“The YES program isn’t just life-changing; it opens people’s minds and hearts to different things. I owe this program a lot. Diversity is present here in so many different forms and it gives a person a greater understanding of freedom.”

—YES program student from Kuwait (hosted in Maine)

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program seeks to provide high school students from countries with significant Muslim populations with a better understanding of American society and its people, institutions, values, and culture.

Funded by the United States Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, this program helps students to foster lasting personal ties, engage in activities that promote mutual understanding across cultures, respect diversity, establish leadership skills, and understand civil society. At the same time, YES students help their American classmates enhance their understanding of foreign countries and cultures.

History

The Kennedy-Lugar YES program was established by Congress in October 2002 in response to the events of September 11, 2001. Since then, YES has expanded to 37 countries, impacting over 13,000 students. The reciprocal Kennedy-Lugar YES Abroad program opened for American students in 2009.

YES is administered in partnership with the United States Department of State by a consortium of nonprofit organizations, led by American Councils for International Education and involving numerous placement and recruitment organizations.

See our current YES program students here!

Where are our YES students from?