From Cuenca to California: The Story That Answers the Three Questions Every Ecuadorian Family Asks Itself Before Studying in the U.S.
Cost, scholarships, and immigration procedures. Those are, in that order, the three questions that almost all Ecuadorian families ask themselves before considering a college education in the United States. And with the uncertainty brought on by U.S. immigration policy in recent months, many end up dismissing the idea before thoroughly researching it. Abigail’s story shows that all three questions have answers and one of them, until now, was unprecedented in Ecuador.
An Unprecedented Achievement
Abigail is the first Ecuadorian student, within an international study program such as the 2+2 program, to receive a 100% scholarship valued at $40,000 per year, $80,000 in total for her final two years—which covers food, housing, and college tuition in the United States. This is not just a financial achievement: it confirms that her first two academic years in Ecuador under this model carry the same international academic recognition as any U.S. university.
Since she was 15, Abigail had dreamed of studying abroad. Like most young Ecuadorians, that dream seemed out of reach for one simple reason: the cost.
“It was a tremendous opportunity to see a goal as something achievable, with the right people and tools. And AUP (AUP International Institute) has all of that,” she says.
The first solution: reduce costs without compromising the degree
At AUP International Institute, she found the 2+2 program: the first two years of the degree are completed in Ecuador, with credits that transfer directly to U.S. universities. For Abigail, this meant starting her college education at local cost while working and preparing academically, financially, and emotionally for the final step to the U.S. without that start in Ecuador diminishing the value or recognition of her final degree.
The second solution: a scholarship isn’t a stroke of luck, it’s a process
Balancing eight-hour workdays with her studies didn’t prevent her from maintaining high grades and making the Dean’s List. That effort, combined with AUP’s comprehensive support something no other national institute or university offers in the same way enabled her to apply for the Hans L. Beck and Anna Beck Scholarship. The result: a 100% scholarship, valued at $40,000 per year $80,000 in total, which covers virtually the entirety of her two years in the United States, including tuition, meals, and housing.
This is the first time an Ecuadorian student, through an international study program such as the 2+2 program, has received a scholarship of this magnitude. And this is no small matter: it means that the credits earned at AUP are not only transferred but also recognized at the same level as those of any student who began their degree directly in the United States.
Abigail is currently in her final two years at California State University, Fresno. Her credits from Ecuador were transferred without any issues, and the remainder of her degree is fully funded.
And her case is not an isolated exception: all universities with which AUP has agreements offer guaranteed scholarships of up to 65% for its students. Abigail’s full scholarship was an individual achievement, but the financial support system is available to anyone who enters the program.
The third answer: you don’t cross the border alone
Beyond the academic and financial aspects, what Abigail describes as decisive was AUP’s constant support throughout the entire transition from her preparation in Ecuador to adapting to classes and the English language in the United States.
“My teachers prepared me very well. The support from AUP was essential for me to be here today,” he says.
At a time when the U.S. immigration landscape raises more questions than it provides answers, this support/guiding each student step by step through a process they would otherwise have to face alone is, for many families, just as valuable as the scholarship itself.
And that transition is seamless for one specific reason: AUP is neither an English language course nor a program that prepares students to take an admissions exam. It is an institution equivalent to a U.S. community college. From the very first semester, students take the actual courses in their major, not a generic introductory program with the same curriculum, the same academic platforms, and the same grading system used by universities in the United States.
That’s why, when Abigail arrived in Fresno, she didn’t have to adapt to a new system: she arrived to continue, in another country, exactly the same path she had already been following in Ecuador.
Two and a Half Years, an Unprecedented Outcome
AUP International Institute has been operating in Ecuador for just over two and a half years. For some families, this raises a reasonable question: Can such a young institution deliver real results? Abigail’s story is, in itself, the answer, not through promises, but through a degree on the way, seamless credit transfer, and a historic national scholarship. In just over two years, the model has already proven that it works at the highest possible level.
Abigail’s message to other young people is straightforward:
“The path is there. You just have to make up your mind, take the first step, and seize the opportunity. In the end, it will be worth it.”
Her story is proof that the 2+2 pathway is not a second-best option for a career in the United States, for many Ecuadorian families, it is the smartest choice.