Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX)<!--!Font Awesome Free 6.5.1 by @fontawesome - https://fontawesome.com License - https://fontawesome.com/license/free Copyright 2024 Fonticons, Inc.-->(Link is external)

Eligibility
Participants must be:

• U.S. citizens
• 18½–24 years old on August 1st of program start year
• High school graduates (with diploma)
• Strongly interested in Germany and world affairs

Prior German language knowledge is not required.

In addition, participants must exhibit clear career goals and relevant experience in their career field, which includes work, internships, or volunteering. Participants are expected to act as “young ambassadors” of the United States in Germany and represent the diversity of the U.S. in various factors, including but not limited to, career field, educational background, geographic location, disabilities, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, and socio-economic status.

Previous or Current State Department Exchange Participation or Employment

• Previous scholarship recipients of U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)-funded programs with a duration greater than eight weeks, including CBYX high school fellowships, are not eligible for this program.
• Current or recent employees (paid or unpaid), as well as their immediate family members,  at the U.S. Department of State/U.S. Agency for International Development are not eligible.
  Please see this Eligibility Rules document for more information about previous program participation and employment rules.

Cost
This funded fellowship opportunity annually covers basic living costs for all participants including:

• Round-trip international airfare from Washington, D.C. to Germany
• Language school costs for two months of intensive German language study
• Tuition costs for one semester of study
• Housing costs for host family, apartment, or dormitory during the pre-internship phases
  • Note: program funding during the internship phase depends on internship salary
• Monthly stipend to cover basic costs of living
• Program-related travel within Germany
• Health insurance in Germany

*Despite this, participants are still recommended to have $5,000 to cover other associated costs

Intensive Language Training
Duration: 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 an appropriate level based on their German language abilities coming into the program and on their previous level of instruction. They then 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
Duration: 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 also 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
Duration: 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. 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 participants work with are as varied as the career fields represented by the group of 75 participants.

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

Housing

CBYX was created by the U.S. Congress and German Bundestag as a public diplomacy program in order 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 and are expected to participate in family activities and household life. In some cases, participants are placed 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.