University of Regina pushes to bring Afghan women at deportation risk to campus

The University of Regina is moving to bring a cohort of Afghan women facing deportation into degree programs in Saskatchewan, saying it can house, feed, and support them on campus if federal study permits are issued in time. The effort, active as of August 15, 2025, is part of Project Resilience, an institutional program that offers scholarships and wraparound services to students harmed by war and political violence. University leaders say the plan depends on two things: raising $500,000 by July 2026 and getting Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to move on the pending student visas.

President and Vice-Chancellor Jeff Keshen has told partners the University of Regina has the space to accommodate incoming students and is prepared to provide free housing and meals once tuition funds are secured. Admissions staff are ready to issue expedited offer letters for qualified applicants, with a focus on fields like law, business, and computer science. Many of the women previously studied at the American University of Afghanistan before their education was cut short. The university estimates the annual cost is about $40,000 per student, which covers tuition, housing, meals, and key supports.

The immediate pressure point is federal processing. The University of Regina has formally asked IRCC for faster action on the study permits these students need to enter Canada and enroll. IRCC has not publicly commented on the individual cases, citing privacy and safety concerns. University officials and community partners say time matters because several women face deadlines in the countries where they’re currently staying and risk forced return to Afghanistan.

Visa bottlenecks and safety risks

For Afghan women, the consequences of a failed relocation are severe. Since the Taliban retook control in 2021, Afghanistan has banned education for girls beyond age 12, making it the only country in the world with such a rule. Women who challenge these limits face threats that range from forced marriage to detention. Even travel is restricted: women must be escorted by a male chaperone to fly, a condition that blocks escape for many.

Advocacy groups working with the University of Regina describe cases where students are stuck in temporary status abroad after prior scholarships were cut, including those tied to suspended U.S. government funding. Without quick pathways into new programs, they risk deportation back to Afghanistan and the loss of any chance to finish their degrees.

The students themselves are pushing forward. Women like Spogmai and Ahmadi have spoken about their plans to continue schooling despite danger. Ahmadi, who fled Afghanistan and later worked in Qatar, wants to join the University of Regina to restart her studies, calling education the only path to a better future. Their messages align with the university’s stance that offering seats now is both a moral duty and a practical way to save careers derailed by conflict.

Project Resilience began in 2022 to help students affected by war and political violence. It was refreshed in 2025 to focus on the urgent needs of Afghan women, many of whom were near completion of programs in high-demand fields. The university’s model is to pair scholarships with intensive support, including counseling, mental health care, academic advising, and guidance from international student services—so students don’t just arrive, they settle and pass their courses.

What admission and settlement would look like

If visas are approved and funding is in place, the path is straightforward. The University of Regina has sketched a step-by-step plan to move students quickly and safely:

1. Identification and application: Afghan women at risk apply to Project Resilience or are referred by partners.
2. Scholarship and admission: The university vets files and issues fast offer letters for strong candidates in key programs.
3. Fundraising: Donors and partners contribute to cover tuition, housing, meals, and essential needs.
4. Visa application: The university coordinates with IRCC to seek timely study permit decisions.
5. Relocation: Students travel to Regina, Saskatchewan, and move into campus housing.
6. Integration: Students receive academic support, wellness care, and help adjusting to life in Canada.

University officials stress they already have beds, meal plans, and counseling ready. Families in Regina have offered community support, and student services are prepared to manage case-by-case needs. The scholarship package would cover tuition, housing, and meals in full, with extra help for mental health and academic challenges. The goal is not only safe arrival but successful graduation.

Women Leaders of Tomorrow, an advocacy group focused on Afghan women’s education, is a partner in outreach and referrals. The group has pushed for faster action since many students lost funding after earlier programs shut down. The University of Regina’s Director of Philanthropy, Erin MacAulay, is coordinating donor interest and community pledges to build the fund toward $500,000 by July 2026, the target needed to support more students through the 2025–26 and 2026–27 academic years.

Federal process and constraints

On the federal side, the standard study permit process remains the legal step for entry. IRCC policy requires an admission letter and proof of funds, among other documents, before issuing a study permit. In humanitarian cases like this, institutions frequently ask for faster timelines due to safety concerns. IRCC has said little publicly, but privacy and protection rules limit what the department can reveal about individuals who may be at risk.

Readers can review IRCC’s study permit rules, timelines, and documents at the official government site:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit.html.

Advocates say the case shows how universities can act quickly when they control funding and housing. But they note that without federal visas, no student can board a plane or enroll. That tension—readiness on campus and delays on permits—defines the current moment. VisaVerge.com reports regularly on study permit timelines and policy shifts, and its analysis points to decision speed as a key factor for at‑risk students who face removal from host countries.

Stakes, capacity, and next steps

The University of Regina’s plan carries a human cost calculation. Each unfilled seat means one more woman left to face a system that blocks her education and limits her daily life. Each filled seat means a person with the tools and protection to study, work part-time, and help family members back home.

Legal clinics in Regina note the stakes are highest for those close to deportation dates abroad, where an exit route through a Canadian admission offer and study permit could be the difference between safety and return to danger.

Despite the hurdles, university leaders and community partners remain focused on near-term wins. They want to move the first students into campus residences as soon as visas arrive, then build a pipeline that can support more women over the next academic cycles. The broader hope is that Project Resilience can grow, with added partners and donor pools, so the university can accept more applicants if IRCC decisions come through.

For now, the math is simple:
– About $40,000 per student per year (tuition, housing, meals, supports).
– A firm funding target of $500,000 by July 2026 to support cohorts in 2025–26 and 2026–27.

The University of Regina says it is ready to do its part. Afghan women waiting on decisions are ready too. The final piece sits with federal decision-makers, who control the travel documents that would turn offers on paper into seats in classrooms.