DUSHANBE, 18.09.2019. (NIAT Khovar) – Testing for the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) scholarship exchange program will begin on September 21 and will end on October 19.

The scholarship offers competitively selected high school students the opportunity to study in the United States for free.

Beginning on Saturday, FLEX recruiting teams will travel to 11 cities across Tajikistan to conduct the first two rounds of testing for the FLEX Program.

“Anyone is welcome to purchase a ticket and visit the US, see a few monuments, and try some American food, but the FLEX program allows students to experience the US as more than just a tourist by living with an American host family and attending a US high school for a full academic year – and for free!” explains the American Council Deputy Country Director in Tajikistan Nona Lambert Majidi.

Over 35 finalists will be chosen from Tajikistan to take part in the program for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Finalists will be placed with a screened US host family, enrolled in a US high school, and attend an orientation.

The program also includes round-trip travel to and from their home to the United States, a monthly allowance for living expenses, and medical insurance (excluding for any pre-existing conditions).

“What makes this program so special is that not only are dozens of students from Tajikistan learning more about American culture and how Americans live on a day-to-day basis, but American families and communities are also learning about different cultures in Tajikistan by hosting a student in their homes. Every year families enjoy learning how to make plov and kurutob as well as about traditional holidays observed in Tajikistan, such as Navruz,” says Majidi.

The FLEX program was created by the United States Congress to help people in the United States and Tajikistan learn more about one other. Now in its 28th year, the program is fully funded by the US government and administered by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Testing is also conducted in Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine.