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Critical Thinking Through Teaching English Program

American Councils for International Education will deliver a four-day regional secondary school
conference training event in Georgia in summer 2020. The conference will bring together 30 regional
teacher trainers from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia (ten from each country) to promote their
active thought leadership and strengthen curricula for teaching, critical thinking, creative problem
solving, collaboration, and more effective cross-cultural communication throughout the teaching
practice. Participating teachers will use the knowledge gained during the conference to establish
learning communities with peers in their home countries.

Program Goals

Strengthen understanding of youth in critical thinking skills, cross-cultural competencies
essential for life, and work in the 21st century
Build a cohort of regional teacher trainers to share their knowledge and skills with other
educators in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia
Promote educators’ active thought leadership and strengthen curricula teaching, critical
thinking, creative problem solving, collaboration, and more effective cross-cultural
communication throughout the teaching process
Aim to encourage participating teachers in establishing learning communities with peers,
taking learning beyond the confines of an individual classroom or school

Eligibility Requirements

Be a citizen of Armenia or Georgia, and currently reside in your country of citizenship.
Applicants living outside of their country of citizenship will not be considered eligible to apply
(participants from Azerbaijan apply through their local application);
Have a university degree (equivalent of a bachelor’s degree or higher);
Be proficient in English. (English proficiency certificate or diploma, or other documents
proving English language proficiency would be applicable);
Have a minimum of three years of experience in teaching English at universities or schools, and
commitment to a career in education;
Have demonstrated leadership skills and collaboration potential, team spirit, effective
communication skills and professionalism throughout program activities (please elaborate on
your leadership and collaborative activities in essays at the end of this application, and
submit/upload any certificates/materials that can prove your leadership, collaborative skills);
Be able to participate in the workshop in Georgia in June-July 2020 (dates TBD), and
Provide name and email for one reference via this online application.

Program Dates

The duration of the program is scheduled for June 2020 to September 2022:

2020 Summer four-day Workshop in Georgia.
Online platform where the teachers will collaborate for a period of 2 years – professional
growth and exchange.
Follow-on projects in dispersing knowledge and methodology in teachers’ respective home
countries.

Online Application

To apply for the program applicants need to submit an online application by clicking the link.

The application deadline is February 14, 2020.

U.S. Exchange Alumni in Armenia Survey

With support from the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, American Councils for International Education is creating a network of U.S. exchange alumni from Armenia. We invite alumni like you to contribute to a survey to gather information, ideas, and perspectives of U.S. exchange alumni as a result of your experience in the U.S., and renew alumni activity around the theme of entrepreneurship and innovation. Your feedback and input is essential to help us identify the critical issues facing U.S. exchange alumni in Armenia to advance business ties, economic development, and civil society.
In the next two years, American Councils will coordinate a series of interconnected events and activities to advance your professional development skills and increase your connections with other alumni. Given that alumni of U.S. exchange programs throughout Armenia are highly active in business, government, and academia, we will encourage alumni to define and disseminate their ideas to launch an active alumni cohort in Armenia who will share their experience and knowledge and act as mentors for future generations.
We kindly request that you take 10 minutes to complete the U.S. Exchange Alumni in Armenia Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HTJQ8YV by November 30, 2019. American Councils will use your response to help us identify the critical issues facing alumni from Armenia, approaches for building networks, and identify the strengths and needs for entrepreneurship and innovation in Armenia. Your response will not be shared with third-parties.
p.s. Mark your calendars on December 13-14, 2019 for a kickoff event in Yerevan.

PFP Professional Fellows Program

The Professional Fellows Program (PFP) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. For Armenia, PFP is administered by .

The Professional Fellows Program affords promising young professionals the opportunity to gain practical experience in, and exposure to, United States government. The knowledge and interest of these young Eurasian professionals in American political processes and governance will be expanded through short-term fellowships in state legislatures and city halls across the United States, as well as non-profit organizations that address policy issues.

PFP goals are to:

strengthen understanding of the U.S. legislative and governance process;
enhance appreciation of the role of civil society plays in shaping public policy and holding government accountable;
create partnerships between institutions in the U.S. and Armenia; and
establish a common language to develop practical solutions for shared problems and concerns.

The program for Fall 2020 is tentatively scheduled for six weeks in duration and to take place from mid-October through late November 2020. The PFP program provides round-trip international and domestic transportation, visa fee and processing costs, health and accident insurance, and a modest stipend. Housing and meals will be provided for program participants with U.S. host families.

To be eligible for PFP, applicants must:

be a citizen and currently reside in Armenia. Applicants living outside of their country of citizenship will not be considered eligible to apply;
be between 25 and 35 at the beginning of the program in the United States (be born on/after October 13, 1984 and no later than October 13, 1995);
be a college graduate (equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree or higher);
be proficient in English. If applicants are selected as a semi-finalist American Councils will give them an institutional TOEFL exam, unless they have a valid TOEFL score over 500 (paper test) or over 60 (IBT test) or its equivalent (for example, valid IELTS band 6 or higher);
have at least two years relevant experience in and commitment to a career in the public sector and/or nonprofit sector (e.g., legislative, executive, and NGOs that address policy issues); and
have demonstrated leadership and collaborative skills
be committed to returning to his/her native country after the completion of the program in Fall 2020.

PFP participants are selected through a competitive application process.

More Program Links:

Professional Fellows Program site

EducationUSA Armenia

One of hundreds of advising centers around the world supported by the U.S. Department of State, EducationUSA Armenia provides students with accurate, comprehensive, and current information about how to apply to U.S. colleges and universities. All services, including lending library of test prep and others books, individual consultations, lectures, workshops, sample testing, group advising, and regional outreach, are offered free of charge

EducationUSA Armenia was established in Armenia in 1992. The Center is administrated by the American Councils for International Education. The center is open from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for everyone regardless of age and educational background. In addition, the EducationUSA Armenia offers online support via the You are welcome to follow the news and announcements, live events and also submit your questions about higher education in the United States.

Services offered by EducationUSA Armenia

Lectures, Workshops, and Webinars:

EducationUSA’s 5 Steps to U.S. Study
Admission Essays, Personal Statement of Purpose
Standardized Tests
Webinars with U.S. higher education institutions
Pre-Departure Orientation for the students accepted to the U.S. Universities and Colleges.

For the upcoming events, we encourage you to follow us on and subscribe to EducationUSA Armenia mailing list.

In person Advising/Consultations

Students/Parents who want to receive detailed information on the process of applying to U.S. colleges and universities are welcome to register for in-person advising by calling , , or sending a message to

EducationUSA Library

Books on TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, USMLE
College catalogs, reference books that provide information on particular fields of studyESL programs
Undergraduate, Graduate and Research Guides

The Library books and materials are used in the reading hall and can be checked out if the patron has created an account on our library website: http://educationusalibrary.americancouncils.am/ .

Practice Test

EducationUSA Armenia offers practice tests for TOEFL iBT (Reading and Listening sections only), SAT, GRE and GMAT. Interested individuals must register for in advance by calling , , .

FLEX Program

Click HERE to register to learn more about FLEX!

For more information about FLEX, please visit http://discoverflex.org/

Begun in 1993, the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program is a competitive, merit-based scholarship program funded by the U.S. Department of State. FLEX students who pass multiple rounds of testing earn a scholarship to spend an academic year in the United States living with a volunteer host family and attending a U.S. high school. FLEX students gain leadership skills, learn about American society and values, and teach Americans about FLEX countries and cultures. FLEX is a highly competitive program with over 26,300 alumni who have contributed over one million hours of community service in cities and towns across America. The students return home to active alumni networks that carry out inspiring activities.

The primary goal of the FLEX program is to improve mutual understanding and develop and strengthen long-term relationships between citizens of the United States and other peoples and countries.

There are currently 17 countries that participate in the FLEX program. These countries include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.

Finalists are chosen through a multi-layered, merit-based selection process that draws more than 40,000 candidates annually. Participation in the selection process is open to all students that meet the eligibility requirements, which include age limitations, satisfactory academic standing, English language training, Armenian citizenship, and U.S. visa eligibility requirements. Selection is based on the evaluation of multiple factors that contribute to a positive exchange experience and provide evidence of leadership potential. All finalists undergo an extensive orientation to life in America, and pursue a full course of study at a U.S. high school. Following completion of their program students must return to their homes in Armenia, where FLEX alumni association sponsor activities throughout the year.

Who organizes the program?

American Councils is the central FLEX administrative organization. Its responsibilities include, among other things, recruiting and evaluating scholarship applicants, selecting finalists, arranging round-trip travel between the students’ homes throughout Eurasia/Europe to their host families throughout the United States, providing on-program support for the students and their natural parents, as well as organizing and supporting alumni activities.

When and how can I apply?

Representatives of American Councils visit regions (see more: Regions where recruitment is carried out) to conduct testing. Applicants who meet the program requirements (see more: Who is eligible to apply to the program and who is NOT eligible) should come to the designated testing center at the time of initially announced date/time of the testing, and bring proof of eligibility (birth certificate or passport), one recent 3×4 cm photo, and a pen. Testing center locations are announced every year in August through e-mail, press, TV, Radio, social media etc. FLEX program representatives send official letters to all Armenian school directors and notify them about the date/time of the testing for each city/village. For more information you may also contact American Councils office in Yerevan at (374 -10) 56-00-45 or check the FLEX Application page on this .

Program Goals

1 Gain an understanding of American society, people, values, culture, diversity and respect for others with differing views.

2 Interact with Americans and generate enduring ties.

3 Teach Americans about your home country and culture.

4 Explore and acquire an understanding of the key elements of U.S. Civil Society.

5 Share and apply experiences and knowledge in your home country as alumni.

What does the scholarship provide and what is NOT provided?

The FLEX scholarship provides the following:

Round-trip domestic and international travel (from home to the United States and back)
Monthly allowance to help students participate in social activities and buy necessary personal supplies
Placement with a selected U.S. host family for one year
Enrollment in a U.S. secondary school
Program orientation activities including pre-program preparation and re-entry preparation
Program activities arranged in local U.S. communities
Medical insurance, excluding pre-existing conditions and dental care.

The FLEX scholarship does NOT cover the following costs:

Acquisition of passport
Personal expenses not covered by the monthly stipend
Excess baggage costs
Telephone calls made from the U.S. to home or an e-mail account.

For more information about FLEX, please visit http://discoverflex.org/