Research Grants


The Sepmeyer Research Grant Program


For many years, Inez Sepmeyer worked at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she focused on the admission and placement of international students and conducted research on international educational systems.  Encouraged and aided by her late husband, Ludwig, she established the first U.S. private credentials evaluation service (IERF) in 1969.  Her vision led to the publication of The Country Index, as well as other significant publications in the credentials evaluation field.   Inez’s work brought her into leadership roles in major professional organizations - NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) - both of which have honored her with life memberships.

IERF is pleased to name its research grant program in honor of Inez and Ludwig Sepmeyer because of their combined involvement in international education and their commitment to research and publications on world educational systems.

The Purpose of the Sepmeyer Research Grant Program


The International Education Research Foundation's mission is to conduct research and disseminate information on world educational systems and to facilitate the integration of individuals educated outside the United States into the U.S. educational environment and work force.

We accomplish this by:

• Conducting and supporting comprehensive, quality research on world educational systems
• Sharing our research findings with the international community
• Providing research-based credentials evaluations and related services

The purpose of the research grant program is to aid IERF in carrying out this mission. Therefore, IERF invites individuals and organizations to submit appropriate research project proposals for funding. Research grants are awarded for research only and not for study.

Value of the Research Grants


Grants are normally awarded in amounts up to $5,000.

Proposal Project Evaluation


Each research grant proposal is evaluated on how well its project design and expected outcomes address the following criteria:

• Supporting research for the evaluation of foreign academic credentials
• Promoting the integration of students, scholars, and professionals holding non-U.S. academic credentials into the United States 
• Facilitating the publication and dissemination of the results of the research
• Encouraging the exchange of information about educational systems

Eligibility and Conditions

• The Sepmeyer Research Grant Program is open to all persons, regardless of citizenship and country of residence.
• A grant may be held in conjunction with another grant received for research purposes at the discretion of the Committee.
• A grant may be used as a living stipend or for travel purposes.

Application Process


There is no application form. The applicant is required to submit the following:

1. A research project summary
2. A detailed proposal, describing the objectives of the research project, the research design and methodology, and expected outcomes
3. A specific explanation of how the research project meets each of the criteria listed under the Project Proposal Evaluation section above
4. A detailed budget for the project, showing the total funds being requested and including details of funding from other sources, if any
5. A curriculum vitae of the principal project participant/s

Applicants are also requested to indicate where they learned about the Sepmeyer Research Grant Program.

All materials submitted in support of the Research Grant application become the property of IERF and are not returned to the applicant.

Closing Date for Applications


The closing date for applications is February 1 each year. This date may be extended at the discretion of the Committee.  An Applicant is notified of the outcome of the Committee’s decision no later than April 30 of the year in which the application is made. An application that is received after February 1 in any given year may be considered for the following year’s grant. 

Recent Grant Holders


Recent grant holders include:

	Mary DeBey		2002		Studying Children and Teaching: The Education of Teachers in Peru
	Richard van Huyssteen		2002		South African Higher Education - Update
	Karen Lukas		2001		The Educational System of the Federal Republic of Germany

For more information, please contact:
Susan Bedil
Executive Director
International Education Research Foundation, Inc.
Post Office Box 3665
Culver City, CA 90231-3665
Phone: 310.258.9451
Fax: 310.342.7086
E-Mail: grants@ierf.org