Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program
Through the U.S. Department of State’s Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, high school students from countries of strategic importance around the world live and study for an academic year in the United States. YES students serve as “youth ambassadors” of their home country 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; they also help educate Americans about their home country and culture. Applicants compete for the YES program through a rigorous, merit-based selection process. The YES program was established by Congress in October 2002. 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.
In-country non-profit exchange organizations, led by American Councils for International Education, recruit and select YES participants and coordinate alumni activities. Non-profit exchange organizations place and support the YES students in the United States.