For teenagers who thought studying in the United States required university admission and a five-figure tuition bill, the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program 2027 offers a very different route.

Selected secondary-school students from more than 35 countries and communities will spend the Spring 2027 semester, from January to June, living with an American host family and attending a U.S. high school under a U.S. Department of State-funded exchange programme.

The YES program under Kennedy Lugar YoUth Exchange and Study program is not restricted to just one country. Students across parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe can participate, although every country has its own age, grade and application rules.

Extract of YES 2027 Scholarships Quick info Box

Which Countries Can Apply for YES Scholarship of USA?

The official YES programme currently lists the following participating countries and communities:

What Does the US Yes Scholarship Actually Cover in 2027?

YES program exchange scholarship generally includes:

• Round-trip international airfare to the United States;
• Pre-departure orientation;
• placement with a screened American host family;
• Attendance at a local U.S. high school;
• Amodest monthly stipend;
• Accident and sickness medical coverage; and
• programme activities and materials.

Families normally remain responsible for costs such as the student’s passport, required medical examinations or vaccinations, and additional personal spending money.

What Is the Age Requirement for YES 2027?

The YES Program does not use one identical age range for every participating country. For the Spring 2027 intake, most participating countries recruit secondary-school students who are roughly 15 to 17 years old at the start of the exchange, but the exact permitted date-of-birth window is set separately for each country.

Students must also still be enrolled in secondary/high school when applying and must not have completed or graduated from secondary school before the U.S. exchange begins.

Because birth-date cut-offs and eligible school grades vary by country, applicants should select their country on the official YES website and check the 2027 eligibility section before applying.

Practical rule: If you are a high-school student around 15–17 years old, check your country’s YES page—you may fall within the eligible range, but your official birth-date cut-off determines whether you can actually apply.

How to Apply for YES 2027 Exchange US Scholarship?

The practical application route is:

1. Find your country on the official YES website.
2. Read the local 2027 age, school-grade, citizenship and residency requirements.
3. Use the application route provided by the YES office or recruitment organisation in your country.
4. Complete the initial application and provide academic information.
5. Shortlisted applicants normally proceed through an English-language assessment.
6. Candidates may also complete a proctored essay and full YES application.
7. Attend the required interview or selection activities.
8. Finalists complete medical, visa and pre-departure requirements before travelling to the United States.

Selection is competitive and merit-based rather than first-come, first-served.

Country Application Pages Students Should Use

Some of the largest applicant markets can start here:

Spring 2027 YES Program Application Deadlines

The Kennedy-Lugar YES Spring 2027 intake is recruiting in nine countries, and deadlines are set locally rather than through one worldwide closing date.

Applicants from countries where the exact September closing date has not yet been published should follow their official national YES recruitment office rather than assuming the September 15 deadline applies to them.