U.S. Embassy in Pakistan has opened applications for the YES Program for the spring 2027 semester.
The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study initiative offers Pakistani high school students a fully funded exchange opportunity in the United States.
The program is scheduled to begin in January 2027. Selected students will live with American host families and attend high schools in the United States.
Participants will also take part in activities related to leadership, culture, governance, business, and innovation.
Who Can Apply for the YES Program?
Pakistani students must meet specific age and academic requirements to apply.
Applicants must be between 15 and 17 years old on January 1, 2027. Eligible students must have been born between January 1, 2010, and January 1, 2012.
Applicants must currently study in grades 8, 9, or 10, or equivalent O Levels in Pakistan.
Students must have secured at least 60% marks in each of their previous three academic years. They must also have at least 60% in major subjects, including English, Mathematics, and Sciences.
Applicants cannot have any failing grades during the previous three academic years.
They must be Pakistani citizens currently residing in Pakistan and should be able to communicate in English. O Level students in grades 9 and 10 can apply. However, O Level 11th-grade students are not eligible.
Students with a gap year or repeated academic year are also ineligible.
Important Eligibility Restrictions
Applicants must meet the requirements for a J-1 visa. Students who have previously traveled to the United States cannot apply for this exchange.
Dual nationals are also not eligible. Siblings and children of previous YES Program participants cannot participate.
Children and siblings of Society for International Education and iEARN Pakistan project staff are also excluded. Students who complete or graduate from secondary school before the exchange begins cannot participate.
How Pakistani Students Can Apply
Eligible students can begin their applications through the official YES Program Pakistan website. Applicants should first check their eligibility before selecting the “Apply Now” option.
The application form must initially be completed electronically. Students must then print the completed application and sign it by hand.
The application and required supporting documents must be submitted by post or courier only. Applicants must provide school-attested copies of their final academic mark sheets.
These should cover the 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 academic years. Students must also provide a copy of one accepted identification document.
This can include a NADRA B-Form, Smart Card, FRC, or birth certificate. Applications should be sent to the Society for International Education at 88-H, P.E.C.H.S. Block-6, Karachi.
YES Program Application Deadline
The deadline to apply for the YES Program spring 2027 semester is September 15, 2026. Applicants should carefully complete all required sections and provide the necessary documents.
Incomplete, unsigned, or incorrectly submitted applications may not be considered. Selection is conducted through a competitive, merit-based process.
The YES initiative was established by the U.S. Congress in October 2002.
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It aims to strengthen educational and cultural connections between American students and young people from participating countries.
