United States Student Achievers Program

The United Student Achievers Program (USAP) is a higher education program for low-income young people. The program began in Zimbabwe in 1999 and now has centers in 13 countries around the world: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Latvia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mongolia, Nigeria, Serbia, South Africa, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe. Students demonstrating academic excellence, leadership potential, an ethos of giving back to the community and economic disadvantage are selected for the program. They study at colleges and universities in the United States and go on to graduate studies or work.

USAP students represent the best and brightest students of their nation. They aspire to broaden their horizons and share ideas and perspectives with a diverse array of people. USAP participants are selected for embodying all of the following four qualities • Academic excellence
• Demonstrated leadership potential
• Ethos of giving back to community
• Economic disadvantage

USAP began in Zimbabwe in 1999 with the aim of providing access to higher education for determined, bright, low-income youth, thus producing highly skilled and liberally-educated leaders for tomorrow’s Zimbabwe. Eight years later, more than 150 Zimbabwean USAP students have excelled as students at America’s top colleges and universities, and many are continuing graduate studies or are working all over the globe. There are now active USAP programs based at EducationUSA advising centers in 13 countries on 4 continents: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Latvia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mongolia, Nigeria, Serbia, South Africa, Uganda, the UK and Zimbabwe.

USAP works closely with students through a year-long program of meetings and seminars designed to empower and assist them throughout the application and orientation process while building their confidence and bonding them as a supportive family who share similar backgrounds and will be facing similar challenges while studying in the US. In the US, USAP students run an active listserv, yearly conferences, a trust fund to support application and preparation costs of future USAP students, and provide intensive support for one another. USAP expects a commitment from students to give back of their energy and time to the "USAP family" and to their own communities at home and in school.

USAP provides many benefits to colleges and universities – pre-screened, well-rounded applicants, focused, committed and involved students, and economically diverse international students.