Afghanistan’s University Students Make Up Less Than 0.5% of Population

DID Press: A new report indicates that university students in Afghanistan account for less than half a percent of the country’s total population.

According to a report by the website “Parmakhtag,” more than 200,000 students were enrolled in Afghan universities in the year 1404 (2025–2026), studying in both public and private institutions.

The report states that around 127,000 students were registered in state universities across bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs, while more than 81,000 students were enrolled in private universities at undergraduate and graduate levels.

This brings the total number of university students in the country to over 200,000. In comparison with Afghanistan’s estimated population of around 41 million, students represent less than 0.5% of the total population.

The report highlights that this low ratio reflects ongoing structural challenges in Afghanistan’s higher education system, including limited university capacity, restricted access to education, and continued barriers affecting women’s participation in higher studies.