A: Each university will run their own admissions process and will have a separate timeline. There are some opportunities that may be available for summer 2013 and others that may be available for fall 2013. Each university will have their own admission criteria (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS, SAT). To apply, you must follow the instructions posted on the online portal. In most cases, you will be required to apply via the university’s own application for international students.

Q: I filled out the form and did not receive a password, why is this?

A: As soon as you submit your form the browser automatically takes you to a page where the username and password is listed, if you are a Syrian citizen. If you are not a Syrian citizen you will get an email notifying you that you do not qualify for the consortium scholarships. Please fill out the form and submit it again.

Q: I am a Palestinian-Syrian, can I still apply?

A: Yes, if you have a Syrian passport you are eligible to apply.

Q: I sent my documents to Jusoor at: SyriaScholarships@jusoor-sy.org and/or EducationUSA Syria at: educationusa.syria@gmail.com can they help me apply?

A: The SyriaScholarships@jusoor-sy.org was set up to answer specific questions from students regarding the consortium and offer guidance on opportunities outside of the USA. EducationUSA Syria is happy to offer guidance on the application process to US universities and can answer any specific questions you have about studying in the USA. Applying to the scholarships is the responsibility of the student. We can not apply for you but encourage you to look through the list of scholarships being offered and apply directly yourself. Please make sure that you match eligibility requirements and criteria first. Most of these scholarship opportunities are “merit-based” meaning that they are awarded to the most competitive applicants.

Q: Do you offer English language courses?

A: Some of the consortium universities may have english language courses they offer if you do not have the necessary language proficiency. We encourage you to do your research in looking at the universities you are applying to and researching what is available at the university.

Q: How much is funded?

A: Some of the universities are providing full scholarships. Others are providing partial scholarships. Often, for the full tuition scholarships, students are responsible for covering their own housing and living costs. Please make sure you read the scholarship opportunity posting carefully. For more information about the total cost of attendance per year, please check the university’s official website. If you are still unclear about the costs, you may check with the university.

Q: Who chooses applicants?

A: All applicants will be subject to each university’s respected admissions process. No third party will hinder or influence the integrity of this process.

Q: Many of these scholarships are only partial scholarships, and do not cover housing and other costs. Are there any other external sources of funding?

A: At this time responsibility for securing other sources of funding will fall on the student. Should external sources of funding become available they will be announced on this site.

Q: I was enrolled in a (medicine/pharmacy/dentistry) program and would like to transfer to a school in the USA. Is this possible?

A: In the USA, medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and law school are all professional degrees that are NOT offered on the undergraduate level. Because of this difference in educational systems, it is not possible to transfer into medical, dental, pharmacy or law school.

It might be possible to transfer to an undergraduate program, and complete a different major in another (similar) field. It is not likely that many credits would carry over, and this is something that would need to be discussed with the individual universities. Please note that there are no scholarship opportunities available for medical, dental, or pharmacy school for international students.

Q: I already started university in Syria; how many classes will transfer? Will I have to start all over again?

A: After you apply, and if you are admitted, then each university will determine how many credits if any will transfer over by carefully looking at your transcripts. Providing the universities with a syllabus or course descriptions in addition to your transcripts could also be helpful.

Q: I already started my studies in university in Syria, but I don’t mind starting over. Can I apply as a freshman?

A: If you completed any post-secondary work on the university level, you should apply as a transfer student.

Q: All of the universities require the TOEFL or IELTS. However, I am unable to take it because of the crisis in Syria. Will the university waive this requirement?

A: The purpose of these tests is for the university to be able to evaluate your English language proficiency before admitting you.

For Syrian students currently residing outside of Syria: These exams are available year-round in countries outside of Syria. You should try to register to take the next available TOEFL iTP or IELTS exam in the country where you are. You can find information about test dates and registration info at: TOEFL or IELTS.

For Syrian students currently in Syria: The next available TOEFL exam in Syria will be offered on May 4th, 2013 in Damascus. It is offered at the ALTC (formerly the ALC) and the Damascus Language Institute. The IELTS exam is no longer offered in Syria.

If you are not able to get to the testing site due to various reasons, it is up to you to contact the university directly and explain why you are unable to fulfill the language testing requirement. It will be up to the university to decide if they can test your language skills in another way.

Q: What about the GRE or SAT? Will universities waive this requirement?

A: These exams are also offered year-round outside of Syria. For GRE dates and registration, please see: GRE: for SAT dates and registration, see: College Board. If you are in Syria, and unable to take these exams, it will be up to the university to decide whether or not they will waive them.

Q: How do I know if the university offers a scholarship for my field of study?

A: You should research each university very carefully before contacting them, or applying. You should learn about what programs, and degrees they offer, what the costs are, etc. You can access all of this info by visiting the individual websites of the universities and researching them carefully. Please note that if a scholarship listing states “all fields of study” this means that it applies to all fields of study that are offered at that university. Please check the university website to learn more about what fields they offer. If the scholarship is not a good match for you please do not apply.

Q: What are the deadlines to apply to these scholarships?

A: Each university has different deadlines, so please check the university requirements and scholarship descriptions for specific deadlines.

Q: What if the deadline has already passed?

A: It is up to the university to decide whether or not they will extend the deadline for Syrian students. If this information is not clear on their website, then you should contact them to find this out.

Q: I am having trouble logging on. Every time I enter my username and password, it doesn’t work, what should I do?

A. The first step to access these scholarship listings, is to fill out the online survey. Please be sure to click “Submit.” After that, you should receive a username and password. Next, you should click on the “Password protected” section of the site and provide your username and password. If you are still having trouble loading the site, please contact: syriascholarshipspassword@iie.org.

Q: How many universities am I allowed to apply to? Do I only have to apply to one?

A: You can apply to as many universities as you would like, there is no limit. Please make sure to check the eligibility requirements for admission and for the scholarship before applying.

Q: How will we apply for the student visa, to the USA since the US Embassy in Syria has suspended operations?

A: In order to apply for the student visa, you must first have received an official admission letter from the university as well as the official I-20 form. Students living outside Syria can apply in the US Embassy or consulate where they are currently residing. Students inside Syria can apply at the US Embassies in Lebanon or Jordan. If you have received your I-20 form, and need guidance on the student visa application process, feel free to contact the EducationUSA Advisor for Syria at: educationusa.syria@gmail.com.

Q: I am unable to obtain original transcripts from the university, what should I do?

A: Some universities may initially accept scanned copies of your transcripts. However, an original or certified copy of your transcript will most probably be required from universities in order to make an official admissions decision and send you the appropriate forms for visa. If your university is no longer open or has been destroyed you should email the university directly to explain why you are unable to provide original documents and offer the documents that you do have in your possession.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I apply for these scholarships?