YES Youth Exchange and Study Program in USA for Matric and O-Level Students

Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program, a program with fully-funded scholarships for Matric and O-Level students from Pakistan to attend American High Schools in the USA and to live in American hosts for a year. The Youth Exchange and Study Program is supported with the help of the government of US administration and are available to secondary school students from 39 countries.  The last date to apply for Youth Exchange and Study Program is 06 October 2024. You will find all related details like eligibility, the application process, documents, last date, benefits, and the latest advertisement. Just apply within the due date.

General Overview of Youth Exchange and Study Program

Levels: Matric Fields:

Offered By: International Bodies :

Type: International

Category: Merit

BasedArea:  All Pakistan

Deadline: 06-10-2023

Time: 1 year

Funded By: US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

Host Country: United States of America

Administration by: The Society for International Education (SIE) in collaboration with the Local U.S. Embassy, and Public Affairs Office.

Future After Youth Exchange and Study Program

YES, students act as “youth ambassadors” of their country of origin, encouraging friendship and understanding through the development of long-lasting relationships with their families of host and local communities. The students live with their host families and attend American secondary schools. They learn leadership skills and engage in activities that help them understand U.S. society and values as well as help in educating Americans about their culture and country.

The program was started in Pakistan in 2003, to improve communication between individuals from the United States and Pakistan in the interest of promoting acceptance and mutual respect. Since that time, over 1400 Pakistani students have graduated from their studies under the YES program and are now part of the program as alumni.

The YES program is managed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State through a group of non-profit groups led by the American Councils for International Education. In Pakistan, the Society for International Education-Pakistan manages the YES program in partnership with the local U.S. Embassy, and Public Affairs Office.

Aims of Youth Exchange and Study Program

The exchange program that is fully funded in the USA is designed to encourage international education partnerships and the development of individual capacity by making use of modern techniques. The aim of this most effective exchange program for young people within America USA is to help skilled individuals in designing and implementing various innovative programs that will help build a better future.

High school students will have the opportunity to attend one academic year at an American school in the US and participate in extra-curricular and co-curricular activities that will help them develop knowledge of American culture by interfacing with Americans. Since 2003, the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program has provided scholarships to 1,274 high school students from all over Pakistan.Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program scholarships, fully funded scholarships for Matric and O-Level students in Pakistan to study at American High Schools in the USA and live with American host families for one year.

The Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program provides scholarships to Pakistani high school students for having one academic session in the United States. YES, program scholarships, funded by the US Department of State-Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, give secondary school students in many countries a new opportunity to study at American high schools and live with American host families for one academic year.

The YES scholarship program is implemented by a consortium of organizations led by American Councils. Since 2003, the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program has provided scholarships to more than 1100 Pakistani high school students. Youth Exchange Study Matric Scholarships in Pakistan 2024-2024 for high school students in Pakistan have been announced with immediate effect.

YES Youth Exchange and Study Program in the USA for Matric and O-Level Students

Students are enrolled in a full academic year of high school study in the US, attending classes, labs, and extracurricular programs with their American classmates. YES, students can also participate in special enrichment activities, including community service, youth leadership training, a civics education program, and other activities that develop a well-rounded understanding of American culture through interaction with diverse groups of Americans.

Likewise, participating students act as cultural ambassadors to their American host communities, becoming invaluable resources for Americans, whose contact with YES students provides them with an opportunity to learn about the rich and vibrant cultures of students’ home countries. Youth Exchange Study Matric Scholarships in Pakistan for high school students application form, eligibility, procedure, and last date to apply is going to dispatch here on this page in a very detailed manner.

Salient Features of  YES Youth Exchange and Study Program

Youth Exchange Study Matric Scholarships in Pakistan programs have remarkable characteristics and are going to prescribe full of important information as below.

• With Respect to financial coverage as this program is fully sponsored and the scholarship will cover all major costs like Airfare, US Visa Fee, boarding and lodging in the U.S.A., School Tuition, and a $ 125-a-month stipend.
• The program does not include a high school diploma. The students will be enrolled in grades 10/11 in a US school. They will be given mark sheets/transcripts for the subjects they study and other achievement certificates and letters.
• Selected students under the Youth exchange study program are placed with American host families for one academic year, and attend American high school for one academic session.
• These placements are done by a group of US-based student exchange organizations, that are well-reputed and are approved by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs accordingly.
• Female students are highly encouraged to apply they can wear their headscarves in schools, with the family, and whenever or wherever they choose to wear them. Students can also wear traditional Pakistani clothes to school and the neighborhood if they want to.
• Halal foods can be purchased from halal meat shops in the community or ordered by mail.
  Staying back in the U.S.A. after the program end date is illegal and will be considered a violation of the rules.

Eligibility Criteria to Apply

Youth Exchange Study Matric Scholarships eligibility for Pakistani High school students is given below as.

• The age criteria are not flexible. The required age is a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 17 years on 1st August 2024 (the year they are traveling to the U.S.A.) for the program.
• Applicants with previous travel history to the U.S.A. are not eligible for the program.
• Pakistan nationals who reside in Pakistan are eligible to apply only.
• Secondary school students in their home country (Pakistan) who are currently (The academic year 2024-22) enrolled in 9th or 10th grade or ‘O’ Levels students.
• Minimum 60% marks in all major/core subjects (English, Mathematics, Sciences) in the last class attended; overall minimum average 60% marks for the past three years. (Students with a gap year or a repeated year are ineligible.)
• Can communicate in English with a minimum of 60% marks in the last English exam (2016-17) and a minimum of 60% marks in the previous two years (2014-15 and 2024-16).
• Must not have traveled to the United States.
• Note:- Minimum 60% marks in all subjects in the examination that will be held before departure to the U.S.A. (The annual exams that will be held in 2024). Students will be required to send their mark sheets for the last examination when they receive the mark sheets.

To Download Preliminary Application Form:-Please Click Here

How to Apply for Youth Exchange and Study Program in USA?

STEP-1: Preliminary Application:

Students who meet the selection criteria and who agree to an agreement with the Parent Student Agreement and General Program Rules can apply for the award. The applicants can download the preliminary Applications at www.yespk.org and submit the documents via and to the and then send them to the SIE office. Female students who have physical disabilities, students as well as students from government and non-elite schools that meet the requirements are strongly advised to apply.

Students who meet the criteria under the Selection Criteria but whose school is not interested in sending the YES Preliminary Application may send their applications by themselves.

STEP-2 Entry Test:

Following the initial Preliminary Application screening, applicants who are shortlisted will be informed of the YES Admission and Orientation Test by sending letters or email to their addresses listed in the preliminary Applications. (SIE does not take responsibility for any incorrect or incorrect or changed addresses.)

STEP-3 Interview and Group Activity:

The students who have passed the entry Test will be notified by letters regarding their appearance in group interviews and interview activities. Students are required to fill out the YES Final Form (attached to the notification letter) and be present at Interviews. Those students who are required to show up at the time of the interview with a filled-out YES Final Application and the other required documents.

STEP-4 Standardized English test of language for students from abroad:

Students who are short-listed after the interview are required to take a standard English test for foreign students.

STEP-5 Final Evaluation:

The selection process for the students will be determined by the entry Test Interviews, as well as a well-filled and completed YES Final Application along with all the required documents. The winners will be notified by letter and scholarship acceptance form by the YES program office. Always check the announcements section on the YES website or Facebook page for news as well as other details. The submission of any fake or forged documents or information, or any discrepancy discovered during the process of selection will cause the denial of the candidate.

Deadline for Apply

The last Date to Apply for Youth Exchange Study Matric Scholarships is 06 October 2024.  For getting more updates and information regarding the scholarship program and list of final candidates stay in touch with us.

Benefits of  YES Youth Exchange and Study Program

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program is a partnership between teens from nations that are strategically important and strategic importance to the United States for an academic year to help advance the U.S. foreign policy goals of encouraging civic engagement, youth leadership development, and enduring bonds between Americans and the citizens of the countries they are participating in.

The program is fully funded and the scholarship will cover the majority of costs, including Airfare US Visa Fee Boarding as well as Accommodation within the U.S.A. (Residence and Meals)School tuition, and a monthly $125 Stipend. Students who meet the following criteria along with the criteria above will likely be shortlisted to be selected for the last round.

FAQs About Youth Exchange and Study Program

What is the age limit for YES Program?

The required age is a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 17 years

How can I apply in YES Program from Pakistan?

(To find these materials, go to the YES Pakistan website at www.yespk.org.) Students can print out the YES Program application from the internet, fill it out, and send it by courier to the SIE office together with any necessary supporting documentation.

What is the youth exchange and study program in the US?

To further the U.S. foreign policy objectives of fostering civil society and the development of young leaders, the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program sends high school students from nations of strategic importance to the United States for one academic year.