Nearly 6 million refugee children were out of school globally in 2025, according to a report published by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The report, titled Pathways to the Future: Education, Opportunity and Self-Reliance, reveals that 5.8 million children—representing 44 percent of the 13.1 million school-age refugee population worldwide—did not attend school last year.
Global Refugee Education Crisis Worsens as Funding Drops
The UNHCR released its annual education report detailing the stark educational deficit faced by displaced youth worldwide. The agency faced severe financial constraints in 2025, with overall funding dropping by approximately a quarter and only reaching 32 percent of its required $8.5 billion budget by July 2026. For 2026, the UNHCR calculated its global educational needs at $370 million, marking a 20 percent decrease compared to the previous year’s budget.
In countries like Chad, which hosts over one million Sudanese refugees fleeing a war entering its fourth year, educational infrastructure is severely strained. The UNHCR reported that schools in Chad frequently exceed 100 students per teacher, while the UNHCR could provide only basic assistance to four out of ten refugees in the country earlier in the spring.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih emphasized the high stakes of these financial contractions. “Alors que les financements humanitaires et pour le développement sont soumis à de fortes pressions, les coupes dans l’éducation risquent d’effacer des décennies d’investissements collectifs et de fermer les perspectives d’une génération de jeunes,” Salih stated, noting that education serves as both protection and a pathway to autonomy.
Primary to Secondary Dropout Rates Threaten Refugee Futures
While primary school enrollment among refugees reached 65 percent in 2025, secondary school enrollment dropped sharply to just 32 percent, according to UNHCR data. This educational bottleneck disproportionately affects adolescent girls. Although primary school enrollment rates remain relatively balanced between boys and girls, an educational gap widens significantly at the secondary level.
The UNHCR report indicates that poverty, protection risks, early marriages, and severe economic pressures push a growing number of teenage girls to drop out of school. Integration into national education systems remains a core challenge, as most refugees reside in host nations where local school systems already operate with limited resources.
University Enrollment Hits Record Highs Amid Deep Inequities
In contrast to secondary school declines, higher education enrollment for refugees experienced notable growth. UNHCR data shows that the refugee enrollment rate in higher education reached a record 11 percent in 2025, up from 9 percent in 2024. For the first time, more than 450,000 refugees enrolled in higher education institutions globally.
This upward trend keeps the UNHCR on track to achieve its goal of a 15 percent higher education enrollment rate for refugees by 2030. The expansion relies on broader university access, vocational training, connected learning programs, scholarships, and third-country educational pathways. However, profound disparities persist. In more than 80 percent of countries covered by the report, the refugee higher education enrollment rate stayed below national averages. In low-income and conflict-affected nations, only 2 percent of refugees accessed higher education, compared to 13 percent of host-country nationals.
Frequently Asked Questions About Refugee Education
What specific financial shortfalls are impacting refugee classrooms?
The UNHCR reported that its funding dropped by roughly a quarter in 2025, and by July 2026, the agency had received only 32 percent of the $8.5 billion required for its overall operations. Consequently, the UNHCR assessed its 2026 global education needs at $370 million, which is 20 percent lower than the 2025 education budget.
How many refugees were enrolled in higher education in 2025?
More than 450,000 refugees were enrolled in higher education in 2025, pushing the global enrollment rate for refugees in universities and higher education programs to a record 11 percent, up from 9 percent in 2024.
What are the primary barriers keeping secondary school refugee students out of classrooms?
The UNHCR report identifies poverty, protection risks, early marriages, and intense economic pressure on families as the primary factors that drive adolescent students—particularly girls—to drop out of school after completing primary education.
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