IIE Scholar Rescue Fund Fellowship 2026 | Eligibility & How to Apply

The IIE Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) Fellowship is one of the most important and humanitarian academic funding programmes in the world. Administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE), this fellowship provides threatened scholars, including professors, researchers, and public intellectuals, with the opportunity to continue their academic work in safety at host universities and institutions around the world. For academics whose lives or careers are at serious risk in their home countries, this fellowship is not just a funding opportunity. It is a lifeline.

This fellowship is for scholars at any career stage, from any country, and working in any academic field or discipline. The core requirement is not academic rank or publication count alone, but the reality of facing genuine threats that prevent you from continuing your work safely at home. If you are a professor, researcher, or public intellectual who can no longer safely carry out your academic activities due to threats or persecution, this programme was built for you.

This post covers everything you need to know about the IIE Scholar Rescue Fund Fellowship, including who qualifies, what the application requires, how the selection process works, key deadlines, and practical tips to help you submit a complete and compelling application.

Scholarship Overview

Eligibility

To qualify for the IIE Scholar Rescue Fund Fellowship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Citizenship: Open to scholars from any country in the world. There is no nationality restriction.
• Academic Status: You must be a professor, researcher, or public intellectual with a recognised academic background. You must hold a PhD or the highest degree in your field.
• Threat Requirement: You must be facing genuine threats or risks that prevent you from continuing your academic work in your home country. This is the central eligibility criterion. The nature and urgency of the threat are carefully assessed as part of the application review.
• Academic Qualifications: You must have a verifiable record of academic and scholarly work, including research, teaching, and publications. IIE-SRF assesses both the quality of your scholarly output and the seriousness of your circumstances.
• Field of Study: Scholars from any academic field or discipline are eligible. There are no subject restrictions.
• Work Experience: Significant academic or professional experience is expected. Your CV must demonstrate current and previous academic positions, publications, and other scholarly contributions.
• Language Requirements: Application materials appear to be accepted in multiple languages, with information available in Arabic, French, Persian, Spanish, and Turkish. Confirm whether materials can be submitted in languages other than English.
• Spouses: If both spouses are eligible and intend to apply, they must submit their applications at the same time. Applications submitted after a spouse has already been awarded a fellowship may not be considered. Each spouse must submit completely separate and unique application materials.
• Third-Party Applications: If a scholar is unable to submit their own application due to their circumstances, a third party may submit the materials on their behalf.

Eligible Countries

This fellowship is open to scholars from any country in the world. There are no country restrictions.

• Africa: All countries
• Asia: All countries
• Americas: All countries
• Europe: All countries
• Middle East: All countries
• Oceania and Other Regions: All countries

Eligible Fields of Study

This fellowship is open to scholars from all academic fields and disciplines. There are no subject restrictions.

Professors, researchers, and public intellectuals from any of the following and all other fields are eligible:

• Humanities and Social Sciences
• Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• Engineering and Technology
• Medicine and Health Sciences
• Law
• Arts and Culture
• Economics and Business
• Education
• Environmental and Agricultural Sciences
• Any other recognised academic discipline

Benefits

The IIE Scholar Rescue Fund Fellowship provides support to enable threatened scholars to continue their academic work in safety. Specific financial details have not been fully outlined in the available information, but the fellowship typically includes the following:

• Academic Placement: Fellows are placed at host universities or academic institutions around the world where they can continue their research, teaching, and scholarly activities safely.
• Fellowship Support: IIE-SRF fellowships generally include financial support to cover living and academic costs during the fellowship period.
• Host Institution Support: If the scholar has already secured a commitment from a host institution, this can be included in the application. IIE-SRF also works to match scholars with suitable host partners.
• Duration of Fellowship: Confirm the standard length of an IIE-SRF fellowship on the official website.
• Tuition Fees: Not applicable in the traditional sense, as this is a placement fellowship rather than a student scholarship.
• Other Benefits: Fellows gain access to IIE-SRF’s global network of host institutions and partner organisations, which can provide long-term professional and academic connections.

Required Documents

The following documents are required for the IIE-SRF application. Note that the application form, CV, academic statement, and personal statement are the minimum required to begin the review process. Remaining materials may be submitted later:

1. Completed IIE-SRF application form
2. Current CV or resume, including:
   • Academic degrees with institution, field, and date of award
   • Current position with location, dates, title, and responsibilities
   • Previous academic positions in chronological order
   • Detailed list of academic publications with full citations
   • Other academic work including thesis supervision, conference presentations, grants, awards, and professional affiliations
3. Academic statement (minimum one page), covering:
   • Academic and professional background and experience
   • Description of research interests
   • Activities undertaken in current and past academic positions
   • Activities you plan to undertake during the fellowship (research, teaching, publishing, etc.)
4. Personal statement (minimum one page), covering:
   • Why you are applying to IIE-SRF
   • A clear and detailed account of the threats or risks you have faced
   • Why you cannot continue your work in your home country at this time
5. Reference letters (minimum of three, comprising):
   • Two academic or professional reference letters from colleagues who can speak in detail to your research, publications, teaching, or academic experience
   • Two personal reference letters from colleagues or others aware of your circumstances and able to describe the threats you have faced
   • Note: Letters must be original, must not use identical or AI-generated text, and should be sent directly by referees to srf@iie.org, preferably on official letterhead
6. Copy of your PhD or highest degree certificate
7. Samples of your most current research publications
8. Letter of intent from a host institution (if already secured) – this is not required but is helpful

Important: All materials must be original and unique to your own circumstances. IIE-SRF will not accept statements that share identical language with other applicants. The use of AI tools, including ChatGPT, to generate application content is strongly discouraged and will be treated as a negative factor during assessment.

How to Apply

Follow these steps to submit your IIE Scholar Rescue Fund application:

Step 1: Confirm your eligibility. Before preparing any materials, make sure you are a professor, researcher, or public intellectual with a genuine academic track record and that you are facing real threats that prevent you from continuing your work safely in your home country.

Step 2: Gather your academic records. Collect your PhD certificate, a full list of your publications with complete citations, records of your academic positions, and evidence of your scholarly contributions.

Step 3: Prepare your CV. Your CV must include all required sections: academic degrees, current position, previous positions in chronological order, a detailed publication list with full citations, and other academic work. Review the official requirements carefully and ensure nothing is missing.

Step 4: Write your academic statement. This must be at least one full page. Describe your academic and professional background, your research interests, what you have done in your academic roles, and what activities you plan to undertake during the fellowship. Be thorough and specific.

Step 5: Write your personal statement. This must also be at least one full page. Explain clearly and honestly why you are applying to IIE-SRF, describe the threats or risks you face, and explain why you cannot continue your work in your home country. Be as detailed as possible. This statement is central to the assessment.

Step 6: Contact your referees and request their letters. You need at least three reference letters in total, with at least two academic or professional references and two personal references. Note that the same person can provide both academic and personal letters, but you must have at least three letters overall. [NEEDS VERIFICATION on whether one person can cover both categories] Ask referees to send their letters directly to srf@iie.org on official letterhead. Make sure they write original, personalised letters, not template or AI-generated text.

Step 7: Complete the official IIE-SRF application form. Download or access the application form from the official IIE-SRF website and complete all fields accurately.

Step 8: Submit your application by email. Send all materials to srf@iie.org. If you cannot access email due to your circumstances, you may submit by fax to +1-212-205-6425 or by post to: Scholar Rescue Fund, Institute of International Education, One World Trade Center, 36th Floor, New York, New York 10007, USA.

Step 9: If both you and your spouse are applying, submit both applications at the same time. Do not wait until one application has been processed before submitting the other. Each application must be entirely separate and contain unique, original materials.

Step 10: Monitor for follow-up from IIE-SRF. The review team may contact you for additional information about your academic work or your situation. Respond promptly and provide as much detail as requested.

Key Dates and Timeline

Note: IIE-SRF accepts applications on a rolling basis and awards fellowships quarterly. The April 26, 2026 deadline applies specifically to scholars seeking consideration at the June 2026 Selection Committee meeting. Applications received after this date will be considered at a future quarterly meeting.

Application Deadline

The next confirmed deadline is 26 April 2026 for possible consideration at IIE-SRF’s Selection Committee meeting in June 2026.

Applications submitted after 26 April 2026 will NOT be considered for the June 2026 selection round, but may be reviewed at a subsequent quarterly meeting.

If your situation is urgent, submit as early as possible and contact IIE-SRF directly to explain your circumstances.

Selection Criteria

IIE-SRF conducts a thorough review of every application. The selection committee evaluates applicants on the following:

• Quality of Scholarly Work: Your academic record, research, publications, and overall contribution to your field are assessed carefully. The stronger and more verifiable your academic track record, the stronger your application.
• Nature and Urgency of Threat: The threats you describe in your personal statement are evaluated for credibility, severity, and urgency. IIE-SRF may consult your references and independent experts on your country of origin or academic field to verify your account.
• Academic Research Interests and Fellowship Plans: The committee assesses what you plan to do during the fellowship. A clear and realistic description of your intended research, teaching, or publishing activities strengthens your application.
• References: Your reference letters are a critical part of the review. Letters must be specific, original, and written by people with genuine knowledge of either your academic work or your personal circumstances. Generic letters will weaken your application.
• Originality of Application Materials: All materials must be unique to your circumstances. Identical language shared with other applicants, or the use of AI tools, will be treated as a negative factor and may disqualify your application.
• Availability of Host Institution: If you have already secured a commitment from a host institution willing to support your fellowship, this is a positive factor. It is not required but can strengthen your application.
• Demand and Capacity: Because of high demand, IIE-SRF cannot support all eligible applicants. Being eligible does not guarantee an award.

Important Tips

1. Submit before April 26, 2026 if you want to be considered in June 2026. IIE-SRF accepts applications year-round, but quarterly deadlines determine when your case is reviewed. Missing a deadline means waiting for the next review cycle.
2. Do not use AI tools to write any part of your application. IIE-SRF explicitly states that suspected AI-generated language is a negative factor. Write your statements in your own voice. If English is not your first language, it is better to write honestly and clearly than to use AI to polish your text.
3. Be specific and detailed in your personal statement. Vague descriptions of threat or risk are difficult to assess and verify. Include specific incidents, dates, locations, and consequences wherever possible and safe to do so.
4. Contact your referees early and brief them fully. Your referees need to write detailed, original, personalised letters. Give them enough time and context to do this well. Remind them to send letters directly to srf@iie.org on official letterhead.
5. If a host institution is willing to support your placement, include their letter of intent. This is not required but makes a meaningful positive difference to your application.
6. If both you and your spouse are eligible, submit your applications together and at the same time. A second application submitted after one partner has already been awarded a fellowship may not be considered.
7. If you cannot submit by email, use fax or post. IIE-SRF has made provisions for scholars who cannot safely or practically access email. Do not let the submission method be a barrier to applying.
8. Start with the minimum required materials if necessary. IIE-SRF can begin assessing your application with just the application form, CV, academic statement, and personal statement. The other materials can follow. This matters if your situation is urgent.
9. Keep your contact information updated and check for follow-up from IIE-SRF. The review team may reach out for additional information. A delayed response from you could slow down your case significantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

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