The Office of English Language Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA/A/L) announces an open competition to administer the English Access Microscholarship Program (Access), which provides a foundation of English language skills to bright, economically disadvantaged students in
credit:
their home countries.
Access programs introduce students, primarily aged 13 to 20, to U. S. culture and democratic values, improve the students' potential to fully contribute to the socio-economic development of their countries, and increase their ability to compete for and participate in U. S. exchange and study programs.
The program will also support programming for alumni, teachers, directors, administrators and ministry officials that can be conducted in-country, in a region, or in the United States.
ECA/A/L will select the in-country educational service providers that will conduct the classes.
ECA/A/L will also select the participants for the program, based on input from Public Affairs Sections (PAS) at U. S. embassies.
Because of the program's multiregional scope, the method of instruction, curriculum, textbooks, tests, hours of instruction, cost per participant, etc., will vary considerably from country to country and sometimes within a single country.