Find out what EducationUSA alumni Tatiana Siaraferas and Maria Livanou have to say about their experiences!

The Fulbright Greece Educational Advising Center is part of EducationUSA, a global network of more than 400 student advising centers across the globe.

The Center provides free, accurate, comprehensive, and current information about the American higher education system and opportunities to study the United States.

Fulbright Greece Advisors help students select their field of study from thousands of majors and choose from the more than 4,000 accredited post-secondary institutions that make up U.S. higher education. 

Among the services offered are monthly Virtual Group Advising Sessions on how to prepare for undergraduate and graduate studies, Fulbright and other scholarship opportunities, and financial aid in America.

Tatiana Siaraferas, Ph.D Student in Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, USA says:

"Thank you Mr. Tourides and EducationUSA Athens - Fulbright Greece for helping me collect information on university choices for a Master’s or Ph.D. in the U.S.A. You reviewed my resume and gave me the feedback and confidence I needed to wisely select a mix of schools. You answered many questions I had and also helped with the pre-departure orientation meeting. I aimed high and am very proud to have been offered a place at the M.Eng Nuclear Engineering program at the University of California at Berkeley with a generous scholarship. It is great to be here. I have fantastic professors and am having a great experience. Thank you and I wish you continued success in helping other candidates!"

Dr. Maria Livanou, Senior Lecturer in Forensic Psychology at Kingston University in London, began her academic journey at the Center. This is what she says about her experience:

"My academic journey started 12 years ago when I first visited the Fulbright Foundation to seek advice for pursuing an undergraduate degree in Psychology in the United States. I still remember the day I met with the Fulbright Advisor, Nicholas Tourides. I was quite ambivalent and confused, without a clear plan in mind and not knowing what steps I needed to take in order to fulfil my dream. Although he knew from the beginning that I was not the typical candidate with a strong high school background, Mr. Tourides was encouraging and inspiring throughout this process. He advised me that I needed to boost my grades and would need to spend a year in a Liberal Arts Community College to get ready for a four-year university.

During my first year in New York City, I discovered my passion for Forensic Psychology and identified one of the best programmes offering an undergraduate degree in this specialised field. Through my preparation year, I improved my grades and was accepted to the John Jay College of Criminal Justice where I came across some very dedicated academics who became my mentors; we worked together for the next three years. I worked as a research assistant in several research labs, in Forensic Experimental and Clinical Psychology, where I gained valuable experience and built important skills in critical thinking and analysis. I was awarded  research scholarships from the university and participated in undergraduate conferences, where I won a first Poster Prize. Due to my academic achievements, I became a member of the Honors Program, and also engaged in university and volunteer work. 

Studying in the U.S. has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. It not only equipped me with excellent academic skills, but also contributed to my personal growth and shaped my identity as an individual and as an independent scholar. I graduated summa cum laude and was soon accepted to Warwick Medical School, Coventry, UK, with a full scholarship from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), where I completed my PhD studies in Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Now, I am a Senior Lecturer and the Course Director of Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Forensic Psychology at Kingston University, London, UK. My diverse academic experience has shaped my current teaching style where I employ inclusive approaches across a wide range of student bodies. My involvement in multiple interdisciplinary research projects has also heightened my commitment and enthusiasm for research and teaching in diverse academic environments.

I am more than grateful to the Fulbright Foundation, who played a catalytic role in my studies, and I would like to truly thank Mr. Tourides for being such an inspirational figure in this transformative journey!"