Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX)(link is external)

Updated: about 1 month ago
Deadline: The position may have been removed or expired!

Intensive Language Training (August-September)

CBYX participants spend eight weeks studying German at the Carl Duisberg Centrum language school in one of three locations: Cologne, Radolfzell, or Saarbrücken. Participants are placed at the appropriate level, based on their German language abilities coming into the program and on their previous level of instruction, and they undergo intensive language training with other international students from around the world.

This phase of the program is designed to improve participants’ spoken and written communication skills as rapidly as possible, to prepare them for the study phase and for being completely immersed in German for the remainder of the program.


Study Phase (October-January)

Following completion of the language school phase, participants relocate to their permanent placement location for the remainder of the program.  There, they will immerse themselves in German daily life and culture through studying and (later) interning in their career field. Between October and February, most participants study at a German university or Hochschule, gaining an understanding of the higher education system with regard to their career field.

Participants are expected to take a majority of courses taught in German, to further develop their vocabulary and practical knowledge related to their career field, while applying to internships in the area of their placement. Depending on their field and how it is traditionally taught in Germany, some participants may attend a Berufsschule (vocational school), or be placed in a hands-on work environment during the study phase.

In addition to attending courses during this phase, participants seek out and complete community service projects in the area of their placement.  This volunteer work helps them gain a deeper insight into and make contributions to German society, while establishing personal and professional connections.


Internship Phase (February-June)

With the support of their regional program representative during the study phase, participants seek and apply to internship positions in the area of their permanent placement, and secure an internship that is ideally directly related to their career fields. Beginning in February or March, they complete an internship in a German-speaking work environment, ideally at a company or organization directly related to their career field.

Internships and the companies in which participants complete them are as varied as the career fields represented by the group of 75 participants.

CBYX for Young Professionals is especially suited to participants in business, engineering, technical, vocational, and agricultural fields, though applicants from all career fields who have some relevant experience in their field are encouraged to apply.


Housing During the Program

CBYX was created by the U.S. Congress and German Bundestag as a public diplomacy program, to promote understanding between the people of the United States and Germany.  As such, participants are expected to immerse themselves in German daily life, and to cultivate a deep understanding of Germany from an educational, professional, linguistic, and cultural standpoint.

To this end, participants are placed with a German host, in a German shared-apartment, or in a student dormitory, and are expected to take part in the daily life of the people with whom they live.

All placements (language school, permanent placement city, institution of study, and housing arrangements) are determined by the administering organizations.  Placement decisions involve a number of factors, including fit with potential living arrangements, participants’ career fields, and the goal of this public diplomacy program to give a diverse group of Americans exposure to all regions throughout Germany.

For more information, please contact [email protected] .



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