Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Programs 2023: Study for free in USA
American YES Scholarships 2023 Online Application Submission
The online applications for the fully-funded Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Programs Scholarships 2023-2024 will soon be open for acceptance in 2023. So this is high time to prepare the required documents ahead of time for US-YES Scholarships.
The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program is an initiative of the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. This YES Scholarship program is for students who live in countries with a large Muslim population. Via this program, high school students from Muslim majority countries can go to the USA and can spend a whole academic year there. Selected students will be considered as ‘Youth Ambassadors’ representing their home countries.
Ambassadors get a chance to build a lasting relationship with their host families and the student community in the USA which ultimately would promote mutual understanding and friendship between the partner countries. Participants of this program will be living with an American host family and will be attending an American high school. The YES Scholarship winners will gain leadership skills and learn about the US society, culture, and values.
Applicants of YES Scholarships will get a chance to educate American students about their home countries. Applicants get selected after passing through an exhaustive and merit-based process for selection. This YES Scholarship program was initiated in the October of 2001 in order to contain the negative aftereffects of the September 11, 2001 events.
List of Countries Eligible for the YES Scholarship Program 2023:
Following is the list of all countries where US YES Scholarships are offered:
| Albania | Kuwait | Sierra Leone | Senegal | Malaysia |
| Bahrain | Kosovo | South Africa | Saudi Arabia | Mali |
| Gaza | Kenya | Suriname | Philippines | Morocco |
| Egypt | Jordan | West Bank | Pakistan | Mozambique |
| Cameroon | Israel | Turkey | North Macedonia | Nigeria |
| Bulgaria | Indonesia | Tunisia | Lebanon | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | India | Thailand | Liberia | |
| Bangladesh | Ghana | Tanzania | Libya |
Funding Coverage Allowances of YES Scholarships Program 2023:
The winners of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Programs Scholarships will be entitled to receive the following coverage plan:
- Students will get to stay and study in America for a full academic year.
- Their tuition fee will be supported by this scholarship program
- They will be entitled to a monthly stipend of 125 USD.
- They will be reimbursed for the visa processing fee of the USA.
- The boarding fee will be paid and covered.
- They with getting reimbursement for domestic and international flight tickets.
- Medical insurance will be provided to all the selected applicants.
- Students will be staying with an American foster family free of charge. The families are responsible and trusted by the management of YES.
Eligibility Criteria to Apply for YES Program:
Youth Exchange and Study Scholarships are offered purely on the basis of merit. Applicants fulfilling the following criteria are eligible to apply:
- Applicants must have been born between 1st August 2006 to 1st August 2009. They must be between the ages of 15 to 18 at the time of commencement of studies in the USA.
- They must be studying in 8th, 9th, 10th, or 11th standard at the time of application.
- In terms of academic performance, candidates must be in the top 15% of their class.
- They must possess an average of grade B or even better.
- They must be citizens of the USA. They should not be holding dual nationality with one of them being of the USA. Furthermore, they must be fitting into the profile required for issuing a J-1 US visa.
- They must be citizens of one of the eligible partner countries. They must be residing in their home countries at the time of application and selection. Candidates must have spent at least 50% of the last five years of their lives in their home countries and should be committed to returning to their home country once the YES scholars program comes to an end.
- Applicants must possess a valid passport, birth certificate, and clearance for independent travel. (This clearance is only required for minors).
US-YES Scholars Program Process of Application Apply:
The online application form for the USA Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Programs Scholarships will be available soon which you can access and start creating your online application and follow these steps to complete your application:
- Apply online by going on to the official website of the YES scholars program and clicking the ‘Apply’ option.
- Fill in the preliminary form and upload and submit all the required documents.
- You have to submit a parent/student agreement as part of the application. This agreement is sort of a consent letter that the parents write and sign giving their consent regarding sending their kid/s to the United States of America.
- Give an active email address as you will be contacted through an email in the event you get short-listed for an interview.
- You have to submit in the record all special and non-special immunization that is required by the scholarship.
- You have to assure the scholarship committee that you will maintain at least a B Grade while studying in America.
Documents Required to Apply for US YES Program:
The following set of documents will be required to apply for the fully-funded Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Programs in 2023:
- A completed application form (applications with incomplete or false information lead to disqualification in the very first stage).
- Recent ID-sized photographs of the applicant. The photographs must be on white background.
- Consent form or certification issued by a parent or legal guardian of the applicant.
- Photocopy of the original birth certificate.
- A motivation letter, statement of purpose (SOP), research proposal, study plan, or CV may also be required.
- The high school record of the applicant (like transcripts)
- Photocopy of NIC card or passport.
Deadline for Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Programs in 2023:
The application deadline for the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Programs will be October 22, 2023. The program is due to start in the August of 2023. The YES program will end in June 2023.
The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program will last for 10 months which is a full academic high school year in the USA.
