Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange

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Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) logo

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX, German name: Parlamentarisches Patenschafts-Programm or PPP) is a youth student exchange program founded in 1983. The program, which is dually sponsored by the United States Congress and the German Bundestag, funds exchange programs for German and American students through grants to private exchange organizations in both countries. The funding in the USA is administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State (and formerly by the United States Information Agency until the agency was dissolved) on behalf of the United States Congress.

The program was established to celebrate the 300th anniversary of German settlement of the United States and has been renewed by both legislative bodies since its inception. Thus far, over 17,000 German and American students have completed their exchange through the program, which provides a full exchange year complete with orientation and language programs and travel opportunities within Germany and the United States. The exchange year culminates in a conference in Washington, D.C. in which German and American students reflect on their exchange year and share their experiences.

The scholarship program is merit-based and is funded based on congressional district for Americans and Bundesland for Germans. It is comprised of a High School program (currently administered by five organizations in the United States: AFS, AIFS, ASSE, AYUSA and CIEE), a Young Professionals program (administered exclusively by the Carl Duisberg Society International, better known in English speaking countries as CDS International) and a Vocational Student program (administered by Nacel Open Door).

1 High School program
2 Young Professionals Exchange Program
3 Young Vocationalists Exchange Program
4 Program administration in Germany
5 External links

[edit] High School program

The largest portion of the scholarship program has been the high school scholarships. Originally the program was only open to high school sophomores and juniors, who would spend their scholarship year in Germany during what would be their junior or senior year in high school. In 1995, a new program was started, offering 10 scholarships for high school seniors to spend a year in Germany after graduation. Currently the program makes 250-280 (the number fluctuates, depending on funding) national scholarships available to any high school student between the ages of 15-18, with a 3.0 or higher GPA on a 4.0 scale, and who is a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident. Applications are due in December of the year prior to the scholarship year. After receipt of a full application, select students will be offered an interview, conducted by selection committees in various locations in the United States. These selection committees then put forward the names of the best candidates to receive the scholarships, which are usually approved by the administering organizations.

The following organizations currently administer the high school program by regions:

American Field Service (AFS) - Northeastern United States
American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) - Midwestern United States
American Scandinavian Student Exchange (ASSE) - Northwestern United States, Alaska and Hawai'i
Academic Year in the U.S.A. (AYUSA) - Southwestern United States
Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) - Southeastern United States

Through CBYX's first decade and a half, Youth For Understanding (YFU) had been the primary administrative organization for the program. That organization's administration of the CBYX program ended after the dissolution of the United States Information Agency (USIA) in late 1999. The USIA had overseen the program on behalf of the U.S. Federal Government. After YFU, Inc. went bankrupt in the early 2000s, it was entirely removed from the program. Its successor organization, YFU-USA, has expressed an interest to rejoin CBYX once the new organization is eligible.

American students who win the scholarship usually spend a full year (July-July) in Germany. The first few weeks of the program are taken up by an Orientation and Language Seminar, where several of the high school students will be living in the same town, each with their own German family, for the duration of the seminar. The only exception is for the students with CIEE, who all live together in a hostel in Tübingen for the first three weeks before going on to their host families. The remaining eleven months of the program usually see the students spread out over Germany, assigned to a second host family (though some do opt to stay with their first host family, by mutual agreement). They attend either a German equivalent high school (specifically a Gymnasium, Realschule, or Gesamtschule, based in part on location and cooperation of the schools) for an academic year. Other programs take place over the course of the year, including trips to the capital in Berlin.

[edit] Young Professionals Exchange Program

This scholarship exchange is dedicated to young professionals between the ages of 18 and 24 who study for one semester at institutions of higher education and participate in practical training with a company for several months. Currently 100 young Germans and 75 young Americans participate in the exchange, living in all 16 German Bundesländer and 39 US states. The program is designed primarily for career-oriented young Americans in business, technical, agricultural and vocational fields while German participants have all completed practical training (Ausbildung) in their field. CDS International, Inc. administers the program in the United States and InWEnt gGmbH administers the program in Germany.

American applicants for the Young Professionals portion must be between the ages of 18 and 24 at the start of the program, must be US citizens or permanent residents, must have work and academic experience in their field, must have a strong sense of American identity and interest in German and international affairs, and must show flexibility and diplomacy. German language skills are not required. Applications are due December 1st of each year. After the initial application round, candidates are interviewed at various locations across the US by a team of CDS staff, CBYX alumni, host families, German professors, and other program-supporters. Seventy-five candidates are then selected for the program.

German applicants for the Young Professionals portion must be between the ages of 18 and 23 at the start of the program. Candidates must be in a practical training track and must complete their training (Ausbildung) before the program start date. English skills are required for program participation. Applications are due in September of each year. After an interview with InWEnt and taking a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), candidates meet with their elected district representatives (Abgeordneten) for final selection. One hundred candidates are then selected for the program.

The program starts in the summer for both American and German participants. Americans begin with a two-month language school phase, followed by a semester at a German university or professional school (Fachhochschule). Some participants may also complete training in the dual-track system (Berufschule). The third phase of the year is a five-month internship with a German company or organization. During the year most participants live with host families, but some stay in shared apartments or dormitories. American participants attend an orientation seminar in Washington, DC, a midyear seminar in Cologne, Munich or Dresden, a final seminar in Berlin, and an evaluation seminar in New York.

Before the German participants arrive in the US, their program begins with a week-long preparation seminar in Germany in April. After a four day orientation seminar in New York City, participants travel to their final placements having short-term home stays along the way. Participants study for one semester at a community or technical college or university in some cases and complete the work phase from January to June. During the year participants live with host families and in some cases dormitories. German participants attend a preparation seminar in Germany, an orientation seminar in New York, a final seminar in Washington, DC, and a wrap-up seminar in Germany in the fall after the program.

[edit] Young Vocationalists Exchange Program

This program sends graduating high school seniors aged 18 with a vocational specialization to Germany for two months of intensive language training followed by ten months of practical training and schooling in their field of interest. Prior German language skills are not required. Nacel Open Door recruits and selects participants for the exchange and administers the program.