By Ijaaz Jackaria

13 March 2015

5.30 am (Mauritian time)

I am usually not an early riser, but that day was an exception. That day was a special day. Squinting at my laptop screen – pretty sure there was no blue light filter then – I read carefully:

"Congratulations on your admission to the University of Chicago. The Committee on College Aid is pleased to award you $71,810 in University of Chicago need-based financial aid…"

Woah, that’s big news! To be honest, I did not know exactly what to feel. Back then, I had no idea how my admissions from the University of Chicago would change my life in so many amazing ways.

The US Dream

Many young people dream of studying in the United States. With breathtaking college campuses, latest research facilities, distinguished faculty, and a flexible educational pathway, there is much to envy from a US college education. However, very often, there is one single barrier that crushes that dream: cost.

Attending college in the United States is very expensive – university tuition is among the most expensive in the world. A bachelor’s degree requires four years and often costs more than $300,000 in total, including tuition, living expenses, and various fees. For many students, this far exceeds what their families can afford.

The good news, though, is that many US colleges and universities are aware of the financial barrier when it comes to college education, and consequently these institutions offer generous financial aid to some students who cannot afford it. However, for international students, including those in Dubai and in Abu Dhabi, only a select few institutions will award financial aid, and competition for these limited funds for deserving international students is steep. The most notable institutions in this select group include the eight Ivy League universities and MIT, Stanford, CalTech, UChicago, Vanderbilt, and Amherst College.

Securing Financial Aid from a US college

US colleges and universities look for talented applicants, those who can add diversity to their campuses—be it outstanding academic performances, impressive community involvement, national or international entrepreneurial endeavours, spectacular artistic expressions, or anything that the student did that shows the admissions counsellors that they will enrich the college community.

If a university accepts such a student, then it will make sure that the student does not need to worry about money. Universities will fulfil the financial needs of those students. This will often cover the full cost of attendance: tuition, room and board, travel, insurance, living expenses, and fees.

The Impact of Scholarships

I cannot put into words how much a scholarship means to students who cannot afford a US education. It is literally the world. And it’s not just about the money: doors are opened as well, such as experiencing a new country, learning with people from all over the globe, and securing academic and professional opportunities.

Six years ago, in 2015, I was the only Mauritian student who received a full-ride scholarship from the University of Chicago. Today, I am an Educational Consultant working for Hale Education Group in Dubai. One of the most personally enriching parts of my job is to help deserving students apply to US universities and secure scholarships.

Hale Scholars Programme

I am currently leading the Hale Scholars Programme: every year, our education consultants look for a small group of talented, high-achieving students from around the world. We provide them free admissions counseling services: applying to US colleges, reviewing essays, facilitating SAT classes, and applying for scholarships.

Since 2018, the Hale Scholars Programme has helped ten students, including students from Abu Dhabi, Palestine, Mauritius, and Kenya. As a mentor, I help students manage the situation—whether managing the anxiety that comes with the application process, dealing with college rejections (which are inevitable and a normal part of the process), or keeping hope that things will ultimately work out in the end.

For the upcoming academic year, Hale Education is also partnering with the Syrian Youth Empowerment Initiative, a not-for-profit organisation based in the US and staffed with mentors located around the world. We share our resources and expertise with SYE Initiative, which works with Syrian refugees and youth in conflict zones, including in Syria and Iraq.

At Hale, we empower students seeking to realise their maximum personal, academic, and professional potentials through the pursuit of US higher education. By helping a student in need achieve their dream to go study in the US, our education consultants and test prep instructors are grooming a future leader, innovator, or thinker who will some day give back to their own community and empower other youths to similarly make a difference.

- Hale Education Group