More than 300 leading overseas education institutes have accepted the invitation to take part in the upcoming OCSC International Education Expo 2013 under the concept “Check in overseas education in your style” on Saturday and Sunday November 2nd-3rd, 2013 from 12.00 p.m.-6 p.m. on the 5th floor of the Royal Paragon Hall at Siam Paragon Shopping Center. The expo aims to provide overseas education information to any interested individual. OCSC will provide guidance on government scholarships including King’s Scholarship, Undergraduate Intelligence Scholarship (UIS) Program and others under Ministry schemes. OCSC expects more than 30,000 participants this year.

Mr. Nontigorn Kanchanachitra, Secretary-General of the Office of Civil Service Commission said, “It is such a pleasure to have more than 300 leading education institutes from 25 countries worldwide joining with us in the Tenth OCSC International Education Expo 2013. We take it as a good sign showing that Thailand possesses the potential to respond to any change from the upcoming Asean Economic Community (AEC). This expo will prove to be a great opportunity for students and those who want to pursue their education overseas. They will find all information and can further consult with the representatives from leading education institutes.”

As of August 31st, 2013, OCSC have as many as 4,258 students and civil servants under its supervision, of which 3,276 are under government scholarships, 658 under One District One Scholarships (ODOS), 372 under civil training scholarships, and 610 students under other scholarships.

Furthermore, OCSC statistic points out that the top five countries that students have chosen for their overseas education are the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, and Canada. The top field of study is Business Administration especially in Marketing and Finance, while Engineering ranks the second. The levels of education that students are pursuing are Master Degree (58%), Bachelor Degree (20%), and Doctorate Degree (12%). There is also a growing trend towards taking a short term language course in some countries in Asia such as China, Japan, and Korea.

The Office of Civil Service Commission International Education Expo 2013 introduces the concept of “Check in overseas education in your style”. The expo will be held on Saturday and Sunday November 2nd-3rd, 2013 from 12.00 p.m.-6 p.m. on the 5th floor of the Royal Paragon Hall at Siam Paragon Shopping Center. OCSC has gathered over 300 leading education institutes from 25 countries worldwide such as Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The participants in this expo can directly apply to certified leading institutes or enquire about education degrees, course details, overseas education systems, living standards and scholarships granted by both OCSC and foreign education institutes.

One of the highlight activities in the OCSC Education Expo 2013 is OCSC’s exclusive student guidance on government scholarships including King’s Scholarship, Undergraduate Intelligence Scholarship (UIS) Program and other scholarships under Ministry schemes. There are also many other special activities designed to cater to the demand of each participant. Examples of these special activities are University Matching and one-on-one Counseling Session on Saturday November 2nd, 2013 from 10.00 am-11.30 am and Sunday November 3rd, 2013 from 10.00-12.00 only. There are also workshops conducted by experts on how to write an effective Statement of Purpose (SoP), self-finding tests, sample English tests such as Online English Tests, IELTS and TOEFL Pre-Test and seminars in small group arranged by embassies officers and OCSC scholarship alumni. The seminar covers various interesting topics from how to obtain scholarships from top universities in different countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Any interested individual may sign up to attend the expo at www.ocscexpo.net.

Many opportunities await participants at the expo. European Union (EU) is offering Erasmus Mundus, the scholarship programme for students and academics from non-EU countries including Thailand at levels of study from Bachelor's to post-doctoral. Erasmus Mundus scholarships are generous and full scholarships that cover all of the students’ costs, from travel to living allowance, and including tuition and insurance. They offer students the chance to experience not only various world class universities, but also the many rich cultures of Europe.

The Australian Government has also launched an online competition. Win your Future Unlimited, which will run from 1 October to 18 November 2013. To enter, visit www.futureunlimited.com.au and complete all steps on the site to create a digital postcard. There are 7 finalist prizes which comprises of a study tour to Australia and the grand prize is a year of study in Australia, including flights, tuition, accommodation, and much more. For more information, please visit www.futureunlimited.com.au.

Furthermore, the participants of the expo may stand a chance to win 2 prizes of round trip Qantas Airways tickets from Thailand to Australia.

Moreover, the Office of Civil Service Commission continues their proactive plans to equip the civil servants with up-to-date knowledge and skills. This year OCSC allocated 184 scholarships are provided for individuals. These scholarships come in various forms such as King’s scholarship, Scholarship for various ministries the Undergraduate Intelligence Scholarship Program (UIS) which grants have been designed with the intention of attracting students with strong academic background and have completed their third year of university study in Thailand They will receive scholarships for their fourth year along with a chance to further their study with a graduate degree in Thailand or abroad and work in government agencies upon their graduation. For more information on the scholarships, please visit www.scholar.ocsc.go.th