AFS-USA announces that Ada Curry, a high school Junior at Belfast Area High School, in Belfast, is one of 250 American high school students from across the United States to be awarded the prestigious Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) Scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year. Students will be abroad from August 2022 to June 2023.

CBYX is a bi-lateral exchange program co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and German Bundestag (Parliament).

As a CBYX scholar, Ada intends to spend the year in Germany living with her host family in Dresden, attending a German high school, and participating in language learning and cultural immersion training to gain a better understanding of German culture, language, and everyday life. There will also be opportunities for cultural and political activities, such as a visit to the German Bundestag, meetings with American and German government officials, participation in intercultural seminars, and excursions to nearby cities, historical sites, and more.

Each year, as a U.S. Department of State partner, AFS-USA awards the fully funded CBYX scholarship to 50 high achieving high school students from 11 states, allowing youth from a diverse array of communities to participate in a full cultural immersion experience. The CBYX program, which is jointly funded by the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag, was created to foster mutual understanding and strengthen ties between Germany and the U.S. through citizen diplomacy. The program is a true public-private partnership, leveraging the contributions of host families, educational institutions, and local communities.

Not only do American students go abroad to Germany, but German students also come to live and study in the U.S. in order to promote the same level of understanding on both sides of the Atlantic. Since its inception in 1983, the program has allowed more than 27,000 students to expand their intercultural understanding, strengthen their leadership skills, and become global citizens. Many participants go on to study at top colleges and universities, and all participants become part of a global network of U.S. Department of State program alumni.

Those who would like more information about CBYX should visit exchanges.state.gov/cbyx or contact AFS at cbyx@afsusa.org or 646-751-2161. German language skills are not required to apply for the scholarship. To learn more about hosting an international high school exchange student coming to the northeast region of the U.S. for the 2022-23 academic year, please visit www.afsusa.org/host-family/.

About ECA

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs promotes international mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through a wide range of academic, cultural, private-sector, professional, and sports exchange programs. The Bureau’s exchanges engage youth, students, educators, artists, athletes, and emerging leaders in many fields in the United States and in more than 160 countries. Alumni of State Department exchanges comprise one million people around the world, including more than 75 Nobel Laureates and more than 450 current or former heads of state and government. Visit eca.state.gov to learn more. For press inquiries, contact ECA-Press@state.gov.

About AFS-USA

AFS-USA honors the legacy of its founders – volunteer WWI and WWII American Field Service ambulance drivers – who emerged from the wars with a bold mission: to help prevent future conflict through cultural exchange and understanding.

As a partner in the global AFS network, AFS-USA offers international exchange and education opportunities in over 45 countries and hosts exchange students from 90 countries. True to the spirit of our founders, these intercultural programs are made possible by the dedicated work of AFS volunteers – more than 4,400 in the U.S. and over 50,000 worldwide.

Our diverse study abroad programs vary in length and cover timely and timeless topics. What every program has in common is a commitment to fostering intercultural and global competence in our students, host families, schools, and communities. This cultural exchange helps us come together, across typical divides, to make a more peaceful and just world. For more information, visit www.afsusa.org.

To learn more about CBYX, including information about eligibility and how to apply for the 2023-24 academic year, visit www.usagermanyscholarship.org. The CBYX program also provides scholarships for high school graduates in vocational fields and for young professionals.