Ashton Veld, a high school student from Bethesda, Maryland, has been named one of 210 American high school students who will receive the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) scholarship for the 2025–2026 school year, according to American Field Services (AFS-USA). The German Bundestag (Parliament) and the U.S. Department of State jointly sponsor the bilateral exchange program known as CBYX.
In order to better comprehend German culture, language, and daily life, Ashton Veld, a CBYX scholar, will live with a host family for the academic year in Germany, attend a German high school, and take part in language learning and cultural immersion training. If circumstances allow, there can be chances to visit the German Bundestag, speak with representatives of the German and American governments, take part in intercultural seminars, and travel about the nation by going to neighboring cities and historical landmarks.
52 CBYX scholarships are given out annually by AFS-USA on behalf of the U.S. Department of State to deserving high school students from 14 states, enabling young people from diverse areas to take part in a comprehensive cultural immersion program. The goal of the CBYX program, which is jointly financed by the German Bundestag and the U.S. Congress, is to use citizen diplomacy to improve relations and promote understanding between Germany and the United States. By utilizing the efforts of host families, educational institutions, and local communities, the initiative is a true public-private collaboration.
In addition to American students studying abroad in Germany, German students also reside and study in the United States, giving American communities the opportunity to learn about Germany without having to travel. In addition to promoting their town to a global audience, the schools and families who volunteer to host these German youths contribute to the improvement of U.S.-German relations. More than 30,000 participants have been able to develop their leadership, language, communication, and problem-solving abilities as well as their global citizenship since the CBYX program began in 1983. Every member joins a global network of graduates from the U.S. Department of State program.
Visit exchanges.state.gov/cbyx or email AFS at [email protected]646-751-2161 for additional information about CBYX. It is not necessary to speak German to apply for the scholarship. Visit afsusa.org/host to find out more about hosting a foreign high school exchange student who will be in the United States for the 2025–2026 school year.
About AFS-USA: AFS-USA is dedicated to the heritage of its founders, who were volunteer ambulance drivers in the American Field Service during World War I and World War II. They came out of the wars with the audacious goal of preventing future conflicts by fostering understanding and cultural exchange.
AFS-USA, a partner in the global AFS network, accommodates exchange students from 80 countries and provides international education and exchange opportunities in over 40 nations. In keeping with the ideals of our founders, the hard labor of AFS volunteers—more than 2,600 in the United States and more than 32,000 worldwide—makes these cross-cultural activities possible.
Lifelong transformation is fostered via AFS programs. Tomorrow’s changemakers will be exchange students, diplomats, thought leaders, and influential members of the global non-profit and commercial organizations. Every new exchange student is a person ready to contribute to the creation of a more peaceful world and is also a global citizen in progress. Additionally, the influence extends beyond the pupils. Newcomers from all over the world change the lives of host families, and host communities learn more about other cultures. Visit afsusa.org to learn more.
Visit usmanyscholarship.org to find out more about CBYX, including eligibility details and application procedures for the 2025–2026 school year. Additionally, the CBYX program offers scholarships to young professionals and high school graduates pursuing vocational subjects.
