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The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Scholarship Program

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Call for Applications

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Scholarship Program 2025/2026 for high school students (Fully Funded to the United States)

by OFA
written by OFA

Application Deadline: December 15, 2024.

Applications are now open for the 2025/2026 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Scholarship Program. High school students from countries with significant Muslim populations live and study for an academic year in the United States through the U.S. Department of State’s Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program. YES students serve as “youth ambassadors” of their home country, promoting mutual understanding by forming lasting relationships with their host families and communities. Participants live with a host family, attend an American high school, acquire leadership skills, and engage in activities to learn about U.S. society and values; they also help educate Americans about their home country and culture.

The program officially launched in Nigeria in 2003 in hopes to expand communication between the people of the United States and Nigeria in order to promote mutual understanding and respect. Since then, over 402 Nigerian students have completed the YES program and now participate as alumni.

Eligibility Requirements

In keeping with the U.S. Government-sponsored initiatives, dedicated to democratic reform, the competition for the Youth Exchange and Study scholarship is merit-based and open at no cost to all applicants who meet the following requirements:

  • Be between the ages of 15-18 by the start of program (August 15, 2025);
  • Must be enrolled in a secondary school in Adamawa, Bauchi, Katsina, or Taraba states;
  • Must have completed JS3 class by August 2025;
  • Have the equivalent of a B average or better without failing grades;
  • Not have spent a total of more than 90 days in the U.S. in the last five years;
  • Meet U.S. J-1 visa eligibility requirements (for instance, U.S. citizens are not eligible for J-1 visa);
  • Be a resident and citizen of Nigeria.

Notice on Secondary School Completion
Applicants who have completed or graduated from any secondary school before the start of the 2025-26 program year are not eligible for a YES scholarship. This applies to all program countries.

Application and Selection Criteria

There are multiple rounds to the YES application and selection process. All applicants are required to take an English proficiency exam, write a proctored essay, complete a YES program application, and participate in group and individual in-person interviews. All finalists are selected on the basis of merit.

See below for country specific application and selection guidelines.

There are multiple rounds to the YES selection process, the first of which is a pre-selection exam. The pre-selection exam, a Math and English test, serves as a screening tool as only candidates who score well on the test are invited to fill out the official YES application. For the 2025-2026 program year, the pre-selection exam will take place in November and we will be recruiting finalists and alternates in Gombe, Katsina, Kebbi, and Taraba states. Students who are interested in taking the pre-selection exam and who meet the eligibility requirements listed above should email IRIS Country Director, Dr. Saidu Yakubu at [email protected] for specific dates and testing sites.

All YES finalists complete a YES program application, take an English proficiency exam, write a proctored essay, and participate in a group activity and individual in-person interviews.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Scholarship Program

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Youth-Exchange-and-Study
ScholarshipsUndergraduate

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Scholarship Program 2022/2023 for high school students (Fully Funded to the United States)

by OFA
written by OFA

Application Deadline: November 15th, 2021

Through the U.S. Department of State’s Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, high school students from countries with significant Muslim populations live and study for an academic year in the United States.  YES students serve as “youth ambassadors” of their home country, promoting mutual understanding by forming lasting relationships with their host families and communities.  Participants live with a host family, attend an American high school, acquire leadership skills, and engage in activities to learn about U.S. society and values; they also help educate Americans about their home country and culture. 

Applicants compete for YES scholarships through a rigorous, merit-based selection process.  While on program, participants live with American host families, attend high school, and engage in community service and civic education activities.  The YES program was established by Congress in October 2002 in response to the events of September 11, 2001.

The YES Abroad program was established in 2009 to provide a similar experience for U.S. students (15-18.5 years) to spend an academic year in select YES countries.

ELIGIBILITY

  • Be between the ages of 15 and 17 (be born between August 15, 2005 and August 15, 2007) by the start of program (August 15, 2022);
  • Be enrolled in a secondary school at the time of application;
  • Be entering 10th or 11th grade in Fall 2021;
  • Have the equivalent of a B average or better without failing grades and have a record of high academic achievement;
  • Demonstrate flexibility and commitment to promoting cross-cultural understanding;
  • Meet a minimum English proficiency requirement;
  • Not be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and was not born in the U.S.
  • Be a citizen of eligible country
  • Meet U.S. J-1 visa eligibility requirements (for instance, U.S. citizens are not eligible for J-1 visa).

The program currently accept students from the following countries:

Albania | Bahrain | Bangladesh | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bulgaria | Cameroon | Egypt | Gaza | Ghana | India | Indonesia | Israel (Arab Communities) | Jordan | Kenya | Kosovo | Kuwait | Lebanon | Liberia | Libya | Malaysia | Mali | Morocco | Mozambique | Nigeria |  North Macedonia | Pakistan | Philippines | Saudi Arabia | Senegal | Sierra Leone | South Africa | Suriname | Tanzania | Thailand | Tunisia | Turkey | West Bank.

Benefits


The YES scholarship covers costs related to:
  • round-trip airfare from your home country to the United States;
  • the cost of a Pre-Departure Orientation;
  • placement with a U.S. host family for 10 to 11 months;
  • a modest monthly stipend;
  • health insurance; and
  • the cost of program activities and materials.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Scholarship Program 2022/2023

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Youth-Exchange-and-Study
Scholarships

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Scholarship Program 2021/2022 for International Students (Fully Funded to United States)

by OFA
written by OFA

Application Deadline: Varying by Country

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, provides scholarships for secondary school students from countries with significant Muslim populations to spend one academic year in the United States.

Eligibility

In keeping with the U.S. Government-sponsored initiatives, dedicated to democratic reform, the competition for the Youth Exchange and Study scholarship is merit-based and open at no cost to all applicants who meet the following requirements:

  • Be between the ages of 15-18.5 by the start of program (August 1, 2021);
  • Must be enrolled in a secondary school in one of the participating states;
  • Must have completed SS1 class by August 2020;
  • Have the equivalent of a B average or better without failing grades;
  • Meet U.S. J-1 visa eligibility requirements (for instance, U.S. citizens are not eligible for J-1 visa);
  • From eligible country

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs (ECA) to provide scholarships for high school students from countries with significant Muslim populations to study for one academic year in the United States. YES students serve as “youth ambassadors” of their home country, promoting mutual understanding by forming lasting relationships with their host families and communities. Participants live with a host family, attend an American high school, acquire leadership skills, and engage in activities to learn about U.S. society and values; they also help educate Americans about their home country and culture.

Benefits

  • Round-trip airfare from your home country to the United States.
  • The cost of a Pre-Departure Orientation.
  • Placement with a U.S. host family for 10 to 11 months.
  • A modest monthly stipend.
  • Health insurance.
  • The cost of program activities and materials

Application and Selection

There are multiple rounds to the YES application and selection process. All applicants are required to take an English proficiency exam, write a proctored essay, complete a YES program application, and participate in group and individual in-person interviews. All finalists are selected on the basis of merit.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Scholarship Program 2021/2022

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