US Embassy suspends scholarships for Armenian students while continuing funding for Azerbaijani students under same program

Armenian students at the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) found themselves in an unequal position compared to Azerbaijani students enrolled in the same program. According to Armenian students at GIPA, the US Embassy has stopped funding for their education and residence in Georgia while maintaining financial support for Azerbaijani students.

The US government provided scholarships for the fall semester to students selected for the 2024-26 academic years.

However, as the spring semester approached, it became clear that the scholarships for Armenian students had been discontinued, while those for Azerbaijani students remained intact. The students sent an official letter to US Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien on April 23, expressing concern about this, but have not received any response in over a month. The students find this silence strange, as all official emails should receive a reply—whether positive or negative.