USA DEGREE STUDY SUPPORT & FINANCIAL AID – US EMBASSY

Claire Powell

THE EducationUSA Adviser under the

U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg, South Africa

Brief:

In regard to the EducationUSA program, the U.S. Mission arranges a variety of programs and resources that link South Africans and Americans. These programs and resources are intended to introduce participants to the United States and American people and culture, as well as provide them with possibilities to exchange ideas and collaborate with Americans.  Educational exchanges and access to information resources create bonds and enduring relationships that build bridges of cooperation and understanding.

One of our prominent initiatives is educational advising offered through our EducationUSA offices.  It is supported by the U.S. Department of State and promotes U.S. higher education by offering accurate, comprehensive, and current information about educational institutions in the United States and guidance to qualified individuals on how best to access those opportunities, at the undergraduate or post-graduate level. Millions of prospective students learn about U.S. study opportunities through EducationUSA centers via orientation sessions, individual counseling, and maintenance of useful publication collections for use by advisees.  Our centers are staffed with an adviser, who has first-hand experience having studied in the United States and adheres to ethical standards, abides by the policy to refrain from working with commercial recruitment agents, and has received State Department-approved training about U.S. higher education and the advising process.

Services offered by all 3 EducationUSA center in SA (Durban, Cape Town, & Johannesburg):

• Study in the USA introductory group sessions (1 step and gives a complete overview of the application process)
• Follow-up individual advising sessions should they qualify for membership with the center.
• Outreach to schools and libraries for talks on US higher education opportunities
• Visiting College fairs
• Advice on standardized exams for university admission
• Information resources on US colleges and application & Financial aid process
• Financial assistance for the university application process for qualifying individuals and members of the centers through EducationUSA Opportunity Funds
• Information on State Departments, Fulbright scholarships for post-graduate study.

More information on how we work globally can be found on www.educationusa.info or in SA atwww.southafrica.usembassy.gov /educational-advising.html or www.facebook.com/EducationUSAinSA