Future Leaders Exchange

The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) is a scholarship program administered by the U.S. Department of State through funding from the Freedom Support Act. The program provides opportunities for high school students from Eurasia (former Soviet Union, including: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan) to spend a year in the United States, living with a family and attending an American high school. The program was created in 1992 out of former Senator Bill Bradley's conviction that the best way to ensure long-lasting peace and understanding between the U.S. and Eurasia is to enable young people to learn about democracy firsthand through experiencing it.

Since then over 14000 students from former Soviet Union brought their intercultural experience back to their home countries and were able to put this household expression "make a difference" into action. To learn more about alumni activities please visit the FLEX alumni website: https://alumni.state.gov/login/

This page is designed to provide valuable information, serve as a forum to share thoughts and ideas, and act as resource center for students, host families and local coordinators involved in the FLEX program. For more information about the FLEX program, including program eligibility, selection process and structure of the program, visit the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs web site:

http://exchanges.state.gov/education/citizens/students/

All the FLEX students are most welcome, if not strongly encouraged, to submit their photos, stories and thoughts to grants@ciee.org.