Fellowships For Threatened Scholars Around The World | IIE Scholar Rescue Fund

By Osama Elsheikh Last updated Aug 12, 2024

IIE-SRF Fellowship Overview:

The Institute of International Education’s Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) is the only global program that arranges, funds, and supports fellowships for threatened and displaced scholars at partnering higher education institutions worldwide. These year-long fellowships of USD $25,000 support temporary academic positions at institutions of higher learning anywhere in the world where IIE-SRF fellows can continue their work in safety. In most cases, IIE-SRF fellows are eligible to apply for a second and final year of fellowship support.

We have awarded IIE-SRF fellowships to 1,108 scholars from 62 countries, placing them at 502 host partner institutions in 58 countries around the world.

IIE-SRF Statement on Sudan

IIE-SRF is closely monitoring the crisis in Sudan. As a program and team, we stand in solidarity with the Sudanese people. Conflicts can quickly become both a humanitarian crisis and a higher education emergency, and we have a responsibility in the global higher education community to assist our colleagues forced to flee violence. We hope that Sudan will not need to join the growing list of countries – Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen, among others – from which multiple scholars are currently receiving the support of IIE-SRF and our partners. But we are prepared to work closely with our global network to provide practical support to threatened and displaced scholars from Sudan.

Eligibility Criteria

IIE-SRF accepts applications from professors, researchers, and public intellectuals who face threats and cannot continue their work in their home countries. Scholars from any country and in any academic field or discipline may qualify. Applicants are assessed based on academic qualifications and experience, the quality and/or potential of their work, and the urgency of the threats that they face.

Preference is given to scholars who:

hold a Ph.D. or highest degree in their field and have significant teaching and/or research experience at a university, college, or other institution of higher learning;
have an established record of published research;
demonstrate superior academic accomplishment or promise;
are facing or have recently fled from immediate, targeted threats to their lives and/or careers in their home countries or countries of residence;
will benefit their home and/or host academic communities.

We encourage applications from women and members of ethnic, racial, cultural, or religious minority groups, or those otherwise underrepresented in their fields.

Unfortunately, IIE-SRF typically cannot consider applications from individuals who:

are seeking to continue their studies, including Ph.D. study, or to complete an academic training program;
have been displaced or have resided outside their home countries for more than two years;
hold citizenship or permanent residency in a safe second country;
will have completed two years on a comparable fellowship or other program for threatened scholars.

Because of high demand for assistance, IIE-SRF is not able to grant fellowship support to all applicants who meet the eligibility requirements.

Note to potential Ukrainian applicants: IIE-SRF continues to follow closely the events in Ukraine and the devastating impacts of the war on the academic community and country more broadly. Within this context, we are faced with the difficult decision of how to best allocate our limited resources. After careful consideration, IIE-SRF is focused on supporting fellowships undertaken in Eastern or Central Europe. We are unfortunately unable to consider applications from Ukrainian scholars seeking placements elsewhere in Europe, including Western Europe. IIE-SRF will continue to evaluate its approach as events on the ground unfold. Thank you for your understanding.

Instructions and Application

Scholars can apply by sending the required application materials to us directly at [email protected]. In cases where a scholar is unable to submit the application, a third party may send the materials on their behalf.

The required application materials include:

Application Form
Current CV or resume. Please be sure your CV includes the following information:
- Academic degrees (degree-granting institution, field, and date of degree award);
- Current position (location, dates of employment, professional title, and responsibilities);
- Previous academic positions (in chronological order, including location, dates of employment, professional title, and responsibilities);
- A detailed list of your academic publications (journal articles, books, chapters, exhibitions, etc.) including full citations with the name of publication, authors, title of work, date of publication, and page numbers, if possible;
- Other relevant academic work (including supervision of master’s and Ph.D. theses, conference presentations, grants/honors/awards, professional affiliations, etc.).
Academic statement. Please provide a thorough statement detailing your academic and professional background and experience, including a thorough description of your academic research interests. Please be sure to include a description of the activities that you have undertaken in your academic positions as well as an explanation of the activities (research, teaching, publishing, etc.) you would undertake during a fellowship. Your academic statement should be a minimum of one page.
Personal statement. Please provide a thorough statement explaining why you are applying to IIE-SRF for support. Include a clear and detailed account of the threats or risks that you have been facing and the reasons that you cannot continue your work in your home country at this time. Your personal statement should be a minimum of one page.
Reference letters. IIE-SRF requires a minimum of three (3) reference letters that contain the elements listed below. In some cases, additional letters may be requested. Letters from colleagues both inside and outside of your home country are preferred. Please note that IIE-SRF requires original reference letters. Letters should not use identical or AI-generated text, and each referee should speak to their specific knowledge of your academic background and/or circumstances. When possible, please have your referees compose their letters on official letterhead and send them to IIE-SRF directly at [email protected].
1. Two (2) academic/professional letters of reference from academic or professional colleagues who can speak in detail to your research, publications, teaching, or other academic experience. When appropriate, letters should describe your unique expertise and contributions to specific intellectual issues or questions.
2. Two (2) personal letters of reference from colleagues or other persons who are aware of your circumstances and can describe the threats that you have been facing.
A copy of your Ph.D. or highest degree.
Samples of your most current research publications.
If you have already secured a commitment from a university or other institution to host your fellowship, please provide a letter from the host indicating their intent to host, if you are awarded. Please note that this is not a requirement.

To begin assessing an application, IIE-SRF must receive the application form, a current CV, academic statement, and personal statement. The remaining materials may be sent at a later time.

Please note that all application materials submitted to IIE-SRF must be original and unique to an applicant’s particular academic background and circumstances. IIE-SRF will not accept academic or personal statements that share identical language with the statements of other applicants to IIE-SRF. Any language or background information borrowed from the internet or other outside source should be cited to credit the original source. IIE-SRF strongly discourages the use of AI tools such as ChatGPT during the application process, including for creating application materials or in responses to IIE-SRF questions. Suspected use of AI-generated language will be a negative factor during IIE-SRF’s assessment process.

Spouses who may both be eligible for IIE-SRF and intend to apply should submit applications at the same time. Please note that if one spouse submits an application after their partner has already been awarded the IIE-SRF fellowship, we may not be able to consider the second application. While we recognize that spouses may be experiencing similar circumstances in their home country, IIE-SRF requires each spouse to submit complete, unique application materials.

Please submit all application materials via email to [email protected]. If you do not have access to email, you may send your materials via fax or post.

Address:

Scholar Rescue Fund
Institute of International Education
One World Trade Center, 36th Floor
New York, New York 10007
USA

Fax: +1-212-205-6425

Deadlines

IIE-SRF accepts applications on a rolling basis and fellowships are awarded quarterly.

Application Review

IIE-SRF conducts a thorough review of each applicant’s application materials to assess their experience, the quality of scholarly work, and the nature and urgency of the threat in the applicant’s home country. In doing so, IIE-SRF may contact the applicant’s references and/or other sources, such as independent experts on the applicant’s academic field, country of origin, or the particulars of the reported threat. (IIE-SRF will never share identifying information about an applicant without their permission.)

In many cases, IIE-SRF will follow up with an applicant directly for additional information about their academic work and/or their situation in their home country, in order to gain a full understanding of their scholarly background, individual circumstances, and need for the IIE-SRF fellowship.

Because of high demand for IIE-SRF assistance, the program is not able to grant fellowship support to all applicants who meet the eligibility requirements.

Frequent Questions

What makes up the IIE-SRF fellowship?

The IIE-SRF fellowship package includes the following:

A yearlong research and/or teaching appointment at a higher education institution in a safe location anywhere in the world;
a fellowship grant of up to $25,000 (most awards are eligible for renewal for a second and final year);
individual health insurance coverage;
funding for relocation to the host institution;
professional development support through resource guides and access to academic networks; CV and cover letter review; letters of reference; career mentorship and advising on post-fellowship opportunities; and (in some cases) financial support for conference attendance and language training;
opportunities through IIE-SRF or partner events, media, or other venues to share or promote the fellow’s academic work and/or speak about their home country;
dedicated support from IIE-SRF and its partners – before, during, and after the fellowship.

What is the financial award of the IIE-SRF fellowship?

The IIE-SRF fellowship award includes a grant of up to US$25,000, along with individual health insurance and relocation funding, to support a visiting academic appointment of up to one year (renewable for a second year). The final fellowship amount is dependent upon several factors, including the location of the host institution, the cost of living, and the value of any additional contributions from the host institution or other sources.

IIE-SRF requires that the hosting institution provide financial support that is equal to or greater than the IIE-SRF fellowship award. This matching support generally takes the form of a stipend or other direct benefits that would offset the fellow’s cost of living such as housing, airfare, or health insurance. Other in-kind contributions such as office space, computer and library access, or laboratory/bench fees are encouraged for a complete fellow support package but do not qualify as part of the matching contribution.

IIE-SRF may consider on a case-by-case basis a waiver of the full host funding requirement in order to allow fellows to undertake appointments within their home regions or in countries where the cost of living is lower and the funding requirement is prohibitive.

How long is the fellowship term?

The IIE-SRF fellowship term typically ranges from 9 to 12 months. The fellowship term is ultimately determined by the needs of hosts and fellows. Fellows are eligible to apply for a renewal of the fellowship for up to one additional year of financial support.

Can scholars from any country apply?

Yes, a scholar from any country may apply.

Can scholars from any academic field/discipline apply?

Yes, scholars from any academic field/discipline may apply.

What types of threat qualify?

Targeted persecution due to scholarship, identity, or beliefs – leading to a scholar’s inability to continue their academic work in this home country – are qualifying threats. Such persecution may include intimidation, harassment, repression, censorship, arrest/imprisonment, or violence.

Scholars facing general insecurity, instability, or civil conflict that affects the whole population of a country or region may also qualify.

A lack of resources or support for research or a general lack of opportunities for career advancement would unfortunately not qualify a person for IIE-SRF support.

What type of academic training or experience is required?

Professors, established researchers, and select public intellectuals may qualify. Preference is given to scholars with a Ph.D. or highest degree in their field, who have been engaged in scholarly activities through employment at a university, college, or other institution of research or higher learning.

Do students qualify?

No, IIE-SRF does not award fellowships to students seeking financial support to continue their studies, including Ph.D. study.

Is English proficiency required?

No, applicants are not required to speak English. However, a scholar’s language abilities will influence the possibilities for fellowship placement, as IIE-SRF fellows must possess the appropriate skills to contribute academically at a host institution outside their home countries. In some cases, IIE-SRF may be able to facilitate a fellowship placement in accordance with a scholar’s specific language abilities.

About The Institute of International Education (IIE)

Around the world, scholars have long suffered harassment, detention, torture, and other forms of persecution as a result of their work. In the worst cases, scholars pay with their lives for their dedication to their academic work and freedom of thought. The Institute of International Education (IIE), an independent not-for-profit organization, has supported opportunities for persecuted scholars since its founding in 1919. In 2002, IIE launched the Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) to formalize its commitment to protecting the lives, voices, and ideas of scholars around the globe.

IIE-SRF is the only global program that arranges, funds, and supports fellowships for threatened and displaced scholars at partnering higher education institutions worldwide, including inside their home regions.

IIE-SRF selects outstanding professors, researchers, and public intellectuals for fellowship support and arranges visiting academic positions with partnering institutions of higher learning and research. Our fellowships enable scholars to pursue their academic work in safety and to continue to share their knowledge with students, colleagues, and the community. If conditions in the scholars’ home countries improve, scholars may return after their fellowships to make meaningful contributions to their national academies and civil society. If safe return is not possible, scholars may use the fellowship period to identify longer-term opportunities.

How to Apply

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