Sara, whose real name has been withheld, spent years trying to pursue her ambition of becoming a doctor. After winning a place at Kabul University’s medical school in February 2021, she lost the chance to study when the Taliban returned to power and barred women from university education.
The University of Glasgow later offered her a place on a gateway course at its school of medicine, dentistry and nursing, designed as a route towards a full degree. Sara had secured funding for the course, and her teachers described her as a capable and dedicated student. Her visa application was submitted days before the UK introduced a visa brake in March 2026 for students from Afghanistan, Sudan, Myanmar and Cameroon.
The Home Office rejected her application three times. In one refusal, officials said she had enough funding but did not qualify as a genuine student. Another decision accepted that she was a genuine student but said her funding was insufficient. Sara also completed a phone interview with a Home Office official, but her application was refused again.
Sara’s pursuit of education has been marked by serious obstacles. She says she faced violence and pressure to marry from her father, survived a suicide bombing at an educational centre, and left Afghanistan with her mother, siblings and relatives when conditions at home became dangerous. In Pakistan, where the family went after leaving Afghanistan, she could not continue her medical studies and says police searched for them after they overstayed their visa.
While in Kabul, Sara volunteered at medical clinics and studied at home using textbook files sent by friends. She hoped to obtain records from Kabul University before leaving Afghanistan, but says Taliban guards prevented her from entering the campus. A former lecturer later provided a reference describing her as highly dedicated and capable.
English teacher Jane Conway helped Sara find the Glasgow course and apply for funding. Conway, who supports Afghan women pursuing education, criticised the Home Office’s decisions and said the refusals had blocked an important opportunity for a talented student.
Sara is now studying accounting and finance in another country, which she says is more affordable than medical training. She has not disclosed where she is living for safety reasons. She has not abandoned her goal of becoming a doctor and says she hopes to become a cardiac surgeon and help people in Afghanistan. If she cannot return, she would like to work with Doctors Without Borders.
Sources: The Guardian Education.