IIE and EducationUSA have furloughed the majority of its employees – greatly hindering international student mobility to the United States
EducationUSA rocked the international higher education community when it sent an email announcing it will be furloughing the majority of its team members. The email reads, “Effective March 14, the majority of IIE team members who work on EducationUSA will be furloughed and unable to carry-out responsibilities to support the network….” The email sites recent executive orders, program suspensions, and “changes in the payments and processes of the U.S. Department of State” as reasons for the furloughs.
IIE and EducationUSA the divisions of the US Federal Government that supports international education and study abroad – helping over one million international students study in the US. IIE produces the IIE Open Doors Report each year which provides an overview and details about the health of study abroad. This report shows amongst other things, the overall number of international students studying in the US, which countries students are from, and which colleges/universities have the most international students. These reports can be viewed for national and state-level data.
EducationUSA offices throughout the world promote studying the United States, and are a great resource for international students who want to learn more about studying abroad. They organize recruitment fairs that put millions of students in direct contact with US college and university recruiters.
The months of February till August are essential for healthy international student recruitment. This is when students are making their final decisions on which schools to apply to, getting admitted, and getting a student visa. Furloughs in IIE/EducationUSA in March greatly cripple these efforts and puts the United States at a huge disadvantage against its major competitors – Canada, UK, and Australia.
“International students are more important to our universities than most people,” says Jason Hall, President of Scholarship Max. “US colleges and universities can flex to have seats for every college-aged student and still have room for international students. The US is still the land of opportunity where parents can send their children to study and get a quality education. We stand firmly with IIE, EducationUSA, and with international students with the sincere desire to study in the US.”
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About Scholarship Max
Scholarship Max is the leading provider of scholarships for study abroad. Using AI and the latest technology, Scholarship Max identifies international students with the sincere desire to study abroad in countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia. Proudly headquartered in the United States, Scholarship Max is founded by experts in international higher education and study abroad. https://www.scholarshipmax.com