Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX)
After a competitive selection process, high school students from 22 countries spend an exchange year attending American high schools and living with volunteer host families.
Sponsored by the United States Department of State, the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program promotes mutual understanding between citizens of the United States and 22 countries across Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia.
Every FLEX exchange student lives with a volunteer host family for one academic year to learn about American values, attend a US high school, and teach Americans about their home countries. Participants return home galvanized and inspired to share their new experiences and positively impact their home countries and communities.
These alumni join a robust international network, supported by the FLEX Alumni program, which offers support through grants and professional development. Today, FLEX alumni work across all sectors, including government, business, nonprofit, education, and journalism.
The FLEX program has operated in Poland since 2015. The inaugural group for FLEX Poland sent 30 high school students for the 2016-17 academic year to states across the United States. In 2017-18, 31 students represented Poland through FLEX. Our FLEX third cohort, in 2018-19, and since then, each year we are recruiting 43 students to represent Poland and spend an academic year in USA.
During the academic year 2020/21 our finalists took part in FLEX Virtual Program. Nonetheless, in August 2021 we have sent 41 finalists to the USA for the exchange year of 2021/22.
FLEX is free for everyone and covers the following:
Travel from home city in Poland to the host city in the US and back;
Participation in a pre-departure orientation that includes pre-program preparation;
Participant’s stay with an American host family for one academic year;
Admission to an American high school;
Medical insurance that covers treatment of illnesses that appear while on program except for pre-existing conditions and dental care;
Monthly stipend that constitutes $200 and allows a student to participate in social life;
Additional allowance that constitutes $300 necessary to buy basic school-related items, e.g. school books.
FLEX was established in 1992 as the centerpiece of the Eurasian Secondary School Initiative under the FREEDOM Support Act. Former US Senator Bill Bradley asserted that the best way to ensure long-lasting peace and understanding between the US and Eurasian countries is to enable young people to learn about the United States and Americans firsthand.
Since 1993, FLEX has provided scholarships to more than 27,000 secondary school students from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
FLEX served as the model for the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, begun in 2003, and for the American - Serbia and Montenegro Youth Leadership Exchange (A-SMYLE) program, begun in 2005. Students from Serbia and Montenegro participated under the auspices of the A-SMYLE program from 2005-2015 and are now part of FLEX.
Partners include: American Civics Center and Mobility International USA.
Program requirements for 2025/2026
Recruitment for the FLEX Program 2025/2026 will open in August 2024.
In keeping with the U.S. Government-sponsored initiatives dedicated to promoting greater international understanding, the competition for the FLEX scholarship is merit-based and open at no cost to applicants who meet the following requirements.
Citizenship
Have Polish citizenship. Applicants with double citizenship: Polish and American, are not eligible to participate in FLEX Program.
Age requirements
Be born between 15 July 2007 and 15 July 2010 (people with disabilities: 15 Feb 2007 – 15 Jul 2010).
School requirements
Be enrolled in a secondary school (1st, 2nd or 3rd class of liceum/technikum) at the time of application.
English proficiency
Have an academic standing of good or better. English proficiency will be tested by ELTiS.
Academic standing
Have an academic standing of good or better.
Visa requirements
Meet U.S. J-1 visa eligibility requirements.