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Select a Scholarship
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Region/Country
Program Length
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Location of Student
Scholarship Amount
YFU offers over 200 full and partial merit-based scholarships and needs-based financial aid to students every year.
To be considered for scholarship awards, students must meet the eligibility requirements listed on the individual Scholarship Information pages below and demonstrate characteristics like flexibility, tolerance and open-mindedness. In addition to the standard application and fee (if required), students also need to submit essay responses, a host family introduction letter and teacher recommendations by the scholarship deadline. Students can apply for multiple scholarships and pay only one fee.
Through the generosity of numerous corporations, governments, foundations and individuals, YFU awards more than $2.3 million in partial or full study abroad scholarships annually. Students are encouraged to consider all of their scholarship options and apply to as many as they qualify for by the December 1 scholarship application deadline!
The YFU Americas Scholarship
YFU Scholarship Information Sheet
At a Glance
Application Deadline
Program Length
January 3
- Summer
Eligible Countries
Please refer to individual country pages for program duration and departure times.
Scholarship Amount
- Up to 5 partial scholarships of $1,000 may be awarded. Scholarship recipients are responsible for the remainder of the program tuition. Please see individual country pages for program tuition information.
Eligibility
- Open to US high school students with freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior class standing.
- Students must hold a 2.0 grade point average or higher on a 4.0 scale.
Age Requirements
- Applicants must meet age requirements listed on each country page.
Complete Application Includes:
- Complete Online Application
- 1 Teacher Recommendation
- Host Family Letter
- 3 to Short Answer Essay Questions
- Application Fee (non-refundable)
- Health Certificate
- Parent-student agreement
- 5 Candid photos
- 1 Passport-style photo (headshot)
Application Fee
- $75 (non-refundable) Please make check payable to YFU.
Scholarship Covers:
- Round-trip international travel
- Round-trip domestic travel
- Placement with a carefully selected host family
- Regional orientation for scholarship recipients and parents
- Preparatory materials
- Support services in host country
Scholarship Recipients are Responsible for:
- Passport
- Visa fees (if necessary)
- Any excess luggage tariffs
- Required overseas medical insurance (many insurance policies will cover students while traveling abroad)
- Personal spending money
- Upon returning home, scholarship winners are expected to complete at least one presentation in their school or community to share their experiences, teach others about the culture in their host country, and encourage other students to participate in foreign exchange.
- Tuition balance not covered by scholarship, due two weeks after award notification
NOTE:
- All applicants will be notified of their status (via email) in April.
PLEASE KEEP A COPY OF THIS PAGE AND YOUR APPLICATION MATERIALS FOR YOUR REFERENCE.
Note: Scholarship programs are subject to change or cancellation without prior notice.
If applying for multiple scholarships, please indicate each scholarship's name and code on your application. All scholarship recipients are required to travel on the YFU group travel dates, and to complete the entire program. For more information regarding YFU and the scholarship selection process call 1.800.TEENAGE or refer to the Scholarships Overview section of this web site.