alekain Scholar.” The form checks basic eligibility first, then asks for personal, family, and academic details, three short essays (300 words each), and an extracurricular activities table.
• Upload supporting documents with the application: a current CV or resume if available, school transcripts from the last three years, and a list of any awards, honors, or certificates. Submit whatever documents are available if some are missing due to the situation in Afghanistan.
• Submit early. Alekain accepts no late applications, even for technical problems, and the deadline is firm at August 30, 2026.

Apply Now