Yes Program

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

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

• Youth exchange programs
• Cultural exchange scholarships
• International high school exchange
• Academic year exchange
• Youth ambassador program

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington, DC

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices30 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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

Core 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

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• AFS Interculture South AfricasupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2009Manages YES program in Mozambique in partnership with local U.S. Embassy. Located in Johannesburg.
• iEARN-Sierra LeonesupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2009Manages YES program in Sierra Leone in partnership with local U.S. Embassy.
• iEARN-SchoolNet-CameroonsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2009Manages YES program in Cameroon in partnership with local U.S. Embassy.
• iEARN-BangladeshsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2004Manages YES program in Bangladesh in partnership with local U.S. Embassy.
• American Councils for International EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Consortium 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-USAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Recruitment 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.
• AmideastcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Recruitment 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.
• iEARNcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Recruitment 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)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Recruitment 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)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement 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)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Stamford, CT.
• ASSEsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Laguna Beach, CA.
• AYUSA InternationalsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement 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)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Cary, NC.
• CIEEsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Portland, ME.
• Greenheart ExchangesupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Chicago, IL.
• Pan Atlantic FoundationsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States.
• PAX (Program of Academic Exchange)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Port Chester, NY.
• STS FoundationsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Petaluma, CA.
• World LinksupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Kalona, IA.
• YFU (Youth for Understanding)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in Saginaw, MI.
• Aspect FoundationsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Placement organization that hosts a portion of Kennedy-Lugar YES students in communities across the United States. Located in San Francisco, CA.
• MIUSA (Mobility International)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Partnership 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-PakistansupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Local partner implementing YES program in Pakistan alongside Society for International Education (SIE).
• Society for International Education (SIE)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Local partner implementing YES program in Pakistan alongside iEARN-Pakistan.
• iEARN-SurinamesupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Manages YES program in Suriname in partnership with local U.S. Embassy.
• iEARN-LiberiasupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2003Manages YES program in Liberia in partnership with local U.S. Embassy.
• U.S. Department of State (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs)coreOthers · 1 January 2002Primary 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 ACsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2002Manages YES program in Israel Arab Communities in partnership with local U.S. Embassy.

Scale indicators38 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/afsindiaofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/YouthExchangeAndStudy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yes-program
• Instagraminstagram.com/yes.program

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yes Program