EducationUSA Opportunity Grant Programme 2019/2020
The EducationUSA Opportunity Grant programme provides grants for students who have excelled academically and are likely to be awarded substantial institutional financial aid, but who would have difficulty paying the up-front costs of applying to U.S. universities. Up-front costs such as: testing, applications fees or airfare. The Opportunity Grant Programme helps talented students from around the world overcome great odds to pursue their dreams of obtaining U.S. education. This is your chance to be a part of this programme!
Eligibility criteria:
- For Bachelor’s degree applicants: 3 –‘A’ passes at the G. C. E. Advanced Level examination
- For Master’s/PhD applicants: An undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or a bachelor’s degree with first class honors.
- All applicants should have the potential to secure a scholarship at a U.S. university, but not have the financial means to cover upfront costs.
Applications should include:
- Proof of disadvantaged financial background: assessed via parents’ level of education, employment details and salary slips/pension slips, utility bills (i.e. telephone bills, electricity bills, etc.), confirmation of family income, savings and expenses (i.e. credit card statements, bank statements, FD statements stating current balance, etc, for 6 months) family assets (i.e. property, vehicles, house, etc.), information about previous vacations abroad, etc.
- If applicant is employed, then salary slips and bank statements for 6 months.
- An up-to-date CV and copies of educational certificates and academic transcripts
- A 650 -1000 word essay on the title, “Challenges and obstacles that I have faced pursing my dream of studying in the United States and how I see the Opportunity Grant as resource to overcome them.”
Shortlisted applicants will be called for a written test similar to the SAT exam (for students applying for a Bachelor’s degree) and the GRE exam (for students applying for Master’s or PhD programmes). The written test will be on Monday the 22nd of April, 2019. Based on the test scores, candidates will be called for an interview.
Applicants not selected for an Opportunity Grant will be offered free educational advising which will include an overview of the U.S. education system, advice on selecting and applying to U.S. universities, securing scholarships, teaching/ research assistantships.
Note: Students are expected to start preparing for the relevant mock exam prior to submitting their application. The following websites provide test preparation material. For students applying for Bachelor’s degrees: SAT: http://sat.collegeboard.org/home and for students applying for Master’s/PhD programmes: GRE: www.ets.org/gre
Please send in your application by registered post on or before Monday, 15th April, 2019 to:
EducationUSA Opportunity Grant Programme
United States – Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission
55, Abdul Caffoor Mawatha,
Colombo 03.
Tel: 011 256 4153/011 256 4176
www.fulbrightsrilanka.org