Ukraine

Established in 1992, American Councils Ukraine is staffed by a professional Kyiv-based team that partners with local government bodies, organizations, and communities to strengthen education and institutions. Our programs have reached more than 10,000 people across the country, who in turn influence policy, pedagogy, and the economy with tangible results.

American Councils Ukraine has administered and supported international scholarships for hundreds of educators and other professionals, as well as college and high school students. Together with the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, and local communities, American Councils Ukraine delivers impactful results that contribute to a more resilient Ukraine.

Featured Programs

Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program: FLEX is supported by the U.S. Department of State/ECA and administered with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The program provides Ukrainian students with an opportunity to study in a U.S. high school and live in an American host family for one academic year. Since 1993 more than 7,500 Ukrainian students have participated on the FLEX program.

Open World: A program supported by the Congressional Office for International Leadership at the Library of Congress, Open World is designed for young leaders of Ukraine – representatives of various government bodies, NGOs, and academic institutions. The program primarily targets candidates who, despite their young age, have already distinguished themselves as professionals in their fields, demonstrated strong leadership abilities, and expressed a strong interest in studying American practices and building lasting professional and personal connections with their American counterparts upon returning to Ukraine. 

Since 2022, in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Open World program has shifted its focus to address the urgent needs brought on by the war. All recent delegations from Ukraine have centered around themes related to veterans’ affairs, rehabilitation, mental health, community resilience, and public administration in times of war. These programs aim to provide Ukrainian leaders with valuable insights into U.S. experience and best practices in supporting veterans and rebuilding communities during and after war. 

Since 2003, over 4,500 Ukrainians have participated in the Open World program.

Professional Fellows Program (PFP): PFP is supported by the U.S. Department of State / ECA. It was initiated in 2006 and is known formerly as the Legislative Education and Practice (LEAP) Program. PFP provides young Ukrainian professionals the opportunity to gain practical experience in and exposure to the United States government institutions and non-profit organizations. As of 2026, 165 people have participated in the program.

Ukrainian Business Leaders: Promoting Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program (UBL PIE): UBL PIE is an exchange program for mid-level entrepreneurs, innovators, and businesspersons from Ukraine, founded in 2021 and funded by the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. It allows Ukrainian business professionals to gain practical experience and exposure to the United States entrepreneurial environment. Through a hands-on fellowship in the United States, participants will be exposed to sound business practices, leadership skills, and networking opportunities that will position them as leaders to effect change in their businesses and communities. As of 2026, 82 people have participated in UBL PIE.

EducationUSA: An advising center for individuals interested in pursuing higher education in the United States, this location is part of a network of 450 centers worldwide. Since 2006, the advising center has supported over 10,000 Ukrainian students.

BridgeUSA Ukraine Program for Resilience and Reconstruction (BridgeUSA UPRR): BridgeUSA UPRR builds links between Ukrainian and U.S. scholars for long-term collaboration in such areas as Agriculture Technology, Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies, Engineering, Information Technology, Mental Health, Pedagogy and Urban Planning. The program’s long-term goal is to help Ukrainian universities educate and train professionals critical to the country’s recovery and reconstruction through lasting, productive collaboration with U.S. institutions of higher education.

Fellows are matched with faculty mentors at a U.S. institution of higher education with whom they develop individualized, collaborative programs to meet their specific needs as researchers and educators seeking to strengthen Ukraine’s capacity to rebuild. The program includes a month-long visit to a U.S. university where scholars may engage in research, observe classes in their field of study, develop new courses or course materials, deliver presentations and lectures, explore U.S. higher education administrative policies and culture, and attend conferences in their academic fields.

Visiting Fellows Awards/Ukraine Displaced Scholars Program (VFA/UDS): Currently funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and previously co-funded by the Richard Lounsbery Foundation and the Stirling Foundation, VFA/UDS provides approximately 30 individual semester-long stipends and four research project stipends per academic year to vetted and selected Ukrainian university instructors or researchers who are Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) or Refugees abroad and who continue their teaching or/and research collaboration at/with one of fifteen Ukrainian universities that are either displaced or distressed due to wartime destruction, damage or occupation of their campuses and academic centers. This program also conducts online and limited in-person site visits and meetings with representatives of participating universities as security conditions permit.