Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
The FLEX Global Program 2027-28 is a fully funded exchange for high school students. It pays for your round-trip flights to the United States, a monthly allowance, medical insurance and a full school year living with an American host family while you attend a U.S. high school.
FLEX Global is funded by the U.S. Department of State and run by American Councils for International Education with AFS, Amideast and iEARN. It is open to secondary school students from 31 countries, including Egypt, Kenya, Morocco and Tunisia. There is no fee to apply.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Host country | United States |
| Sponsor | U.S. Department of State, run by American Councils with AFS, Amideast and iEARN |
| Duration | One academic year (August to May or June) |
| Study level | High school (secondary school) students |
| Funding | Fully funded: flights, monthly allowance, host family, school place, medical insurance |
| Who can apply | Secondary school students from 31 countries, including Egypt, Kenya, Morocco and Tunisia |
| Application fee | None |
| Deadline | Set by each country office (recruitment open now) |
What is the FLEX Global Program?
FLEX Global sends high school students from selected countries to the United States for one academic year. You live with a screened volunteer host family, go to a local high school and take part in community life. You also join leadership activities focused on business, technology and entrepreneurship.
The program builds on two long-running U.S. exchanges: the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX), which ran for more than 30 years, and the Kennedy-Lugar YES program. Students arrive in the U.S. in August and return home the following May or June.
What you get
- Round-trip travel from your home to the United States and back
- A monthly allowance for personal supplies and social activities
- A place with a screened U.S. host family for the full school year
- Enrollment in a U.S. high school
- Orientation before you leave and preparation for your return
- Community activities arranged in your U.S. town
- Medical insurance (pre-existing conditions and dental care are not covered)
The program does not pay for your passport, excess baggage, internet or phone data, or personal spending beyond the monthly allowance.
Eligible countries for 2027-28
Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
If your country is not on this list, we post exchange programs and summer camps open to every nationality each week. Our exchange programs page has the latest ones.
Who can apply
- A citizen of one of the 31 countries above, able to get a passport from the country where you apply
- Enrolled in and attending secondary school in that country when you apply
- In the right grade and birthdate range for your country (see below)
- In good academic standing
- Has studied English and can show English ability at the time of application
- Meets U.S. visa requirements
Students whose family members have applied to emigrate, plan to emigrate or have already emigrated to the United States are not eligible. You can apply only once in each recruitment cycle.
Is there an age limit?
Yes, and it depends on your country. Most countries accept students born between early 2010 and mid-2012, which means most applicants are around 14 to 16 years old. A few examples from the official brochure:
- Egypt: 3rd preparatory, or 1st or 2nd year of secondary, born 15 Aug 2010 to 15 Aug 2012
- Kenya: grades 8 to 11, born 15 Jan 2010 to 15 Aug 2012
- Morocco: grades 10 or 11, born 15 Aug 2010 to 15 Aug 2012
- Tunisia: grades 10 or 11 (or Troisième or Seconde in French-system schools), born 15 Aug 2010 to 15 Aug 2012
- Pakistan: grades 9 or 10, or O levels, born 15 Aug 2010 to 15 Aug 2012
Check the full table for your country in the FLEX Global brochure on the official website. In almost every country, students who have already finished secondary school cannot take part.
Do I need IELTS or TOEFL?
No. FLEX Global runs its own English test as part of selection. It is not a language program, and you do not need perfect English. The organisers say students are chosen mainly for their ability to adapt and do well in a new home and school, with English as one factor among several.
Can I apply with average grades?
You need to be in good academic standing at your school. Top grades are not the main thing selectors look for. They want students who can settle into a new family, make friends and represent their country well.
Is there an application fee?
No. FLEX Global is free to apply and free to take part in. The official website also says there is no paid version of the program, so be careful of anyone who asks you for money to get in.
Can I choose where I live in the U.S.?
No. Students are placed across the United States, mostly in suburbs, small towns and rural communities. You cannot pick your city, state or school.
Required documents
- The complete FLEX Global application, started online or through your country office
- Your results from the English test and proctored essays
- An international passport, or the ability to get one from the country where you apply
- A medical fitness evaluation, if you become a finalist
How to write your FLEX Global essays
Selection includes proctored essays, written in a supervised test session. You can’t write them at home and polish them for weeks, so practise now.
- Practise writing short answers in English by hand, in 20 to 30 minutes.
- Write about real moments: a time you helped someone, solved a problem, or felt like an outsider and found your place.
- Show that you’re curious about other people. Host families want a student who asks questions and joins in.
- Be yourself. The official FAQ says plainly that your success depends on the real you, and that paid coaching services have no proven effect.
How to apply, step by step
- Open the Apply to FLEX Global page on the official website.
- Find your country. Students in Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan can start an online application.
- Students in Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Thailand, Tunisia and Türkiye contact their FLEX Global country office to start.
- Check your grade and birthdate range in the brochure.
- Take the English test and essays, then the interview if you move forward.
- Complete the full application if you are invited.
Selection process
Students compete through English testing, proctored essays, interviews with FLEX Global staff and a complete application. Final selection is made in the United States. Finalists must pass a medical check and hear their result in the spring. Selected students attend an orientation at home in June or July, travel in August and return home in May or June on their assigned date.
Deadline
Deadline: set by each country office. Recruitment for 2027-28 is open now.
Each country runs its own testing dates, so contact your country office early to get the date for your first test round. Results come out in the spring of 2027.
Have a question?
Ask in the comments and we’ll help you find your country’s office.
Related reading
- Community Engagement Exchange Program 2027 in the USA (Fully Funded)
- HSC Youth Ambassador Program 2027 in Germany (Fully Funded)
- Japan Youth Summit 2027 in Osaka, Japan (Fully Funded Program Fee)
- Global Debate Championship 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Fully Funded Seats)
- LPI Summer Intern Program 2027 in Houston, USA (Fully Funded)
Follow us so you never miss an opportunity
We post new exchange programs, scholarships and summer camps every day. Join our WhatsApp channel or follow us on TikTok so the next one reaches you first.
Apply now
