Support Burundian Initiatives
The RefuStays Scholarship was founded by three Burundian 🇧🇮 refugee youth, proving that working together is the secret to going far in life not competing to inflate our egos or pride, but rather competing to make each other better.
In October 2023, they took a leap of faith and purchased their first property in Plano, Texas, a dream two years in the making.
Fast forward to 2025, they took yet another leap and invested in their second property in Dallas!
Together with Tuvugane, they have launched the RefuStays Scholarship, offering $1,500 in scholarship funds, matched by a generous donor bringing the total to at least $3,000.
These funds will help defray college-related costs such as tuition, room and board, and other educational expenses.
Recipients are evaluated based on academic merit and academic promise, with consideration of their personal, academic, and professional goals.
The scholarship is administered by Tuvugane, a Louisville-based youth networking platform dedicated to empowering the Burundian community and advancing development efforts in Burundi.
Application Deadline: April 1, 2026
Award Announcements: May 24, 2026 (at the Tuvugane Awards 2026 Celebration)
A one-time scholarship providing recipients with at least $3,000 to help offset tuition, room and board, or other college-related costs.
Candidates are evaluated on their academic achievement, leadership potential, and career aspirations.
Enrollment: Must be accepted to or currently enrolled in an accredited university.
Field of Study: Must be pursuing a business-related degree such as Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Economics, Management, or Entrepreneurship.
GPA: Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Residency & Origin: Must be born in Burundi or have Burundian parents, and currently reside in the United States.
Deadline: April 1, 2026, by 10:00 p.m. EST
Award Announcement: May 24, 2026, at the Tuvugane Awards 2026
Applications missing required materials by the deadline will not be eligible for consideration.
Submit the following materials via the application form (linked below).
Do not include your name on these documents:
Resume highlighting relevant academic and work experience.
Essay (500–750 words) or video (2–3 minutes) addressing:
What inspires you to pursue a career in business, and how you plan to use your education to impact your community or industry.
A challenging moment you experienced and how you overcame it.
Your personal motivation or “why.”
Current academic transcript.
Additionally, the following materials should be emailed to: Tuvugane15@gmail.com.
(Your name should appear on these documents.)
One (1) letter of recommendation — academic or community reference.
A second letter is optional.
Letters must be submitted directly by the recommender to Tuvugane’s email.
All recommendation letters must be received by the application deadline.