Opportunity Information: Apply for PDS LUSAKA EDUSA FY26
The EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program 2026 is a U.S. Mission to Zambia grant opportunity designed to help academically strong, economically disadvantaged Zambian students successfully apply to U.S. colleges and universities. The program works through EducationUSA, which advises students on U.S. higher education options, and then removes key financial barriers that often prevent talented students from completing competitive applications. The Opportunity Funds are meant to cover practical, application-related costs such as university application fees, standardized testing fees, U.S. visa and SEVIS fees, and travel expenses tied to testing, interviews, and ultimately departure to the United States.
A central focus of this cycle is merit-based selection, with a strong preference for students pursuing high-priority fields that align with U.S. innovation and competitiveness goals. These include STEM disciplines broadly, as well as AI, cybersecurity, data science, and other emerging or critical technical areas. Students are assessed using a structured rubric developed by the Embassy’s Education Outreach Coordinator, emphasizing academic excellence, leadership potential, and clear, credible career goals in these priority sectors. While the cohort is expected to reflect U.S. strategic priorities, the program also aims to remain accessible to students from a variety of backgrounds across Zambia, as long as they meet the merit standards.
The opportunity also lays out why the U.S. government is investing in this kind of support. On the economic side, it highlights how fee-paying international students contribute tuition revenue to U.S. institutions and support jobs and related economic activity in the United States. It also points to longer-term benefits for Zambia, where returning graduates can help fill skill gaps in specialized fields, strengthen the local economy, and help create conditions that encourage trade and investment, including opportunities linked to U.S. companies. On the strategic and national security side, the program frames alumni development as a way to cultivate future Zambian leaders with direct educational and professional ties to the United States, strengthening bilateral relationships and reducing the influence of strategic competitors, particularly China and Russia, among Zambian youth.
In terms of program structure, the grantee is not responsible for recruiting or selecting student beneficiaries. Selection and recruitment remain with the U.S. Embassy, specifically through the Education Outreach Coordinator and related Embassy processes. The grantee’s role is operational and fiduciary: supporting the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section by disbursing funds and arranging payments for approved costs, while also helping coordinate logistics for pre-departure orientations. The grant anticipates supporting roughly 30 Opportunity Funds students who ultimately secure successful admissions to U.S.-accredited institutions, including travel and orientation logistics when students are preparing to begin their studies.
The work plan for the grantee centers on five main deliverables. First, the organization must arrange payment of required standardized test fees for selected students. Second, when testing sites require travel, the grantee may need to facilitate domestic travel support and per diem so students can reach the nearest testing center. Third, the grantee must handle university and college application expenses, including financial aid application costs where applicable. Fourth, the grantee is expected to facilitate and pay visa-related costs, including SEVIS and U.S. visa fees, domestic travel for visa appointments, travel to the United States to start studies, and certain settling-in allowances or start-up expenses connected to launching a U.S. tertiary program. Fifth, the grantee supports pre-departure orientations and related travel logistics for the expected cohort.
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement under the education activity category (CFDA 19.022). The funding opportunity number is PDS LUSAKA EDUSA FY26. The U.S. Mission to Zambia expects to make one award, with an award ceiling of USD 28,000. The posting indicates an original closing date of 2026-07-10.
Eligibility is open to not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society or non-governmental organizations) as well as public and private educational institutions. Applicants must be able to document their eligibility and operational capacity, including proof of legal registration and a physical presence in Zambia, an organizational chart showing key personnel, letters of reference, and past performance documentation. While not mandatory, organizations that can demonstrate prior success managing U.S. government or other international grant funds are specifically encouraged to apply. Finally, the program intends to keep engaging successful participants after they depart through the EducationUSA alumni program, and it plans to track outcomes such as enrollment in STEM and other priority fields, alumni career trajectories, and continued involvement in EducationUSA and U.S. Embassy engagement networks after graduation.Apply for PDS LUSAKA EDUSA FY26
- The U.S. Mission to Zambia in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program 2026" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.022.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-06-25.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-07-10. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $28,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program 2026 (Zambia) - FAQs
1) What is the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program 2026?
The EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program 2026 is a U.S. Mission to Zambia grant opportunity that supports academically strong, economically disadvantaged Zambian students as they apply to U.S. colleges and universities. It operates through EducationUSA advising and provides financial support to remove practical application-related barriers.
2) What problem is this program designed to solve?
The program targets the real, upfront costs that can stop talented students from completing competitive U.S. university applications. Even when students have strong grades and potential, expenses like testing and application fees can prevent them from applying or finishing the process.
3) Who is the program meant to benefit?
The intended beneficiaries are Zambian students who are academically strong and economically disadvantaged, and who are pursuing admission to U.S.-accredited colleges and universities.
4) Is this grant for students to apply directly for funding?
No. This particular funding opportunity is for eligible organizations (the grantee) to support the U.S. Embassy by operationally disbursing Opportunity Funds for students who are selected by the U.S. Embassy. Students are not recruited or selected by the grantee.
5) Who recruits and selects the student beneficiaries?
Recruitment and selection remain with the U.S. Embassy, specifically through the Education Outreach Coordinator and related Embassy processes. The grantee does not decide which students receive Opportunity Funds.
6) How are students selected in this cycle?
Students are assessed using a structured rubric developed by the Embassy’s Education Outreach Coordinator. The rubric emphasizes academic excellence, leadership potential, and clear, credible career goals, with a strong preference for priority fields aligned with U.S. innovation and competitiveness goals.
7) What fields of study are prioritized?
The opportunity emphasizes priority disciplines in STEM broadly, including areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, data science, and other emerging or critical technical fields.
8) Does the program only support students in priority fields?
The program states a strong preference for students pursuing high-priority fields aligned with U.S. innovation and competitiveness goals, while also aiming to remain accessible to students from a variety of backgrounds across Zambia as long as they meet the merit standards.
9) What types of costs can Opportunity Funds cover?
Opportunity Funds are intended to cover practical, application-related expenses, including:
- University and college application fees
- Standardized testing fees
- U.S. visa and SEVIS fees
- Travel expenses tied to testing, interviews, and departure to the United States
10) Are standardized test fees included?
Yes. One of the core deliverables for the grantee is arranging payment of required standardized test fees for selected students.
11) Can the program pay for travel within Zambia for testing?
Yes. When students must travel to reach the nearest testing center, the grantee may need to facilitate domestic travel support and per diem so students can attend required test sessions.
12) Does the program cover application-related financial aid costs?
Yes. The work plan includes handling university and college application expenses, including financial aid application costs where applicable.
13) Does the program cover SEVIS and U.S. visa fees?
Yes. The grantee is expected to facilitate and pay visa-related costs, including SEVIS and U.S. visa fees, as part of the supported expenses for selected students.
14) Can the program cover travel for visa appointments?
Yes. The stated deliverables include domestic travel for visa appointments as part of visa-related support.
15) Can the program cover travel to the United States to start studies?
Yes. The opportunity indicates the grantee may support travel to the United States to start studies, as part of visa-related and departure support for students who have secured admission.
16) Are settling-in or start-up expenses in the U.S. included?
The work plan notes that the grantee may support certain settling-in allowances or start-up expenses connected to launching a U.S. tertiary program, as part of the visa/departure support package.
17) What is the expected size of the cohort supported?
The grant anticipates supporting roughly 30 Opportunity Funds students who ultimately secure successful admissions to U.S.-accredited institutions, including travel and orientation logistics when students are preparing to begin their studies.
18) What are the main responsibilities of the grantee?
The grantee’s role is operational and fiduciary rather than programmatic selection. Key responsibilities include disbursing funds and arranging payments for approved student costs, coordinating payments and logistics, and helping coordinate pre-departure orientation logistics for the cohort in support of the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section.
19) What deliverables are explicitly listed for the grantee?
The work plan is centered on five main deliverables:
- Arrange payment of required standardized test fees for selected students.
- Facilitate domestic travel support and per diem when students must travel to testing centers.
- Handle university/college application expenses, including financial aid application costs where applicable.
- Facilitate and pay visa-related costs (SEVIS and visa fees), domestic travel for visa appointments, travel to the U.S. to begin studies, and certain settling-in/start-up allowances tied to starting a U.S. tertiary program.
- Support pre-departure orientations and related travel logistics for the expected cohort.
20) Is the grantee responsible for advising students on U.S. university options?
The opportunity states that EducationUSA advises students on U.S. higher education options. The grantee’s defined role in this grant is operational and fiduciary support (disbursements, payments, and logistics), not recruiting or selecting students.
21) What type of award is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement under the education activity category.
22) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA (assistance listing) number provided is 19.022.
23) What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is PDS LUSAKA EDUSA FY26.
24) How many awards does the U.S. Mission to Zambia expect to make?
The posting indicates the U.S. Mission to Zambia expects to make one award.
25) What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is USD 28,000.
26) What is the closing date for this opportunity?
The posting indicates an original closing date of 2026-07-10.
27) Which organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is open to:
- Not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society or non-governmental organizations)
- Public educational institutions
- Private educational institutions
28) What documentation is required to demonstrate eligibility and capacity?
Applicants must be able to document eligibility and operational capacity, including:
- Proof of legal registration
- Proof of physical presence in Zambia
- An organizational chart showing key personnel
- Letters of reference
- Past performance documentation
29) Is prior experience managing U.S. government or international grants required?
It is not mandatory, but organizations that can demonstrate prior success managing U.S. government or other international grant funds are specifically encouraged to apply.
30) What outcomes does the program plan to track over time?
The program plans to track outcomes such as enrollment in STEM and other priority fields, alumni career trajectories, and continued involvement in EducationUSA and U.S. Embassy engagement networks after graduation.
31) Will students be engaged after they depart for the United States?
Yes. The opportunity indicates an intention to keep engaging successful participants after they depart through the EducationUSA alumni program.
32) Why is the U.S. government investing in this program (as described in the opportunity)?
The opportunity describes multiple rationales, including:
- Economic rationale (U.S.): fee-paying international students contribute tuition revenue to U.S. institutions and support jobs and related economic activity.
- Long-term benefits (Zambia): returning graduates can help fill skill gaps in specialized fields, strengthen the local economy, and create conditions that encourage trade and investment, including opportunities linked to U.S. companies.
- Strategic/national security rationale: cultivating future Zambian leaders with educational and professional ties to the U.S., strengthening bilateral relationships and reducing the influence of strategic competitors (noted specifically as China and Russia) among Zambian youth.
33) Does this grant pay for general scholarships or full tuition?
The opportunity describes funding for application-related and departure-related practical costs (fees, testing, visa/SEVIS, travel, orientations, and certain start-up expenses). It does not describe paying full tuition as a general scholarship mechanism.
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