IIE Opens Emergency Student Fund to Provide Financial Relief to Iranian Students Studying in U.S.

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.

Visit the Iran-ESF web page to download the nomination form.

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. 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 anticipates that the need will exceed funding currently available in its Emergency Student Fund, and is actively seeking donations from interested individuals and foundations.  

For more information and to download the nomination form, visit the Iran ESF web page. Or read the press release.