Welcome
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX)
Learn German, immerse yourself in a new culture, live with a host family, and serve as a citizen ambassador! © AFS-USA
The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program provides fully-funded study abroad opportunities for American high school students, young professionals, and graduating high school seniors with vocational interests, to participate in an academic year exchange program in Germany.
Imagine spending an entire year in Germany, immersing yourself in a host community and school, learning the language, making lifelong friends, and gaining a new perspective on the world. For participants in the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program, this dream becomes a reality every year.
The CBYX program is a dynamic and immersive exchange program jointly funded and administered by the U.S. and German governments. CBYX was established in 1983, marking 300 years since the first German settlement in the United States, and it remains an important pillar of the U.S.-German relationship. Each year, American participants travel to Germany to live, study, and work, while German participants also spend a year in the United States, fostering international friendship and cooperation and strengthening transatlantic ties. The program is a true public-private partnership, drawing on the support of host families, schools, and local communities. Since its inception over 40 years ago, the program has equipped more than 30,000 American and German participants with leadership, communication, and career skills while creating a lasting global network of alumni.
The CBYX High School program offers American high school students (ages 15-18.5) the opportunity to attend a German high school and live with a host family for an academic year. The CBYX Vocational program offers graduating American high school seniors (ages 18-19) the opportunity to live with a host family, attend a high school or training program, and gain work experience through internships with German companies. The CBYX Young Professionals program offers American high school graduates, ages 18.5-24, the opportunity to study at a German university or technical school and gain work experience through internships. No prior German language experience is required to apply to the CBYX program.
To learn more about the CBYX program for Americans, including information on how to apply, visit:
- U.S. Department of State’s CBYX webpage
- CBYX High School Program
- CBYX Vocational Program
- CBYX Young Professionals Program
Germans interested in becoming CBYX participants or hosts should visit the website of the German Bundestag.
