Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange

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The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX), also known in German as Parlamentarisches Patenschafts-Programm (PPP), is a youth exchange program started in 1983. It is funded by the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag and run through private exchange organizations in both countries. In the United States, funding is managed by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the State Department. The program was created to celebrate 300 years of German settlement in North America and has been renewed by both legislative bodies ever since. More than 26,000 German and American students have completed exchanges, which provide a full year of study with orientation, language work, and travel opportunities in both countries. The year ends with a conference in Washington, D.C.

High school scholarships are merit-based. Each year about 230–250 national scholarships are available to U.S. high school students aged roughly 15–18 who have at least a 2.5 GPA, and who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. Applications are due in November of the year before the scholarship year. After a full application, selected students are invited to interviews, and the best candidates are recommended to receive scholarships. The program is administered by six U.S. organizations, and the German side works with a main partner called Partnership International e.V. YFU (Youth For Understanding) used to be the main administrator, with changes over the years, including after the dissolution of the U.S. Information Agency. In 2008, YFU again became a primary administrator for the grant.

Typically, American students spend about 11 months in Germany. They begin with an Orientation and Language Seminar, then live with a host family and attend a German high school (Gymnasium) for the year. They also participate in additional seminars during the year. The admission rate for the scholarship is very competitive, often under 1%.

There is also a Young Professionals Exchange Program for young adults aged 18–24. It brings 75 Germans and 75 Americans together to work in business, technical, engineering, agricultural, and other practical fields. German participants have completed an Ausbildung (practical training). Cultural Vistas runs the U.S. side, and the German side is run by GIZ. The application process mirrors the high school program: about 150 candidates are invited to interviews, and around 75 are chosen to participate. The program includes two months of language training in Bonn, followed by ten months of internships and schooling in Germany, living with host families in various cities. Participants also attend four seminars: a pre-departure seminar in Washington, D.C.; a mid-term seminar in Weimar; a concluding seminar in Berlin; and a re-entry seminar in Washington, D.C. Prior German language skills are not required. Nacel Open Door recruits participants and administers the program in the United States, while Open Door International provides support in Germany. Various organizations handle the CBYX/PPP program in Germany.