The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals is a fellowship that annually provides 75 American and 75 German young professionals the opportunity to spend one year in each other’s countries, studying, interning, and living with hosts on a cultural immersion program.
The program for Americans consists of three phases:
Intensive Language Training: Two months of intensive German language training
Study Phase: One semester of classes in one’s academic or career field at a university, technical, or professional school
Internship Phase: Three to five month internship in one’s career field
CBYX is open to candidates in all career fields, and applicants from a broad range of backgrounds are selected for the program each year. CBYX is sponsored in the U.S. by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, as amended. Cultural Vistas has administered CBYX for Young Professionals for 40 years.
18½–24 years old on August 1st of program start year
High school graduates (with diploma)
Strongly interested in Germany and world affairs
Prior German language knowledge is not required.
In addition, participants must exhibit clear career goals and relevant experience in their career field, which includes work, internships, or volunteering. Participants are expected to act as “young ambassadors” of the United States in Germany and represent the diversity of the U.S. in various factors, including but not limited to, career field, educational background, geographic location, disabilities, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, and socio-economic status.
Previous or Current State Department Exchange Participation or Employment
Previous scholarship recipients of U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)-funded programs with a duration greater than eight weeks, including CBYX high school fellowships, are not eligible for this program.
Current or recent employees (paid or unpaid), as well as their immediate family members, at the U.S. Department of State/U.S. Agency for International Development are not eligible. Please see this Eligibility Rules document for more information about previous program participation and employment rules.
This funded fellowship opportunity annually covers basic living costs for all participants including:
Round-trip international airfare from Washington, D.C. to Germany
Language school costs for two months of intensive German language study
Tuition costs for one semester of study
Housing costs for host family, apartment, or dormitory during the pre-internship phases
Note: program funding during the internship phase depends on internship salary
Monthly stipend to cover basic costs of living
Program-related travel within Germany
Health insurance in Germany
*Despite this, participants are still recommended to have $5,000 to cover other associated costs
Duration: August-September
CBYX participants spend eight weeks studying German at the Carl Duisberg Centrum language school in one of three locations: Cologne, Radolfzell, or Saarbrücken. Participants are placed at an appropriate level based on their German language abilities coming into the program and on their previous level of instruction. They then undergo intensive language training with other international students from around the world.
This phase of the program is designed to improve participants’ spoken and written communication skills as rapidly as possible, to prepare them for the study phase and for being completely immersed in German for the remainder of the program.
Duration: October-January
Following completion of the language school phase, participants relocate to their permanent placement location for the remainder of the program. There, they will immerse themselves in German daily life and culture through studying and (later) interning in their career field. Between October and February, most participants study at a German university or Hochschule, gaining an understanding of the higher education system with regard to their career field.
Participants are expected to take a majority of courses taught in German, to further develop their vocabulary and practical knowledge related to their career field while also applying to internships in the area of their placement. Depending on their field and how it is traditionally taught in Germany, some participants may attend a Berufsschule (vocational school), or be placed in a hands-on work environment during the study phase.
In addition to attending courses during this phase, participants seek out and complete community service projects in the area of their placement. This volunteer work helps them gain a deeper insight into and make contributions to German society, while establishing personal and professional connections.
Duration: February-June
With the support of their regional program representative during the study phase, participants seek and apply to internship positions in the area of their permanent placement. Beginning in February or March, they complete an internship in a German-speaking work environment, ideally at a company or organization directly related to their career field.
Internships and the companies participants work with are as varied as the career fields represented by the group of 75 participants.
CBYX for Young Professionals is open to applicants with experience in various fields. The program especially encourages participants in business, engineering, technical, vocational, and agricultural fields to apply, though applicants from all career fields who have some relevant experience in their field are encouraged to apply.
CBYX was created by the U.S. Congress and German Bundestag as a public diplomacy program in order to promote understanding between the people of the United States and Germany. As such, participants are expected to immerse themselves in German daily life and to cultivate a deep understanding of Germany from an educational, professional, linguistic, and cultural standpoint.
To this end, participants are placed with a German host and are expected to participate in family activities and household life. In some cases, participants are placed in a German shared-apartment, or in a student dormitory, and are expected to take part in the daily life of the people with whom they live.
All placements (language school, permanent placement city, institution of study, and housing arrangements) are determined by the administering organizations. Placement decisions involve a number of factors, including fit with potential living arrangements, participants’ career fields, and the goal of this public diplomacy program to give a diverse group of Americans exposure to all regions throughout Germany.
Inside the CBYX Experience:
View the CBYX Year abroad through the eyes of a 30th cohort member.
How to Apply
Please click the button below to request an application for the 2025-2026 program year. Once our team verifies your eligibility, we will send you a link to apply when the application period opens on September 1, 2024.
All applicants must complete an online application and submit all supplemental materials by November 1 for the program year beginning the following July. A complete application consists of:
Online application form; requiring copies of the following documents to be uploaded with your submission:
Resume
Copy of transcript showing at least the last four semesters of study
Proof of U.S. citizenship: passport or birth certificate
High school diploma or proof of graduation
One letter of recommendation to be submitted by recommender
CBYX participants come from a wide range of backgrounds and career fields. One aim of the selection process is to put together a group of participants that represents the diversity of the United States, including diversity among career fields. As such, there is no “typical” participant. The list below is by no means exhaustive, but represents career fields of CBYX participants in recent years. All applicants should have some relevant internship, work, or volunteer experience in their career field.
U.S. Ambassador Philip D. Murphy explains why CBYX is so unique.
Host German CBYX Participants in the United States
The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals is a reciprocal fellowship program that gives 75 German participants the opportunity to spend one year studying, working, and experiencing everyday life in communities across the United States.
After arriving in the United States each August, CBYX participants enroll in career-oriented classes at a local college to gain a more comprehensive view of the American educational system, as well as to further their knowledge of their professional focus area. Career fields represented on the program are extremely diverse, ranging from small business and banking to many technical and vocational fields, such as agriculture, carpentry, and culinary arts.
CBYX depends largely on the generosity and hospitality of hundreds of communities that have opened their doors to young Germans throughout the program’s 40-plus year history as host families, host colleges, and host companies. In turn, these communities have been enriched by their involvement in a variety of ways. For more information, please contact cbyx@culturalvistas.org
Families gain cultural insights and lasting friendships.
Timeline
Arrive in August
Study at a college for the fall semester
Work for six months at an American company
Program ends in late June
Participants must:
Buy a car
Pay for personal expenses, such as cell phones, car insurance, etc.
German CBYX participants are excellent cultural ambassadors, and help promote interest in opportunities abroad to American students at their host colleges. All German participants hold a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa under the International Visitor category, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
Recent College and University Hosts:
Community College of Baltimore County
Seattle Central College
Southeast Community College
Fox Valley Technical College
Madison College
Middlesex Community College
Whatcom Community College
Lorain County Community College
Pacific International Academy
Texas A&M University
Harper College
Gateway Technical College
Northeast Iowa Community College
Fort Hays State University
Wabash Valley College
Moraine Valley Community College
Lake Region State College
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
University of West Alabama
Frontier Community College
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Snow College
Lower Columbia College
University of Wisconsin- La Crosse
Northwest College
Emporia State University
West Liberty University
SUNY Broome Community College
St. Cloud State University
Community College of Baltimore County
Bluefield State University
Flathead Valley Community College
Winona State University
South Seattle College
Portland Community College
Kennesaw State University
College of Southern Nevada
College of Southern Idaho
Mohawk Valley Community College
Western Iowa Tech Community College
Davidson-Davie Community College
Montgomery College
Austin Community College
Jamestown Community College
Riverland Community College
Santa Fe Community College
Jacksonville State University
Companies support U.S.-German ties and benefit by introducing skilled interns to their workplace.
CBYX is a great opportunity for American companies to bring in a fresh perspective and internationalize their workplace by hosting a German intern for six months.
Participants have completed vocational and professional training in Germany, which includes a rigorous two- to three-year apprenticeship in their professional field. All German participants hold a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa under the International Visitor category, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. This visa allows them to take paid positions with any company in the United States within the framework of the program.
Participants are in possession of all documents authorizing legal employment in the United States and have open work authorization for paid work sponsored directly by the U.S. Department of State. Participants also have insurance provided through the program administrators at no expense.
All internship positions must be paid.
All participants:
Are 18-24 years old
Speak English
Have completed a professional German apprenticeship in their career field
Are personally selected by a German Member of Parliament from a competitive applicant pool and serve as a cultural ambassador
Represent a variety of backgrounds and fields across Germany
Alumni Network
The CBYX for Young Professionals program boasts an alumni network of thousands of both American and German participants. With an extensive history, the CBYX Alumni Network includes individuals with expertise in a wide range of career fields who represent all 50 U.S. states, all 16 German Bundesländer, and now live all over the world.
U.S. Department of State’s International Exchange Alumni
All alumni of the CBYX for Young Professionals program receive exclusive membership to the U.S. Department of State’s global International Exchange Alumni community, a dynamic and interactive networking website for past and current participants of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs.
CBYX for Young Professionals Alumni Network
Alumni of the program are encouraged to stay connected with one another via the official CBYX / PPP LinkedIn and Facebook groups. Additional event and networking opportunities are available via the Cultural Vistas Alumni Network.
#Exchange Alumni
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Each cohort has a number of participants that speak little or no German at the time of departure. Though we encourage that participants have some German language skills before the program begins, participants will undergo two months of intensive language training upon their arrival in Germany. All participants complete language training and are placed in a class level appropriate to their proficiency in German.
CBYX for Young Professionals is administered by Cultural Vistas in the United States, and Cultural Vistas Europe in Germany. These organizations are awarded grants to administer the program by the U.S. Department of State and the German Bundestag Administration (Int4), respectively.
Most organizations will not continue to provide financial aid as they require the name of the academic institution the participant will be attending. This information is generally not available until September of the program year; however, Cultural Vistas can assist in obtaining a loan deferral due to financial hardship. We will provide a letter confirming participation in the exchange and detailing the financial aspects of the program. While Cultural Vistas is not authorized to grant these deferrals itself, participants have been successful in the past in obtaining a deferral on the basis of financial hardship, as well as through an Education Related Deferment Request.
Although this is a funded fellowship program, participants must pay for their transportation to the orientation seminar in Washington, D.C. and for all of their transportation from the evaluation seminar in Washington, D.C. at the end of the year. Participants also need to bring spending money for the year—we suggest 400 – 500 EUR per month for the duration of the program. This money covers personal items, entertainment, and some food. It does not include large purchases or travel. It is possible that the participant will be required to use some of this money to cover basic living expenses during the internship phase, in the case that the salary or the stipend provided does not cover them.
In accordance with the public diplomacy goals of the CBYX program, participants are placed in communities throughout Germany. Placements are made by our partner organization, and take into account such factors as comparable educational and internship opportunities relevant to a participant’s field, availability of suitable housing arrangements, and geographic diversity. If a participant is able to set up an internship in Germany prior to the start of the program by a given deadline, it will be taken into consideration in the placement process. Otherwise, placement preferences cannot be accommodated.
Cultural Vistas does not issue credits, nor can we guarantee transfer of credits for participants. Because the details of the study phase in most cases are not finalized until September of each year, and because German course offerings often change at the last minute, no information can be provided to your college before your departure regarding your program of study in Germany. It is also often the case that you will not finish the semester before the internship phase of the program begins. Some participants do, however, negotiate with their registrar or professors at their home institution to be able to receive credit. This applies to both the language school and study phases.
No. Participants must actively look for and apply to their own internships in their city and its immediate surroundings. Participants receive guidance from their regional representative in Germany, but are expected to take the initiative in the internship search.
Internships vary depending on field, previous experience, skills, and German language proficiency. German employers typically see internships as more of a learning opportunity than a short-term job, so don’t be surprised if you observe more than you perform. It is up to each participant to be realistic about his or her capabilities while making the most of the opportunities that present themselves.
Compensation ranges from unpaid to generous salaries plus housing allowances. If the internship pays less than a certain amount (determined each year by the administering organizations) participants will continue to receive program stipends to cover basic living costs. If the internship pays very generously, living costs during the internship phase are usually covered by the salary. In some cases, however, participants will be required to supplement their salaries with personal funds in order to cover living expenses (see Question 4).
The program insurance will cover you for sickness and accidents while you are in Germany. It is important to note that the insurance does not cover pre-existing medical conditions, and only covers participants while they are in EU countries. The program insurance, therefore, will not cover you in the United States, and you will need to make sure you have insurance coverage prior to departing and upon your return to the United States. If a participant has a pre-existing medical condition that will require care while in Germany, they will likely need to purchase a supplemental insurance policy to cover the condition.
All participants are required to return to the United States for the Re-entry seminar in Washington, D.C. This is a U.S. Department of State grant-supported cultural exchange that is funded for the purpose of promoting German-American relations, and assumes that participants will return to their native country to share their experiences upon completion of the program.
While CBYX is not a direct exchange between families or colleges, many participants are able to involve their family or college in the reciprocal side of the program. For more information, visit CBYX for Germans in the U.S.
While it is the desire of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) that all participants will return to the United States to share what they have learned in Germany, there is no official policy against CBYX alumni taking part in other Cultural Vistas programs.
