Odyssey Scholarship

As the world’s refugee and displaced populations continue to grow, and the length of displacement is increasingly protracted, millions of young people are being left behind. Lack of access to higher education opportunities is a major issue affecting young refugees and displaced persons.

Launched in 2021, the IIE Odyssey Scholarship is a comprehensive scholarship package for refugees and displaced individuals around the world, and covers tuition, housing, and living expenses for students pursuing bachelor’s or master’s degrees. Students also receive advising services, mentorship, and leadership training. Through the IIE Odyssey Scholarship for higher education, we invest in the potential of motivated young adults uprooted by displacement to pursue their own unique paths and create thriving futures for themselves and their communities.

In the first five years of the program, the IIE Odyssey Scholarship has supported over 200 forcibly displaced students from more than 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, the Central African Republic, Turkey, Syria, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Colombia.