His Highness the Aga Khan Converts Undergraduate Merit Scholarship of the Aga Khan Education Board into Full Grants, Waives Outstanding Student Loans
Lisbon, Portugal: In a landmark move to expand access to higher education, His Highness the Aga Khan has announced the complete conversion of the long-running merit-based undergraduate scholarship programme into a fully grant-based initiative. The decision includes the forgiveness of all outstanding student loans for current and former scholarship recipients.
The programme, administered by Aga Khan Education Boards in selected countries, was originally established by Mawlana Shah Karim in the 1990s. Over the last three decades, it has supported thousands of students in pursuing undergraduate degrees through a combination of grants and repayable loans, including thousands of Ismaili students from Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral and other parts of Pakistan.
Addressing the Jamat, His Highness the Aga Khan said the decision reflects his desire to remove financial barriers that prevent talented students from accessing quality higher education. By transforming the scholarships into full grants, future beneficiaries will no longer be burdened with repayment obligations.
Education Boards in the relevant countries are expected to release further details regarding implementation and eligibility in due course.
