ISLAMABAD: Shockwaves are sweeping across Pakistan’s academic circles as the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) on Tuesday declared that its prestigious global undergraduate exchange programme (Global UGRAD) has come to a screeching halt – after an impressive 15-year run.
In a statement that left many students and professionals devastated, USEFP announced: “After 15 incredible years, the Global UGRAD Programme for Pakistan has come to an end. The US Department of State has informed us that the programme will no longer be available.”
The programme, funded by the US government, was launched back in 2010 with the goal of enhancing community engagement, leadership, and service skills in Pakistani youth.
For a decade and a half, it offered the chance to immerse in US culture, exchange ideas, and build networks – experiences many students described as transformative.
The USEFP, founded In 1950 by both the US and Pakistan governments, has always prided itself on fostering mutual understanding between the two countries.
But with this blow to their flagship programme, the foundation has admitted that it’s struggling to come to terms with the loss.
“We are deeply proud of the programme’s impact on the lives of our participants and the communities they’ve touched. While we regret this unfortunate development, we strongly encourage you to seek out other scholarships and exchange opportunities that may align with your goals,” said USEFP in their statement.
For Pakistani students, this marks the end of an era, and the hope of many now lies in whether any other programmes will fill the gap left behind. In the meantime, they can only watch as the dream of studying in the US becomes more elusive than ever.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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