هیله · Hope in Pashto

You crossed borders. College shouldn't feel harder.

Heela builds structured, ethical pathways to higher education for refugee students across the United States.

Support our first cohort → I'm a student
The problem

They have everything it takes.
Except someone to show them how.

Refugee students in the United States face compounding barriers to college. They navigate unfamiliar educational systems with limited institutional knowledge, often without parents who can guide them through applications, financial aid, or standardized testing. School counselors are stretched thin and rarely equipped to address the specific needs of displaced youth.

The result is not a lack of ambition. It's a lack of structured, sustained, relational support at the exact moment it matters most.

Heela exists because college access for refugee students is a navigation problem, not a capability problem.

How we work

We don't just point the way.
We walk it with you.

Student Fellow

Near-peer mentor

A university student who provides direct, weekly, one-on-one college preparation support. Each Fellow works with a maximum of five students, ensuring real depth of relationship and follow-through across the entire application process.

Program Advisor

Accountability & oversight

Supervises Fellows, monitors every student's progress, holds safeguarding responsibility, and ensures the program delivers on its commitments. When something goes off track, the Advisor intervenes directly.

Weekly 1-on-1 Zoom sessions
40-week program arc
Application through enrollment
Fully online, nationwide
Your journey with Heela

From "where do I start?" to enrolled.

1

Foundation

Weeks 1-6

We get to know you. Your goals, your story, where you are right now. Together we build your personalized college prep plan and a list of schools that fit.

2

Build

Weeks 7-18

The real work begins. Applications, essays, recommendation letters, FAFSA, and financial aid. Your Fellow is with you every step, every week.

3

Sustain

Weeks 19-30

Scholarships, financial aid follow-ups, and decision preparation. We keep the momentum going during the waiting period so nothing falls through the cracks.

4

Land

Weeks 31-40

Compare offers, commit to a school, complete enrollment. We stay with you through housing, orientation, and your transition to campus life.

We don't disappear after step one. We stay until you're enrolled and ready.
What makes Heela different

Not just mentoring. A system.

Structure is care

Every session follows a clear format. Every student has an individualized college prep plan with milestones and deadlines. Progress is tracked weekly, not hoped for.

Accountability runs both ways

We ask students to show up and do the work. In return, we commit to being prepared, responsive, and honest. The system catches problems early, not after deadlines pass.

Near-peer relationships

Fellows are close enough in age and experience to be credible guides, not distant authority figures. The relationship is the method, and it only works when it's genuine.

Ethical by design

We serve minors across cultures and power imbalances. Safeguarding, boundaries, informed consent, and cultural humility are built into every process from day one.

We stay through enrollment

Heela doesn't end when the application is submitted. We walk with students through financial aid decisions, enrollment steps, housing, and orientation, all the way to their first day of college.

Year one at a glance

Lean, focused, and fundable.

10
students served
nationwide
40
weeks of
support
<$10K
cost per student
per year
83%
of budget to
direct service
Who we serve

Are you eligible?

Refugee, asylee, SIV holder, or parolee from any country of origin
Currently enrolled in a U.S. high school
Rising junior or senior (entering 11th or 12th grade)
Interested in attending college and willing to commit to the full program

We do not select based on GPA or test scores. Heela is a navigation program, not an honors program. Country of origin and immigration sub-status do not affect eligibility.

The founder

Built by someone who gets it.

Arshad Saeed

Arshad Saeed

Founder

I grew up in Kabul. After leaving Afghanistan, I had no one to guide me through the college process in the U.S. I refused to let the word "immigrant" set a ceiling on what I could achieve. I was lucky enough to have two friends who believed in me and helped me when it mattered most. Not every student has that. Heela exists so no student has to settle simply because no one was in their corner.

"I built what I wished existed."
Get involved

There are many ways to help.

Give

Financial contributions of any size go directly to supporting students and paying the people who serve them. Over 80% of our budget funds direct program delivery.

Make a donation →

Refer a student

Know a refugee high school student anywhere in the U.S. who could benefit from structured college preparation support? We want to hear from you.

Send us a referral →

Refer a Fellow

Know a university student who would make a strong near-peer mentor? We're looking for Student Fellows from colleges across the country.

Recommend someone →

Connect

Introductions to potential funders, community partners, school counselors, or resettlement agencies help Heela reach the students who need it most.

Make a connection →
Common questions

What people ask us.

Yes. There is no cost to students or their families. Heela is funded entirely by donations and grants.

Students should have conversational English proficiency for Zoom sessions. Since we work alongside students on their applications and essays, they need to be able to engage in English at a functional level.

No. Heela is headquartered in Salt Lake City but serves students anywhere in the United States. All sessions are delivered online via Zoom.

No. We do not select based on GPA, test scores, or academic performance. Heela is a navigation program, not an honors program. If your child wants to go to college and is willing to commit, they're a fit.

Email us at hello@heela.org with the student's name and a brief note about who they are. We'll take it from there. Referrals can come from school counselors, resettlement agencies, community organizations, or the student themselves.

For students

You belong in college.
Let's get you there.

Heela is opening its first cohort soon. Join the interest list and we'll reach out when applications open.

We'll never share your information. Joining the list does not guarantee a spot.