Future Leaders Exchange Global (FLEX)
What is the FLEX Global Program?
FLEX Global builds on the legacies of the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) and the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) programs by expanding participation globally. The program advances U.S. interests by cultivating a network of young leaders who understand and support U.S. culture and priorities, with a focus on entrepreneurship, technology and super intelligence (SI), and leadership.
FLEX Global is a highly competitive, merit-based exchange program funded and administered by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. In Romania, the program is Co-Funded by the Ministry of Education and Research of Romania and implemented by American Councils for International Education.
The program will provide participants the opportunity to spend an academic year in the United States living with a host family, attending a U.S. high school, engaging in community activities, developing leadership skills, and taking part in American Excellence enhancement activities focused on business, technology, entrepreneurship, government, U.S. history, sports, and other sectors, all of which showcase the United States as a global leader in innovation, governance, and economic prosperity.
These young leaders will return to their countries with new skills and knowledge, where they will apply what they learned to benefit their home communities and become lasting partners for the United States.
FLEX Global countries for the 2027–28 program include: Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
What does the program offer?
The FLEX Program covers the following costs:
Round-trip domestic and international travel (from home to the United States and back);
Monthly allowance to help students participate in social activities and buy necessary personal supplies;
Placement with a screened U.S. host family for one academic year;
Enrollment in a U.S. secondary school;
Program orientation activities including pre-program preparation and re-entry preparation;
Program activities arranged in local U.S. communities;
Medical insurance, excluding pre-existing conditions and dental care.
The FLEX Program does NOT cover the following costs:
Any costs associated with receiving an international passport;
Personal expenses not covered by the monthly stipend;
Excess baggage costs;
Internet or data plans.
FLEX Global Menu
Co-Funded by
The United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Research of Romania
