More Than 200 Students Displaced From 22 Countries Have Received Full Scholarships
New York, May 21, 2026 — The Institute of International Education (IIE) today selected its sixth cohort of Odyssey Scholarship recipients. Created to assist highly motivated students uprooted by displacement around the globe, the Odyssey Scholarship covers tuition, housing, and living expenses as recipients earn their undergraduate and graduate degrees at universities in their country of asylum. This year marks five years since the program’s founding.
Access to higher education is a long-term investment in self-reliance and economic prosperity, but less than 10% of displaced youth have the opportunity to learn at this level. In the face of protracted crises such as natural disasters and war, an estimated one in every 70 people have fled their homes in search of safety and stability. With its 100+ year legacy of providing life-changing educational opportunities to students and scholars, IIE created the Odyssey Scholarship to enable participants to pursue viable educational and career pathways and create thriving futures for themselves and their communities.
“People with the knowledge and skills to address complex challenges help build safe, self-reliant societies around the world,” said Jason Czyz, IIE’s President and CEO. “IIE’s Odyssey Scholarships invest in future leaders who will create a safer, healthier, and more prosperous future. We couldn’t do this without the support of our selection committee, partners around the world and our global team.”
In June, IIE will host its first annual virtual graduation for 70+ Odyssey recipients to commemorate this five-year milestone and nurture the program’s growing peer-to-peer network. To date, IIE has awarded more than 200 Odyssey Scholarships to students from 22 countries.
Displaced from Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Haiti, Mozambique, Myanmar, South Sudan, Turkey, and Venezuela, the new cohort of 22 Odyssey Scholars will study at universities across several countries, including Bangladesh, Chad, Kenya, Mexico, and Thailand, starting in the 2026-27 academic year. Their areas of study range from computer science and civil engineering to education and business administration. IIE leverages its offices in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa and works closely with regional partners to identify scholarship nominees. In addition to covering expenses, the Odyssey Scholarship provides advising services, community support, enrichment activities, and practical resources for students.
Since its founding in the aftermath of World War I, IIE pioneered visiting professorships and exchanges for threatened and displaced scholars, students, and artists. Through the generous support of donors, IIE has issued more than 2,300 scholarships, fellowships, and grants to displaced students, scholars, and artists through its groundbreaking initiatives such as the Odyssey Scholarship, Artist Protection Fund, and Scholar Rescue Fund.
Please help us support students, scholars, and artists whose futures are at risk.
About the Institute of International Education (IIE)
The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leader in designing and implementing international education strategies and program services. We work with governments, policymakers, educators, and employers across the globe to prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and equip them to solve the increasingly complex challenges facing our interconnected world. With support from donors, we also create initiatives that assist students, scholars, and artists whose lives and work are threatened; expand teaching and learning across cultures; and provide life-changing opportunities. A not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,600 higher education partners. Visit iie.org.