Про организацию

Our Center is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization. It serves as a resource and advising center that provides informational and advising assistance to persons and organizations regarding opportunities to study abroad (with emphasis on the USA). Being situated in one of the biggest industrial and business centers of Ukraine — Dnepropetrovsk, “Osvita” Center strives to comprehensively assist in establishing and strengthening international academic contacts of the region in order to ensure its overall development and scientific potential.

Objectives
Disseminating information on the educational programs and progressive trends in education;
Assisting in training specialists for Ukraine through providing informational and advising services on educational opportunities to all interested individuals; 
Fostering preservation, revival and development of contemporary Ukrainian education and culture through international integration.

History
Dnipropetrovsk Educational Information and Advising Center “Osvita” was established in 1994 as a body affiliated with International Renaissance Foundation. Center obtained official status of the city public organization (NGO) in March 1999. It operates now as an independent and non-for-profit institution.

Activities
Our activities include:

Educational consultations
Free informational and advising services are provided in form of lectures and personal consultations. Also, Center keeps the library with reference literature and handbooks for personal studies.

Advisory services are provided on the following topics:

• process of applying to the US institutions

• educational system of the USA

• filling in applications and preparing other required materials

• detailed information on standardized tests (TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, SAT, USMLE) as well as free bulletins of these tests

• databases of financial aid (grants, scholarships, fellowships, etc)

• application materials of all the US government-sponsored programs

Topics of the lectures are the following:

• You Too Can Study in the United States. General video lecture

• Exploring New Worlds: Evaluation and Selection, Application, Orientation. Video lecture

• College Application & Essay – How to Make Yourself Stand out + Computer Based Testing. Video lectures

• Types and Sources of Financial Aid for Undergraduate & Graduate Students. General lecture

• Studying Business and Public Administration. Video lecture

• Sources of Financial Aid for MBA Education. General lecture

• How To Write Letters of Recommendation, Resume/CV, Official transcripts. General lecture

• Standardized tests: TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT: Bulletins, How to register on official tests. General lecture

• Computer Based Testing: Form Multiple Choice to Multiple Choices. Video lecture

• Scholarship Opportunities for Researchers (Independent Sources of Funding)

• Graduate Study in the United Sates. Video lecture

• How to Start Application Procedure to the US Universities for Undergraduate & Graduate students.

Library of the Center has the following subject sections:

• TestPreps: GRE, GMAT

• TestPreps: SAT, ACT

• TestPreps: TOEFL

• References: Schools

• References: Majors (References on schools by majors)

• Financial Aid (references on funds and scholarships)

• Application Assistance Materials (dictionaries, how-to books, etc)

• School Catalogs

• Books: English Linguistics (ELS literature)

• Books: Economics

• Books: Fiction* (belles-lettres literature)

• Books: Subjects (special literature by subjects)

• Books: American Studies 

*it is permitted to take home the books of Fiction Section to the term of up a month

Academic exchange programs
Center represents in the Dnipropetrovsk region educational programs of the International Renaissance Foundation (Soros Foundation):

• Central European University (CEU)
  Fellowships for graduate studies in humanities and social sciences at CEU (Budapest, Hungary) are available for the Central and Eastern European states citizens holding higher education diploma and proficient in English.

• OSI Undergraduate Exchange Program
  One-year non-degree program for study in humanities and social sciences in the US for undergraduate students from the NIS.

• OSI/FCO Chevening Scholarships
  Nine-months Master’s degree fellowship program for postgraduate studies in Universities of Oxford and York in wide range of fields.

• DAAD/OSI Scholarships

          One or two-year scholarships to study for Master degree in Germany

PROGRAMS FOR SCHOLARS

• Cambridge Colleges Hospitality Scheme
  One-month academic visit in development of research started in home country.

• Oxford Colleges Hospitality Scheme
  One-month academic visits giving opportunity to consult Oxford library and specialists in participant’s field.

• CEU Summer University
  Two to four-week program for university staff and professionals.

• CEU Curriculum Resource Center
  Program for social sciences faculty for the development of their courses.

• CEU-SUN and HESP Summer School
  Program for the scholars to assist in the new courses development.

• CEU/HESP International Scholar and Educational Fellow Program
  One to six-month research fellowship for junior and senior academics.

• MA Development Fellowship
  One-month fellowship at CEU for revising taught postgraduate course.

• Course Development Competition
  Competition is designed to encourage introduction of the new courses.

• Faculty Development Fellowship
  Program allows faculty to spend a semester in the US and one semester back in their home country teaching.

GRANT PROGRAMS

• Soros Supplementary Grants Program (SSGP)Global

• Supplementary Grant Program (GSGP)

• HESP Mobility Grant
  
  

Also, “Osvita” Center works closely with Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the US Embassy and spreads information and application materials for participation in competitions for fellowships and grants of the US government in Ukraine:

Fulbright Senior Scholar Programs 
Grant for one or two-semester research (with opportunity to lecture in Ukrainian Studies) in the US for those holding kandidatskaya or doctor degree. 
As well this program allows institutions of higher education in Ukraine to invite American professor for delivering lectures in their institutions (and carrying research if institution’s facilities allow it). (There is separate deadline for this stream of the program).

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program for Mid-Career Professional Study in the US
Non-degree one-year program of study in the US (August/September - June) for professionals with higher education diploma and experience of not less than five years in the areas offered by the program (usually drug abuse prevention, treatment, and education and public health policy and management). 

Contemporary Issues Fellowships Program
Four-month research program in the US in the proposed areas for professionals from wide range of fields including managers of all levels, NGO leaders, investments and trade specialists, lawyers, environmentalists, political consultants and analysts, reporters, public health administrators, international relations professionals, authors and editors having not less than three years of experience in their field.
There is the option of choosing the start date of the program – in August or February.

Junior Faculty Development Program
Program of training in curriculum development and teaching methodology in the US universities for junior instructors from Ukrainian higher education institutions in the areas of humanities and social sciences. Applicants must be under 40, have 2-8 year experience of teaching in higher institution, study on graduate level, be proficient in English. 

Fulbright Graduate Student Exchange Program
Grant for one-year study at an American university in the fields of history, folklore, theater (including management), cinematography, literature, philosophy, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and American studies. Applicants must be under 30, hold higher education diploma, and be proficient in English.


Center permanently receives and spreads information of other educational programs. Among them are those sponsored by the US government such as Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Program, Regional Scholar Exchange Program, FSA FLEX and others. 




Website www.center-osvita.dp.ua
On our web site you will find information on the educational and cultural exchange programs, scholarships, grants for studies and research offered by the overseas institutions, governmental, and nongovernmental agencies for the citizens of Ukraine. This also is the well of information on the issues of international education. The conveniently designed title page of the site facilitates the access to all its sections:

• New Scholarship Programs (references to the ads)

• Scholarships and Grants (by the agencies)

• Education in the USA and Europe

• Academic Education

• Standardized Tests

• Educational Resources of Internet

Administering ACT
Center “Osvita” is the only official ACT (American College Testing Assessment) test center in Ukraine. Here you are able to register for exam, get official bulletin of the test and pass the test on official test dates.
АСТ is one of the most widespread tests required for entrance to the undergraduate programs of the universities in the USA and Canada. Test measures the students’ ability to perform college coursework so that universities could evaluate the applicants’ potential for academic success by the standardized criteria. It compensates vagueness of the grades of different secondary schools since they differ in instruction level and methodology. The scores are accepted by all the schools and colleges in the USA and Canada.

Adminitering TOEFL

Center “Osvita” is one of 7 official TOEFL test centers in Ukraine. Tests are administered 3-5 times per month