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

Nov. 26, 2012 - PRLog -- Sixty-five full scholarships are available for U.S. students to study abroad for a semester or an academic year with the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad program.  Initially created as a program for international high school students to live and study in the United States, the YES program was expanded to include YES Abroad for American high school students to serve as “youth ambassadors” in their host countries, promoting mutual understanding by forming lasting relationships with their host families and friends.  

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the YES Abroad program is a component of the Kennedy-Lugar YES program, an exchange program that brings almost 900 high school students from approximately 40 countries with significant Muslim populations to the United States to live with American host families, attend high school, participate in leadership and community service activities, and educate Americans about their countries and cultures.

For the 2013-14 academic year, full scholarships are available through YES Abroad to live with host families and study for up to one academic year in countries that may include: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, Oman, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, and Turkey. The merit-based scholarship covers the following program costs for participants: 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 coverage.  

First authorized by the U.S. Congress in the aftermath of September 11th, the YES program seeks to increase communication and understanding between the United States and countries with significant Muslim populations. YES Abroad is administered by a consortium of non-profit organizations, including American Councils on International Education, AFS-USA, AMIDEAST, and iEARN-USA

To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must be U.S. citizens ages15-18 years at the time of application.

For more information on the YES Abroad program and to access the application, visit http://www.yesprograms.org/yesabroad. The deadline for applying is January 10, 2013.