The news comes after 19 medical students who were banned from attending university in Afghanistan arrived in Scotland to complete their studies in August this year.
They were denied studying in Afghanistan after the Taliban retook control of the country and suppressed women’s rights.
The Lewis-based Linda Norgrove Foundation worked with UK and Scottish governments to arrange visas and places at medical schools across Scotland. The charity was set up in honour of Linda Norgrove, a Scottish aid worker who was kidnapped by the Taliban in 2010 and died during an attempt by the US military to rescue her.
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In order to bring the women over to Scotland, the Foundation – set up by Linda’s parent – covered all the expenses, costing the charity – a small organisation with only one employee – a minimum of £60,000.
However, the Scottish Government has suggested their studies here are under threat due to “considerable costs” for visas the charity faces from the UK Government.
The foundation is facing a UK Government bill of nearly £50,000 for visa and health surcharge costs, according to the cabinet secretary for Education.
In her letter to the Home Secretary today, Jenny Gilruth said: “I am now deeply concerned to learn that the Foundation has since incurred considerable costs from the UK Government while it supported the women to leave Afghanistan as safely as possible.
“This included the cost of student visas and health surcharges as part of their immigration application for entry to the UK before starting their pre-entry Medicine studies in September this year.
“My understanding is that this was in the region of £27,000. Further to this, the Foundation expect to incur additional visa/health surcharge costs in the region of £22,000 when the women enter their degree in September next year, meaning the total cost to the charity from the UK Government will be in the region of £49,000.”
With both the UK and Scottish governments involved in the effort to bring the women out of Afghanistan, staff at the Scotland Office worked to ensure they had the necessary visas to allow them to travel first to Pakistan and then on to the UK.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Government changed regulations, so that although the women have travelled on international student visas, they are not required to pay the fees that are charged to most international students who come to Scotland to study.
Ms Gilruth, however, said that since then it is “regrettable that the Linda Norgrove Foundation has incurred considerable additional expense as a result of their support of these vulnerable women”.
The education secretary said: “At a time when the education of women in Afghanistan has been severely curtailed by the Taliban regime, we should be working to ensure a generation of young women are not forced to choose between a difficult life in their home country or moving abroad to achieve their aspirations.”
Ms Gilruth said she is writing to the UK Home Secretary on behalf of the Foundation to “reflect on the visa charges they have incurred, as well as those costs they are expected to face in the coming year through additional visa/health surcharge costs. My ask is that you now consider that those costs be reimbursed to the charity”.
The UK Home Office has been contacted for comment.