Grants of $2,000 will help Iranian students with urgent financial needs to continue their studies in the United States
NEW YORK, March 27, 2013—The Institute of International Education (IIE) has announced the launch of a new Emergency Student Fund (ESF) to assist students from Iran on U.S. campuses with urgent financial need due to the currency devaluation in their home country. At its annual Best Practices Conference for Internationalizing the Campus last week, IIE announced a partnership with the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) to fund this activity, with each organization making an initial commitment of $50,000 to create a fund totaling $100,000 to meet immediate needs for the spring 2013 semester.
IIE is issuing a call for nominations from U.S. colleges and universities that currently have students from Iran enrolled on their campuses who have emergency needs for funds to continue their studies so that their academic careers are not interrupted as a result of the financial situation in their home country.
Iran-ESF will provide approximately 50 grants of $2,000 each to Iranian students nominated by their U.S. host colleges and universities who may be unable to continue or complete their degree program in the United States. Administrators and faculty from accredited U.S. campuses can nominate up to two Iranian students at their institutions who need financial assistance to complete the spring 2013 semester. Priority will be given to those with the most urgent financial need and those closest to graduation.
International Student Advisers or other campus officials should submit applications to IIE by April 8, 2013. To nominate students, advisers must complete the Iran-ESF nomination form and e-mail it to ESF@iie.org. Applications directly from students will NOT be accepted.
U.S. host campuses nominating students for Iran-ESF awards are expected to provide some emergency assistance to the nominated students, through tuition waivers, full or partial scholarships, housing, stipends, loans, work study, or other forms of support.
IIE anticipates that the need will exceed funding currently available in its Emergency Student Fund, and is actively seeking donations from interested individuals and foundations.
Awards will be announced in mid-April. IIE may announce a second call for nominations later this year depending on the availability of funds and ongoing need.
IIE’s Emergency Student Fund provides grants to post-secondary students matriculated at accredited educational institutions outside their home countries whose sources of support have been impacted by natural disaster or other crises. Since 2010, IIE’s ESF has provided over $1 million to more than 400 students from Syria, Japan, Haiti, Libya, and Thailand whose home sources of financial support were impacted by crisis or natural disaster.
IIE has issued a request to donors around the world to support the Emergency Student Fund for other world areas. The Institute seeks additional contributions for the Emergency Student Fund so that it can respond quickly to help international students when disasters and emergencies in their home countries threaten to jeopardize the completion of their studies.
About the Institute of International Education
The Institute of International Education is a world leader in the international exchange of people and ideas. An independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 19 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,200 member institutions. IIE designs and implements programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporations. IIE also conducts policy research and program evaluations, and provides advising and counseling on international education and opportunities abroad.
About the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans
The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonreligious membership organization that serves the domestic interests of Iranian Americans. PAAIA works to foster greater understanding of our community and its cultural heritage and to expand opportunities for the active participation of Iranian Americans in the democratic process at all levels of government. The PAAIA Fund, a nonprofit community organization, is dedicated to philanthropy, education, and public service.
Contacts
Public Affairs