Exchange Programs
Now
in its eighteenth year, Future
Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX) provides an opportunity for
Georgian secondary school students in the 9th, 10th, and 11th grades to study
at an American high school and to live with an American host family. The FLEX program is fully
funded by the U.S. Department of State and is administered by American Councils
for International Education in Georgia.
The program will offer approximately 50 scholarships to secondary school
students from Georgia for the 2010-2011 academic year. Scholarship recipients
will be provided with travel accommodations from their home to the United
States and back as well as a monthly allowance for living expenses. While
in the U.S., Georgian students will have the opportunity to share Georgian
culture. They will learn about the United States firsthand by
participating in family life, school study, and extracurricular activities.
Recipients of FLEX
scholarships are selected by an independent panel of experienced educators in
the United States on the basis of merit demonstrated in the application
materials. Merit is determined by evaluating the written application,
recommendations, English language proficiency, and an applicant's demonstrated
preparedness for a yearlong exchange experience.
We invite all students to participate in the competition who: are presently studying in the 9th,
10th, and 11th grades; have good academic standing; were born in the period
between January 1, 1993 to July 15, 1995; be eligible to receive a U.S. visa;
have not lived in the United States for more than three months in the last five
years; are citizens of Georgia; have previously studied English or demonstrate
English language abilities.
The
FLEX
program is open to all high school students who meet requirements of the
program including students
with disabilities. Over 210 disabled students from
Eurasia have already studied in the U.S. on this program. The age/grade
requirements for disabled students differ from the requirements for other
applicants. Disabled candidates
must be born between March 15, 1992 and July 15, 1995 and must be studying in
8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades.
Representatives of American Councils will visit below regional centers to
conduct testing:
September 23, 2009, 10 a.m.: Telavi, Public
School # 1, Chavchavadze Street #8
September 26, 2009, 10
a.m.: Signagi, Public School #1, Vano Sarajishvili Street # 13
September 28, 2009, 10
a.m.: Gori, Public School #3, Dimitri Amilakhvari Street
#26
October 7, 2009, 10
a.m.: Kutaisi, Public School #3, Tsminda Nino Street #2
October 7, 2009, 10
a.m.: Marneuli, Public School #5, Rustaveli Street #52
October 10, 2009, 10
a.m.: Borjomi, Public School #1, Tsminda Nino Street #1
October 11, 2009, 10
a.m.: Batumi, Public School # 19, Pirosmani Street # 5
October 13, 2009, 10
a.m.: Akhalkalaki, Public School #2, Tumanian Street #31
October 14, 2009, 10
a.m.: Zugdidi, Public School #1, Agmashenebeli Street #1
October 15, 2009, 10
a.m.: Akhaltsikhe, Public School # 1, Mikutishvili Street #2
October 17, 2009, 10
a.m.: Poti, Public School #1, Akaki Street # 44
October 24, 2009, 10
a.m.: Tbilisi, Public School #55, Chavchavadze Avenue # 38
All
eligible students are invited to take part in the first round. They must bring
proof of eligibility (their original birth certificate) and one recent
photograph (3x4 cm). Students who pass Round One (a short English test)
will be invited to Round Two (a comprehensive English test and in-class written
essays). Semi-finalists from Round Two will be invited to compete in
Round Three, consisting of an interview, in-class written essays and an
application process. Final results of Round Three will be known in May 2010.
Finalists of the program will leave for the United States in August of 2010 and
will return home in June 2011.
For more information please contact:
American Councils for International Education Georgia
tel (995 32) 29-21-06, 91-32-72
www.americancouncils.ge