Applicants in Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan may begin their online application or contact the program office in their country for more information by clicking here. Applicants in Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Thailand, Tunisia and Türkiye may get started by contacting their FLEX Global country office by clicking HERE. If you are not from one of the listed countries and are interested in being an exchange student to the United States, check out other Department of State programs here.

FLEX Global is open to all students who meet established age, grade and citizenship requirements. To find out eligibility requirements for your country, check out the 2027-28 informational brochure here, or contact the program office nearest you by clicking here.

FLEX Global is not a language program. While finalists must demonstrate the proficiency required for U.S. high school admission, participants are selected primarily based on their demonstrated ability to adapt to and thrive in a new environment with a host family, rather than for having native-speaker language skills. Participants are tested in their knowledge of the English language because knowledge of spoken and written English will be necessary if students are to successfully participate in school and home life in the U.S.

Successful FLEX Global candidates demonstrate the ability to adapt and thrive in a new environment. A candidate may prepare for the initial round by improving their English skills. The program has no affiliation with, nor does it endorse, any individual or ad hoc group claiming to increase an applicant’s chance of becoming a FLEX Global finalist. There is no data to suggest that such services are effective. In order to succeed and thrive away from home for 10 months, the program’s best advice is to be your true self in your application because your success on program depends only and entirely on the real you.

No. Neither FLEX Global finalists nor their parents may choose where students are placed in the United States. Students will be placed in most if not all of the 50 states. Since hosting interest tends to be greatest where people have less access to traveling the world and meeting people from other countries, students can expect to be placed primarily in suburban areas and rural communities.

FLEX Global finalists are chosen because they have demonstrated that they are able to adapt and succeed in a completely new environment. Being in close contact with family and friends connected to home disrupts this process of adaptation. Travel to visit friends or relatives is rarely approved for this reason. Any travel within the United States must be approved by the student’s placement organization.

No. Participants must return to their home country upon completion of the program in May or June, on their assigned date, as per requirements of the J-1 visa, under which FLEX Global participants travel on the exchange program. Any subsequent applications the student may make to travel to the United States will be decided by the U.S. consulate.

No. FLEX Global is an exchange opportunity funded by the U.S. Department of State. There is no fee component with FLEX Global. There are other organizations that offer study abroad opportunities for a fee.

Not professionally, but possibly as an extracurricular activity. While on FLEX Global, students are expected to be learning about America by getting to know their host family and new friends, sharing about their home countries, and doing well in their host U.S. school. Many American schools offer sports and arts programs, and we encourage students to take part in available extracurricular activities at their school.