Assist international students in times of crisis

Make a gift to IIE's Emergency Student Fund

The Challenge

COVID-19. An earthquake in Haiti. Ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and Ukraine. When emergencies hit, people feel it in all parts of their lives, including education. Yet during a crisis, very few organizations offer support to students whose education is suddenly thrown into jeopardy.

Our Approach

IIE’s Emergency Student Fund (ESF) provides grants to international college students in the U.S. when natural disasters, war, or other crises threaten their education. Many face financial pressure to return home or drop out because their family circumstances have changed dramatically. IIE helps these students cover essential needs, including basic education, living, and medical expenses.

Military and political turmoil in Ukraine will leave some if not many Ukrainian students studying in the U.S. with no way to support their education. IIE-ESF will provide emergency grants to these students, and we expect the need to be great. In 2021 there were over 1,730 students from Ukraine studying in the U.S.

We are a critical resource for students in crisis when they have no other safety net. From 2010 through 2021, IIE awarded more than 2,000 ESF grants, providing over $5 million in critical financial support to students from around the world.

What You Can Do

IIE-ESF depends on the generosity of those who share our commitment to supporting students when disaster strikes.

Please make a gift to help IIE prepare for the next crisis, so we can aid more students when they need us most. All gifts, of any amount, are welcome.

IIE is grateful for our partners—including the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation, and the Jewish Foundation for the Education of Women—for their generous support of international students in crisis around the United States.