Palestinian Students Fund

What Palestinian Students Fund does

Palestinian Students Fund (PSF) is a Lebanon-based non-profit organization established in 1973 that provides educational financial support to Palestinian refugee students pursuing university degrees in Lebanon. Its core offering consists of three interconnected programs: a University Loan Program covering tuition across engineering, medicine, nursing, computer science, business administration, and humanities; a Vocational Scholarship Program for non-degree training; and a Sponsorship Program targeted at high-demand specialties such as nursing, medical imaging, medical audiology, computer science, and speech therapy. Per-student annual tuition exposures range from roughly $6,000 (50% of LAU nursing fees) to approximately $23,455 (AUB computer science), with PSF typically funding 50–100% of tuition depending on university and program. Since 1973 the organization has supported more than 10,000 students, with 9,995 beneficiaries documented across disciplines from 1973–2015.

PSF's go-to-market is structurally a partnership-driven, single-country (Lebanon) operation delivered through four anchor university alliances — American University of Beirut (AUB), Beirut Arab University (BAU), Lebanese American University (LAU), and Makassed University in Beirut — complemented by referral integration with UNRWA, which issues the registration cards required for loan applications. Distribution is direct: students apply through the psfund.org portal, submit documents to a physical office in Hamra, Beirut, and are tracked through a basic online student records management system. Beyond tuition lending, PSF has layered employability and workforce-readiness services, including the GIZ/Taawon-funded Youth Employment Project (training 500+ youth across Beirut, Saida, and Tripoli in 2022) and the 2022 Employability Project.

As a non-profit, PSF generates no fee or commercial revenue; its operating model is donor-funded via financial partners such as GIZ/Taawon, the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation, ARK, and the Palestinian Youth Project (PYP). The organization also receives strategic in-kind support from Common Space Initiative, R-CEP, ILO, UNDP, the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Forum, and AMIDEAST, plus advocacy channels into the Lebanese Ministry of Labor for work-rights issues. It employs approximately 5 staff, and its operating status remains active with graduation ceremonies, scholarship promotion, and employability programming documented through 2022.

Name

Palestinian Students Fund

Legal name

Palestinian Students Fund

Website

https://psfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Palestinian Students Fund is a Lebanon-based non-profit established in 1973 that provides loans, scholarships, and employability support to Palestinian refugee students pursuing university education at partner Lebanese universities including AUB, BAU, LAU, and Makassed.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Financial Aid

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Need-Based Grants & Bursaries (EDAIAOAB)

Keywords

• Educational financial aid
• Student loan programs
• Refugee scholarships
• Higher education funding
• Vocational training scholarships

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Palestinian Students Fund provides interest-free educational loans, vocational scholarships, and sponsorship programs to Palestinian refugee students in Lebanon to enable access to higher education. The organization partners with Lebanese universities (AUB, BAU, LAU, Makassed University) and complements its financial-aid offerings with employment services for graduates and an alumni network. Founded in 1973, PSF has supported more than 10,000 students.

Product overview

Palestinian Students Fund (PSF) is a non-profit organization established in 1973 that provides educational financial support to Palestinian refugee students in Lebanon. PSF operates as a platform offering multiple interconnected services: a University Loan Program for undergraduate studies, a Vocational Scholarship Program, and a Sponsorship Program targeting high-demand fields like nursing, medical imaging, and computer science. The platform also includes an Alumni Network for tracking graduate outcomes, Student Records Management for loan administration, and Employment Services including employability training. Since inception, PSF has helped more than 10,000 students pursue university education across disciplines including engineering, medicine, nursing, computer science, business administration, and humanities. The organization partners with universities including AUB, LAU, BAU, and Makassed University.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• University Loan Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ Palestinian students helped to pursue university studies since 1973
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Talent Beyond BoundariesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 February 2020Organization that provides lectures to PSF students and graduates about safe and legal international recruitment and employment opportunities for Palestinian refugees.
• AMIDEASTminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 January 2020Partner in the Young Leaders Program, organizing life skills training workshops including communication skills, teamwork, presentation skills, and public speaking. Also provided social service training for PSF beneficiaries.
• Chevening ScholarshipminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2017PSF advertises Chevening Scholarship opportunities for fully-funded master's degree studies in the UK for Lebanese or Palestinian residing in Lebanon.
• Ministry of Labor (Lebanon)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2017PSF, represented by Director Ms. Wafa Al-Yassir, met with Ministry of Labor to facilitate issuance of work permits for Palestinian refugees. Ministry issued a decree exempting registered Palestinian refugees from the quota set for foreigners.
• Committee For Employment of Palestinian RefugeescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2017PSF participates in this committee delegation that meets with Ministry of Labor to advocate for work rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
• Turkish Government Scholarship ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2017PSF advertises Turkish government scholarship opportunities to its beneficiaries, covering full tuition, monthly stipends, transportation, accommodation, health expenses and Turkish language courses for graduate/postgraduate studies.
• United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2016PSF participated in the fifth annual Academic Fair in Lebanon organized by UNRWA to support young Palestine refugees in their pursuit of future educational and professional opportunities. UNRWA provides registration cards that are required for PSF loan applications.
• Common Space InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2016Collaborated on workshops addressing Options for Palestinian Refugees in Practicing Liberal Professions in the Lebanese Labor Market. Common Space Initiative works with the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Forum on developing policies for Palestinian refugees.
• Resource Center for Employment Promotion and Social Protection (R-CEP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2016Partnered with R-CEP in organizing workshops on Palestinian refugees access to liberal professions. R-CEP advocates for employment rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
• International Labor Organization (ILO)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2016ILO participates in workshops organized by Common Space Initiative and R-CEP on Palestinian refugees' labor rights. ILO has conducted surveys on the Palestinian labor force in Lebanon.
• United Nations Development Program (UNDP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2016UNDP partnered with Common Space Initiative and R-CEP on workshops addressing Palestinian refugees' options in the Lebanese labor market.
• Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue ForumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2016Works with PSF and other organizations on dialogue addressing Palestinian refugees' access to the nursing profession and other liberal professions.
• American University of Beirut (AUB)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor partner university where PSF provides financial support for students. PSF covers 50% of annual nursing fees ($8,390 per student/year) and full fees for medical imaging ($10,690/year) and medical audiology ($10,900/year). Computer science costs $23,455 per student/year.
• Beirut Arab University (BAU)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner university where many PSF beneficiaries pursue engineering and other degrees. Engineering tuition is approximately $23,420 per year. BAU provides 50% financial aid for nursing students.
• Lebanese American University (LAU)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner university offering nursing and other programs. PSF covers 50% of nursing fees ($6,000 per student/year) and provides financial aid in partnership with the university.
• Makassed University in BeirutcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner university where PSF covers 100% of tuition fees for nursing students at 12,000,000 LL ($8,000 USD) per year for 3 years.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• UNHCR: The UN Refugee Agency with global education programming (DAFI higher-education scholarships) for refugees including Palestinians. Operates at much larger scale across all refugee populations; overlaps with PSF in mandate but with broader scope.
• UNICEF: Global children's organization funding education programs for refugee and displaced children. Overlaps thematically with PSF's beneficiary focus but at vastly larger scale and earlier education levels.

Emerging players

• Malala Fund: Philanthropy championing girls' education globally, including refugee contexts. Comparable as a scholarship-advocacy foundation with overlap on female beneficiary outcomes PSF also tracks.
• Questscope: NGO working on adolescent refugee education and social development in the Middle East (Jordan, Syria, Lebanon). Comparable in geography and refugee-education focus, though concentrated on secondary-level programming.

Direct peers

• UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency): The UN agency mandated with education and services for Palestinian refugees, including in Lebanon. UNRWA is both a direct peer serving the same beneficiary population and a referral pipeline (UNRWA registration is required for PSF loan applications).
• AMIDEAST: Provides scholarships, English-language training, and educational support across the MENA region. Already a partner of PSF for life-skills training; comparable in target geography, beneficiary type, and service mix.
• Anera: US-based NGO delivering education, health, and economic-development programs to Palestinian refugees and other communities in Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza. Directly comparable in geography, beneficiary base, and education-support service model.
• Talent Beyond Boundaries: Organization that connects refugees with international employment and education opportunities. Already a PSF partner delivering lectures on legal migration pathways; comparable in mission of turning refugee education into labor-market mobility.
• Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation: Philanthropic foundation providing scholarships and education support to underserved high-achieving Arab youth, including Palestinian refugees at AUB and LAU. Already a direct partner/fund supporter of PSF; directly comparable in mission and beneficiary profile.

Others

• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): German development agency that funds PSF's Youth Employment Project via Taawon. Relevant as a major institutional donor and as an adjacent ecosystem player in refugee employability programming across the region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PSF_Lebanon
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-Urw7ZFI_qTAWCphcKpBTw
• Facebookfacebook.com/PalestinianStudentsFund1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/palestinian-students-fund
• Instagraminstagram.com/palestinian_students_fund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Palestinian Students Fund