Out of every 10,000 students who went to the US to study in the 2012-13 academic year, 27 came from the UAE including Emiratis and expatriates, said an expert, adding that the US remains a top destination for students in the emirates.

Peter Davos, managing director, Carian College Advisors, a specialist American education consultancy headquartered in Dubai, was referring to figures were released by the firm based on the latest Open Doors report published by The Institute of International Education (IIE), an independent not-for-profit organisation founded in 1919.

“The demand for American higher education remained robust this year, not only from the UAE, but also from around the globe,” he added.

“The movement kept us very busy, catering to the individual needs of our clients eager to study in reputable US universities, as we use a highly individualised approach to the preparation and application processes to ensure each of our students find the proper 'fit'.”

The most popular majors for UAE students studying in US universities are Business and Engineering, according to the same report.

Davos added: “We take pride in our ability to place students in over 4,000 leading degree-granting US institutions of higher learning in 50 states. As independent consultants, we have an edge in acting as non-biased advisors to students and their parents. We understand the stress and complexity of applying to US universities. Applicants have too many options and our job is to act as match-makers between students and universities, based on their academic, geographical, cultural, and professional preferences.”

“We recommend the US over other countries because of its flexible curriculum, interdisciplinary approach to education and emphasis on holistic development of individuals. US universities are well qualified to teach students how to become resourceful and analytical thinkers, as well as provide them with the right tools to integrate in any workplace,” Davos explained.

“Since 2008, the US has become the top destination for international students, as overseas fees for students studying in the UK have tripled and no other country's institutions can offer significant sums of merit aid to qualified applicants. Almost 100 per cent of our students received merit based aid from at least one institution."

“The US is one of the most culturally diverse and inclusive societies in the world. It has been welcoming students from the UAE since the 50s and 60s,” he pointed out.

During 2013, Carian College Advisors held UAE students secure admissions to many leading US universities, such as Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Dartmouth, Northwestern, Cornell, Yale, Brown, Colorado School of Mines, University of Chicago, Columbia, University of California Los Angeles, and New York University, Davos highlighted. – TradeArabia News Service