The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Global Program
FLEX Global provides high school students from Kosovo with the opportunity to spend an academic year in the United States, living with a host family and attending a U.S. high school.
Participants engage in community activities, develop leadership skills, and take part in American Excellence enhancement activities focused on business, technology, and entrepreneurship. They learn about American life and culture, share their own country and culture with their host communities, and build lasting relationships.
FLEX Global builds on the legacies of the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) and Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) programs. It aims to develop a network of young leaders who understand and support U.S. culture and priorities, with a focus on entrepreneurship, technology and superintelligence (SI), and leadership.
The program is funded and administered by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and implemented by American Councils for International Education in partnership with AFS, Amideast, and iEARN. Selection is competitive and based on merit.
The application for the FLEX Global Program for 2027-2028 academic year is now open with a October 22, 2026 deadline.
WHAT IS PROVIDED
The FLEX Global program provides:
Round-trip domestic and international travel from home to the United States and back;
A monthly allowance for social activities and necessary personal supplies;
Placement with a screened U.S. host family for one academic year;
Enrollment in a U.S. secondary school;
Program orientation activities, including pre-program and re-entry preparation;
Program activities arranged in local U.S. communities; and
Medical insurance, excluding pre-existing conditions and dental care.
WHAT IS NOT PROVIDED
The FLEX Global program does not cover:
Costs associated with obtaining an international passport;
Personal expenses not covered by the monthly allowance;
Excess baggage costs; or
Internet or data plans.
HOW DOES THE TESTING AND SELECTION PROCESS WORK
Students participate in English testing, proctored essays, interviews with FLEX Global staff, and completion of an application.
Selection takes place in the United States and is based on merit and demonstrated readiness for a year-long exchange. English proficiency is one of several factors considered. Finalists must also pass a medical fitness evaluation.
Finalists learn their status in the spring. Selected students attend a pre-departure orientation in their home country in June or July, travel to the United States in August, and return the following May-June on their assigned program end date.
Participants must return home at the end of the program. Their U.S. visas cannot be extended or amended beyond the program end date for any reason.
WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER BEFORE APPLYING TO FLEX GLOBAL
Before applying, students should consider how spending an academic year abroad may affect their education and future plans:
Will I have to repeat a year of school after returning home?
Will I return in time to take final school or university entrance examinations?
Will my university or institute defer my admission if I have already been accepted?
Will I remain eligible to graduate with honors or receive a gold medal at my home school?
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY
Applicants from Kosovo must:
Be born between July 15, 2009, and July 15, 2012, inclusive,
Be in grade 9, 10, or 11 when applying for the program,
Be enrolled in and attending a secondary school in Kosovo at the time of application,
Be in good academic standing,
Have previously studied English and demonstrate English-language ability at the time of application,
Meet U.S. visa eligibility requirements; and
Be a citizen of Kosovo and be able to obtain an international passport from Kosovo.
Students are also ineligible if their immediate or other family members have applied or are applying to emigrate to the United States, have made plans to emigrate, or have already emigrated there.
Applying is free of charge. Students may apply only once during a recruitment cycle.
Students who have already graduated from secondary school are not eligible to participate. Students who move to an ineligible grade before departure to the United States will be disqualified.
HOW CAN I APPLY
Begin your application at ais.americancouncils.org/flexglobal. The deadline is October 22, 2026.
For more information about the program, visit: