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What is the Overseas Advising Network?

Overseas students, scholars, parents, officials, and businesses can find information about U.S. educational opportunities at U.S. government-affiliated educational advising centers around the world. These centers offer international students and scholars access to the information they need to understand the U.S. Educational system. ECA/A/S/A estimates that a majority of the nearly 500,000 international students now studying in the U.S. contacted a USG-affiliated center for information on U.S. study. The advising centers explain the process for gaining admission to an American college or university, usually through regularly scheduled presentations. Some centers also offer individual advising, sometimes for a fee, to help interested qualified students choose a course of study and institution that is best suited for them.

Centers provide impartial, accurate information about the full range of accredited institutions of higher learning in the United States. They do not serve as agents or recruiters. Advisers are encouraged to abide by established standards of ethical practice. Information available at centers includes:

• profiles of U.S. institutions, including course descriptions
• application procedures and strategies
• financial assistance options
• information on standardized tests required for admission such as TOEFL, SAT and GRE.

Advising centers serve as valuable resources to U.S. admissions personnel and foreign student advisors. Be sure to read these suggestions from NAFSA-OSEAS on how U.S. and overseas advisers can work together and about the OSEAS-ADSEC Link Project.

Under the aegis of the Educational Information and Resources Branch of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA/A/S/A), Regional Educational Advising Coordinators (REACs) provide leadership and expertise in educational advising issues to educational information centers and to U.S. embassies. The REACs serve as a liaison between ECA/A/S/A and education advisers/centers. They use their expertise and experience to help develop and strengthen the network of Department of State-affiliated overseas educational advising centers.

Contacting Overseas Educational Advising Centers

To find contact information for the appropriate Overseas Educational Advising/Information Center, select the appropriate region and country from the following link to all centers. The newly revised Directory of Overseas Educational Advising Centers 2004 is available for purchase on the College Board website at store.collegeboard.com/productdetail.do?Itemkey=040161065 or by telephone at 800-323-7155 (212-713-8260 from outside the U.S.). This CD-ROM edition released in May 2004 is published in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State to assist U.S. higher education admission officers, credential evaluators, and international program providers in communicating with EducationUSA advising centers around the world.

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