Study USA-Egypt Facebook Page and Social Media

The "Study USA-Egypt" Facebook page has been extremely successful in Egypt, with 60,000 fans+. The page is managed by both EducationUSA advisors at AMIDEAST and the U.S. Embassy's Cultural Affairs Office. It provides a Facebook platform for Egyptians to ask about exchange opportunities and study options in the United States at one localized place. The page is extremely active and the most effective way to promote upcoming sessions, university visits, and college fairs. In January, we had visitors from MIT and almost 100 students attended the session; the primary way of learning about the event was through both the StudyUSA-Egypt Facebook page in conjunction with MIT's own facebook promotion.

Local Libraries, Bookstores, and NGOs

EducationUSA advisors in Cairo have a good relationship with local bookstores, public libraries, and NGOs. As a result, advisers are able to reach under-served groups of students on a regular basis. In 2011, advisers were able to include one university representative while conducting an outreach at a local library, which provided the representative with an opportunity to reach this targeted audience.

EducationUSA Competitive College Club (CCC)

In 2011, the center in Cairo started the EducationUSA Competitive College Club (CCC) for high school students who are serious about pursuing their Bachelor's degree in the United States and are distinguished academically in addition to participating in various community service and extra-curricular activities. The students who join the CCC are part of a rigorous program that prepares them not only for the admissions process at U.S. universities but for university life in the United States.

Opportunity Funds (OF)

U.S. Department of State Opportunity Funds are designed to support the application process to US higher education institutions for students who are highly qualified but are unable to cover the expenses of applying. The initiative provides funds to cover the costs faced by talented but financially disadvantaged Egyptian students who are not eligible for or funded by other U.S. Government-sponsored exchange programs.

High School Counselor's Network

The center in Cairo launched a high school counselor network in Cairo for counselors and administrators at various schools throughout the city. The group meets every two months to discuss various admissions topics, updates in scholarships and funding, and to learn about developments in the Egyptian education system. The network continues to grow, and through this network we are able to set-up school visits for U.S. universities, recruit for high school programs like Opportunity and the Competitive College Club, and learn valuable information about current trends and issues at local secondary schools.

Skype Sessions

A successful Skype session took place in April 2013, with three guest speakers from City University of New York (CUNY), where the Admission Officer for International Students introduced the admission procedures to U.S. universities in general, highlighting the CUNY system as an example. A professor in the field of Business Administration shared his experience and how he personally selected his degree, and provided the students with resourceful information on all specializations under business administration. An Egyptian sophomore student shared his experience as an applicant and how he selected CUNY programs. The Skype session built a lot of awareness over the possible majors that could qualify for business administration programs in the future to apply for MBA degrees. The session was comprised of 35 high school and undergraduate degree students.