BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
MANILA (June 30)—Sixty Filipinos who were accepted to United States (US) universities attended the third virtual pre-departure orientation (PDO) on June 24 to better prepare for their studies through the assistance of EducationUSA (EdUSA) Philippines.
EdUSA provides free advising services to prospective international students in more than 170 countries and offers students resources and tools to help navigate the five steps to US study: researching schools, identifying financial aid opportunities, completing applications, obtaining a student visa and preparing for departure.
The US Embassy in the Philippines said a real-time survey during the event showed that more than half of the PDO participants received financial aid offers from their respective schools amounting to $240,000 or equivalent to over P12 million.
The Embassy said more than half of the undergraduate and graduate students received financial aid awards that are renewable annually.
It added that the Embassy’s Consular Section joined the PDO to answer timely questions related to student visas, international study, safety and security, and travel during the pandemic, as US universities returned to in-person classes.
EdUSA program alumni also participated to share their experiences and provided advice to the outgoing students – Marian May Cedeño attending the University of the Incarnate Word, Jerrilee Laspinas, a Rutgers Alumna USTRIDE Scholar, and lawyer Jill De Dumo-Cornista with Georgetown Law School.
The Embassy said the participants also learned about classroom culture, campus life, best practices in travel planning, safety and security, and ways to make the most of their time outside the classroom.
“I am excited to see what your future studies have in store for you. I wish you all an amazing US college experience,” US Embassy in the Philippines Deputy Cultural Affairs Officer Jennifer Goldstein said.
According to the US Embassy, among its top priorities is to increase access to international education in the United States as it celebrates 75 years of diplomatic relations with the Philippines.
The Embassy said EdUSA encourages all students accepted to US universities who were unable to attend the event to reach out to EdUSA advisers with any questions or concerns at manila@educationusa.org or cebu@educationusa.org.
An EdUSA adviser and more than 4,700 accredited higher education institutions in the US can help students narrow their options, define their priorities, and plan their college careers, it added.
EdUSA does not offer scholarships but can assist students in identifying scholarship and financial assistance opportunities.
For more information about EdUSA, one can visit its Facebook page at facebook.com/educationusa.philippines and on Twitter at @EducationUSA_PH.