This main aim of this research is to identify distinctive features of international emigration from conflict areas, as a reaction to specific ”push factors” and in relation to the level of education of refugee. First, initial identification of these features has been done through the series of semi-structured interviews. Based on the identified features, a theoretical framework for explaining a self-selection mechanism of mass emigration from conflict areas was developed. The theoretical model has been empirically tested by using a household survey data from Bosnian LSMS 2001 survey. In addition, a macro-level natural experiment exploring relationship between a conflict in a country and a magnitude of brain drain from the country has been conducted. The results contribute to a more detailed understanding of the specific characteristics, determinants and magnitude of conflict-induced brain drain. It can be used for further analysis of negative consequences of conflicts, particularly on the depletion of human capital in a country affected by a conflict and negative consequences of such depletion on a country’s post-conflict economic recovery.