Carian College Advisors, a leading educational consultancy in the UAE focusing on US admissions, has announced a scholarship competition for high school students, offering assistance with applications to US universities.

“We are pleased to offer UAE students an opportunity to receive scholarships for Carian's services so that they are well informed about education facilities in US universities,” said Peter Davos, managing director of Carian College Advisors.

“Not only will we help guide them through every step of the application process, we will help guide them towards universities that will offer them the most financial aid.”

To be eligible for the scholarships, students must be enrolled in the  final two years of secondary school and submit a 500-word essay about why they want to pursue an undergraduate education in the US.

The winner of the competition will receive a free Crimson Package from Carian College Advisors, which is the consultancy’s most premium level of service and features, unlimited meetings with Carian’s consultants and assistance with up to 14 applications. Carian College Advisors will also award three runners-up with their Ivy Package, which offers weekly meetings with consultants and assistance with up to 10 applications.

“The number of students in the UAE attending university in the US is on the rise. The scholarship competition allows students considering the US for higher studies to critically analyze the benefits of US education and to begin preparing mentally for the application process. Furthermore, winners will have access to our talented team of consultants that will assist them in every step of the process,” Davos said.

Students must submit their essays by email to infocarianet.com by April 1, 2014 and answer the following prompt: "Why do you want to pursue undergraduate study in the United States and why do you deserve this scholarship?"

Carian College Advisors's team of consultants is composed of Americans with Master degrees who have graduated from universities in the United States and have experience in US University Admissions. The consultants guide students through each step of the university and application process, adhering to the highest ethical standards in the industry.

“American universities continue to offer both generous funding and a solid return on investment, based on a flexible curriculum and emphasis on holistic personal development,” Davos said.

He highlighted a recent study by HSBC that concluded that Australia was the most expensive destination for overseas students, with a total average cost of attendance exceeding $38,000 per year, followed by the US at $35,000.

“Families in Dubai typically look to the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Singapore in their research for global universities for undergraduate study,” Davos said.

“While American universities continue to dominate the global rankings lists, many families choose to apply exclusively to other international universities, because they are perceived to be less expensive than their American counterparts. In many cases, this is not true, and, increasingly, pursuing an undergraduate education in the US is less costly than the same course of study in other international destinations.”

“The wealthiest fifteen universities in the US have eliminated loans for students and have a strong commitment to funding all accepted students, regardless of ability to pay,” explained Davos.

“There are always opportunities to secure scholarships to US universities - even for international students. For example, one of our current Dubai students just received a recurring  annual scholarship of Dh60,000 ($16.330) to pursue her studies at Loyola University of Chicago; should she choose to enroll, her family will save Dh240,000 in education costs.

“At Harvard, for example, no undergraduate pays more than a nominal contribution if their parents earn less than $65,000 per annum and students whose families make between $65,000 and $150,000 per year pay only 10 per cent of their income in tuition.

Smaller institutions also offer significant merit aid, as high achieving students at all American universities are always considered for merit based aid, regardless of family income. Eighty-seven per cent of all freshmen at American universities are receiving some sort of aid,” Davos concluded. – TradeArabia News Service