EducationUSA Advisers in Belgium recently held a pre-departure orientation for the four Belgian secondary school students selected for the 2019 EducationUSA Academy Scholarship.
The EducationUSA Academy is a pre-college academic enrichment program for international high school students offering specialized college preparatory content, college-level writing workshops, campus visits, and cultural activities. Students gain an insider’s perspective on higher education in the United States while getting the chance to experience and enjoy campus life. For the past two years, EducationUSA Belgium has awarded scholarships for Belgian students in their fifth or sixth year of secondary school to participate in fully-funded EducationUSA Academy programs. The selected students were chosen from over 60 applicants on the basis of a video application, letters of recommendation, and an in-person interview.
The orientation was held at the U.S. Embassy to Belgium, whose generous financial support has made the program possible for the second year in a row. During the orientation, EducationUSA Advisers provided practical advice about everything from arriving at the airport to packing for their trip. (Hint: don’t put your passport in your checked bag!) Since this will be the first time that many of the students will go to the United States, attendees, including several parents/guardians, discussed how students might experience and deal with culture shock during their stay.
In the coming weeks, students will leave Belgium to spend between two and four weeks at institutions across the United States. This year’s host institutions include Diablo Valley College in California, the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of North Georgia, and Syracuse University in New York.
Thank you to the U.S. Embassy to Belgium for their generous support of this program!
