History of the Estonian Student Fund in USA
The Origins and Development of the Estonian Students Fund in the USA
A major wave of Estonian immigration to the United States took place between 1949 and 1952. Almost immediately upon arrival, Estonians began taking initiative, organizing themselves, and establishing community institutions.
The first Estonian Student Days were held on September 2–3, 1950, at the New York Estonian House, where two important organizations were founded: the Estonian Student Association in the USA and the Estonian Students’ Support Fund in the USA.
Many students who had come from refugee camps in Europe often needed a small sum to complete their semester. The primary task of the Support Fund’s board was to raise money from which students of Estonian descent could apply for interest-free loans.
The New York Estonian Educational Society kindly offered its support by granting the Fund the rights to operate a café in the basement of the Estonian House and to manage the cloakroom. The net income from both operations went directly to the Support Fund.
The Fund also organized concerts, and collections were taken in Estonian churches, providing the first modest capital. During its first eleven years of activity, 65 student loans were distributed, ranging from $50 to $300—a substantial amount at the time, as $300 was enough to cover a semester’s expenses.
Growth and Early Milestones
The Fund’s resources were limited during those early years, depending entirely on the success of annual fundraising campaigns. Nevertheless, through continued collections and events, the principal capital steadily grew, reaching $8,000 by 1961.
A major milestone came in 1967, when Estonian émigré inventor Dr. O. G. Lellep established a memorial fund in honor of his father, Jüri Lellep. In its first year, the Support Fund received $9,502.81 from this endowment to be distributed as scholarships that did not require repayment.
According to the charter of the Jüri Lellep Memorial Fund, scholarships could be awarded only to students of Estonian descent studying in the free world. However, with remarkable foresight, a provision was also included allowing that once Estonia regained its freedom from communist occupation, scholarships could likewise be granted to students studying in the Republic of Estonia.
Incorporation and Tax-Exempt Status
The Support Fund was incorporated under local laws on July 26, 1961, under the name Estonian Students Fund in USA, Inc. On October 30, 1962, the Fund was granted tax-exempt status by the United States Internal Revenue Service.
It was the first Estonian organization in the United States to apply for and obtain such status. Throughout all these years, the members of the Fund’s board have faithfully carried out their duties voluntarily and without compensation.
Expansion and Endowment Growth
Over the course of fifty years, the Fund’s capital has grown—primarily through bequests from Estonians living abroad. Today, there are twenty-five named memorial funds, each established as an endowment whose annual income is used to award memorial scholarships.
The main eligibility criterion for all scholarships is that the applicant must be of Estonian descent. In selecting recipients, the Support Fund considers not only academic achievement and financial need but also knowledge of the Estonian language and involvement in organizations that promote Estonian identity and culture—both in the United States and in Estonia, as well as elsewhere in the world.
Broadening the Mission
Over the years, the Estonian Students’ Support Fund (EÜT) has expanded its activities to provide greater opportunities for supporting Estonia and Estonian students through various scholarship programs.
As the new generation of Estonian-American students—many born and raised abroad—expressed a desire to deepen their connection to Estonian culture, the Fund introduced in 1957 the “Finnish Scholarship”, a one-year scholarship for study at the University of Helsinki or University of Turku. Its purpose was to bring young Estonians from America as close as politically possible to their Finno-Ugric roots and to Estonia itself, while strengthening their understanding and appreciation of Finno-Ugric culture.
When the political situation began to change and Estonia regained its independence, the Finnish Scholarship was discontinued and replaced by the program “Foreign Estonian Scholarship in an Estonian University.” This scholarship enables students of Estonian heritage who were not raised in Estonia to spend a year studying at an Estonian institution of higher education, thereby immersing themselves in their ancestral language and culture.
As Estonians with higher education began increasingly to take part in professional life across Europe and the free world, the Fund established the Professional Development Scholarship. This program supports Estonian professionals living and working in Estonia who wish to pursue advanced training in their field by attending courses or conferences abroad.
The fourth major program of the Estonian Students’ Support Fund, the Educational Project Grant, was created to support Estonian specialists and organizations in carrying out educational initiatives aimed at the advancement of multiple individuals, not just a single recipient.