NEW YORK, Nov 2, 2023 — The Institute of International Education (IIE) will issue grants to aid U.S.-based university and college students from Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank affected by the ongoing conflict. Committed to serving as a critical resource to students, scholars, and artists in need of a safety net, IIE distributes Emergency Student Fund grants to international students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities when other means of financial support may be temporarily or permanently suspended.
When emergencies hit, they often interrupt international students’ traditional sources of funding such as their parents or government-funded scholarships, placing their education in jeopardy. When families stop earning income due to conflict, or businesses close or are destroyed, students are often left without immediate support for expenses like tuition, rent or food. This is where IIE steps in, leveraging its 10,000-member IIENetwork to quickly identify and assist international students in need.
U.S. higher education institutions in the IIENetwork may nominate up to five students to receive one-time grants to cover emergency costs such as room and board, tuition and fees, and other living expenses in jeopardy due to violence in their places of origin. In the current funding effort, Israeli and Palestinian students enrolled at IIENetwork-member institutions in the United States affected by the conflict may be eligible. Nominations from U.S. IIENetwork-member institutions are open through November 16.
IIE unconditionally condemns terrorism and hopes for a peaceful resolution that prioritizes the safety and dignity of innocent civilians – whether Israeli, Palestinian, or of any nationality. IIE urges all individuals to unequivocally reject antisemitism and Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry. Moreover, IIE remains committed to supporting programs and people dedicated to solving problems and building long-term peace by working together.
IIE has disbursed more than 160 ESF grants in 2023; earlier this year, IIE dispatched emergency grants to support international students impacted by floods in Libya; earthquakes in Morocco, Syria, and Türkiye; conflict in Sudan; and war in Ukraine.
IIE has been a leader in crisis response for the higher education community for more than 100 years, supporting displaced students and scholars during major 20th– and 21st-century conflicts including the war in Ukraine, the 2021 fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, and World War II. Please consider contributing to IIE’s Crisis Response which is deployed immediately to students, scholars, and artists where and when it’s needed most.