The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan has opened applications for the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program. The initiative offers Pakistani high school students a fully funded opportunity to study in the United States during the spring 2027 semester.
The program will begin in January 2027. Selected students will live with American host families and attend U.S. high schools.
Eligibility Criteria Announced for Applicants
The program is open to Pakistani students aged 15 to 17 on January 1, 2027. Applicants must be born between January 1, 2010, and January 1, 2012.
Students must be enrolled in 8th, 9th or 10th grade, or O Levels when applying. They must also have achieved at least 60 percent marks in each of the last three academic years.
Applicants must secure at least 60 percent in major subjects, including English, Mathematics and Sciences. In addition, they must have no failing grades and should be able to communicate in English.
Only Pakistani citizens residing in Pakistan can apply. However, O Level students in 11th grade are not eligible for the program.
Applications Due by September 15
Students with a gap year or a repeated academic year cannot apply. Likewise, applicants who have already completed secondary school are ineligible.
Candidates must submit their applications electronically before printing and signing them. The completed forms and supporting documents must then be sent through post or courier.
Applicants must include school-attested mark sheets for the previous three academic years. They must also provide a copy of a valid identity document.
The deadline for submitting applications is September 15, 2026. Officials said the YES Program follows a rigorous merit-based selection process.
The exchange program was established by the U.S. Congress in 2002. It aims to strengthen educational and cultural ties between young people from participating countries and the United States.
