National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)

What National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) does

NSLI-Y is a merit-based U.S. government scholarship program administered by American Councils for International Education under the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Established in 2006, the program funds American high school students to study four critical foreign languages—Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, and Russian—across three delivery formats: a 6-7 week Summer Abroad program, an 8-10 month Academic Year Abroad program, and a 10-week Virtual NSLI-Y online beginner program. All participant costs are covered, including round-trip travel, tuition, host family housing, meals, visas, secondary health coverage, and stipends. The program has cultivated a cumulative alumni network of more than 9,000 language learners across 15+ years of operation, with implementation delivered by partner organizations including iEARN, American Cultural Exchange Service (ACES), and Amideast, and host families serving as the cultural immersion mechanism.

The program's go-to-market is event-driven and community-led: prospective applicants learn about NSLI-Y through educator outreach, school partnerships, the program website (nsliforyouth.org), newsletter signups, social media, and a network of volunteer Alumni Representatives. Selection occurs through a competitive application administered via the American Councils AIS online portal, with semi-finalist and finalist notifications issued between December and April. Virtual NSLI-Y uses Zoom for live instruction combined with an LMS providing discussion boards, assignments, projects, and resources; no proprietary AI or advanced technology features are documented. On-the-ground implementation in foreign host countries is provided through the multi-partner network noted above.

NSLI-Y's business model is non-commercial: it generates no revenue from participants and is funded entirely through Congressional appropriations to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program does not engage in pricing or transactional GTM activities; rather, success is measured in participant outcomes such as language retention (over 80% of alumni continue studying their target language per alumni surveys) and career trajectories in policy, diplomacy, international security, and academia. The organization reports 11-50 employees, reflecting the small program administration team within American Councils.

Name

National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)

Legal name

National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)

Website

https://nsliforyouth.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NSLI-Y is a U.S. Department of State merit-based scholarship program, administered by American Councils for International Education, that funds American high school students to study Arabic, Chinese, Korean, or Russian abroad or online. Established in 2006, it has built a 9,000+ alumni network across 15+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Scholarship Programs

NAICS

Language Schools (61163), Language Schools (611630), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online-to-Offline Hybrid Language Immersion Programs (EDAIAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online/Hybrid Overseas Pathway & Bridging Programs (EDAIAJAK), Pre-Departure Orientation, Re-Entry & Intercultural Training for Study Abroad (EDAIAAAH)

Keywords

• Language scholarship program
• Critical language education
• Study abroad scholarships
• Cultural immersion programs
• Government education funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington, District of Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: NSLI-Y is a fully-funded scholarship program by the U.S. Department of State. The program covers all costs for participants including travel, tuition, housing with host families, meals, visas, health insurance, and stipends. No revenue is generated from participants; the program is funded through Congressional appropriations to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NSLI-Y is a merit-based U.S. Department of State scholarship program that funds U.S. high school students to study critical foreign languages (Arabic, Chinese/Mandarin, Korean, and Russian) abroad or online. The program offers three formats — Summer Abroad (6–7 weeks), Academic Year Abroad (8–10 months), and Virtual NSLI-Y (10-week online beginner program) — providing intensive language instruction, cultural immersion through host family stays, and pathway development toward careers in government, diplomacy, and international affairs.

Product overview

NSLI-Y is a merit-based scholarship program operated by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, administered by American Councils for International Education. The program offers three main formats: the Summer Abroad Program (6-7 weeks), the Academic Year Abroad Program (8-10 months), and Virtual NSLI-Y (10-week online beginner-level program). All programs teach critical languages—Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, and Russian—through intensive instruction, cultural immersion, and host family stays. The Alumni Association provides ongoing support and professional development for program graduates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Virtual NSLI-Y: 10-week beginner-level online program that introduces participants to critical languages and cultures and builds global competence.

Products and services

• Summer Abroad Program A 6- to 7-week summer study abroad program that advances critical language proficiency through intensive classes, host family stays, cultural activities, and immersion in a host community. Designed for U.S. high school students selected through a competitive merit-based application.
• Academic Year Abroad Program An 8- to 10-month academic year abroad program that advances critical language proficiency through language classes, cultural activities, host family stays, engagement with local peers, and immersion in a host community. Designed for U.S. high school students admitted through the merit-based NSLI-Y application process.
• Virtual NSLI-Y A 10-week beginner-level online program that introduces U.S. high school participants to critical languages and cultures through live Zoom video sessions and an LMS environment, building global competence without travel.
• Arabic Language Program Critical language study in Arabic for U.S. high school students, delivered through Summer Abroad, Academic Year Abroad, or Virtual NSLI-Y formats with host country locations including Morocco and Jordan.
• Chinese (Mandarin) Language Program Critical language study in Chinese (Mandarin) for U.S. high school students, delivered through Summer Abroad, Academic Year Abroad, or Virtual NSLI-Y formats with host country locations including China and Taiwan.
• Korean Language Program Critical language study in Korean for U.S. high school students, delivered through Summer Abroad, Academic Year Abroad, or Virtual NSLI-Y formats with host country placement in South Korea.
• Russian Language Program Critical language study in Russian for U.S. high school students, delivered through Summer Abroad, Academic Year Abroad, or Virtual NSLI-Y formats with host country placements including Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, India, and Turkey.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80% of NSLI-Y alumni continue to study their target language
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• American Councils for International EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006American Councils serves as the primary administrator of NSLI-Y, managing program operations, application processing, participant selection, and coordination with implementing organizations. The organization distributes medical evaluation forms, coordinates visa processing, and provides ongoing support to finalists and participants.
• iEARNcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2006iEARN (International Education and Resource Network) implements NSLI-Y programs in select locations, providing on-the-ground support, language instruction, host family placement, and cultural programming for participants.
• American Cultural Exchange Service (ACES)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2006ACES implements NSLI-Y programs in select locations, providing in-country support, cultural activities, and coordination with host schools and families for program participants.
• AmideastcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2006Amideast implements NSLI-Y Arabic language programs in Middle East and North Africa regions, providing intensive language instruction, cultural immersion activities, and host family placement services.
• U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006ECA is the funding agency and program overseer of NSLI-Y. The Bureau establishes program goals and objectives, selects host locations and languages, and provides oversight of all program activities. ECA's International Exchange Alumni platform provides post-program engagement for NSLI-Y alumni.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Boren Scholarships and Fellowships: Funded by the National Security Education Program (DOD) and focused on language study and cultural immersion in regions critical to U.S. national security — directly comparable mission and target languages, with a service-in-government payback requirement that mirrors NSLI-Y's national-security mandate.
• Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program: A U.S. Department of State merit-based scholarship for U.S. high school students to study abroad in countries with significant Muslim populations. Directly comparable target demographic and fully-funded federal model, with overlapping cultural-exchange mission.
• Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX): A U.S. Department of State-funded merit-based scholarship for U.S. high school students to study in Germany — comparable in target demographic, federal funding model, and immersive exchange design, though narrower in geography and language.
• Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program: Also a U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program providing fully-funded immersive summer language study for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students in the same critical languages (Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Persian, etc.). Directly comparable as a sister federal scholarship program targeting the same language-security mission.
• Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship: U.S. Department of State scholarship for undergraduate study abroad, with strong federal government administration overlap and a similar fully-funded merit-based model — though broader in geography and not exclusively language-focused.

Broad incumbents

• AFS Intercultural Programs: A major international exchange organization operating high-school study-abroad programs globally with U.S. Department of State partnerships. Comparable as a high-school study-abroad provider though broader in mission and more diversified funding than NSLI-Y.
• National Security Education Program (NSEP): The DOD-administered parent program of Boren Awards that funds language and area studies for national-security purposes. Comparable in federal national-security-language mandate and as a funding/oversight authority for sister scholarship programs that NSLI-Y alumni may subsequently join.
• Fulbright U.S. Student Program: The flagship U.S. Department of State international exchange program for graduate students and young professionals. While it covers language learning, research, and teaching, it operates at significantly larger scale and broader scope than NSLI-Y, serving as the umbrella federal exchange ecosystem of which NSLI-Y is a part.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): A large nonprofit international exchange organization that administers multiple study-abroad programs including high-school exchanges. Comparable as an established implementing-partner ecosystem with federal contracts, though broader in scope than NSLI-Y's language-security focus.

Others

• American Councils for International Education: NSLI-Y's primary administrator and a major implementer of federally-funded language and exchange programs including Flagship, CLS, and others. Comparable as the operational backbone and a key strategic partner rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-security-language-initiative-for-youth-nsli-y

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)