Exchanges, Training and Study Abroad

American Councils administers a variety of cultural exchange, study abroad, and research programs on behalf of both public and private funders.  Participation in these programs is through an open, merit-based competition, and facilitates mutual understanding between the United States and Eurasia, Southeast Europe, and South Asia.

See our Current Programs list below or visit Educational Seminars, Alumni Information, or browse Past American Councils' Programs to learn more about or reach.

Current Programs

• Advanced Russian Language and Area Studies Program (RLASP)
  American Councils' longest-running study abroad program provides intensive Russian-language immersion for US undergraduate and graduate students in Russia.
• African Languages Overseas Flagship Program (ALOFP)
  The Language Flagship leads the nation in designing, supporting, and implementing a new paradigm for advanced language education. Through an innovative partnership between the federal government, education, and business, The Language Flagship seeks to graduate students who will take their place among the next generation of global professionals, commanding a superior level of fluency in one of many languages critical to U.S. competitiveness and security
• American Serbia and Montenegro Youth Leadership Exchange: Administration (ASMYLE:a)
  A-SMYLE is a program for Serbian and Montenegrin high school students.
• American Serbia and Montenegro Youth Leadership Exchange: Placement (ASMYLE:p)
  The A-SMYLE placement organization places teenagers from Serbia/Montenegro with American host families and in U.S. high schools.
• AMZ Renaissance Foundation Afghanistan Undergraduate Fellowship Program (AUFP)
  Created in 2007 by the AMZ Renaissance Foundation in partnership with American Councils for International Education, the Afghanistan Undergraduate Fellowship Program (AUFP) provides merit-based scholarships to academically qualified students of Afghanistan for undergraduate study at accredited U.S. universities.
• Arabic Overseas Flagship Program (AOFP)
  Advanced to professional (Flagship)-level training in Arabic language at Damascus University in Damascus, Syria, for students already at the advanced (2 or 2+) levels of proficiency.
• Business Russian Language and Internship Program (BRLI)
  BRLI combines specialized curriculum for business Russian and a 10-hour per week internship with U.S. or Russian businesses in Moscow or St. Petersburg.
• Central Asian Turkic Languages Overseas Flagship Program (CATLOFP)
  Advanced to professional (Flagship)-level training in the Azeri, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Turkmen and Uzbek languages at locations throughout Central Asia, for students already at the advanced (2 or 2+) levels of proficiency.
• Chinese Language Pedagogy Assessment Program (CLPAP)
  American Councils announces a four-week seminar project and assessment mission in July, 2010 to assess centers of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language in Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai and Taiwan.
• Collaborative Research Grants in the Humanities (NEH)
  Overseas research and travel for U.S. post-doctoral scholars who are collaborating with scholars of Central or Eastern Europe or Eurasia on research in the humanities.
• Community Connections (CC)
  The Community Connections program offers homestay-based practical training opportunities in the U.S. for entrepreneurs, local government officials, legal professionals, non-governmental organization leaders and other professionals from 12 countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
• Contemporary Russia (CRU)
  A five-week Russian area studies program in Moscow for U.S. K-12 teachers of culture, history, or literature, and university students at all levels of Russian-language proficiency.
• Educational Seminars: 2010 A Program Overview (EDSPO)
  The Educational Seminars program offers Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State funded grants for U.S. school teachers and administrators. Outbound exchanges are short term, taking place during the summer break in the U.S., and focus on sharing of best practices and professional development. Inbound exchanges take place during the school year so that host participants can provide shadowing opportunities and professional development and so that international educators can see U.S. schools in action.
• Educational Seminars: 2010 Brazil Principal Exchange Program (BPEP)
  The 2010 Brazil Principal Exchange Program provides an opportunity for US principals to interact with award-winning Brazilian Principals, administrators, teachers and students on an academic and cultural exchange, and to share American perspectives on school management.
• Educational Seminars: 2010 Greece Classics Program (GCP)
  The Greece Classics Summer Seminar or the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA) Summer Sessions is a six-week intensive introduction to Greece from antiquity through the modern period.
• Educational Seminars: 2010 India Summer Program for English, Math or Science Teachers (ISP)
  The 2010 India Summer Teacher Program provides an opportunity for US teachers of English, math or science to collaborate and teach with an Indian counterpart for approximately four weeks in New Delhi, India.
• Educational Seminars: 2010 Italy Classics Program (ICP)
  The 2010 Classics Seminar in Italy is an eight-week seminar including six weeks at the American Academy in Rome and two weeks with the Vergilian Society at Cumae. The program in Rome is designed to provide its participants with an understanding of the development of the ancient city of Rome and its immediate environs. The progam at Cumae focuses on the social history of ancient Greeks, Romans, and others along the Bay of Naples.
• Educational Seminars: 2010 Jordan School Administrator Hosting Exchange Program (JSAHEP)
  The 2010 Jordan School Administrator Hosting Exchange Program provides an opportunity for US schools to host an administrator from Jordan to visit and shadow US administrators, observe interactions between teachers and students during regular classes, and experience home hospitality in the host community.
• Educational Seminars: 2010 Thailand Teacher and Principal Exchange Program (TTPEP)
  The 2010 Thailand Teacher and Principal Exchange Program provides the opportunity for US and Thai teachers and administrators to work together as a team on issues of mutual interest to their communities, schools, and students with a goal of strengthening local school systems.
• Educational Seminars: 2010 Uruguay-United States Educator Exchange Program (USEEP)
  The 2010 Uruguay - United States Educator Program provides the opportunity for US and Uruguayan Educators to work together as a team on issues of mutual interest to their communities, schools and students.
• Educational Seminars: 2010/11 Argentina Principal Exchange Program (APEP)
  The 2010/11 Argentina Principal Exchange Program provides the opportunity for US and Argentine school principals to work together as a team on issues of mutual interest to their communities, schools and students. Exchanges may focus in the areas of personnel administration, school management, instruction, curriculum development, student affairs, and/or educational policy.
• Educational Seminars: 2010/11 Mexico Principal Exchange Program (MPEP)
  The 2010/11 Mexico Principal Exchange Program provides the opportunity for US and Mexican school principals to work together as a team on issues of mutual interest to their communities, schools and students. Exchanges may focus in the areas of personnel administration, school management, instruction, curriculum development, student affairs, and/or educational policy. The program is open to school principals.
• Eurasian Regional Language Program (ERLP)
  Provides graduate students, advanced undergraduates, scholars, and professionals the unique opportunity to study the languages of the independent states of the former Soviet Union in an overseas, immersion setting for a summer, semester or academic year.
• Future Leaders Exchange Program: Administration (FLEXAD)
  The FLEX Administrative Office coordinates recruitment, selection, orientation, travel, on-program support and alumni program for the year-long FLEX program.
• Future Leaders Exchange: Placement (FLEX)
  The FLEX placement organization places teenagers from Eurasia with host families and in U.S. high schools across the United States.
• Individualized Russian Language Program for Heritage Speakers (II)
  Intended to address the specific needs of students who speak Russian at home or with relatives, or who grew up speaking Russian and wish to strengthen their Russian skills.
• Intensive Summer Language Institutes for Arabic, Chinese, and Russian Teachers (ISLI)
  The Intensive Summer Language Institutes program is funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U. S. Department of State, and administered by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS. The goal of the program is to strengthen foreign language instruction in critical languages at U.S. schools by providing teachers with the opportunity to study intermediate and advanced level Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), and Russian overseas.
• Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP)
  The JFDP is a professional development program for junior university faculty from Eurasia and Southeast Europe.
• Kosovo American Education Fund Graduate Fellowship Program (KAEF)
  Graduate Fellowship Program for Kosovars.
• Legislative Education And Practice Program (LEAP)
  The LEAP program offers Russian FLEX alumni who have graduated from university and are currently working in the government sector the opportunity to apply for this U.S. state legislature fellowship program. This program is designed to expand young Russian leaders’ knowledge of the day-to-day work of U.S. legislative bodies and the legislative process.
• National Bank of Serbia Graduate Fellowship Program (NBS)
  The NBS Graduate Fellowship Program offers Bank staff members professional development opportunities through internationally renowned master’s degree programs in the United States. NBS Fellows receive top-notch academic training in their fields of expertise, enabling them to further their careers at the National Bank.
• NSLI for Youth (NSLI-Y)
  A program for American high school students and recent graduates to learn Arabic, Persian, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, and Turkish in summer, semester and academic-year overseas immersion programs. Note: NSLI for Youth is abbreviated as NSLIY or NSLI-Y.
• Olympiada of Spoken Russian (OSR)
  Since 1962, the Olympiada has offered an opportunity for US students of Russian to earn medals by demonstrating their oral proficiency in state and regional competitions.
• Open World Leadership Program (OWRL)
  Open World brings young, emerging leaders from Russia, Ukraine and other NIS countries to the United States to enable colleagues in specific fields to learn from one another and to forge a better between the US and NIS nations.
• Persian Overseas Flagship Program (POFP)
  Advanced to professional (Flagship)-level training in Iranian Persian and Tajik languages at Tajik State National University in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, for students already at the advanced (2 or 2+) levels of proficiency.
• Russian Flagship Program (ROFP)
  Advanced to professional (Flagship)-level training in Russian at St. Petersburg State University in St. Petersburg, Russia for students already at the advanced (2 or 2+) levels of proficiency.
• Secondary Academic Cultural Exchange: formerly High School Academic Partnership Exchange (SACE)
  SACE is a school linkage program that facilitates exchanges between Eurasian and American high schools.
• Semester/Academic Year Study Abroad Program (SASAP)
  Set yourself apart from the crowd by creating your own high school experience! Study at a Kazakhstani, Russian or Ukrainian high school with American Councils.
• Serbia Youth Leadership Program (SYLP) for U.S. Participants (SYLP)
  The Serbia Youth Leadership Program (SYLP) supports the development of community activism, leadership skills, respect for diversity, and civic education in youth from Serbia and the United States. This short-term cultural and educational exchange between high school students and teachers/community leaders from the U.S. and Serbia will introduce U.S. participants to civil society, civic activism, and contemporary issues in Serbia.
• Serbia Youth Leadership Program for applicants from Serbia (SYLPS)
  The Serbia Youth Leadership Program (SYLP) is a short-term cultural and educational exchange between high school students from Serbia and the U.S. that supports the development of community activism, leadership skills, respect for diversity, and civic education in youth from Serbia and the United States.
• Summer English Language Program (SELP)
  Spend this summer in the USA learning English with other students your age! American Councils, through its partner organizations, offers summer English language programs for both individual students and groups.
• Summer in Russia's Golden Ring (SRGR)
  Summer in Russia's Golden Ring gives high school students the opportunity to immerse themselves in Russian culture
• Summer Russian Language Teachers Program (ST)
  Provides support for teachers of Russian at the university, high school, and secondary school level to study Russian literature, language, culture, and second language pedagogy at Moscow State University for six weeks. Also open to graduate students.
• Tatarstan Higher Education Fellowship Program (THEF)
  American Councils is pleased to announce a new partnership with the government of the Republic of Tatarstan. Under an agreement signed with the government of Tatarstan, a region within the Russian Federation, American Councils will provide assistance in establishing comprehensive and long-term ties between higher education institutions in Tatarstan and the United States. The first project under this new agreement is the Tatarstan Higher Education Fellowship Program.
• Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP)
  TCLP coordinates the work of Chinese and Egyptian EFL teachers in the U.S. for an academic year to teach American students their native languages in schools throughout the country. Teachers receive extensive professional development during their cross-cultural and technical exchange.
• Teachers to Teachers: Language, Technology, Math, and Science Exchange (LTMS)
  Teachers to Teachers supports the professional development of secondary school teachers from Russia in the fields of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) as well as Math, Hard Sciences, and Information Technology.
• The National High School Slavic Honor Society (SLAVA)
  SLAVA was founded in 1973 as a means of recognizing excellence in the study of Slavic languages and literature and to provide incentive for scholarly interest in Slavic life and culture.
• Title VIII Combined Research and Language Training Program (TITLE8CRLT)
  Provides full support for research and approximately ten hours per week of advanced language instruction for three to nine consecutive months in Central Asia, Russia, the South Caucasus, Moldova, and Ukraine.
• Title VIII Research Scholar Program (TITLE8RSP)
  Provides full support for three to nine consecutive month research trips to Central Asia, Russia, the South Caucasus, Moldova and Ukraine.
• Title VIII Southeast European Language Training Program (TITLE8SEEL)
  This program provides fellowships for graduate students, faculty, and scholars to study language for a semester, academic year or summer in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia.
• Title VIII Southeast European Research Program (TITLE8SEER)
  This program provides fellowships for graduate students, faculty and scholars to conduct field research for a semester, academic year or summer in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia.
• Title VIII Special Initiatives Fellowship Program (TITLE8SI)
  The Special Initiatives Research Fellowship offers post-doctoral scholars up to $35,000 for field-based, policy-relevant research in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
• Turkmenistan Secondary School Linkages Program (SSLP)
  SSLP provides the opportunity for teachers and administrators from Burke County, North Carolina and Mary Region Turkmenistan to participate in a person to person exchange.
• US Poland Parliamentary Youth Leadership Exchange Program (USPol)
  The US-Poland exchange program was created in 2009 in honor of the 90th anniversary of US-Poland diplomatic relations. Fifteen students and two teachers from Poland and the US will participate in an exchange to each other’s countries to promote mutual understanding, respect and enduring ties between the people of the United States and Poland.
• US-Central Asia Education Foundation Enterprise Student Fellowship Program (US-CAEF)
  The Enterprise Student Fellowship Program is an academic scholarship program of the U.S.- Central Asia Education Foundation (the Foundation) that is administered by the American Councils for International Education (American Councils). Through this program, the Foundation will provide scholarships (Enterprise Student Fellowships) to qualified students that due to low family income may otherwise not have been able to obtain an undergraduate university degree in business administration. Additionally, a limited number of scholarships may be available to students that wish to major in economics.
• Visiting Teachers and Faculty Program (VTFP)
  The Visiting Teachers and Faculty Program is designed to assist U.S. educational institutions in strengthening their course offerings at in languages and area studies of Eurasia.
• Youth Exchange and Study Program: Afghanistan (YES:a)
  Academic exchange program for students from Afghanistan to spend one year in the United States studying in an American high school and living with an American host family.
• Youth Exchange and Study Program: Afghanistan Placement (YESAO)
  The YES placement organization places teenagers from Afghanistan with American host families and in U.S. high schools.
• Youth Exchange and Study: South Eastern Europe (YES:e)
  The YES program provides scholarships for high school students (15-17 years) to spend up to one academic year in the U.S. attending a U.S. high school and living with a host family. In 2008 Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, and Macedonia were added to the program.

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