The EducationUSA Network
EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State network of over 425 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries. The network promotes U.S. higher education to students around the world by offering accurate, comprehensive, and current information about opportunities to study at accredited postsecondary institutions in the United States. EducationUSA also provides services to the U.S. higher education community to help institutional leaders meet their recruitment and campus internationalization goals. EducationUSA is your official source on U.S. higher education.
EducationUSA Advising Centers are staffed by EducationUSA advisers, many of whom have first-hand experience studying in the United States. Advisers adhere to EducationUSA ethical standards and have U.S. State Department-approved training about the U.S. higher education system and application processes. Regional Educational Advising Coordinators (REACs) provide guidance, leadership and training to advisers. EducationUSA staff at the U.S. Department of State also partner with additional staff at the Institute of International Education (IIE) to support EducationUSA activities.
In addition to providing print and online materials at EducationUSA Advising Centers, advisers reach prospective student audiences through fairs and outreach events at local schools, universities, and other public venues. Extending outreach beyond personal interaction, the network reaches millions of students through websites, webinars, and social media platforms.
Resources for U.S. HEIs
EducationUSA helps U.S. higher education professionals connect with international students and engage with the U.S. government as well as foreign institutions and governments. For accredited U.S. colleges and universities, all EducationUSA Centers offer the following services free of charge:
- Information about student mobility to/from Belgium
- Information about local education systems in Belgium
- Contact information and listings of local high schools and accredited/government-recognized universities
U.S. universities and colleges seeking to recruit students from Belgium at the undergraduate level are highly encouraged to register for Brussels College Night. Now in its 34th year, Brussels College Night is the only U.S.-focused college fair in Belgium and provides U.S. universities with unparalleled access to students across Belgium, including at international schools in and around Brussels. This is the easiest and most direct way for university representatives to interact with secondary school students in Belgium, as EducationUSA Advisers are unlikely to be able to arrange for in-person presentations or school visits at other times during the year. More information about Brussels College Night is available at www.brusselscollegenight.be.
Please note that EducationUSA services are available to accredited U.S. higher education institutions only. Institutions must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
For more information, visit https://educationusa.state.gov/us-higher-education-professionals.
Resources for Foreign Institutions & Governments
EducationUSA is a resource for foreign institutions and governments to understand the U.S. system of higher education, with information on topics ranging from accreditation to sustainable university partnerships. EducationUSA offers a variety of resources and information on U.S. higher education for foreign governments and institutions.
Engage with the U.S. Government. EducationUSA Advisers can facilitate introductions and conversations with colleagues from other embassies in Washington, D.C. working on educational issues through EducationUSA Workshops and Leadership Institutes; and can provide connections with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate(s), including information about the student visa process, through the EducationUSA center(s) in your country.
U.S. Higher Education. EducationUSA Advisers can provide information on the U.S. system of higher education, including the types and significance of institutional rankings, credit and semester systems, and U.S. classroom curricula; can help you learn how to partner with U.S. universities and how EducationUSA can help facilitate these connections; and can provide insight into major international education events going on outside the United States in which EducationUSA participates. These events include the annual EducationUSA Forum, EducationUSA Regional Forums, and EducationUSA Regional Forums.
Student Mobility Data. EducationUSA provides analysis of data and trends in international student mobility available through the annual Open Doors report, and the knowledge and expertise of our Regional Education Advising Coordinators (REACs). In addition, foreign government educational or cultural attachés in the Washington, D.C. area can reach out directly to EducationUSA’s Washington team or, if outside of the United States, via an EducationUSA center, REACs, or the nearest U.S. Embassy/Consulate.
For more information, visit https://educationusa.state.gov/foreign-institutions-and-governments.
Policies for Services
Incentive- or Commission-Based Agents. EducationUSA is committed to working with the full array of institutions, organizations, and individuals that advance opportunities for qualified international students to study in the United States. This includes agents identified by accredited U.S. higher education institutions as their representatives overseas. EducationUSA content and other relevant resources, including the annual Global Guide publication, Student Mobility Facts & Figures information sheets, and the EducationUSA website, are available to the public, including to agents. EducationUSA advisers may engage with recruitment agents and incorporate them into relevant advising center activities, including public events, information sessions, and consultations, as capacity allows. EducationUSA advising centers adhere to strict ethical practices in promoting all accredited U.S. colleges and universities and advancing students’ interests in identifying the institutions at which they are best positioned for success. It is incumbent upon each organization or individual seeking access to EducationUSA programming to verify their relationship to one or more accredited U.S. higher education institutions and adherence to ethical standards.
College Fairs. The EducationUSA advising network seeks to have a presence at key higher education fairs and/or fairs organized by an entity of the U.S. government. EducationUSA advisers prioritize accredited U.S. higher education institutions and prospective international students in access to our programming and activities. For EducationUSA-organized events, including recruitment fairs and regional forums, accredited U.S. colleges and universities will be given priority registration, after which agents and other third-party representatives may be registered up to the maximum number of participants for each event.
It is against the policy of the EducationUSA Advising Center in Belgium to pay for participation in higher education fairs.
EducationUSA may publicize its own participation in fairs and events. It is against the policy of the EducationUSA Advising Center in Belgium to advertise higher education fairs or events in which it is not directly taking part. Exceptions to this rule may be made on a case-by-case basis, especially for Belgian institutions of higher education and for events focusing exclusively on study opportunities in the United States.
Required Free Services. For accredited U.S. colleges and universities, all EducationUSA Centers offer the following services free of charge: 1) Information about international student mobility, 2) Information about local education systems, and 3) Contact information and listings of local high schools and accredited or government-recognized universities.
