Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Scholarships 2022-2023: Submit Application

Youth Exchange and Study YES Scholarships program for the 2022-2023 batch is accepting online applications for international students.

YES scholarship is a golden opportunity to avail for studying for one academic year with full tuition fee coverage in the United States.

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 YES program is administered in partnership with the U.S. Department of State by a consortium of non-profit organizations led by the American Councils for International Education.

YES Scholarships Program Coverage

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.

Some costs that you can expect to incur from participation in the program include costs associated with obtaining a passport, required medical examinations and immunizations, and extra pocket money while on the program.

YES Scholarships Program Eligibility Criteria:

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 15-17 by the start of the program (August 1, 2022)
Be enrolled in high school at the time of application in their respective home country.
Have earned minimum marks of 60% in all major/core subjects (English, Mathematics, Sciences) in the last class attended without any failing grades, and have an overall minimum average mark of 60% for the past three years. (Students with a gap year or a repeated year are ineligible.)
Be able to communicate in English. Applicants must have earned a minimum mark of 60% on the last English exam and minimum marks of 60% for the previous two years
Meet U.S. J-1 visa eligibility requirements (for instance, U.S. citizens are not eligible for J-1 visa);
Must be an international citizen.
Must not have traveled to the United States.

Note: Applicants must earn minimum marks of 60% in all subjects on the examination (the annual exams that will be held in 2022) that will be held prior to departure to the U.S. Students will be required to send their mark sheets from the last examination.

Students with Disabilities:

The program can support students with disabilities and encourages their participation. The Department of State and the YES program work with Mobility International (MIUSA) to provide students with disabilities leadership-building workshops, appropriate information, and support as needed to enhance their year in America.

Students with disabilities must also meet the above eligibility requirements. Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to contact their YES office for information on eligibility.

Eligible Countries to apply for YES Program Scholarships:

The program currently accept students from the following countries:

YES Program Scholarships Documents Requirement:

Candidates must provide the following set of documents at the time of applying for the YES Scholarships Program

Online Application Form completed by the applicant.
Terms and Conditions Form signed by the applicant and all parents/legal guardians.
Parent/legal guardian statement
Grade Transcripts: uploaded in PDF form
Letter of Motivation to explain the intent of applying to the YES program.
Statement of purpose (SOP)

Scholarship Application Resume
A copy of a valid passport for at least one year
Recommendation letters from two professors of the previous institute.
English Proficiency Exam

YES Scholarships Program Application Process:

STEP-1 Preliminary Application

Students who fulfill the Selection Criteria and agree to the Parent-Student Agreement and General Program Rules can apply for the scholarship. Female students, students with physical disabilities, and students from non-elite and government schools who meet the criteria are strongly encouraged to apply.
Students who are eligible according to the Selection Criteria, but whose schools are not interested in participating in the YES program, can apply independently. They can download the Preliminary Applications from the website and submit them with all of the required documents via courier or mail. Please do not send any original documents. Any documents submitted are not returned. Only send the photocopies of the documents mentioned in the Preliminary Application.
All participating schools/organizations must collect fully completed Preliminary Applications with all required documents from students and submit the applications and required documents to the iEARN Center in their home countries.

STEP-2 Entry Test

After the initial Preliminary Application screening, short-listed applicants will be notified for the YES Entry Test (proctored essays) through letters sent to the address they provided in their Preliminary Applications.

STEP-3 Interviews

Students who pass the Entry Test will be sent/couriered Interview letters with YES Final Applications.
Students will be required to complete the YES Final Application and attend the Interviews. (Students must come with completed YES Final Application along with required documents.)

STEP-4 ELTiS

Students who get through the interview will be required to take the English Language Proficiency Test.

STEP-5 Final Evaluation

The final selection of students will be based on the following: Entry Test, Interview, neatly completed YES Final Application with all required documents, and ELTiS test score.
The finalists will be notified by a letter and Scholarship Acceptance form from the YES Program Director.

Keep checking the announcement section of the YES Pakistan website or Facebook page for updates and information.

Important Note: Providing any false/forged documents or information or any discrepancy found at any stage of the selection process will result in the disqualification of the applicant.