All You Need to Know About USA’s YES Scholarship Program 2023-24

United States (US) has announced fully funded scholarships for Pakistani Matric and O-level students to study at American high schools under the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program.

The selected students will live with the American host families for one year and they will be enrolled in American high schools where they will be able to take part in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities in order to experience American culture.

It is pertinent to mention that around 1,274 high school students from Pakistan have availed of this scholarship since its launch in 2003.

Here is all you need to know about YES Scholarship Program 2023-24:

Eligibility Criteria

The candidate must:

• Be a Pakistani citizen residing in Pakistan (dual nationals are not allowed).
• Be enrolled in secondary school in Pakistan and be in 9 or 10 grade or in O-levels at the time of application. (O-level 11 graders are not eligible).
• Be between the ages of 15–17 by the start of the program (August 15, 2023).
• Have a cumulative 60 percent or more in all major/core subjects (English, Mathematics, Sciences) and with no failing grades in the last three years. (2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22). Students with a gap year or a repeated year are not eligible.
• Be able to communicate in English.
• Not have traveled to the US.
• Meet US J-1 visa eligibility conditions.

Apart from the above-mentioned criteria, students who meet the following requirements will have an edge over the other candidates:

The student:

• Can represent and demonstrate Pakistani culture and values at American schools and communities.
• Should display maturity, flexibility, adaptability, good character, and scholastic aptitude.
• Is willing to participate in the host family’s daily life.
• Has a record of all necessary immunizations, as outlined in the Final Student Application (FSA), before arrival in the United States.
• Demonstrates flexibility and a commitment to promoting cross-cultural understanding.
• Agrees to attend classes as a full-time student and maintain at least a ‘B’ grade average.
• Agrees to abide by the ‘YES Student Rules’ as outlined in the YES Application and all other rules and policies during the program.

Benefits

It is a fully funded program and covers all major expenses, including airfare and those mentioned below:

• US visa fee.
• Boarding and lodging in the US (residence and meals).
• School tuition fee.
• $125 per month stipend.

Deadline

The last date to apply for the scholarship is 10 November 2022.

How to Apply

Step 1: Preliminary Application

Eligible students have to download the preliminary application form from YES Pakistan’s website and then send the documents through the courier to Society for International Education (SIE) office. Here is the postal address:

Address: YES Program 2023-24, Society for International Education, 88-H, PECHS, Block-6, Karachi (Contact: 0333-2929960).

Female students, differently abled students, and students from non-elite and government schools are strongly encouraged to apply.

Step 2: Entry Test

Following the initial preliminary application screening, short-listed applicants will be informed about the YES orientation and entry test via letters to their addresses and e-mails.

Step 3: Interview and Group Activity

Students will be called for interviews after passing the entry test. Students will be required to fill out a YES application before the interview, which they will have to bring on the interview day.

Step 4: Standardized English Language Test for International Students

Shortlisted students will have to take a standardized English language test for international students after the interviews.

Step 5: Final Evaluation

The final selection will be made on the basis of the entry test, interviews, and properly/neatly filled final application with all required documents.

The finalists will be informed through a letter and a scholarship acceptance form from the YES program office.

Students are advised to keep checking the announcement section of the YES website or Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages for updates and more details.

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Note:  Provision of any false/forged documents or information or any discrepancy found at any stage of the selection process will result in rejection.