Now in its twenty-four year, Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX) provides an opportunity for Georgian secondary school students in the 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th 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 program and is administered by American Councils for International Education in Georgia.

The program will offer approximately 80 scholarships to secondary school students from Georgia for the 2017-2018 academic years. Scholarship recipients will be provided with round trip ticket 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: (1) Are presently studying in the 9^th, 10^th, and 11th grades and have good academic standing; (2) Were born between January 1, 2000 and July 15, 2002; (3) Are eligible to receive a U.S. visa; (4) Have not lived in the United States for more than three months in the last five years; (5) Are citizens of Georgia; (6) 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 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 February 15, 1999 and July 15, 2002 and must be studying in 8^th, 9^th, 10^th, 11^th and 12^th grades.

Representatives of American Councils will visit below regional centers to conduct testing in the fall and winter of 2016. 

All eligible students are invited to take part in the first of three rounds. 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 (an in-class written essay).  Semi-finalists from Round Two will be invited to compete in Round Three, consisting of an interview, an in-class written essay, complex English test and an application process. Final results of Round Three will be known in May 2017. Finalists of the program will leave for the United States in August 2017 and will return home in June 2018.