As-salamu alaykum - Big US college fair draws Saudi students hoping to study abroad
As-salamu alaykum - Students turned out in large numbers this week for the EducationUSA college fair as it toured Saudi Arabia, starting in Jeddah on Sunday, stopping in Riyadh on Wednesday and finishing in Dhahran on Saturday. More than 80 US universities were on hand, so attendees could meet reps directly and get practical info about studying overseas.
Hundreds of young people came to learn about study options. One attendee, Kholoud Al-Saygh, a senior medical student based in Riyadh, said she’d been to the US before for an exchange semester in Kansas and loved the experience. Her father studied in Seattle and used to speak about it fondly, which inspired her to apply to the UGRAD program. She described the semester as beyond what she expected, and said she hopes to pursue residency programs in the US after graduation, Insha'Allah.
A standout at the fair was the University of Utah’s gaming program, which attracted a lot of interest from students looking to build skills that match Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 focus on gaming and e-sports. Randy McCrillis, a senior international officer at the university, noted strong demand and explained that their approach is different - they teach the whole game environment, not just bits of it - which makes the program popular at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
Arizona State University also drew a big crowd. Nayara Dixon, assistant director for international recruitment at ASU, said the university currently hosts about 500 Saudi students, putting it alongside the University of Michigan in terms of Saudi enrollment. She described the students as curious and enthusiastic about studying in the US and learning what life in Arizona is like.
Other universities at the fair included the University of Idaho, the University of Denver, St. John’s University, the Dave School, the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Mary Washington, and many more.
May Allah grant success to everyone exploring study abroad options, and make the right path clear, Insha'Allah.
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