Join the Youth Ambassadors Experience!
The Youth Ambassadors Program is a leadership exchange program for high school students and adult mentors from countries across the Western Hemisphere. The program provides full scholarships for participants to take part in cultural and educational programming focused on a variety of themes specific to the different countries. Youth Ambassadors is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and is administered by World Learning. Exchanges are implemented by World Learning, Amigos de las Americas and Georgetown University CIED.
The program aims to develop a cadre of young adults throughout the Americas who have a strong sense of civic responsibility, a commitment to their communities, an awareness of current and global issues, and strong interpersonal leadership skills. The program aims to promote mutual understanding, respect, and collaboration between people in the United States and other countries of the region.
Participating countries include: Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, the Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, the United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.
We are currently accepting applications to the following programs for the 2021 Cycle: You must be a citizen and resident of the program you apply to. The application period is listed below for each program, specific exchange dates are included in the program descriptions upon entering the application portal.
Inbound (Western Hemisphere Countries to the United States):
Please Note: You must be a citizen and resident of the program country you apply to.
Argentina (conducted in English)
Application open date: March 22, 2021
Application close date: April 19, 2021
Bahamas (conducted in English)
Application open date: March 5, 2021
Application close date: April 12, 2021
Barbados/Eastern Caribbean (conducted in English)
This includes Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica
Application open date: March 5, 2021
Application close date: April 12, 2021
Canada (conducted in English) APPLICATION EXTENDED
Application open date: February 24, 2021
Application close date: April 21, 2021
Chile (conducted in English)
Application open date: March 22, 2021
Application close date: April 19, 2021
Colombia (conducted in Spanish)
Application open date: March 1, 2021
Application close date: March 29, 2021
Guatemala (conducted in Spanish and Kaqchikel)
Application open date: TBD – No online application available
Application close date: TBD – No online application available
Guyana (conducted in English)
Application open date: March 5, 2021
Application close date: April 12, 2021
Jamaica (conducted in English)
Application open date: March 5, 2021
Application close date: April 12, 2021
Panama (conducted in Spanish)
Application open date: January 11, 2021
Application close date:EXTENDED to April 23, 2021
Suriname (Conducted in English)
Application open date: March 5, 2021
Application close date: April 12, 2021
Trinidad & Tobago (Conducted in English)
Application open date: March 5, 2021
Application close date: April 12, 2021
Venezuela (conducted in Spanish)
Application open date: January 11, 2021
Application close date: Extended to March 5, 2021
Application Process
World Learning encourages all qualified individuals to apply, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability status. All applications are due by 11:59 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time in the USA) on the designated application deadline.
To apply, click on the “New User” link. If you have already registered and are returning to complete your application, use your login credentials to return to your application in progress. Please also take a minute to read our Frequently Asked Questions. To learn more about the Youth Ambassadors Program please visit our website. Please note the application is not accessible through mobile phones. You must access the application via a computer.
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Due to continued public health and safety impacts of COVID-19, World Learning and our partners at the U.S. Department of State, ECA have decided that Youth Ambassadors Program will continue virtually through August 2021. Impacted programs, with open or upcoming applications, have been noted on the apply now page.
For September 2021 programming onward, we will continue to closely monitor the impact of COVID-19 and will post updates as available. Due to safety considerations, virtual or hybrid programming may be offered as an alternate to an in-person exchange.
2020 and 2021 Virtual Youth Ambassadors Program participants are eligible to reapply to the Youth Ambassadors Program in the future to experience the traditional three-week U.S. exchange program if all eligibility requirements are still met.
