Young people are being offered the chance to spend a year in the US through a special programme.
A Co Armagh student who took part in the project described it as the “best year” of his life.
Study USA, now in its 30th year, is offered by the British Council, with support from the Department for the Economy.
It enables students to spend an academic year at one of more than 140 universities and colleges in over 20 states.
The scheme is currently open to further education students who are either in their first year of an HND or foundation degree, or those in their second year of undergraduate study.
The programme receives significant support from partner institutions in the US, with annual funding of more than £2m and generous scholarship packages including accommodation on campus, flights and tuition fees.
Among those to take part last year was James Hatchell (22), from Lurgan, a mechanical engineering student at Queen’s University Belfast. After returning from Ohio’s Northern University (ONU), he said his experience was “nothing short of incredible… It was the best year of my life.”
There were classes I would never have got the chance to do at Queen’s — things like automotive engineering,” he explained.
“I thought I would only ever get one chance of doing something like this, so I took it and I loved it. It was a small campus, [so it was] super easy to meet with people.
“You definitely have to keep up with your homework — it was full-on. I’m happy to finish my degree here at home, but it was tough to leave at the end of the year.
“Before going to Ohio I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after graduating. My time at ONU helped me to realise that a career in the automotive industry would be perfectly suited to me. I’ll be chasing a dream of working in Formula One racing.”
Southern Regional College creative music and audio production students Danny Nugent and Sophie Bullock are pictured with (from left) Southern Regional College chief executive Lee Campbell, Economy Minister Conor Murphy and Mary Mallon, head of education at British Council Northern Ireland
Study USA was launched in 1994, initially to support Northern Ireland’s peace process.
Over its 30-year history it has provided opportunities for more than 2,500 students who have assisted in fostering deep and long-lasting connections between the US and Northern Ireland.
On a visit to Southern Regional College’s Armagh campus, Economy Minister Conor Murphy encouraged students to apply.
“Study USA represents a fantastic opportunity to secure a bursary to study in a college environment in America,” he said.
Mary Mallon, head of education at British Council Northern Ireland, said: “Study USA is an incredible opportunity which, over the past three decades, has transformed the lives of thousands of students in Northern Ireland.”
Further education students have until Sunday, January 5, 2025, to apply to Study USA. For more, visit nireland.britishcouncil.org
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