YES PROGRAM FOR SAUDI ARABIA

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program was established by the U.S. Congress in October 2002 in response to the events of September 11, 2001. Funded through the U.S. Department of State and sponsored by the Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs (ECA), this innovative public diplomacy initiative offers scholarships for a year of study in the United States.
Application steps:

Fill out application forms #1-11 only. Do not fill out form M.

Save a document as a PDF with the students' names clearly labeled on the PDF file (example: Sarah AlAhmed - YES Application 2023-24).

Submit the PDF application as an email attachment to the following email address: ksa_yes@amideast.org.

Applications are closed

About the YES Program

In 2018, the YES program celebrated its 15th anniversary of building bridges of international understanding, especially between Americans and people in countries of strategic importance. In 2009, the YES Abroad program was established in order to provide a similar opportunity for U.S. students (15-17 years) to spend an academic year in selected YES countries.

For more information, please visit the official YES website. 

YES PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Eligible applicants must:

  • Be a citizen of Saudi Arabia
  • Be between the ages of 15-17 by the start of the program
  • Be enrolled in a secondary school at the time of application
  • Have the equivalent of a B average or better without failing grades
  • Have not completed more than 11 years of primary education nor received a high school diploma by the start of the program
  • Demonstrate sufficient English language ability to speak and study in English
  • Meet U.S. visa eligibility requirements
Amideast's Role

Amideast is one of five organizations that administer a component of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program. The consortiums are headed by American Councils (www.americancouncils.org) and also includes AFS Intercultural Programs (www.afs.org), iEARN (www.iearn.org), and Iowa Resource for International Service (www.iris-center.org).

Amideast manages the application and screening process for the Kennedy-Lugar YES program for the following countries: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the West Bank/Gaza.

Students with disabilities:

The program can support students with disabilities and encourages their participation. The Department of State and the YES program work with Mobility International (MIUSA) to provide students with disabilities leadership-building workshops, appropriate information and support as needed to enhance their year in America. Students with disabilities must also meet the above eligibility requirements.

 

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YES is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by Amideast.