In 2015, students in Armenia will have access to a new scholarship opportunity through the Opportunity Fund, thanks to a partnership between the US Department of State, EducationUSA, and American Councils for International Education.
The Opportunity Fund will support highly talented but financially disadvantaged Armenian students who have the goal of pursuing higher education at an accredited institution in the United States with funds for university applications, standardized tests, visa fees, and airfare. While financial aid opportunities have been available in the past for Armenian students studying at US colleges and universities, past support has focused mostly on funding graduate studies, rarely covering undergraduates or these additional but necessary expenses.
Through the Opportunity Fund, Competitive College Club (CCC) students will have access to the Fund to support their higher education goals. The Competitive College Club was started in 2011 with the support of the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy in Armenia to ensure that the brightest students in Armenia have a chance at attending a university in the United States. Last year, 50 students participated in the club and it is expected that the Opportunity Fund will support five bright students in 2015.
The Competitive College Club students participate in online and in-person activities to increase their understanding of the US college selection and application process, standardized tests, available scholarships, entrance essays, and other admissions-related topics. Additionally, they meet for book clubs, movie nights, debate clubs, and meet with alumni of other US programs.
The activities help ensure that students are properly advised as they go through the process of preparing themselves both academically and socially for a US college or university, and work to determine which schools might be a good fit.
All services, including a library of test prep and others books, lectures, workshops, sample testing, group advising, and regional outreach, are offered free of charge to CCC students and the general public. A recent publication, Funding Opportunities for Students from Armenia, highlights the extensive scholarship opportunities funded by the Armenian diaspora and other foundations is also available through EducationUSA.
Last year, several CCC students received scholarships to US universities, including one full scholarship to United World College USA, another full scholarship to the Yale Young Global Scholars Program, and a partial scholarship to Westminster College. With the Opportunity Fund, CCC students will have support for additional costs not traditionally included in other scholarships.