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About the Program

Eligibility

The Application

Who to Contact

Post-Secondary Programs

Alumni
"The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program is one of the essential elements of the US-Germany bond by strengthening the deep ties of friendship and understanding between our two peoples. For the young people who participate, it offers an extraordinary opportunity to learn about the world, gain a deeper understanding of people and issues, build lifelong skills and expand their horizons."

- US Senator Richard Lugar
 

Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program
Full Scholarship to Study Abroad in Germany
Application deadline December 16, 2006
*Some organizations have extended their application deadline. Please contact the appropriate organization listed below to determine if the deadline extension is applicable. Thank you.
About the Program
A Year of Discovery and Learning
The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program has been helping prepare ambitious young people like you for a global future since 1983. This unique program provides 250 full scholarships for American high school students to live with a host family and attend school in Germany for a year. As a Congress-Bundestag student, you'll gain real world views of current affairs and German social, political and economic life. Whether or not you've studied German before, your language skills will soar, giving you the lifelong asset of fluency in a second language.
As a Congress-Bundestag scholarship winner you will experience German life firsthand. You'll live with a carefully-selected host family who has volunteered to open their home and heart to you, providing room, board and a caring environment. As a member of your host community, you'll attend school, participate in community life, culture and recreation all the while learning more than you ever imagined about another country and culture, about the world and its diversity and about yourself.
An Adventure That Makes a World of Difference
Living abroad, you'll be immersed in a new culture and new surroundings every day. Your new friends and host family will help you adjust to a new lifestyle, a new school and a new community. With the support of your host family, you will have an unequaled opportunity to develop new interests and let your curiosity take you in new directions. You'll discover a new independence and build your self-confidence and self-reliance as you learn to find your way in a new environment.

Pariser Platz, Berlin
Go For It!
It is an honor to be selected to represent the United States in Germany. It means you have the maturity and interest to immerse yourself in all that a new school and culture can offer to your career and life choices. Finalists are selected based on many criteria. German language skills are not a requirement. Academic merit is a factor, as are ?exibility, curiosity, and desire to make a difference. The objective of the program is to offer this unique opportunity to the students whom best represent the diversity of the United States. This program stresses equality and accessibility. Minority students and students with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
"I can't say enough good things about Germany, being an exchange student and everything I've experienced this year. I am so much more open-minded and flexible and willing to enjoy an adventure."

- Sally Deck		 Language training upon arrival
Eligibility
To be eligible you must:
  • Be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident
  • Have a GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale
  • Be between 15 and 18 years of age at the start of the program
    • .
Only those students who meet the basic eligibility requirements will be considered. Applicants from all racial, economic, ethnic, religious, and social backgrounds are encouraged to apply, as are students with disabilities. Applications will be evaluated based on:
  • Evidence of the personal qualities essential for adjustment to another culture, such as flexibility, curiosity, open-mindedness, sense of humor and a desire to be challenged
  • Written and oral communication skills
  • Motivation for a cross-cultural experience
The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program is jointly funded by the German Bundestag and the U.S. Congress, through the U.S. Department of State.
The Application
There are two ways to obtain the application to the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program. If you're ready to apply, do it soon - the deadline is December 16.
  • Download the Congress-Bundestag Program Application.

    • Get Adobe Acrobat Reader You can download the application, fill it out and mail it to the International Exchange Organization recruiting in your state (see map below). To do this, you'll need to use Adobe's Acrobat Reader software. Get it free by clicking on the Get Acrobat Reader box. Then come back to this page.

    If you already have the Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, you can open the Congress-Bundestag Program Application now. You can type your answers directly into the application.

  • Method 2: Contact the International Exchange Organization that is recruiting in your state.

    Refer to the map below to determine which organization is recruiting in your state. Contact information is listed below the map, with exchange organization names color-coded to their area on the map.
Post Secondary Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Opportunities
In addition to the 280 scholarships offered to high school students for an academic homestay program, there are two other components of the Congress-Bundestag Program offering scholarships. Each requires a separate application process.
Program for Young Professionals (ages 18 to 24):
CDS International
871 United Nations Plaza, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10017-1814
Tel.: (212) 497-3500
Fax: (212) 497-3535
E-mail: info@cdsintl.org
http://www.cdsintl.org/cbyx/index.htm
CDS Deadline – December 1
Program for Vocational High School Students:
Nacel Open Door
1536 Hewitt Avenue, Box 268
St. Paul, MN 55104
Tel: 800.NACELLE (800.622.3553)
E-Mail: info@nacelopendoor.org
http://www.nacelopendoor.org
Nacel Deadline - January 31
Kaffee at a Dresden Cafe Want to make a difference in this global village? To do it you'll need a global perspective, cross-cultural savvy and world-class skills. There are great opportunities out there for young people prepared to take their place in the world.

Are you one of them?
For more information about Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange opportunities please visit: http://exchanges.state.gov/education/citizens/students/europe/german.htm
 
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