In January 2025, four Afghan high school graduates began online Business Administration degree courses through a community college in Maine, marking SAGE’s first pilot of a remote higher education pathway for Afghan girls. This initiative provides opportunities for young women who, since the Taliban’s 2021 ban on girls’ secondary education, have had severely limited access to further study.

SAGE supported these students in securing high school equivalency credentials accepted by U.S. institutions and guided them through the enrolment process for online programmes.

This pilot offers a model for SAGE’s future efforts, showing that even amid educational bans, Afghan girls can pursue internationally recognised higher education remotely. SAGE’s comprehensive support—including tutoring, English instruction, test preparation, and college placement—has already reached over 100 students, underscoring the potential to scale online degree access for future cohorts.

Learn more about this pilot and SAGE’s work: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEx7IQkSzSN/