Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange - Young Professionals Exchange Program

Young Professionals Exchange Program

This scholarship exchange is dedicated to young professionals between the ages of 18 and 24 who have clear career goals and some relevant work experience in their career field, as well as an openness to cultural exchange. Currently 75 young Germans and 75 young Americans participate in the exchange, living in all 16 German Bundesländer and 39 US states. The program is designed primarily for young Americans in business, technical, engineering, agricultural and vocational fields, while German participants have all completed an Ausbildung (practical training) in their field. Cultural Vistas administers the program in the United States and GIZ GmbH administers the program in Germany.

American applicants for the Young Professionals portion must be between the ages of 18 and 24 at the start of the program, must be US citizens or permanent residents, must have work and academic experience in their field, must have a strong sense of American identity and interest in German and international affairs, and must show flexibility and diplomacy. German language skills are not required to participate. Applications are due December 1st of each year, and can be completed online at www.culturalvistas.org/cbyx. After the initial application round, candidates are interviewed at various locations across the U.S. by a team of Cultural Vistas staff, CBYX alumni, host families, German professors, and other program-supporters.

After applying for the program, 150 potential candidates are selected to interview in their state of residence; Seventy-five candidates are then selected to participate in the program, which includes:

• placement with a German host, or, if no host family can be found, students are placed in a WG (shared apartment) or Studentenwohnheim (student dorm).
• 2 months of intensive German language training (depending on each participant's language level)
• a semester at a German university, college, or college of applied sciences
• a 5 month internship in the participant's career field
• international airfare, partial living stipends, various seminar expenses, and partial travel expenses

German applicants for the Young Professionals portion must be between the ages of 18 and 23 at the start of the program. Candidates must be in a practical training track and must complete their training (Ausbildung) before the program start date. English skills are required for program participation. Applications are due in September of each year. After an interview with InWent and taking a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), candidates meet with their elected district representatives (Abgeordneten) for final selection. One hundred candidates are then selected for the program.

The program starts in the summer for both American and German participants. Americans begin with a two-month language school phase, with the 75 participants divided up into three groups and sent to three different cities usually being Cologne, Saarbrücken or Radolfzell am Bodensee. This two month phase is followed by a semester at a German university or professional school (Fachhochschule). Some participants may also complete training in the dual-track system (Berufschule). The third phase of the year is a five-month internship with a German company or organization. During the year most participants live with host families, but some stay in shared apartments or dormitories. American participants attend an orientation seminar in Washington, D.C., a midyear seminar in Bonn, Munich or Dresden, a final seminar in Berlin, and an evaluation seminar in New York.

Before the German participants arrive in the US, their program begins with a week-long preparation seminar in Germany in April. After a four day orientation seminar in New York City, participants travel to their final placements having short-term home stays along the way. Participants study for one semester at a community or technical college or university in some cases and complete the work phase from January to June. During the year participants live with host families and in some cases dormitories. German participants attend a preparation seminar in Germany, an orientation seminar in New York, a final seminar in Washington, DC, and a wrap-up seminar in Germany in the fall after the program.