IIE Has Awarded 3,000+ Grants Since 2010, Allowing Students to Quickly Meet Their Immediate Educational Expenses
above: With an ESF grant, Taseen Iqtider of Bangladesh is able to continue earning a B.S. in Computer Science at Tennessee Tech University: “This emergency fund came at the perfect time, right when financial issues were starting to impact my studies. It helped ease the burden, allowing me to focus on my academics without the constant stress. I’m truly grateful to IIE for the support.”
The ESF award provided me with highly valuable support… It helped to cover essential educational expenses… ensuring I had the resources needed to succeed academically. Additionally, the award helped mitigate financial burdens by assisting with health expenses, transportation costs, clothes, rent, and food, allowing me to focus on my studies with reduced stress and greater peace of mind.“
2023 IIE Emergency Student Fund Grant Recipient from Morocco
There are more than 1 million international students earning degrees in the United States, according to the 2024 Open Doors Report. But before they can become leaders and innovators, they face unique financial burdens when crises such as climate disasters, instability, and war strike in their home countries. With tuition money often redirected for immediate recovery needs at home, many international students – who’ve worked so hard to gain admission – quietly face two bleak prospects: either return home or drop out.
That’s where IIE’s Emergency Student Fund (ESF) comes in. When international crises emerge, IIE considers several factors when deciding whether to launch an ESF funding opportunity, including the duration, severity and number of crises, the population of international students in the United States from the countries we are considering, and resources available. We then turn to the IIENetwork, our global membership association of over 1,500 U.S. colleges and universities. These institutions nominate international students to receive immediate funding. After reviewing nominations and making selections, IIE offers grants that cover critical costs like tuition books, and cost-of-living expenses when there is no other safety net.
Fifteen Years of ESF
Since 2010, IIE has awarded more than 3,100 impactful grants. The importance of this rapid distribution of funds cannot be overstated. Sarah Y. Carrier, Associate Director of Global Learning at Virginia Commonwealth University shares, “IIE’s Emergency Student Fund has helped to alleviate the financial burden of numerous VCU students over the year….This financial assistance has provided our students with the ability to more fully focus on their studies, research, teaching, and other career-building opportunities.” And we’ve received numerous notes of gratitude from the students themselves:
- Without the financial assistance, I would have been unable to endure the pressure and would have had to witness my hard work on the degree, which took two and a half years, go to waste. (IIE ESF Grant Recipient from Israel)
- I just want to thank the Institute of International Education for helping me at this challenging time and it really means a lot to students like me. I will definitely try and give back to IIE through donations once I am employed so that you all can continue helping students like me. (IIE ESF Grant Recipient from Pakistan)
- This support has not only provided financial relief but also emotional reassurance, knowing that there are resources and people willing to help students in need. (IIE ESF Grant Recipient from the Palestinian Territories)
- It was help I’ll forever be grateful for…it’s taken a huge weight off my shoulders. (IIE ESF Grant Recipient from Sudan)
Unfortunately, international crises continue to proliferate. I’ve managed the ESF since 2021, and in my tenure, IIE has launched 10 rounds of ESF funding opportunities, supporting students from 90 countries, responding to crises such as:
- Conflict and wars in Ukraine (2022, 2023), Sudan (2023), and Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank (2023, 2024),
- Earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria (2022) and Morocco (2023),
- Floods in Pakistan (2022) Libya (2023), and Bangladesh (2024),
- Political upheaval in Afghanistan (2021), Kenya (2024), and Venezuela (2024), and
- Economic crises in Lebanon (2021) and Sri Lanka (2022).
We award ESF scholarships thanks to IIE’s financial commitment and gifts of all sizes from generous donors. But with additional support, we can help even more promising students.
IIE’s Fall 2024 Round
In October 2024, IIE launched an ESF funding opportunity for U.S.-based students from Bangladesh, Kenya, Venezuela, and Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. U.S. colleges and universities nominated 364 students for funding — the largest number since the record-breaking COVID-19 ESF call in 2020.
One hundred and ninety-eight of the nominees are from Bangladesh! This, perhaps, is not surprising, as Bangladesh is a top 10 location of origin for international students, with nearly 16,000 degree-seeking students in the United States, according to the 2024 Open Doors Report. When Bangladesh faced political upheaval followed by severe floods in 2024, the impact was significant on these students. One nomination form stated: “One primary source of income comes from natural resources… which have been completely devastated by the floods. This has created a significant financial burden on his family, making it difficult for them to continue supporting his education and basic living expenses.” Another reported: “Her [father’s] business depends heavily on both natural conditions and governmental stability, and these factors have drastically affected the family’s financial situation.”
IIE provided $2,000 grants to 106 students through the Fall 2024 round. With support from our donor community, we can help even more students whose educations are at risk.
How to Help
You can support the ESF through IIE’s website. If you would like to donate specifically to the Fall 2024 round, helping students from Bangladesh, Kenya, Venezuela, and the Middle East, we have a special form just for that.