U.S. Department of State Scholarships for American High School Students to Study Abroad

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) is currently recruiting U.S. citizen candidates for various ECA-sponsored high school exchange programs.  Information about applications and deadlines follows.  Children of State Department employees, with the exception of those working for ECA’s Youth Programs Division, are eligible to apply. 

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad Program offers scholarships to American high school students to spend the 2014-15 academic year in countries that may include Bosnia & Herzegovina, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mali (semester), Morocco, Oman, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, and Turkey. This post 9/11 program focuses on increasing understanding between people in the United States and countries with significant Muslim populations.  Applications are due January 9, 2014. Visit www.yes-abroad.org for more information. 

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program (CBYX) was established in 1983 to celebrate German-American friendship based on common values of democracy.  Secondary school students, ages 15-18, live with host families, attend local schools, and participate in community life in Germany.  Young professionals (undergraduates) and high school graduates of vocational studies, ages 18-24, study and participate in practical training.  Scholarships are now available for academic year 2014-15.  For more information and application deadlines, visit http://www.usagermanyscholarship.org/.

The American Youth Leadership Program offers opportunities for American high students and educators to travel abroad on a three- to four-week-long exchange program to gain first-hand knowledge of foreign cultures and to collaborate on solving global issues.   Several different organizations implement this program, and each has organized an academic and experiential educational exchange focused on dialogue and debate, leadership development, and community service. Recruitment areas and application deadlines vary and can be found at http://exchanges.state.gov/us/program/youth-leadership-programs.