Yes Program
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersWashington, DC, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Yes Program firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Yes Program
- Legal name
- iEARN-USA
- Website
- https://yesprograms.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Yes Program industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Cultural Exchange Programs
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Secondary School Exchange Programs (Academic Year/Semester) (EDAIAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- On-Ground Orientation, Travel, Transfers & Logistics Support (EDAIAHAL), International Student Onboarding & Pre-Departure Orientation Services (EDAIACAG)
Keywords
Where Yes Program is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington, DC
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices30 records
Markets served
Yes Program business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government Grant Funding: The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program is administered by a consortium of non-profit organizations led by American Councils for International Education. All participant scholarships (airfare, housing, stipends, insurance) are covered by government funding.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Yes Program product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The YES Program operates a fully funded, merit-based academic-year high school exchange for students ages 15-18 from 35+ strategically important countries to live with American host families and attend U.S. high schools for an academic year. The reciprocal YES Abroad Program, launched in 2009, sends U.S. students to select partner countries. A volunteer Host Family Program supports placement of international exchange students with screened American families. All participant costs (airfare, housing, insurance, stipend, orientations) are covered through a U.S. Department of State grant.
Product overview
The YES Program operates as a unified scholarship-based international exchange initiative comprising two primary programs: the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program, which brings high school students from ~37 countries to study in the United States for an academic year, and the YES Abroad Program, which sends U.S. students to study in partner countries. The core YES program functions through a consortium led by American Councils for International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Partner organizations including AFS, Amideast, iEARN, and IRIS handle recruitment in participating countries, while placement organizations across the U.S. manage host family placements. The Host Family Program supports the placement of international students with volunteer American families.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program A U.S. Department of State scholarship program that sends high school students ages 15-18 from countries of strategic importance to live and study in the United States for an academic year. Students live with screened American host families, attend U.S. high schools, acquire leadership skills, and serve as youth ambassadors of their home countries. All participant costs (airfare, housing, health insurance, monthly stipend, orientations) are covered by a U.S. government grant.
- YES Abroad Program A reciprocal exchange program that provides U.S. high school students ages 15-18.5 the opportunity to spend an academic year studying abroad in select YES partner countries. Operates under the same U.S. Department of State/Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsorship as the inbound YES Program.
- Host Family Program A volunteer host family placement service supporting the YES Program that places international high school exchange students with screened American host families for the duration of their academic year in the United States. Available to families across all U.S. states through 15+ partner placement organizations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 15,000+ participants have completed the program since 2003
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Yes Program
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Yes Program technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Yes Program partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
29 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- AFS Interculture South AfricasupportingManages YES program in Mozambique in partnership with local U.S. Embassy. Located in Johannesburg.
- iEARN-Sierra LeonesupportingManages YES program in Sierra Leone in partnership with local U.S. Embassy.
- iEARN-SchoolNet-CameroonsupportingManages YES program in Cameroon in partnership with local U.S. Embassy.
- iEARN-BangladeshsupportingManages YES program in Bangladesh in partnership with local U.S. Embassy.
- American Councils for International EducationcoreConsortium lead for YES operations. Has national office in Washington, DC that cooperates with all placement organizations nationwide and all overseas recruiting offices. Manages YES program directly in multiple countries (Senegal, Pakistan, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia) and partners with local organizations in other countries.
- AFS-USAcoreRecruitment organization partner managing YES program in Türkiye, India, Ghana, Egypt, South Africa, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Kenya, and Israel Arab Communities. Also serves as placement organization for students in U.S. communities.
- AmideastcoreRecruitment organization partner managing YES program in Morocco, West Bank, Tunisia, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Bahrain. Partners with U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Offices in each country for program implementation.
- iEARNcoreRecruitment organization partner (iEARN-USA manages the YES program website). Manages YES program in Mali, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Liberia, Cameroon, Pakistan, and Israel Arab Communities. iEARN-USA is headquartered in New York.
- IRIS (Iowa Resource for International Service)coreRecruitment organization partner managing YES program in Nigeria and Tanzania. Also serves as placement organization for students in U.S. communities. Headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa.
- ACES (American Cultural Exchange Service)supportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Bellevue, WA.
- AIFS/AYA (Academic Year in America)supportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Stamford, CT.
- ASSEsupportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Laguna Beach, CA.
- AYUSA InternationalsupportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in San Francisco, CA.
- BFF (Borderless Friends Forever Foundation)supportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Cary, NC.
- CIEEsupportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Portland, ME.
- Greenheart ExchangesupportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Chicago, IL.
- Pan Atlantic FoundationsupportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States.
- PAX (Program of Academic Exchange)supportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Port Chester, NY.
- STS FoundationsupportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Petaluma, CA.
- World LinksupportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Kalona, IA.
- YFU (Youth for Understanding)supportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Saginaw, MI.
- Aspect FoundationsupportingPlacement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in San Francisco, CA.
- MIUSA (Mobility International)supportingPartnership to support students with disabilities. MIUSA provides leadership-building workshops, appropriate information and support to enhance the year in America for students with disabilities. Located in Eugene, OR.
- iEARN-PakistansupportingLocal partner implementing YES program in Pakistan alongside Society for International Education (SIE).
- Society for International Education (SIE)supportingLocal partner implementing YES program in Pakistan alongside iEARN-Pakistan.
- iEARN-SurinamesupportingManages YES program in Suriname in partnership with local U.S. Embassy.
- iEARN-LiberiasupportingManages YES program in Liberia in partnership with local U.S. Embassy.
- U.S. Department of State (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs)corePrimary sponsor and funder of the Kennedy-Lugar YES program. Established program by Congressional mandate in October 2002. Provides ongoing funding, policy direction, and oversight through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Organizations implementing YES report to the Department of State.
- iEARN-Israel ACsupportingManages YES program in Israel Arab Communities in partnership with local U.S. Embassy.
Scale indicators38 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Yes Program competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AFS Intercultural Programs: Largest private-sector international high school exchange operator; also a YES recruitment and placement partner. Comparable academic-year high school exchange product, but funded primarily through tuition and host family fees rather than government grants.
- NSLI-Y (National Security Language Initiative for Youth): U.S. Department of State-sponsored overseas immersion program for U.S. high school students focused on critical-need languages. Same ECA sponsorship, scholarship-based delivery, and consortium implementation model as YES.
- Youth for Understanding (YFU): Major private high school exchange organization that also serves as a YES placement partner in the U.S. Comparable year-long homestay exchange product and target student segment, with a mix of self-funded and scholarship participants.
- FLEX (Future Leaders Exchange): U.S. Department of State-funded academic-year high school exchange program for students from post-Soviet states, operated by American Councils. Closest structural analog to YES: government-sponsored, merit-based, full scholarship, hosted by American families.
- Greenheart Exchange: U.S. State Department-designated J-1 visa sponsor that places YES students and runs its own academic-year high school exchange programs. Direct overlap in homestay exchange delivery and host family recruitment.
- Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX): Congress-funded bilateral youth exchange between the U.S. and Germany, administered through a consortium of placement organizations. Mirrors YES's government sponsorship, scholarship model, and high school-aged cohort.
- CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): Large nonprofit exchange operator that runs both tuition-funded and government-sponsored high school programs, including YES placement. Overlaps with YES in academic-year homestay exchanges for international high school students in the U.S.
- AIFS / Academic Year in America (AYA): Major placement organization for YES students and a broader private academic-year exchange provider. Operates the same homestay-plus-American-high-school model for international high schoolers.
Others
- Peace Corps: U.S. federal volunteer-sending agency for adult service abroad, administered independently of State. Adjacent U.S. public diplomacy instrument rather than a direct youth-exchange competitor; useful as a sibling reference for federal cultural exchange funding debates.
Broad incumbents
- Fulbright Program: Flagship U.S. Department of State academic exchange program targeting post-graduate students, scholars, and professionals. Broader in scope and older audience than YES but operates under the same ECA bureau and pursues similar public diplomacy goals.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Yes Program social profiles
Digital presenceYes Program financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Yes Program leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Yes Program funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Yes Program M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Yes Program
What does Yes Program do?
The YES Program operates a fully funded, merit-based academic-year high school exchange for students ages 15-18 from 35+ strategically important countries to live with American host families and attend U.S. high schools for an academic year. The reciprocal YES Abroad Program, launched in 2009, sends U.S. students to select partner countries. A volunteer Host Family Program supports placement of international exchange students with screened American families. All participant costs (airfare, housing, insurance, stipend, orientations) are covered through a U.S. Department of State grant.
Is Yes Program a public or private company?
Yes Program is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Yes Program founded?
Yes Program was founded in 2002. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Yes Program based?
Yes Program is headquartered in Washington, DC, United States, in the North America region.
How does Yes Program make money?
One revenue line is on record: government Grant Funding.
Who are Yes Program's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AFS Intercultural Programs, NSLI-Y (National Security Language Initiative for Youth), Youth for Understanding (YFU), FLEX (Future Leaders Exchange), Greenheart Exchange, Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX), CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) and AIFS / Academic Year in America (AYA). Peace Corps is listed as an others. Fulbright Program is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Yes Program have an API?
No public API is recorded for Yes Program.
What industry is Yes Program in?
Yes Program's product category is International Cultural Exchange Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAHAB, Secondary School Exchange Programs (Academic Year/Semester), with a secondary code of EDAIAHAL, On-Ground Orientation, Travel, Transfers & Logistics Support. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.