CBYX
The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program and our sister company AYUSA Global Youth Exchange, are awarding 50 full scholarships to study abroad in Germany.
Dates and Deadlines
- Application deadline is January 6, 2009
- Students depart July/August 2009 and return June/July 2010
General Information
About the Program
Since 1983, the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program (CBYX) has been helping prepare ambitious and talented young people – just like you – for their global future. Congress-Bundestag scholarships are jointly funded by the U.S. Congress and its German equivalent, the Bundestag. As a Congress-Bundestag student, you'll gain real world views of current affairs and German social, political and economic life while living with a host family and attending school in Germany for an academic year. Whether or not you've previously studied German, your language skills will soar, giving you the lifelong asset of fluency in a second language. No prior German study is required.
What Costs Does the Scholarship Cover?
Recipients of the Congress-Bundestag Scholarship will participate in a full-year program which includes the following:
- International airfare to and from Germany (departing from Washington D.C.)
- Pre-Departure orientation in the US May/June. Location and exact date TBA.
- Month-long language camp in Germany
- Mid-Year meeting in Cologne, Germany
- Host family stay in Germany
- Meals and lodging for duration of program
- All required program travel while in Germany
- Schooling/classes while in Germany
- Medical Insurance
- End of Year/Re-Entry Meeting in Berlin
- End of the Year/Re-entry Meeting in Washington, DC
What Costs Are Not Included?
- Personal expenses (such as travel, toiletries, allowance)
- Personal phone calls and internet use
- Airfare/transportation to Washington, D.C.
Who is eligible?
To apply for the Congress-Bundestag Scholarship, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident
- Have a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Be between the ages of 15 and 18 at the start of the program.
- Prior German language study IS NOT a requirement.
What You Can Expect?
As a Congress-Bundestag scholarship winner, you will experience German life firsthand. You'll live with a carefully-selected host family who has volunteered to open their home to you, providing room, board and a caring environment. As a member of your host community, you'll attend school, participate in local life, culture and recreation, all the while learning more than you ever imagined about another country, the world and its diversity, and even about yourself.
At the same time, you'll have the opportunity to provide insight into your own culture and perspective. Whether you're sharing your favorite music, debunking American stereotypes or exchanging views on world events, you'll represent the U.S. in the best possible way -- just by being yourself. The objective of the Congress-Bundestag program is to offer this unique opportunity to the group of ambitious students that best represents the diversity of the United States. The Program stresses equality and accessibility; students from all racial, ethnic, economic, religious and social backgrounds are encouraged to apply, as are students with disabilities.
Applying for the Congress-Bundestag Scholarship
Finalists are selected based on merit, cultural interest, and commitment to strengthening future U.S.- German relations. Applying is simple, but to be eligible, you must be a legal U.S. resident, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, and you must be between the ages of 15 and 18 by the start of the program.
Note: To apply for the Congress-Bundestag Scholarship through our sister company AYUSA Global Youth Exchange, you must live in Southern California (in or south of Monterey, San Benito, Fresno, or Inyo Counties), Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, or Texas. If you do not live in one the aforementioned areas, please go to www.usagermanyscholarship.org to find out how to apply for the scholarship.
To apply for the scholarship, download and print the CBYX application. Once you complete the application, retain a copy, and mail the original to:
AYUSA
Congress-Bundestag Youth Scholarship
600 California Street, FL 10
San Francisco, CA 94108
415.434.5470 fax
To qualify for the CBYX Scholarship's fall 2009 academic year, your application must be postmarked by December 1.
If you have any questions please take a look at our most frequently asked questions or contact us at 800-579-1709, ext. 649, or via email at info@intraxstudyabroad.com.
For more information on the Congress-Bundestag Program visit the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs website.
