Afghan Future Fund (AFF), in partnership with No One Left Behind (NOLB), is now accepting applications for the second round of the America’s Allies Scholarship Program (AASP). The initiative provides scholarships to Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders in the United States who are pursuing a degree, certificate, licensing, vocational, or other approved training programs.
“As an Afghan, this program is deeply personal to me,” said Nadima Sahar, managing director of Afghan Future Fund. “I know what it means to have your future interrupted and how life-changing it is when someone chooses to invest in your potential. Afghan and Iraqi allies have already demonstrated extraordinary courage and commitment. This scholarship is our way of honoring that service and ensuring they have the opportunity to build the futures they have earned.“
Launched in October 2025, the AASP is the first scholarship created specifically for Afghan and Iraqi allies with SIV status. The AASP provides funding to help allies overcome financial barriers to education, enabling them to complete the degree, certificate, licensing and training programs they need to establish themselves in the professional world.
“These wartime allies have already demonstrated what they’re capable of when the stakes were highest,” said Andrew Sullivan, executive director of NOLB. “Education programs give them the credentials to build on that resilience and contribute even more to their communities. Helping them achieve their educational goals while supporting their families is one of the most meaningful ways we can keep our promise to those who stood with us.”
Scholarship Timeline:
July 13 – 27: Application period (closes 11:59 p.m. ET, Monday, July 27, 2026).
By the end of August: Interviews with selected candidates, finalists notified.
Early September: Award decisions announced, disbursement begins September 1.September 1 – November 30: Ongoing academic support and monitoring.
Minimum eligibility requirements:
What AASP funds:
The program supports education and training that lead to a job, license, or credential. This support includes professional certifications (such as HVAC, CNA, CDL, and IT), licensing and credential exams, vocational and trade training, community college coursework and degree programs nearing completion. Priority goes to programs with a clear, near-term path to employment or licensure.
Apply here: https://wkf.ms/4v02gsx.
If you have any questions, contact resettlement@nooneleft.org.
First-year impact
The inaugural round of AASP received more than 800 applications from across the U.S.
The program awarded approximately $110,000 in scholarships to 21 students pursuing degrees and certificates in fields including Mechanical-Electrical Technology, Business, Dental Hygiene and Psychology, at colleges and universities across the United States.
For many recipients, the scholarships make the difference between delaying their education and completing the training needed to enter the workforce and support their families.
“I had the biggest happiness on that day,” said Waheedullah Elham, a 2025 AASP awardee and business administration student with an accounting focus at American River College in California. Elham, who hopes to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), said the scholarship transformed what once felt out of reach into an achievable goal.
“This journey of becoming a CPA or becoming a professional accountant was impossible without your assistance.”
The second round opens the same door for the next group of allies. Applications close on July 27, 11:59 p.m. ET.