UNHCR is pleased to inform all urban refugees and boarding school & university students that Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) enrollment for July 2025 to June 2026 has been completed. In line with the Government of Rwanda’s pledge to include urban refugees in CBHI, UNHCR has submitted a list of following criteria to be enrolled to CBHI:
• Recognized refugees with valid ID who live in urban setting including their dependents under the age of 16.
• Camp-based students who are pursuing their education outside of camps supported by UNHCR or/and other education partners.
UNHCR has sent SMS to the registered number of everyone enrolled to CBHI. If you believe that you are eligible and have not received the SMS, please contact Protection Desk at the closest Community Centers, or call our helpline 0788302718/0788383608, or send us an email with your name, ID Card Number, UNHCR Number and valid telephone number to [email protected].
For students who live outside of the camp, you may contact World Vision or UNHCR Protection colleagues in your respective locations.
If you have been granted refugee status by the Government of Rwanda but have not yet received your Refugee ID card, or if you have recently changed your refugee ID card and have not informed UNHCR, kindly visit the nearest protection desk at community center or contact our protection helpline/email above. Please remember to indicate your name, UNHCR’s registration number and your ID number when you reach out to UNHCR.
For self sponsored students who attend schools/Universities outside the camp, kindly reach out to World Vision, the UNHCR Education partner, get registered to get CBHI.
Please note that due to the UNHCR funding limitations, medical assistance is prioritized for live-saving interventions for refugees and asylum seekers not covered by CBHI.
Do not wait to get sick to check your CBHI enrolment!
Are you interested in applying for a Master’s programme, but not sure where to start? Do you identify as having been affected by displacement? Have you completed or are you about to complete your Bachelor’s degree? Do you plan to submit applications to graduate degrees within six months of beginning the program?
If all your answers were yes, you can apply to take part in the Graduate Horizons program. Over six months, Graduate Horizons participants will receive mentorship from alumni of Master’s degrees. They will participate in a series of 1:1 conversations and workshops that focus on helping choose good-fit universities and degree programmes, write strong personal statements, and build a compelling CV, among other resources. You will attend information sessions with scholarship-providing universities to learn more about degrees available across the world. RLRH aims to support you to submit at least four applications for Master’s degrees by the end of the programme.
You can attend the following information sessions for more information:
Session 1: 29 July (Tuesday), 3pm BST. Registerhere
Session 2: 6 Aug (Wednesday), 1pm BST. Registerhere
Session 3: 14 Aug (Thursday), 10am BST. Registerhere
Session 4: 21 Aug (Thursday), 1pm BST. Register here
The Refugee-led Innovation Fund is currently accepting applications from organizations led by forcibly displaced and stateless people!
This Fund is based on a simple idea: Forcibly displaced and stateless people understand the challenges facing their communities best and have plenty of forward-thinking ideas to address those challenges.
The Fund champions innovation by organizations – whether registered or unregistered – led by people with lived experience of forced displacement or statelessness. In addition to multiyear funding of up to 45,000 USD, selected organizations receive holistic support from the Innovation Service that emphasizes learning to boost their capacity and sustainability.
Eligible organizations can apply via the Fund webpageby 22 August 2025.
Since its launch in 2022, the Fund has supported 54 projects across 36 countries, positively benefitting more than 160,000 members of forcibly displaced, stateless, and host communities.
Co-designed with people with lived experience of forced displacement, this Fund is re-thinking refugees’ role within the humanitarian response and contributing to UNHCR’s wider localization agenda.
👉 Visit the Refugee-led Innovation Fund webpage to 🔎find out more about the Fund and 📜 access the application form.
This Fund is a chance to empower forcibly displaced and stateless communities in driving the change they want to see.
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch at [email protected].
Have an exceptional record of service, leadership, and activity in your school and/or community.
Demonstrate a desire to give back to your home community.
Demonstrate that financial constraints have prevented or restricted your educational opportunities.
Be 35 years or younger at the time of application.
Have obtained a Bachelor’s degree that meets the equivalency and eligibility requirements for the program of your choice.
Have NEVER registered for, nor completed a master’s degree.
You will receive the application form for the Scholarship after attending the information session on 29 July 2025 at 6PM Kigali time (11AM EST). You can register for the information session through this sign-up form (refugee students only).
You must apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program first. Only once you have been successfully pre-screened will you be invited to apply to your chosen program of study through the McGill admissions process.
Between 18 and 25 years old as of June 30th, 2025.
A registered refugee currently in Rwanda (you must have proof of registration and/or refugee ID)
Graduated from a secondary school from any country and you are in possession of the secondary school certificate.
Available full-time for the one-year intensive residential German language course. You will have to move from your current residence for the training from July 2025.
Not yet completed a vocational training program, diploma course, or Bachelor’s program.
And you are interested in a one-year intensive German language training followed by 1-3 years of Vocational training under the Apprenticeship Program to become a qualified professional in Germany in one of the following fields: Nursing, Assistant Nursing, Roofer, Electrician, Mechatronics Technician, Industry Mechanic, Production Mechanic and Plant Mechanic for Heating and Climate Technology.
If you are shortlisted, You MUST be available for interviews, admission tests, potential home visits by Kepler staff, a physical onboarding workshop and travel to Kigali starting on July 23th. The program will begin towards the end of July 2025. You must be available to participate in the program full-time. Your living expenses and travel will be covered.
Note that the program is financed by an Income share Agreement. Participation is initially free of charge for you, but you will be required to contribute a share of your income back for a limited period of time, once you earn a sufficiently high income. This will allow another group to have the same opportunity after you.
Kigali Independent University ULK is a private institution of higher learning founded on 15th March 1996, and now governed by the Law N° 010/2021 of 16/02/2021 determining the Organization of Education; the Law N° 66/2018 of 30/08/2018 regulating Labour in Rwanda; the Ministerial Order N°001/MINEDUC/2021 of 20/10/2021 establishing quality standards in higher learning institutions; the ULK Statutes, the present Internal Regulations and Academic Regulations. Kigali Independent University ULK is destined to stand out as a remarkable University for excellence at the heart of Africa with highly motivated students and high-qualified personnel endowed with elevated ethical values.
The mission of ULK is to educate, teach, conduct research and serve the community. The fundamental mission of ULK is to provide the students with a training, which will enable them to become actors and organizers of a complete development of the nation.
UNHCR’s Tertiary Refugee Scholarship Programme (DAFI) offers qualified refugee and returnee (in selected countries*) students the possibility to earn an undergraduate degree in their country of asylum or home country. The scholarship package varies from country to country and covers a range of costs including tuition and study materials, food, transportation, and accommodation. Beneficiaries of this scholarship are expected to participate in community engagement and skills development activities linked to their studies. Kigali Independent University/ULK and UNHCR, alongside the education implementing partner, maintain close contact with each scholar to ensure the academic success and well-being of each student. The scholarship is designed to provide students with academic and/or professional knowledge, skills, and competencies, leading to a first degree or equivalent qualification.
Kigali Independent University is offering 20 scholarships to refugees, starting from the 2025-2026 academic year on 8th September 2025. The University will cover registration and tuition fees while UNHCR will cover monthly living allowance including accommodation, transport and food. UNHCR will also facilitate refugee students under this scholarship to get enrolled in Community based Health Insurance (CBHI).
The scholarships are open to all undergraduate and polytechnic courses.
Students who meet the following eligibility criteria are invited to apply for this scholarship program by 15th July 2025.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
The applicant must be a recognized refugee or asylum seeker living in Rwanda.
Priority will be given to those who achieved excellent academic performance. (graduates of 2024, 80% and above; graduates from 2023 downwards, general education 60 and above, TVET 50% and above.
Applicant must submit admission letter from Kigali Independent University/ULK
Applicants currently benefiting from another Higher Education scholarship programmes, are not eligible to apply for ULK-DAFI scholarship.
Applicants who have been confirmed to depart for resettlement to third countries are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Female and persons with special needs education are highly encouraged to apply.
APPLICATION FORM:
All application should be submitted through an online application form, available at the following link: https://forms.gle/swvXFx2NofVbcSE76
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO BE ATTACHED OR UPLOADED
Please attach your UNHCR Proof of registration
Please upload your official/certified copy of the high school diploma.
Please upload Kigali Independent University admission
Please upload the equivalence certificate from the Ministry of Education of the country of asylum (in case your secondary education diploma is from a foreign country)
TIMEFRAME
Applications will be received from 30th June to 15th of July 2025. Application submitted after the deadline will not be processed.
If you encounter any difficulties accessing internet connectivity or require technical assistance for uploading the required documents, kindly reach out to the nearest Digital Career Counsellors at the camp level or Community Centers in your vicinity.
Meron Semedar from the University of California, Berkeley will lead an online information session to present available academic programs, explain the application process, and provide guidance on how to apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship.
The information session will take place ONLINE on 25 June 2025 at 16h00 (Kigali Time). All interested students should register to the Teams event through the link below:
Art & Humanities (Applied Linguistics, History, Gender Justice, Migration Studies, Sociology for Development)
Community & Health Sciences (Public Health)
Economic & Management Sciences (Development Studies, Information Sciences)
Law (Governance and Human Rights)
Natural Sciences (Biological, Computational, Mathematical and Physical Sciences)
Graduate eligibility criteria
Max. 30 years old
Have applied for academic admission: CLICK HERE to APPLY ONLINE (can apply for up to 2 choices) CLICK HERE to SUBMIT DOCUMENTS (no emailed documents will be accepted)
NOTE that no proof of proficiency is required if you have obtained (or is about to obtain) an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction
