Future Leaders Exchange Abroad (FLEX Abroad)

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and administered by American Councils for International Education, the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Abroad program provides fully funded scholarships for eligible American high school students to study and live overseas in select FLEX countries for an academic year. Launched in 2021 as an extension of the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program, FLEX Abroad offers participants the unique opportunity to experience a new culture and build global awareness and intercultural competency.

FLEX Abroad participants live with host families and attend high school in their host country. As citizen diplomats, they form lasting relationships and promote mutual understanding between the United States and their host countries. By participating in FLEX Abroad, they develop leadership skills, make friends in other countries, and gain an understanding of global interests and values shared across cultures. This experience promotes the development of respectful and enduring relationships between Americans and citizens of other countries, while giving participants new insights into their own culture and the world.

The FLEX program was originally established to strengthen ties between the United States and the countries of Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia. With over 30,000 alumni from 24 countries, the FLEX program has a rich history of promoting international exchange. FLEX Abroad extends this mission by providing U.S. students the chance to explore and engage with the cultures of Georgia, Kazakhstan, Poland, and Romania.