Aid Available for Students in the US from Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia

Educational allowances of up to $5,000 are available to help undergraduate students from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand continue their studies in the United States.

The Institute of International Education (IIE) and the Freeman Foundation have created an emergency assistance program to help students from Southeast Asia whose ability to pursue their Spring 2005 studies in the US has been seriously affected by the December 2004 earthquake and tsunami.

This program is utilizing returned and unexpended loan funds from the
ASIA-HELP (Asian Students in America-Higher Education Loan Program) program that IIE established with Freeman Foundation support to assist students from these same countries (and from Korea) who were affected by the Asian financial crisis in 1997. (IIE is currently seeking funding from other sources to support students from India, Sri Lanka and other affected countries, but is not able at this time to accept any
applications/nominations from such countries.)

The Freeman-EAS Program (Freeman Emergency Assistance for Students from Southeast Asia) will provide educational allowances of up to $5,000 to undergraduates from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand who are facing serious financial difficulties due to the recent tragedy in their home countries.

Accredited United States campuses are invited to nominate up to 4 students at their institutions for whom help is especially needed. An International Student Adviser or similar university official must submit the application to IIE. Students cannot apply directly.

To request a nomination form, advisers should send an email to:
FreemanEAS@iie.org.

Applications should be submitted to IIE by email at freemanEAS@iie.org AND by fax at 202-326-7642 by February 1, 2005 to be considered in the first round of funding. IIE will accept and review applications received earlier, and will notify campuses within two weeks of receipt of application. If needed, IIE will call for a second round of nominations after February 1, 2005.

To be considered for a Freeman-EAS educational allowance, students must:

* Be a citizen or permanent resident of Indonesia, Malaysia or Thailand

* Be an undergraduate pursuing a two-year Associate's degree or a four-year Bachelor's degree at an accredited US institution, already enrolled as of December 2004

* Be in good academic standing, as defined by their host campus, and be in legal immigration status in the US

* Demonstrate that their financial ability to continue their studies has
been directly affected by the December 2004 earthquake/tsunami

In addition, universities nominating students for Freeman-EAS awards must indicate how the campus will also provide financial assistance to the nominated students. The host campus is not required to match the full amount of the Freeman-EAS award, but is required to contribute some amount to the student's total expenses through a tuition waiver, scholarship, stipend, loan, work study, or other form of financial assistance.