Fostering Global Peace Through Education

The P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship (IPS) Fund provides scholarships to international women pursuing graduate degrees in the U.S. and Canada to foster global peace through education. IPS recipients carry the spirit of P.E.O. back to their home countries where the degrees they have earned positively impact people’s lives around the globe.

Shot of young woman taking down notes in diary. Female university student preparing note for the exam at library.

Education is Fundamental to World Peace and Understanding

Since 1949, the P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship (IPS) Fund has been helping women from around the world pursue graduate study in the U.S. and Canada and since 1951, IPS has also assisted international Cottey College students pursuing degrees. Today, the International Peace Scholarship Fund is open to:

  • Women outside the United States and Canada who are seeking advanced degrees from accredited colleges or universities in the U.S. or Canada
  • International students attending Cottey College

When IPS recipients return to their home countries, they positively impact their communities through their education.

IPS’s roots stem from the vision of one of P.E.O.’s founders, Franc Roads Elliott, when she introduced a resolution for international peace at the 1919 Convention of Supreme Chapter. Her vision for P.E.O. to join a movement to promote peace was realized when IPS was established as a project in 1949.

In April 2023, the IPS Board of Trustees awarded scholarships to 210 recipients from 65 different countries. Of the 2023-2024 recipients, 69 are from Africa, 38 from South America, 59 from Asia, 23 from Europe, 8 from the Middle East, 7 from North and Central America, 3 from Australia/Oceania and 3 from the West Indies.

Since 1949, the International Peace Scholarship has been awarded to women from 178 different countries. It truly has a global reach!

Be a Part of Fostering
Global Peace

Supporting women's education has a ripple effect, positively impacting their lives and the world around us. The P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship (IPS) Fund plays a vital role in empowering women and fostering peace around the world through education.

IPS scholarships provide more than just financial assistance; a community of P.E.O.s rally behind each scholarship recipient to support them with the loving concern that’s a fundamental part of the P.E.O. Sisterhood. Recipients are often surprised by the non-tangible benefits of an IPS scholarship, namely the support and encouragement from P.E.O. sisters that is invaluable to them while far from home. This experience amplifies the power of IPS as it promotes global understanding in their relationships with other people for the rest of their lives, which is ultimately the basis for world peace.

We believe that education is fundamental to world peace and understanding. When we help international women achieve their educational goals, we're also contributing to their families, communities, home nations and, ultimately, the world at large.

International Peace Scholarship recipient Farnaz Naeemikia
P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund recipient Farnaz Naeemikia

"Receiving this scholarship means the world to me because, beyond financial support, it signifies the belief in my potential and the importance in investing in education.”

Watch Farnaz speak at the 2023 Convention of International Chapter.

IPS Recipient Jesica Maria Ramirez Toscano
P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund recipient Jesica Maria Ramirez Toscano

“I want to thank P.E.O. and all the members; this master’s degree has changed my life in so many ways. I feel beyond grateful to P.E.O. for supporting me throughout these years. Now, I feel I can do more things that I never thought I could do.”

IPS Recipient Kassandra Karpathakis
P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund recipient Kassandra Karpathakis

"Thank you for all the lovely messages, financial and positive support on my journey to a Master of Public Health at Harvard.”

Two female students looking at phone

Fund a Full Scholarship for Peace Through Education

With a Named Scholarship, you can a make a special gift to support the P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship (IPS) Fund. These scholarships can be named in honor or memory of someone special.

A gift of at least $12,500 from an individual, a chapter or group of chapters or a state/provincial/district chapter may become a Named Scholarship upon request of the donor. The donation pays for the entire scholarship for an IPS recipient. The IPS Board of Trustees selects the recipient for the Named Scholarship from the list of students after scholarships have been awarded and accepted. A special effort is made by the board to select an outstanding student who is attending school in a state or province near the donor.

The IPS trustees award these prestigious scholarships to top IPS recipients to assist them in the completion of their graduate degrees with the expectation of returning to their home countries to Foster Global Peace Through Education.

IPS Policy Guidelines & Procedures

Read the IPS Policies, Prerequisites and Procedures that guide our decision-making when choosing qualified candidates for IPS scholarships.

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