Built on Research and Local Insight
ATHEFA was not built on assumptions about what disadvantaged students need. It was developed through a research-led process designed to understand where higher education support is most needed, what prevents students from continuing their education, and how scholarship funding can be delivered responsibly.
As part of this research, ATHEFA invited 1,200 NGOs and nonprofit organizations working with youth and education across 45 lower-income, high-need countries to share their experiences. The survey was professionally translated into 16 languages, with both English and local-language versions available.
Countries were assessed using indicators such as:
Income inequality
Secondary and tertiary education participation
The gap between secondary completion and progression to higher education
The presence of youth-focused organizations able to support local partnerships
Feedback from organizations already working with disadvantaged young people helped ATHEFA:
Refine its mission
Identify potential launch and expansion countries
Shape its partnership and scholarship models
Test its assumptions against locally grounded experience
Financial barriers were overwhelmingly identified as the main obstacle to higher education. Respondents rated both tuition and cost-of-living expenses highly, alongside educational supplies, transportation, and family financial obligations.
These findings reinforced the need for tailored scholarships that address the full financial realities of higher education rather than tuition alone.
This research continues to guide ATHEFA’s country selection, partnerships, scholarship policies, and program development. By combining measurable indicators with local insight, ATHEFA is building a program that is practical, transparent, and responsive to the communities it serves.
Desire is not the problem.
Less than 5% of typical nations reported “not wanting to” as a barrier
Access is the exception.
Only 10% said qualified students can always or almost always continue to higher education.
Tuition is only part of the issue.
Cost of living was the second-highest reported barrier (83%), just after tuition.
We crafted the survey with a neutral approach to ensure unbiased feedback, and we never alluded to ATHEFA’s model during the process. Below, you’ll find a selection of insightful comments from various organizations on the topic: “Is there anything else to know about Higher Education access in (country)?”
“(…)supports is key, and possible to provide the Scholarship for the poor girls and boys can help support them to continue to higher education from rural communities.”
Cambodia
“Geography plays a major role, as certain areas of the country have University hubs, while others require transportation (long trips) to arrive.”
Dominican Republic
“Most of them lack sponsorship to pursue their higher education.”
Cameroon
“Only a small group of young people manage to enter university, and not all of them graduate. One of the most significant factors preventing people from attending university is economic hardship, in a country where 70% of the population lives in poverty”
Honduras
“People living in rural areas have more difficulty attending university, as it involves moving to the city, which is impossible due to the cost of living.”
Honduras
"the lack of sponsor or financial contributor to help them seek university education is one of their major challenges.”
Sierra Leone
"Access to university for underprivileged youth in Sierra Leone is affected by much more than tuition fees. Many capable students struggle with application and examination costs, transportation, accommodation, learning materials, internet access and limited career guidance. Young people from rural communities, girls, persons with disabilities and those from low-income families face even greater barriers.
(org name) recommends transparent need-based scholarships, flexible payment systems, improved student accommodation, mentorship and career counselling, digital application support, and stronger partnerships among universities, government, NGOs and the private sector. Supporting disadvantaged students throughout their studies not only at admission would help reduce dropout rates and ensure that financial hardship does not prevent talented young people from achieving their potential."
Sierra Leone
"Universities are mainly located in the big cities, so anyone who wants to go from remote areas, need to travel or live in the bigger cities, which can be hard and costly for the families."
Vietnam
“Help them from high school to university. Most students, especially those in Grade 10-12, are unable to afford extra classes. As you may know, one subject per student costs $10 to $15 per month (for subjects like Khmer, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Biology, English, and Computer lessons). This means that a student has to spend at least $70 to $90 per month on tuition alone. This amount does not include their breakfast and motorbike parking fees during lesson times. Accommodation and food are crucial considerations for them.”
Cambodia
“In our area, the coast, families just can't afford to support their kids through further studies. Some young people who are motivated hustle and put themselves through their studies but it's so hard.”
Ecuador
“Our children get exceptional grades and all want to go on to University, but from extremely low-income families they need to secure scholarships which they often do, but then they can't cover living costs and they don't get any support with this.”
India
"1. Poverty; poverty is one of the main reason that do not allow young people to continue education as they can't continue paying their school fees.”
Nigeria
“Majority of young people can only attend if they secure a scholarship”
Lesotho
"Another challenge is that many Tanzanians aged 30 and above face significant barriers to accessing financial support for higher education. Most scholarship opportunities are targeted toward younger students, leaving older learners with very few options. For many, the Higher Education Students' Loans Board (HESLB) is the only realistic source of funding.
This creates a major challenge. Every year, we see qualified students who are admitted to university but are unable to enroll because they receive no financial support from their families, the government, or other institutions. Many come from extremely disadvantaged backgrounds and simply cannot afford tuition, accommodation, or other essential university expenses. As a result, despite their academic potential, they remain at home without the opportunity to continue their education."
Tanzania
"Limited scholarships for the underprivileged and poor secondary school education to enhance their progress. We intend to have STEM Clubs to enhance support to girls education."
Zambia
"(…) there are many more talented young people in Zimbabwean than funded opportunities for A level and/or university."
Zimbabwe
Full survey figures can be provided upon request.
“Financial Barriers: University tuition fees and living expenses are significant hurdles for underprivileged youth from low-income families. Limited Scholarship Opportunities: While scholarship programs exist, they are often insufficient to meet the demand, leaving many qualified students without financial support. Geographical Disparity: Access to quality university education is limited in rural areas, hindering university preparation for students from these regions. Low Completion Rates in High School: High dropout rates in High School reduce the pool of potential university applicants, particularly among disadvantaged youth. Lack of Guidance and Support: Underprivileged students may lack access to resources and guidance for navigating the university application process.”
Cambodia
“The underprivileged young people face difficulties when it comes to education, finance is the biggest challenge and has caused many not to pursue their goals. The university education is now expensive compared to the other years. The poor have no opportunity in our universities.”
Kenya
“There are a number of organisations in Mombasa and Kenya ready to support the brightest students, but they do not realise that paying tuition fees is not enough. They need to pay for the student to live away from home. There are Universities in Mombasa, but the daily transport costs are too high, and textbooks and stationery cannot be afforded.”
Kenya
“Opportunity to University for disadvantaged youths it's very difficult because here in Malawi University education is very expensive(…)”
Malawi
"Economic constraints: High costs associated with higher education, including tuition fees, textbooks, and transportation, make it difficult for underprivileged youth to pursue university education..”
Pakistan
"Financial barriers remain one of the greatest obstacles preventing underprivileged youth in Sierra Leone from accessing and completing university education. Although many talented students meet the academic requirements for admission, they are unable to enroll or continue their studies because they cannot afford tuition fees, registration costs, accommodation, transportation, textbooks, internet access, and other essential learning materials. The challenge is particularly severe for young people from rural and low-income communities"
Sierra Leone
"My dream would be able to send each of our children to university, however as a small organization, this is not yet financially possible for us."
Uganda
"Government bursaries are limited. Most Universities are private and profit-focused."
Uganda
Cost is the barrier.
More than four out of five respondents identified financial reasons as a barrier.