Education USA weekly updates - No. 207 * 29 November 2010

I. Scholarships and Fellowships

- UG: Receive 53% off Annual Tuition Rate at Dickinson State University

- UG & Grad: Merit Award of $5,000 from Grand Valley State University

- UG & Grad: University of Oregon Awards Over One Million Dollars in Total Scholarships

II. News you can use

- New Video: EducationUSA Opportunity Students Share Their Experiences

- Be Eligible to Win: Up To $250 in Amazon Gift Certificates from the Carnegie Council

- Community Colleges: An Affordable Springboard to Educational Success

I. Scholarships and Fellowships

Receive 53% Off Annual Tuition Rate at Dickinson State University

The Global Awareness Scholarship at Dickinson State University provides substantial tuition assistance for international students who desire to study at a progressive, student-centered American university. Eligible students may receive up to 53% of the annual out-of-state tuition rate. The scholarship is renewable for up to 4 years and is offered on a rolling admissions deadline.

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/dGDNo3.

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Merit Award of $5,000 from Grand Valley State University

Every year, Grand Valley awards a limited number of International Merit Scholarships to incoming international students who have demonstrated an outstanding academic achievement record. The value of this scholarship is $5,000 per year.

All students who submit a complete application for admission by May 1 are eligible for this merit-based scholarship. In addition, students must write an essay of approximately 1,000 words on the following topic: “What will I do to bring cultural and international perspectives to Grand Valley that will enhance the learning environment for the entire GVSU community?”

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/hzA45A.

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University of Oregon Awards Over One Million Dollars in Scholarships

International Affairs, University of Oregon awards over one million dollars in scholarships to their international students each year. Tuition, cash and work-study awards are available. Selection is based on financial need and academic merit. The earliest scholarship deadline is February 15, 2011.

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/hAzrBe.

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II. News You Can Use

New Video: EducationUSA Opportunity Students Share Their Experiences

Five international students from Brazil, Yemen, Russia, Malaysia, and South Africa explain how EducationUSA, through the Opportunity Grant program, helped them find a U.S. college willing to provide near full funding for their studies.

Watch the video at: http://bit.ly/h5euvH

Be Eligible to Win up to $250 in Amazon Gift Certificates from the Carnegie Council

Carnegie Council Student/Teacher International Competition "Making a Difference"

August 26, 2010

As part of its second annual SEPTEMBER SUSTAINABILITY MONTH, the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs announces the second Annual Student Competition. This year, we are opening the Competition up to teachers as well as to students.

Can we build a future in which society lives in harmony with the environment? That’s the core question behind the sustainability movement. Rather than focusing only on possible future catastrophes, people must also have an opportunity to imagine what the world should look like. This is how innovations are born.

As students and teachers, you shape our future. How can you help to ensure that the interests of the environment, business, and society work together, not against each other? Start now, by imagining how to improve your school.

ESSAY TITLE

How would you improve your school so that it prepares future leaders to protect the planet?

ESSAY REQUIREMENTS

Style: "Op-ed" style (not academic, foot-noted papers)

Length: 1,000 to 1,500 words

Format: Word document, or email. English language entries only.

COMPETITION DEADLINE

December 31, 2010

HOW TO ENTER

Essay: Please email your entries to: [email protected]. Please include your full name, address, email, age, and student affiliation.

ELIGIBILITY

All teachers, at whatever level, are eligible.

All students, from high school students through to graduate students, are eligible. Non-students are automatically disqualified.

PRIZES

1st prize: $250 Amazon Gift Certificate

2nd prize: $150 Amazon Gift Certificate

3rd prize: $75 Amazon Gift Certificate

All winners also receive a copy of Ethics & International Affairs: A Reader This contest is part of the Council’s second annual SEPTEMBER SUSTAINABILITY MONTH, which kicks off a year of events and resources on sustainability. Generous funding of the Carnegie Council’s 2010-2011 sustainability programming has been provided by Hewlett-Packard and by Booz & Company.

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/gjer9k.

Community Colleges: An Affordable Springboard to Educational Success

International Herald Tribune

By Lubna Anwar, EducationUSA Adviser, Pakistan

November 26, 2010

When I attend overseas education exhibitions in Pakistan, students say things like: “Study in the United States (US)?  I would love to, but with the exchange rate, I can’t afford it,” or “I want to study in America, but don’t know if I can cope with the academic intensity of university education there.”

Luckily, the US higher education platform has several alternate avenues that lead to higher academic qualifications. Two-year community colleges are a natural springboard to the US traditional four-year universities.  These two-year colleges have agreements where student’s credits transfer to a four-year programme, and the student gets a bachelor’s degree issued by the university, where they can complete their academic programme.

It is common for American students to attend a community college for two years and then transfer to a four-year institution to complete their degree.  Nearly 40 per cent of all US undergraduate students attend these community colleges and alumni include people from business, education, politics, and even Hollywood actors like Tom Hanks and Clint Eastwood.

Foreign students are starting to discover this route to realize their dreams of education in the US in a more affordable and accessible way.  Nearly 100,000 international students are currently enrolled at community colleges in the US and at least 40 two-year colleges have foreign student populations of 500 or more in their student bodies.

Read more at http://bit.ly/dNkEBR.