Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program
APPLICATION STATUS: CLOSED
Introduction
The U.S. Department of State’s Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program provides high school students the opportunity to spend an academic year as an exchange student in the United States, attending high school and living with an American host family.
Students are enrolled for a full academic year at various high schools in the United States, attending classes and participating in extracurricular activities with their American classmates. YES students also participate in special enrichment activities, including community service, youth leadership training, and other activities that help them learn more about American culture. In addition, students serve as “cultural ambassadors” in their host communities, sharing their rich and vibrant culture and educating Americans about Pakistan.
The U.S. Department of State collaborates with American Councils for International Education and their partner in-country non-profit organizations to implement the YES Program each year, with participating students coming from 37 different countries at present. In Pakistan, the YES program is implemented in partnership with Society for International Education and iEARN-Pakistan.
Since 2003, the YES Program has provided scholarships to over 1,500 high school students from all over Pakistan.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- Be
between the ages of 15-17 by the start of the program (August 15, 2025).
- Be enrolled in a secondary school in Pakistan and be in 9th or 10th grade or 'O' Levels at the time of application. (Note for O’ Level Students: Only O’ Level 9th grade or O’ Level 10th grade students are eligible to apply. O’ Level 11th graders are not eligible.)
- Have a cumulative grade point average of 60% or more. Must have a minimum grade point average of 60% in all major/core subjects (English, Mathematics, Sciences) and no failing grades in the past three years (2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 academic years).
- Students
with a gap year or a repeated year are ineligible.
- Be
able to communicate in English.
- Meet
U.S. J-1 visa eligibility requirements (for instance, U.S. citizens are not
eligible for J-1 visa)
- Be a citizen of Pakistan and reside in Pakistan. Dual nationals of any country will NOT be considered for the program.
- The
student must not have traveled to the United States.
- Siblings
and children of YES Program alumni are not eligible to participate in the
program.
- Siblings and children of Society for
International Education and iEARN Pakistan project staff are not eligible to
participate in the program.
In
addition to the above requirements, students who also meet the following
criteria are more likely to be shortlisted for the final round of selection:
- The
applicant can represent and demonstrate Pakistani culture and values at American schools and
communities.
- The applicant demonstrates maturity, flexibility,
adaptability, good character, and scholastic aptitude.
- The
applicant is willing to participate in the host family’s daily life.
- The applicant has a record of all necessary
immunizations, as outlined in the YES Program application, before arriving in
the United States.
- The
applicant demonstrates flexibility and a commitment to promoting cross-cultural
understanding.
- The
applicant agrees to attend classes as a full-time student and maintain at least
a ‘B’
grade average.
- The applicant agrees to abide by the 'YES Program Student
Rules' as outlined in the YES Program application and all other rules and
policies during the program.
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APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS
Students who fulfill the Selection Criteria and agree to the YES Program Parent/Student Agreement and Policies can apply for the scholarship. (Visit the YES Pakistan website www.yesprogram.pk to find these documents.) Students can download the YES Program application from the website, print out the application, fill it out, and courier it with all required documents to the SIE office. Hand-delivered applications will not be accepted. Instructions and guidelines for filling out the application are available on the website. Students from underserved communities and/or with diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
After the initial application review, shortlisted applicants will be invited for an online interview. Students who are shortlisted for online interviews will be notified through the e-mail used to register for the YES Program application. Students who are shortlisted after the online interview will be required to submit Form M (Medical Form) along with the required documents before the next step. Form M will be sent to the shortlisted students via e-mail.
After the online interview, students who qualify will be required to appear in-person for a proctored essay-writing exercise, group activities, and an in-person interview. Information about the venue and date will be communicated with the students through their registered e-mail.
Note: The students who fail to submit Form M (Medical Form) along with the required documents by the deadline will not be eligible for the third step.
After the in-person interview, qualifying students will be required to take the English language proficiency test (ELTiS).
The final selection of students will be based on their complete YES Program application, including all required documents, the online interview, the group activity, the in-person interview, and their ELTiS score. The semi-finalists will be notified by a letter from the YES Pakistan Program Director.
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.
PARENT STUDENT AGREEMENT
Carefully review this important information with your parents.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
program application:
The YES Program covers all major costs including airfare, U.S. visa fee, boarding and lodging in the United States, school tuition, and a $200 USD monthly stipend.
The age requirement is not flexible. The student must be at least 15 years old and no older than 17 years old on August 15, 2025 (the year of travel to the United States).
Students are highly discouraged from applying unless they are seriously interested in participating in the program from the very beginning and have the full support and permission of their family.
Applicants with previous travel to the United States are not eligible for the program.
Only Pakistan nationals who study and reside in Pakistan are eligible to apply for the program. Students with dual nationality are NOT eligible for the program.
Immunization records are very important and required from every student to participate in the program. In addition to the common immunization requirements in Pakistan, special vaccinations may be needed, depending on the host state’s requirements. Students also need to clear the TB skin test to attend the program.
host families:
All YES exchange students are placed with American host families for one academic year and attend an American high school. A consortium of reputable U.S.-based student exchange organizations that are approved by the U.S. Department of State make the placements.
Host families welcome the exchange students into their homes. They provide room, board and overall support and share their everyday lives and culture with the student. The families are carefully chosen and committed to making the exchange experience memorable for the student by organizing activities and events and including the student in all aspects of their lives.
Host families represent the diversity of the United States and are from varied ethnic, religious, linguistic, and socio-economic backgrounds. Students should be prepared to be placed with host families from diverse cultural backgrounds.
American Councils and other placement organizations make every effort to place students with families that will complement the student’s personalities and interests.
The student will be a member of the host family. Students develop many relationships during the ten months on the YES Program; however, the relationship with the host family is at the heart of the cultural exchange and will likely to be the most important of the year. YES students need to possess a strong desire to be part of an American family and a willingness to accept responsibilities in their new home. These responsibilities will include (for both boys and girls) helping with household chores, keeping one's room clean, and abiding by all the host family rules, even if they differ from their Pakistani family's rules. YES students who expect to be treated like guests or given special consideration in their American families are unlikely to succeed in the program. General program policies and rules can be found on the website www.yesprogram.pk
Students are not allowed to be hosted by their relatives in the United States, and they cannot request to be placed with relatives. Interference from relatives in the United States can affect the student’s adjustment negatively.
A student cannot ask the Society for International Education (SIE) or the placement organizations to be placed with a Muslim or Pakistani family. The SIE office does not interfere in the placement of any student.
Students are safe with their host families. Host families undergo strict background checks.
SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS ISSUES:
YES students can practice their religion very easily. American families and schools can make the necessary accommodations. However, there may be limits. For example, students should not expect their hosts to prepare sehri or other traditional dishes. They can ask their host family if they can prepare it themselves.
Female students can wear their headscarves while in the United States, and they may even see others wearing the hijab. Students can also wear traditional Pakistani clothes to school and when they go out. (Note: Girls will be exempted from all activities, sports, etc. that require them to wear clothes that are against Islamic and Pakistani values.)
Halal meat can be purchased from the halal meat shops in the community or ordered for delivery. However, a student cannot demand host parents to serve them halal food. Students can buy halal meat from their own stipend and should be prepared to cook any additional or special meal they want to eat.
SCHOOL AND ACADEMICS:
YES students cannot graduate from a U.S. high school, nor does participation in the YES Program provide the student with a high school diploma. The student will be enrolled in grades 10 or 11 and be given a mark sheet/transcript for the subjects they study and other achievement certificates and letters.YES students promote mutual understanding and form lasting relationships with their host families and communities. They also engage in community service and civic education activities that provide valuable life skills that can aid them in their future academic and professional experiences.
This will vary depending on the school system in which the student is enrolled. Students must discuss this with their schools in Pakistan before applying for the program. If it is not possible to get admission to the next higher classes upon their return to Pakistan, students must be prepared to lose one year of academic study in Pakistan.
Students cannot remain in the United States after completing their program. Attempting to do so is illegal and in violation of program rules.
