Armenian students studying at the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) are facing unequal treatment compared to their Azerbaijani classmates. The U.S. Embassy in Armenia has stopped funding the education and living expenses of Armenian students, while support for Azerbaijani students continues.
For the past 20 years, this program has selected students from both Armenia and Azerbaijan to study in Georgia, with the selection and sponsorship handled by the respective U.S. Embassies. For the 2024–2026 academic cycle, students from both countries were selected, and the U.S. government only covered the tuition for the first (fall) semester. Starting from the spring semester, it became clear that Armenian students would no longer receive funding — while Azerbaijani students would continue to be supported.
This decision has left Armenian students in serious financial and emotional distress. To join the program, they left their jobs and moved to a foreign country (Georgia), planning to study for two years. With the sudden withdrawal of U.S. support, they are now unable to pay for housing or tuition and are at risk of having to drop out.
The students also face psychological stress, feeling clearly discriminated against in comparison to their Azerbaijani classmates. They see this as an example of biased U.S. policy toward Armenia, which has also created a tense atmosphere in the classroom.
On April 23, the Armenian students sent an official letter to U.S. Ambassador Kristina Kvien, expressing their concerns. Over a month later, they have received no response — not even an acknowledgment — raising further questions about transparency and accountability.
Even more troubling, the students were not informed directly by the U.S. Embassy about the program cancellation. Instead, they learned the news through the administration at GIPA. Meanwhile, the same scholarship program continues uninterrupted for Azerbaijani students.
Read also
This situation raises serious concerns:
Is this a sign of biased U.S. foreign policy in the South Caucasus?
Why are Armenian students being denied access to the same opportunities still available to students from a neighboring country?
Why are the rights and expectations of students — who began this program in good faith, based on U.S. guarantees — being ignored?
We, the Armenian students selected by the U.S. Embassy in Armenia and who have already studied one semester at GIPA, demand:
A clear and official explanation from the U.S. Embassy regarding this decision.
A fair review of the situation.
Restoration of our scholarships to ensure equal opportunity alongside our Azerbaijani peers in this shared academic program.
Sincerely,
The Armenian Students of GIPA
