Having celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2009, the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) is ASSE's only reciprocal exchange program funded by the US Department of State. The CBYX program provides a unique opportunity for 250 young Americans to spend a year in Germany, while at the same time, giving 300 young Germans the change to live a year in the United States! All the students live as members of caring host families and enjoy a variety of program activities, in addition to learning life in a new country. Over the past 25 years, more than 12,000 American and German youth have taken advantage of this important scholarship program. By improving not only their language skills, but also increasing their intercultural awareness, these students form a bridge of understanding between Germany and the United States and continue to strengthen ties between their two countries.

As the name might indicate, the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program (known in Germany as the Parlamentarisches Patenschafts-Programm or PPP) emphasizes learning about each country’s political life. During organized trips to their host country’s capital, students have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with US Congressional Representatives and German Bundestag Members during their year abroad to discuss issues related to their exchange year.

Because the CBYX program awards full scholarships to each qualifying student, the application and selection process is competitive, but well worth the extra effort. So, what are you waiting for? Living and studying in Germany as a Congress-Bundestag student, is just a click away!

And, as American family, what better way to welcome a bit of Europe into your own home than by hosting a Congress-Bundestag student from Germany? As an ASSE host family, you will embark on a year filled with love, laughter and learning. To learn more about hosting an ASSE student, click here.