Institute of International Education Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) Fellowship 2025 (up to $25,000) Deadline: 20 January, 2025

Applications are open for the Institute of International Education Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) Fellowship 2025. 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 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. They have awarded IIE-SRF fellowships to 1,134 scholars from 62 countries, placing them at 510 host partner institutions in 59 countries around the world.

Benefits

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.

Eligibility

• Open to 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.

Application

The required application materials include:

• Application Form
• Current CV or resume. 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. 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. 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. 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, have your referees compose their letters on official letterhead and send them to IIE-SRF directly at [email protected].
  • 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.
  • 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.

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 to:

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

Fax: +1-212-205-6425

For more information, visit IIE-SRF Fellowship.