Access to learning is often shaped by geography, policy, and circumstance. Few initiatives highlight both the urgency and possibility of educational access as clearly as Afghan Female Student Outreach (AFSO), a volunteer-led collective working to rebuild pathways to higher education for Afghan women whose studies were disrupted following the Taliban’s return to power.

To better understand AFSO’s mission, and the critical role English proficiency plays in opening doors for displaced learners, we spoke with Lucy Ferriss, President of the Board at AFSO. In this Q&A, Lucy shares how AFSO’s global network of educators supports university-bound Afghan women, the barriers these students face, why access to official English-language credentials is essential for scholarship and admissions consideration, and how partnerships with organizations like ETS and TOEFL are helping students navigate an uncertain future with resilience and determination.

AFSO is an international collective of volunteer professors who teach classes and help build pathways forward for university-aged women who were expelled from formal education by the Taliban in 2022. Our mission is to provide these students with academic preparation, English-language instruction, and guidance so they can pursue higher education outside Afghanistan and begin rebuilding their lives.

We support students who have completed high school, whether in person, online, or in secret, and who want to continue their education at the university or professional level.

Their biggest barrier is internet access. Very few own computers, and even fewer have reliable Wi-Fi. Most rely on mobile phones, often without sufficient data plans. AFSO provides the data students need to attend classes, which is our largest operational expense.

Our students are eager to complete their formal education, and English is the academic language used by most universities outside Afghanistan. Admissions and scholarships are highly competitive, particularly because many of our students come from extremely low-income families and require full financial support.

Having an official TOEFL score is essential. It is often a minimum requirement for admissions and scholarship consideration, and it gives universities confidence in a student’s readiness for academic study in English.

We first contacted ETS in early 2024 for assistance with teaching materials and assessments, and ETS generously provided what we needed. Our need intensified in 2025, making TOEFL or IELTS the primary accepted English-language exams for universities in many other countries.

Through TOEFL preparation courses and ETS-provided vouchers, we have now placed students in universities across Germany, Italy, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, and Malaysia. For many of these young women, the ability to take the TOEFL test has been life changing, and in some cases, lifesaving.

Let’s call this student Freshta.

Her father is a tailor, and her mother cares for eight children. Freshta is passionate about computer science and had just begun university when the Taliban took over. She initially studied English independently online before discovering AFSO.

She excelled in courses on critical thinking, academic writing, research, and quantitative literacy, earning admission to our college preparation track. With a C1-level proficiency, she enrolled in our TOEFL preparation course, guided by ETS’s Mentor’s Guide.

Her first practice test score was 79, not yet high enough for a voucher. She retook the course that summer and scored 91. After three more months of study, borrowing a computer from an uncle and accessing Wi-Fi from a neighbor’s home, she took the TOEFL exam and scored 103.

Freshta applied to a dozen English-language universities and received a full tuition scholarship from a science and technology university in Italy. A donor helped cover her living expenses, and with AFSO’s support she navigated the visa process. Today, she is studying in Italy and learning Italian alongside her degree program.

Stories like this are not unique. For many students, access to a TOEFL test is a turning point at a moment of deep uncertainty. One AFSO student, Sweeta, shared recently that receiving the opportunity to take the TOEFL left her “overwhelmed with emotion,” coming at a time when she was deeply worried about her future, and described it as something she was committed to using responsibly to move forward with her education.

Access to TOEFL is a powerful gateway to global education, opening doors to scholarships, admissions, and life-changing opportunities for Afghan women. While significant logistical challenges remain, including limited testing availability, inconsistent internet access, and the need for technical support at home, flexible TOEFL testing options help students navigate these realities. Many learners study and test during overnight hours, when connectivity is strongest, and work diligently to build typing skills and English keyboard familiarity. Despite these hurdles, TOEFL provides a trusted, internationally recognized pathway forward, turning determination into tangible opportunity.

AFSO offers TOEFL preparation twice a year so students can retake the course if needed. When a student suddenly gains temporary internet access, our ability to quickly provide a voucher can determine whether they make a university application deadline. TOEFL assesses more than language. It evaluates reading comprehension, critical thinking, and communication, skills that are essential for academic success.

We have exceeded our expectations in helping students pursue university education outside Afghanistan, which means our mission now needs to scale. That includes expanding research and placement efforts with universities worldwide, while managing the significant administrative and financial demands involved.

Today, AFSO serves approximately 1,000 students with just 2.5 full-time staff members. Thousands more remain on our waitlist. Our ability to grow is constrained by resources for administration and internet access support.

We are working to scale responsibly, supporting both the large number of students seeking education and the smaller group who are ready to pass TOEFL and begin their academic journeys abroad.

AFSO’s work highlights the transformative power of education when paired with timely access to assessment, preparation, and global partnerships. For Afghan women facing extraordinary obstacles, English proficiency and official credentials like TOEFL are more than academic milestones. They are gateways to safety, dignity, and opportunity.

At ETS, we are proud to support initiatives that help learners demonstrate their potential and access education worldwide.