Description
The U.S. Department of State’s U.S. Mission in South Africa, Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) announces an open competition to implement a program to roll out South Africa’s EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program (OFP). This program assists highly qualified students who wish to pursue an undergraduate or postgraduate degree program at an accredited post-secondary institution in the United States, and who are likely to be awarded full financial aid from such U.S. colleges and universities but lack the financial resources to cover the up-front costs. The program will provide specialized advising and internet access to selected students, and will manage pre-departure and travel logistics for successful applicants. The grantee will work cooperatively with the U.S. Mission in South Africa, Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) to manage the logistics for participants in the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program (OFP). The key objectives of the program are:
• Organize recruitment and selection of no more than 30 high-achieving, but low-income students from across South Africa, who would be eligible for Opportunity Funds.
• Arrange for the required standardized U.S. admission tests for selected students, and prepare them, either virtually or in-person, for these U.S. admission tests.
• Advise either virtually or in-person the selected students on all aspects of the U.S. university or college application process, including school selection, financial aid, essay writing, and other elements that make up a strong application.
• Pay university/college application expenses, including financial aid applications.
• Manage the pre-departure and travel logistics for an estimated 20 OFP students with successful applications to U.S. higher education institutions.
• Facilitate U.S. visa and SEVIS fees, domestic travel arrangements for visa appointments, travel to U.S. higher education institutions to commence studies, and settling-in allowances and other expenses related to beginning their U.S. tertiary program.
• In partnership with the EducationUSA advisers, offer virtual or in-person pre-departure briefings to students.