U.S. State Department Wants High School Students to Say ‘YES’ to Studying Overseas in 2015
U.S. high school students who want to experience another culture can apply for full scholarships to study abroad next year through the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad program. The program connects high school students with overseas communities and cultures, preparing students to collaborate on today’s global challenges such as human rights, community development, workforce development, climate change, and global health.
Sponsored by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the YES Abroad program is a component of the Kennedy-Lugar YES exchange program that also brings almost 900 high school students from approximately 40 countries with significant Muslim populations to the United States to study each year.
For the 2015-16 academic year, full scholarships are available to live with host families and study for an academic year in countries that currently include: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Macedonia, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey. Additional countries, including Egypt and Tunisia, may also be added to the program at a later date. The merit-based scholarship covers domestic and international travel; tuition and related academic preparation; accommodations with a host family; educational and cultural activities in the host country; orientations; applicable visa fees; three basic meals per day; and medical benefits.
First authorized by the U.S. Congress in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the YES program empowers the next generation of leaders and establishes long-lasting ties between the United States and countries with significant Muslim populations. As YES Abroad scholars, American high school students form lasting relationships with their host families and communities and understand global engagement on a whole new level. YES Abroad is administered by a consortium of non-profit organizations, including American Councils for International Education, AFS-USA, AMIDEAST, and iEARN-USA.
Eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens and enrolled in high school at the time of application and be between the ages of 15 years and 18 years and six months at the start of the program. Additional criteria are detailed on the program website and in the application.
For more information on the YES Abroad program and to access the application, visit www.yes-abroad.org The deadline for applying is January 7, 2015.
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) launches its national 2015-16 academic year scholarship for high school students and recent graduates to study abroad in Germany. 250 scholarships are available from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to fully fund students for an academic year of study and cultural immersion. Scholarship recipients will gain new perspectives on global current affairs and German social, economic and political life, all while learning the German language through day-to-day life in the culture, attending at a local high school and living with a host family. Participants serve as “youth ambassadors” from the United States while participating in educational, cultural and political events, including receptions and meetings with government officials.
Initiated in 1983, CBYX was created to strengthen ties between Germany and the United States through citizen diplomacy. Over the past 30 years, CBYX has administered exchanges for over 23,000 American and German students. Dedicated supporter Richard Lugar (former Senator, IN) calls CBYX “an extraordinary opportunity to learn about the world, gain a deeper understanding of people and issues, build lifelong skills, and expand horizons.” Former Secretary Hillary Clinton called exchanges like CBYX “an important tool of U.S. Diplomacy. Few other experiences can substitute for seeing another country first-hand, learning more about its culture, meeting people face-to-face.”
To learn more about CBYX, including information about eligibility and how to apply for the 2015-16 academic year, visit www.usagermanyscholarship.org
CBYX is administered by a partnership of non-profit exchange organizations. AFS-USA administers the program in the following Northeastern United States locations: CT, D.C., DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, and VT.
The application deadline for the Northeastern United States is January 8, 2015; residents of this region can call (800) AFS-INFO x 2161 or email cbyx@afsusa.org for more information.
For the application deadline and contact information for all other regions, visit www.usagermanyscholarship.org
Approximately 600 scholarships are available for the 2015-16 academic year for American high school students to study language through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program. NSLI-Y is funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program seeks to increase Americans’ capacity to engage with native speakers of critical languages by providing formal and informal language learning through a study abroad experience, which includes language classes and living in a local community abroad, often with a host family.
Scholarships to participate in summer or academic year programs are available for the study of Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian, and Turkish. The merit-based scholarships cover domestic and international travel, tuition and related academic expenses, daily language classes, supporting cultural activities, room and board, and secondary health benefits for travel abroad.
Launched in 2006, the goal of NSLI-Y is to increase the number of young Americans with the language skills necessary to advance international dialogue and increase understanding between cultures. Alumni of NSLI-Y can become leaders in a variety of international fields in the private, academic or government sector. NSLI-Y is administered by American Councils for International Education, in cooperation with AFS-USA, iEARN, American Cultural Exchange Service (ACES), AMIDEAST, Legacy International, Russian American Foundation (RAF), and University of Delaware.
To be eligible for 2015-16 program scholarships, applicants must be:
• U.S. citizens
• High school students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher at time of application
• 15 – 18 years of age at the start of the program
• Additional detailed eligibility criteria can be found at www.nsliforyouth.org
For more information about the NSLI-Y program or to apply, visit www.nsliforyouth.org
The application deadline is October 30, 2014.