StudyPA Membership

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What is a Study State Consortium?

The U.S. International Education Study State Consortia initiative is supported by the U.S. Commercial Service. This collaboration exists to bring educational institutions together for the benefit of increasing their visibility in the global marketplace. This effort is to strengthen the partnership between U.S. higher education and the economic development interests of the respective state and nation. The goal is to use education assets across the United States to enhance U.S. national, regional, and local competitiveness and economic growth.

Why PA?

Pennsylvania is a hub of higher education in the United States, and international students are taking notice. According to NAFSA:

  • Pennsylvania ranks 5th in the nation for international student recruitment.
  • International students contribute $2 billion to the state’s economy.
  • International student enrollment supports almost 25,000 jobs in PA.

While Pennsylvania does well in attracting international students to its numerous and diverse educational institutions, domestic and global competition is on the rise.

For more information about the number of international students studying in Pennsylvania, please see IIE’s Open Doors report for Pennsylvania. For information about the economic impact of international students studying in Pennsylvania, please see NAFSA’s International Student Economic Value Tool.

Benefits of a StudyPA Consortium

Increased collaboration across the state and joint marketing efforts will help all Pennsylvania schools succeed in an increasingly competitive global education environment. Benefits of the StudyPA consortium include:

  • Promoting Pennsylvania as a study destination to international students and counselors.
  • Pooling resources for joint international marketing to international students and professionals.
  • Increasing the name recognition of your educational institution and the education assets in Pennsylvania.
  • Facilitating partnerships between educational institutions in Pennsylvania and those in other countries.
  • Capitalizing on the services provided by U.S. federal and state government agencies to maximize your recruitment budget.

This is an incredible opportunity to benefit your institution and shape the future of the education landscape in Pennsylvania!

Benefits of Membership

For a minimal investment, members in other Study State consortia have found numerous benefits, such as:

  • Increased online visibility through consortia websites and social media.
  • Wider Footprint The consortium may participate in events or shows that your school does not.
  • Professional Development The consortium approach brings members together from across the state and offers opportunities to learn from others across the United States, including participation in the “Best Practice Calls for Consortia” organized and facilitated by the U.S. Commercial Service.
  • Enjoy Discounts ICEF and Washington International Education Conference WIEC, for example, offer discounts to consortia and consortium members.
  • Exhibit at NAFSA USA Pavilion Exhibiting at NAFSA is expensive for individual institutions, but the USA Pavilion package facilitated by the U.S. Commercial Service makes it affordable for consortia.
  • S. Commercial Service programming for Consortia The U.S. Commercial Service produces programming specific to consortia, including the “Embassy Circle” and “Governor Meetings” during the week of NAFSA, as well as attendance to the U.S. International Education Stakeholder Roundtables.
  • Help drive the development of a national, international education strategy by participating in the U.S. International Education Stakeholder Roundtables.

StudyPA Activities

StudyPA plans to follow the examples set by other study state consortia, such as:

  • Offering discounted access to education fairs.
  • Organizing overseas recruitment tours for member organizations.
  • Creating scholarship funds for exceptional candidates.
  • Organizing student recruitment seminars.
  • Developing cost-shared marketing efforts.

Meetings

  • Monthly planning calls on the second Thursdays of the month at 3:30PM.

Committees

  • Digital Engagement Committee
  • Marketing & Membership Committee

Membership Dues

The membership fee structure is based on the international student population of each institution. Each prospective and current member will receive an invoice from the StudyPA Treasurer. Membership fees are due annually.

Contact Information

Interested in joining StudyPA? Complete our contact form.