Help Select Scholarship Exchange Students

American Councils is seeking volunteers in the Washington, D.C. area to evaluate scholarship applications of high school students interested in participating in youth exchange programs. This is a unique opportunity to change a young person’s life and be part of a worldwide public diplomacy effort.

Youth exchange programs empower the next generation of future leaders and establish long-lasting ties between the United States and other countries, promoting mutual understanding. Over the past three decades, the U.S. Congress and Department of State have supported youth exchanges as an important component of U.S. public diplomacy and foreign policy:

• The Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program: initiated in 1992 to ensure long-lasting peace and mutual understanding between the U.S. and the countries of Eurasia and to enable young people to learn about the U.S. and Americans firsthand, and to teach Americans about their countries.
• FLEX Abroad: the reciprocal program offers U.S. high school students scholarships to participate in an academic year cultural exchange in a participating FLEX  country.

These programs provide high school students with the opportunity to travel to the U.S. or abroad for an academic year, study at a local high school, and live with a host family. By volunteering to evaluate these student applications, you will help select the next generation of future leaders in these countries. Many of the over 32,000 FLEX and FLEX Abroad alumni have gone on to become successful professionals in their communities. Alumni of these programs include entrepreneurs, journalists, financial sector leaders, technology leaders, public policy makers, and leaders in their national governments.

Required Training: Volunteers are required to attend a virtual or in-person training session to provide a better understanding of the programs and application process and prepare them to evaluate student applications. New volunteers receive six hours of training

When and Where: In-person evaluation will take place at the American Councils office near Farragut North, from October 2025 to March 2026, with flexible hours, including evenings and Saturdays. Applicants are able to apply for a volunteer position anytime during the evaluation period.

As an alternative, volunteer evaluators will have an opportunity to engage in virtual evaluation via an online portal. A virtual volunteer opportunity is available from anywhere in the US.

Perks:

• Topical lecture series and other cultural events throughout the evaluation season
• Meals and snacks for in-person readers
• Experienced support staff with regional experience
• Volunteers will earn an endorsement on LinkedIn
• Opportunity to meet other professionals involved in international education, exchange, and public diplomacy
• Eligibility to apply for flight leader positions to accompany students as they travel to and from their countries over the summer. This is a highly sought-after opportunity available to active volunteer evaluators

Just as the FLEX and FLEX Abroad programs are accessible to and include students with disabilities, American Councils also welcomes volunteers with all abilities. If you have any questions about accommodations for volunteer evaluators, please contact volunteer@americancouncils.org