Student scholarships in US
22-January-2013

A variety of scholarships are available for students from India headed to colleges and universities in the US.

Here is a list of scholarships being offered presently by more than 20 institutions. If you are headed to the US for higher education, read on to see if there is a scholarship you can apply for.

Find out more

Free seminar on Financial Aid
22-January-2013

Learn all about Financial Aid, Scholarships and Bank Loans at a free seminar on January 23, organized by EducationUSA in partnership with USIEF in Mumbai.

Click here for details

Yale Seeks Young Global Leaders for High School Summer Program
17-December-2012

Yale University is now accepting applications for the Yale Young Global Scholars Program for Outstanding High School Students, who will live and study at Yale for two weeks in the summer of 2013. The summer program is open to high school juniors and seniors from the US and around the world, and need-based financial aid is available to both American and international students.

The Yale Young Global Scholars program features intensive interaction with renowned Yale faculty in the fields of history, political science, law, economics, and international affairs. It builds on the successful Ivy Scholars summer program that Yale has offered for the last 12 years.

Click here to view the application and prospectus: http://globalscholars.yale.edu/application-and-prospectus

Student-to-Student advice on studying in US
17-December-2012

The Yale Young Global Scholars program features intensive interaction with renowned Yale faculty in the fields of history, political science, law, economics, and international affairs. It builds on the successful Ivy Scholars summer program that Yale has offered for the last 12 years.

The video is part of the "Studying in the States" website provides prospective and current international student visa holders with key tips they should keep in mind in order to stay in compliance with U.S. immigration rules and ensure their time when studying at a U.S. college or university is a positive one.

Click here to view video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyk8wn8Tqlk

MIT tops 2012 World University rankings
07-November-2012

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) took over from Cambridge University to top the QS World University Rankings for 2012. The Top 10 Universities on the list in order of ranking are: MIT, University of Cambridge, Harvard University, University College London, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, Yale University, University of Chicago, Princeton University and California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

See full list
http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2012

Safety first for international students
07-November-2012

A country being a safe place to study is among the top five most important influencing factors, according to a Student Insight survey, which collated over 160,000 responses from students around the world. This compares with its ranking as the 17th most important factor out of a possible 19 just five years ago in 2007.

Read more
http://www.guardian.co.uk/higher-education-network/blog/2012/oct/22/safety-international-students-uk-universities

London Met University ban highlights need for caution
04-September-2012

The recent news of the stripping of London Metropolitan University?s license to sponsor foreign students has come as a huge shock to the large body of international students from India in UK. While there is no fool-proof way to avoid an unforeseen development like this, there are certain steps that can minimize its possibilities. Before accepting admission to a college or university, check their credentials. All colleges and universities check student credentials at the time of admission. It should also work the other way round. There are several bodies that help verify the authenticity of an educational institution. In the UK, you can find helpful guidance at http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/higher-education/recognised-uk-degrees/faqs-about-uk-degrees. You can also find useful information of the veracity of the educational institution at http://www.asic.org.uk/studentscollege.htm.

For sources to check the credentials of higher education institutions in the US and Canada, check our previous blog on 'Checking College Credentials'

Important Tools for International Students in the US
04-September-2012

The US government Department for Homeland Security has created a new consolidated web resource on Tools for success for international students. This includes links to Designated School Officials, Student and Exchange Visitor Program as well as rules and regulations to ensure you maintain your status. Check out this new resource at the link below:

http://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/2012/08/back-to-school-tools-for-success

Hobsons Virtual Student Fair
13-August-2012

Nearly 50 colleges and universities have registered for participation in the Hobsons Virtual Student Fair scheduled for September 15. Check it out to get admission information, chat with international students already on campus or watch/download student video webcasts. Besides being informative, you also have a chance to win US$3,000 in scholarships if you register and attend this virtual fair.

http://hobsonsevents.com/new-asia

Orientation programmes
13-August-2012

Orientation programmes are being scheduled at every college and university for new students joining in the Fall 2012 semester. At orientation you will be provided with key information related to the University. It is also an opportunity for you to meet and talk with other students who may be having challenges that are similar to yours. Among the topics usually covered are: the rules and regulations of the institution, the layout of the campus and where to find key services, classes for your first semester, purchasing books and supplies, meal plans and registration, important guidelines to remember, and sundry information like opening a local bank account. Check your college website in case you have not received an orientation schedule on the email yet.

Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships
29-June-2012

The deadline for application for the 2013-14 awards of the Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships for Leadership Development is 16 July 2012.

The Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships for Leadership Development are designed for outstanding young Indians to pursue a master's degree program at selected US colleges and universities in the areas of Arts and Culture Management including Heritage Conservation and Museum Studies; Communication Studies; Conflict Resolution; Economics; Environment; Public Administration; Urban and Regional Planning; and Women's Studies.

Read more

Scholarships in Germany
29-June-2012

Though German Universities charge a very minimal tuition fee, a scholarship or grant may be the best way to supplement financial resources for other general living expenses, such as boarding and lodging, insurance, books etc. DAAD Germany provides a detailed lineup of individual scholarship programmes in Germany along with the corresponding deadlines.

Find out more

Scholarships for UK study
29-June-2012

The British government and other UK organisations offer a range of international student scholarships and awards. Check out these sources of funding available for studying in the UK – particularly if you are a postgraduate student.

Find out more

USIEF to Administer AP Tests in Delhi
27-Feb-2012

Advance Placement (AP) Tests will now also be held in New Delhi. The United States India Educational Foundation (USIEF) will be administering the AP tests commencing from May 7. Good scores earned in an AP Tests can help students earn course credits in advance at colleges in the US and 60 other countries. Students not only become familiar with the field they are going to pursue before formal classes begin, but also gain exposure to tests in a university setting. Students interested in taking AP tests must register at the USIEF office before March 30. Click here for more details.

Choosing examination centre for University of London International Programmes now easier
27-Feb-2012

Students of International Programmes from University of London will now be able to exercise greater say in choosing their examination centre. Under a new contract with University of London, British Council will contribute to the delivery of examinations in 75 countries including India. This agreement has opened the way for students to have more freedom in choosing where to sit for their examinations which are all set and marked by academics at the University of London.

US expedites student visa processing time
25-Jan-2012

In a bid to attract more international students, the US is expediting the visa processing process to reduce the wait period for the student visa worldwide to less than 15 days. Prospective students are encouraged to apply early, up to four months before the beginning of the academic session. International education in the US grew by almost nine per cent during the 2010-2011 academic year. Expediting the Visa process is a move to encourage this trend even further.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2011/11/177132.htm

International PhD students included in Canada?s Federal Skilled Worker Program
25-Jan-2012

Canada has announced the expansion of its Federal Skilled Worker Program resulting in the acceptance of up to 1,000 foreign doctoral students annually as permanent residents. To be eligible, applicants must have completed at least two years of study toward the attainment of a PhD, as well as have good academic standing at a provincially recognized PSE institution in Canada. Individuals who have recently graduated from a Canadian PhD program can also apply within 12 months following graduation.

http://web.cs.toronto.edu/program/currentgradstudents/International_Students.htm

HULT Business School invites applications
25-Jan-2012

HULT International Business School is inviting applicants to for its various MBA programs. The deadline for submitting completed application forms is February 5, 2012. The school also offers financial aid for deserving candidates. Scholarships and loans are up to 15% of the tuition fee. During the interview applicants may also be considered for additional scholarships offered by HULT International Business School.

http://hult.wufoo.com/forms/mba-scholarship-interview-request/http/true

Annual TOEFL Scholarship Program for 2012
23-Dec-2011

The TOEFL Scholarship Program for India by Educational Testing Service (ETS) for 2012 is now open. The program awards 10 scholarships valued at approximately US$70,000 which can be applied to either undergraduate or graduate study for the 2012 academic year.

Out of the ten scholarships, four worth US$10,000 each will be for study at a college or university located in Australia, Canada, U.K. and the United States and listed in the TOEFL® Destinations Directory (PDF). The rest of the scholarships, each worth US$5,000, will be awarded for study at any college or university listed in the TOEFL® Destinations Directory (PDF).
Click here for more details.

Scholarship Watch
16-Nov-2011
1. Clarendon Fund Scholarships

Applications for Clarendon Fund Scholarships 2012 are now open. All graduate applicants applying to the Oxford University become automatically eligible for the Clarendon Fund Scholarship. While there is no separate scholarship application form, applicants do need to apply by 20 January, 2012 in order to be considered for the scholarship. Click here for more details.

130 universities to join Virtual College Fair
4-Nov-2011

Over 130 universities and colleges from across the United States will participate in a Virtual College Fair this November. This inaugural fair will feature a 30 minute long presentation by each institution in virtual meeting rooms. Among the colleges featured are UCLA, UC Berkeley, Rutgers University and lots more. The fair will be split into two different sessions: On Tuesday. November 15 from 7.30pm to 12.30am (IST) and on Thursday November 17 from 7.30am to 12.30pm (IST). The presentations will be made available on the Education USA website, as well as on iTunes as podcasts later this year in case you miss the live event.

http://www.educationusa.info/conferences/fairs/virtual_fair_2011/students/

One page for news on financial aid in US colleges
4-Nov-2011

There is now a one stop source for all news relating to financial aid from various different American colleges and universities. This page includes news about new scholarships, awards, fellowships and any other forms of financial aid that the universities are offering. This makes it much easier for students going to the US to find information for several different institutes without having to visit each individual website.

http://www.educationusa.info/financial-aid

USIEF Launches Country-wide Toll-free Hotline for Students
27-Sep-2011

The official source on US higher education in India, USIEF's EducationUSA has launched a toll free hotline to enable students to talk with an EducationUSA adviser and receive free information and guidance on US higher education. The toll free number for this service is 1-800-103-1231.

EducationUSA advising staff are available on this number, Monday through Friday, between 2 and 5pm. This new service is aimed at helping Indian students find accredited U.S. universities that are the best fit for their academic and professional needs.

http://www.usief.org.in/uploads/tollnumber.pdf

Harvard and Princeton Bring Back Early Admissions
27-Sep-2011

After doing away with their early admission programs five years ago Harvard and Princeton are bringing them back. Early admission allows a student to ?apply early? to their first choice university. At Harvard and Princeton, the early-action programs will not be binding and students don't have to make a decision until May 1, the same date as regular-admission students. They will have to apply by Nov. 1 and will be notified by Dec. 15 if they are admitted. Please see their websites for more information.

http://www.harvard.edu/

http://www.princeton.edu/main/

Scholarship Watch

There are several scholarships that are available for Indian students planning to study abroad. If you are searching for sources of financial assistance, the following scholarships are worth checking out:
The sessions include Safety & Security in the U.S. and on Campus; Graduate Studies & Admissions at U.S. universities; and a Visa Information Session conducted by a Visa Consular Officer in Mumbai. In Chennai, the upcoming session is a presentation on How to write a good Statement of Purpose.

Check out the details below. For further information you can also contact your local Education USA center. Click on the following link to find the location closest to you http://www.educationusa.info/India

Aga Khan Foundation

The Aga Khan Foundation has opened its 2011-2012 International Scholarship Programme. Financial aid is offered to outstanding postgraduate students on a 50% grant and 50% loan basis through a competitive application process. While preference is given to Master?s level courses, applications from PhD aspirants are also considered. Click here for detailed information.
Application deadline: 31 March 2011

DAAD

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is offering the IIT-Master-Sandwich Scholarship for Master students from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in order to prepare their Master?s thesis at one of the TU9 universities (www.tu9.de). It is also offering the IIM-Master-Sandwich Scholarship for MBA students from the Indian Institutes of Managements (IIMs) for one semester study visits at certain economic and management universities in Germany. Further information about the requirements, value and applications forms can be obtained from www.daaddelhi.org. Application Deadline: 31 March 2011

The British Council

The British Council is offering young enterprising Goan students the Goan Education Trust (GET) Scholarship to study in the UK. Conceptualized by the Dempo and Fomento groups from Goa, the scholarship is open to Goan students wishing to pursue postgraduate studies in the UK. Click here for more details. Application Deadline: Not specified

Inlaks Scholarships

The Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation offers scholarships every year to deserving students aspiring to study abroad. The duration of the scholarship is up to 2 years. In the case of Phd programmes with collaborating institutions and universities, funding may be extended upto 4 years. Click here for more details

Subjects: For degrees in all kind of subjects, except Engineering, Computer Science, Urban Planning, Business Studies, Medicine, Public Health, Indian Studies and Indian History, Fashion Design , Music and Film Animation.

Application due date: 15 April 2011

Inlaks has also announced some new collaborations as below:

Inlaks-LAMDA scholarship

In a collaborative venture, the Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) invite applications for scholarships in the field of Theatre. These scholarships are for courses that are of two years’ duration. While students will need to apply directly to LAMDA for admission, they will also need to apply separately to Inlaks Foundation for financial aid. Click here to download the LAMDA application for admission.

Subjects: Acting and stage management

Application due date: 1 March 2011

Ravi Sankaran Inlaks Fellowship

The Inlaks Foundation has invited applications to this program, under which it provides financial aid to students pursuing either a Master’s degree or an internship with an institution abroad, or a short research or implementation project within India. Click here to know more details.

Subjects: Field Biology, Ecology, Conservation

Application due date: 15 April 2011

KC Mahindra Scholarships

The KC Mahindra Education Trust has invited applications for the KC Mahindra Scholarships for Post Graduate Studies Abroad for 2011. While the average scholarship amounts to Rs 95,000, the Trust has recently introduced new scholarships worth Rs 24 Lakhs for top three KC Mahindra fellows. Click here for more details.

Subjects: All disciplines

Application due date: 31 March 2011

Those planning to make an early start for the 2012-13 academic year, check out the USIEF website now:

United States – India Educational Foundation (USIEF)

The USIEF has announced that the applications to 2012-2013 Fulbright-Nehru and other Fulbright fellowships for Indian nationals are now open. An overview of all the fellowships available can be found at http://www.usief.org.in/Scripts/ForIndianNationalsOverview.aspx

Some of the specific fellowships open for application are:

Name of fellowship: Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships for Leadership Development

For: Master’s degree program

Subjects: Arts and Culture Management including Heritage Conservation and Museum Studies, Communication Studies, Conflict Resolution, Economics, Environment, Public Administration, Urban and Regional Planning, and Women's Studies.

Application due date: 15 July 2011

Name of scholarship: 2012 International Fulbright Science and technology Award for Outstanding Foreign Students

For: PhD Study

Subjects: Science, technology, Engineering and Maths

Application Due Date: 1 May 2011

Do keep track of individual application deadlines directly on the respective websites. All the best!

U.S. Government Reaches Out to International Students on Social Networks

The U.S. government is using social media like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to reach out directly to international students. EducationUSA, which has 400 advising centers worldwide and is supported by the U.S. Department of State Student Division, is actively maintaining these platforms to interact with students and help clarify their doubts on topics such as U.S. colleges, study programs and scholarships on an ongoing basis.

The EducationUSA facebook page
( http://www.facebook.com/EducationUSA#!/EducationUSA?v=wall) provides information on the network of more than 400 advisory centers in 170 countries under the EducationUSA umbrella, photos, videos, news on events, and links to various official sites to assist international students in their efforts to get credible information about higher education in the U.S.

The organization actively uses the Facebook Wall to respond to individual posts from students seeking clarification and information about topics such as financial aid and application processes.

The agency is also using Twitter (http://twitter.com/edUSAUpdates) to spread the word on new developments on scholarships, new study programs, etc. and its extensive videos on YouTube available at (http://www.youtube.com/EducationUSAtv) features students from India speaking about why they chose to study in the U.S. and their experiences while studying there.

The organization already has over 80 different EducationUSA Facebook fan pages, profiles and groups, active Twitter feeds, and over 70 videos on our YouTube channel.