Teens Yes Program

How does the testing and selection process work?
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Students compete in several rounds of competition. At the semi-finalist stage, students and their parents are invited to attend an informational meeting to learn more about the program. Students then take part in an individual interview with American Councils staff, take a standardized test of English, write two more proctored essays, and receive the official program application, which is due to the local American Councils office within two weeks.

Selection will be based on merit and demonstrated preparedness for a year-long exchange experience as evidenced in students’ comprehensive applications. English-language proficiency is important, but it is not the sole element in selection. Students also will be required to provide medical evaluations and be certified as medically fit to participate in the program.

The selection process will be completed in spring, and all applicants will receive notification of their status by mid-May. Selected finalists will attend a pre-departure orientation in their home country in June-July and travel to the U.S in July-August. Students return home the following May-June. YES students must return to their home country at the end of the program, on the date assigned by American Councils. The U.S. visa issued for program participants will not be amended or extended beyond the program end date for any reason.

How will I benefit from the exchange experience?
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The YES program offers students an opportunity to learn about the people and culture of the United States. YES participants are also young ambassadors who teach Americans about the people and culture of their countries. 

Students gain an appreciation for and develop sensitivity to other cultures, experience personal growth and independence, and become better prepared for an increasingly interdependent world. Students form strong ties with their American host families and U.S. communities, building relationships that often last a lifetime. 

Many alumni attend prestigious universities upon their return home, and later find exciting jobs that use skills learned during their stay in the United States.

What should you consider before applying to YES?
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Students who are interested in this program should consider the possible
negative effects of this program:
• Will I have to repeat a year of school after returning home?
• Will I be home too late to take final school examinations/university/
institute entrance examinations? YES students return to their communities in late May and June.
• Will my university or institute defer my admission if I have already been
accepted?
• Will I be required to serve in the military upon return?
• Will I be eligible to graduate with honors/receive a gold medal at my
home school?

Finally, although students attend a U.S. high school, the curriculum is
substantially different from that in other countries, and likely you will not
learn the same subject material.