International Educational Microgrants

Our mission is to provide small, high-impact microgrants that aid in the development of higher education in less-developed countries, particularly in smaller cities and rural areas where development efforts are often less felt.

Our work

Our organization targets the countries of the Western Balkans. This year we are working specifically with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but hope to expand our work to the other countries. Our first round of microgrants, to be given out in summer and fall 2013, will focus on covering costs of applying for universities in the United States. These costs include:

• English proficiency tests - approximately $180
• College entrance exams (ACT, SAT) - $50
• Application fees - approximately $100

In addition, we are working to purchase and secure donations of test prep books and other materials, which are in short supply in the larger cities and virtually inaccessible for students in small towns and rural areas.

Why there? Bosnia & Herzegovina is rapidly developing, but in many ways it is still recovering from the effects of civil war, and standards of living still make affording the costs of applying for international and American universities prohibitively expensive for many promising students. This is particularly true in rural areas where it takes longer for the effects of development to be felt.

Why American universities? The United States has one of the best education systems in the world. Studying in the U.S. will allow these students to access top notch education and perfect their English. They can then return to their home country, where they can put their new skills and education to good use in advancing their country's development.

Who we are working with

IE Microgrants is partnering with the Southeast Europe branch of American Councils and the Sarajevo EducationUSA office to advertise its grants.