Special Programs

international students at a college in the United States of AmericaEducationUSA offers a multitude of programs for international students that U.S. higher education professionals can become involved with.

Opportunity Funds Program
The EducationUSA Opportunity Funds program assists highly qualified students who are likely to be awarded full financial aid from U.S. colleges and universities, but lack the financial resources to cover the up-front costs to apply, such as testing, application fees, or airfare.

Each Opportunity Funds student undergoes a selective process of evaluation by an EducationUSA adviser, Regional Educational Advising Manager (REAC), and the Public Affairs Section of a U.S. Embassy/Consulate. In addition to academic abilities, Opportunity Funds students bring cultural and socio-economic diversity to U.S. campuses. More than 100 colleges and universities have enrolled Opportunity Funds students since 2006.

There are more than 50 countries around the world that receive Opportunity Funds. The list of participating countries changes slightly each year depending on individual country needs, priorities of Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and EducationUSA, and the budget situation. For more information and a list of currently participating countries, request a login to contact the Regional Educational Advising Manager for the region(s) that interests you.

EducationUSA Academy
EducationUSA Academy is a three-to-four week summer academic program which provides English language courses, college preparatory content, tours of diverse colleges and universities, and cross-cultural activities for self-funded 15- to 17-year-old students from around the world. Students receive an overview of the higher education system in the United States and the U.S. college/university admissions process, develop critical thinking and leadership skills, and participate in enriching cultural and social activities. The long-term goal of the EducationUSA Academy is to create a pipeline to U.S. higher education for international high school students who may not have considered undergraduate study in the United States. For more information, please visit: edusaacademy.org

MOOC Camp
MOOC Camps are facilitated discussions around massive open online courses (MOOCs), Open Courseware, and other free online courses. They are hosted at U.S. embassies, consulates, American Spaces, and in other public venues around the world. Facilitated discussions are led by alumni who have participated in U.S. government exchange programs, such as the Fulbright program, and/or by U.S. embassy/consulate staff who are familiar with the course materials and volunteer their time. U.S. embassies and consulates in more than 60 countries are currently participating in MOOC Camps with subjects ranging from entrepreneurship and college writing to science and technology. Course content is drawn from major MOOC providers, including CourseraEdX, and Udacity as well as from multiple Open CourseWare providers.

EducationUSA Training Institutes
EducationUSA facilitates several training institutes in the United States for EducationUSA advisers. Each two-week EducationUSA Training Institute comprises a Washington, D.C.-based workshop, with sessions at the U.S. Department of State, and campus-based training. The campus-based training week offers a unique opportunity for U.S. institutions to bring a group of EducationUSA advisers directly to their campuses. 

Competitive College Clubs
EducationUSA Competitive College Clubs (CCC) are cohort-based advising programs that help the best and brightest students apply to competitive U.S. colleges and universities. CCC advisers work intensively to prepare students for the application process. CCCs are open to students in grades 8-11 who are in the top 10% of their class.

CCC advisers organize student activities, including study groups, intensive SAT and ACT preparation, reading assignments, lectures, and community service projects. Students sign a contract detailing their responsibilities, which include attending all meetings during the school year and summer sessions.

While there are no guarantees that a CCC student will be accepted to a U.S. college or university, this intensive group advising provides extra support for motivated, high-performing students. Some CCC students also qualify for the Opportunity Funds program. EducationUSA advisers also work with CCC students to develop an alternative education plan in case studying in the United States does not work out for them.