The students, who come from countries including Somalia, Afghanistan and Myanmar, were selected by DET and received guidance from a dedicated advisor to help them navigate the university admissions process.

They were given support to research universities, navigate entrance requirements, prepare compelling applications and apply for funding opportunities, including scholarships and financial aid.

Currently, around 7% of refugees enter higher education, compared to the global average of over 40%. The DET program has been developed in partnership with the UNHCR, which has set a target to increase the refugee enrollment rate to 15% by 2030.

The students now have places at institutions including the University of Canberra, the University of California Berkeley, the University of Dundee and the University of the People.

Ibrahim David, a student from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who secured a place at Vanderbilt University, said, “Going to Vanderbilt University is going to send a very strong message of hope to my fellow refugees… that everything is possible.”

“While talent is equally distributed, opportunities are not”

A second cohort of scholars have been selected for the next iteration of the program and the group has begun to explore university options.

“We know that while talent is equally distributed, opportunities are not, so we’ve been thrilled to see how many universities are stepping up to partner with us on this important project,” said Laura Kaub, DET and UNHCR university access advisor.

“These are students who will return a thousandfold the investment that the universities make.”

Luis von Ahn, CEO and co-founder of Duolingo, added, “Many refugees lack access to high-quality education, which is critical in order to thrive in their countries of resettlement. We believe that this program can lower barriers to higher education and improve the livelihood of refugees around the world.”