# U.S. Department of State Programs for High School Students

The State Department fully funds high school exchange and language programs — NSLI-Y for critical languages, CBYX for a year in Germany, YES Abroad for cultural exchange — flights, tuition, and homestays included.

These are the most generous international programs a U.S. high schooler can access, and they select on maturity and genuine interest in the world, not GPA perfection.

11 verified U.S. Department of State programs, 11 free. Official site: https://exchanges.state.gov

## Programs (11 total)

| Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Fulbright U.S. Student Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/fulbright-us-student) | U.S. Department of State / IIE | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2026-10-06 |
| [NSLI-Y Creative Content Fellowship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nsli-y-creative-content-fellowship) | U.S. Department of State | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-14 |
| [Youth Ambassadors Program (U.S.)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/youth-ambassadors-program-us) | U.S. Department of State & World Learning | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-30 |
| [Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/kennedy-lugar-yes) | U.S. Department of State | Free | in_person | Grades 10–11 | 2026-10-15 |
| [State Department Student Programs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/congress-state-dept-diplomacy) | U.S. Department of State | Free | hybrid | Grades 11–12 | 2026-10-15 |
| [National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-security-language-initiative-for-youth-nsli-y) | U.S. Department of State | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-12 |
| [Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) - High School](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/congress-bundestag-youth-exchange-cbyx-high-school) | U.S. Department of State (administered by AFS/CIEE/YFU) | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-10 |
| [Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship (BFTF)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/benjamin-franklin-transatlantic-fellowship) | U.S. Department of State | Free | in_person | Grades 10–11 | 2027-01-31 |
| [Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/future-leaders-exchange-flex-program) | U.S. Department of State | Free | in_person | Grades 9–11 | 2026-10-15 |
| [National Security Language Initiative for Youth Creative Content Fellowship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-security-language-initiative-for-youth-creative-content-fellowship) | U.S. Department of State | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-05 |
| [Lugar YES Abroad](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/lugar-yes-abroad) | U.S. Department of State & American Councils | Free | hybrid | All grades | Rolling |

## Frequently asked questions

### Does U.S. Department of State offer programs for high school students?

Yes — ExtracurricularHub lists 11 verified U.S. Department of State programs open to high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. The State Department fully funds high school exchange and language programs — NSLI-Y for critical languages, CBYX for a year in Germany, YES Abroad for cultural exchange — flights, tuition, and homestays included.

### Are any U.S. Department of State high school programs free?

Yes — 11 of the U.S. Department of State programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Funded programs are often the most selective, so apply early and to more than one.

### Which U.S. Department of State deadlines are coming up soonest?

The next deadlines: Fulbright U.S. Student Program (October 6, 2026); Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (October 15, 2026); State Department Student Programs (October 15, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the official U.S. Department of State page.

### How competitive are U.S. Department of State programs?

It varies widely within one organization — flagship selective programs sit alongside broad-access options. Read each listing's eligibility, and treat the selective ones as reach applications: apply to several programs across organizations rather than betting a summer on one.

## Related pages

- [Study Abroad Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/study-abroad)
- [Fully Funded Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free/prestigious)
- [Leadership for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/leadership)
- [All organizations](https://extracurricularhub.com/providers)
- [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars)

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