EXCHANGES FOR STUDENTS
The Cultural Affairs section arranges a variety of U.S.-government sponsored exchange programs that link Iraqis and Americans. These programs are intended to introduce participants to the United States and American people and culture, as well as provide them with a chance to exchange ideas with their American colleagues. Educational and cultural exchanges create human bonds and enduring relationships that build bridges of cooperation and understanding between peoples.
These programs and scholarships cover a wide range of interests including communications and journalism, law, human rights, economic development, science and technology, teaching English, and other disciplines.
The invitation to visit the U.S. under the auspices of the majority of these exchange programs is extended by U.S. embassies. For that reason, individuals cannot apply to participate in these programs. Please visit the EducationUSA website for information about studying in the U.S.
Between The Lines: Peace and the Writing Experience
Between the Lines: Peace and the Writing Experience (BTL) Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. BTL: Peace and the Writing Experience will bring together international and U.S.-based students for two weeks of intensive BTL summer programming hosted online by the International Writing Program (IWP) and the University of Iowa (UI). All programming is conducted in English and includes creative writing workshops, world literature seminars, literary readings and Q&As with visiting authors, youth and mentor conversation sessions, social opportunities for cultural exchange, as well as group and individual writing assignments outside of class.
Age range: 15-18 years old
Duration of the program: 2 weeks
Delivery method: Virtual
To apply please fill out this form.
For more information, please visit: https://iwp.uiowa.edu/programs/between-the-lines
Deadline: To be announced
Study of the United States Institutes (SUSI) for Student Leaders Religious Diversity and Democracy
The Study of the United States Institutes (SUSI) for Student Leaders Religious Diversity and Democracy are intensive short-term academic programs whose purpose is to provide groups of undergraduate student leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills.
The SUSI on Religious Diversity and Democracy will enhance participants’ knowledge of U.S. history, government, institutions, society, and culture within the context of the theme. Participants will explore the intersection of religious diversity and pluralism with American democracy; the First Amendment and separation of church and state; early religious traditions and the current religious landscape of the United States; conflict resolution and interfaith dialogue in a democracy; and the engagement of faith groups in civil society and the voluntary sector.
Age range: 18-25 years old
Duration of the program: 4-5 weeks
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement
To apply fill out the following documents:
- Application form available here
- Recommendation letter
- University proof of enrollment
Deadline: November 15, 2023
Study of the United States Institutes (SUSI) for Young Women Leaders
Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs) for Student Leaders are intensive short-term academic programs whose purpose is to provide groups of undergraduate student leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills. The five-week Institutes will consist of a balanced series of seminar discussions, readings, group presentations, and lectures. The coursework and classroom activities will be complemented by educational travel, site visits, leadership activities, and volunteer opportunities within the local community. Each Institute will include a four-week academic residency component and a one-week integrated study tour. During the academic residency, participants will also have the opportunity to engage in educational and cultural activities outside of the classroom.
Age range: 18-25 years old
Duration of the program: 5 weeks
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement
To apply, fill out the following documents:
- Application form available here
- Recommendation letter
- University proof of enrollment
Deadline: November 15, 2023
English Access Microscholarship Program (ACCESS)
English Access Microscholarship Program (Access) provides a foundation of English language skills to economically disadvantaged 13- to 20-year-olds through two years of after-school classes and intensive learning sessions. Access also provides teachers/administrators and alumni with professional development opportunities and continued English language training. Participants gain greater understanding and appreciation for U.S. culture and democratic values through various cultural enhancement activities, and they improve their competitiveness for future programs and exchanges.
Age range: 13-20 years old
Duration of the program: 2 years
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement
Deadline: To be announced
Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP)
Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP) for Undergraduate Students
Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP) for Undergraduate Students provides four weeks of fully funded leadership training and classroom instruction to talented and dedicated students from Iraq. Participants, hosted at four universities throughout the United States, focus on many thematic “Institutes” Each Institute consists of classroom instruction, field trips, site visits, community service, leadership training, conflict resolution training, and cultural exchanges.
Age range: 18-25 years old
Duration of the program: 4 weeks
To apply or for more information, please visit here
Deadline: November 5, 2023
Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP) for High School Students (in English)
Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP) for High School Students (in English) is a four-week youth leadership exchange based in the United States for Iraqi teenagers ages 15-17. Iraqi adult mentors also participate in this program as chaperones. The program aims to develop a cadre of young adults in Iraq and the United States who have a strong sense of civic responsibility, a commitment to community development, an awareness of current and global issues, strong interpersonal leadership skills, and a willingness to foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups in Iraq.
Age range: 15-17 years old
Duration of the program: 4 weeks
To apply or for more information, please visit here
Deadline: November 5, 2023
Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP) for High School Students (in Arabic)
Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP) for High School Students (in Arabic) is a program modeled on IYLEP (in English), that brings together high school students aged 15-17 and their adult mentors for a similar dynamic four-week program but provides Arabic translation. Students develop skills in leadership, civic education and responsibility, diversity awareness and tolerance, and civil engagement, as well as have opportunities for structured English-language learning. This program caters to students who meet the same eligibility criteria for IYLEP except for English language proficiency.
Age range: 15-17 years old
Duration of the program: 4 weeks
To apply or for more information, please visit here
Deadline: November 5, 2023
MEPI Leaders for Democracy Fellowship (LDF)
Leaders for Democracy is a three-month academic course for young democratic reform leaders from the Middle East and North Africa to complete both academic coursework and a practical, skill-building experience in their field of choice in the U.S.
Age range: 28-35 years old
Duration of the program: 3 months
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement
Deadline: To be announced
MEPI Student Leaders Program (SLP)
The Student Leaders Program (SLP) is a yearlong three-part program: pre-summer, summer, and post-summer with the most intensive part taking place during the summer. The summer program is an intensive 5-week program. The summer program will either be a virtual, hybrid, or in-person program depending on the state of the global pandemic. Upon completion of the summer program, students will implement their Community Engagement Plans and receive follow-on support, training, and professional networking opportunities, including joining the 2,000 strong MEPI Alumni network.
Age range: 20-24 years old
Duration of the program: one year
Learn more: https://mepi.state.gov/leadership/faqs/ and apply at: https://studentleaders-apply.smapply.io/
Deadline: December 18, 2023
MEPI Tomorrow’s Leaders Graduate Program (TLG)
Tomorrow’s Leaders Graduate program (TLG) offers students from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) a unique opportunity to pursue a master’s degree through leading American institutions with American accreditation in the MENA region: the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Lebanese American University (LAU).
Age range: A bachelor’s degree holder
Duration of the program: 2 years
To apply click here
Deadline: December 11, 2023
MEPI Tomorrow’s Leaders Undergraduate Program (TLU)
The Tomorrow’s Leaders Undergraduate Program is an innovative opportunity that offers degree-granting, university-level undergraduate scholarships at select U.S. accredited institutions of higher education in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): The American University of Beirut (AUB), The Lebanese American University (LAU) in Lebanon, and The American University in Cairo (AUC) in Egypt.
Age range: High school students (12th grade)
Duration of the program: 4 years
To apply, please click here
Deadline: December 11, 2023
Fulbright Foreign Student Program
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program provides opportunities to Iraqi graduate students and young professionals to earn a Master’s degree in the U.S. universities. The Program is open to all fields of study, with the exception of medical sciences.
Age range: A bachelor’s degree holder
Duration of the program: 2 years
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement
Deadline: To be announced
EXCHANGES FOR PROFESSIONALS
International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP)
The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program. Through short-term visits to the United States, current and emerging foreign leaders in a variety of fields experience this country firsthand and cultivate lasting relationships with their American counterparts. Professional meetings reflect the participants’ professional interests and support the foreign policy goals of the United States.
Age range: Have, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree/four-year university degree or equivalent.
Duration of the program: 4 weeks
Deadline: Once a year. This is a nomination-based program.
Community Solutions Program (CSP)
The Community Solutions Program is a yearlong professional development program that supports engaged civil society leaders, ages 26-39, to enhance their leadership and technical expertise to address economic, environmental, political, and social challenges in their local communities.
Age range: 26-39 years old
Duration of the travel: 4 months
To apply or for more information, please visit here
Deadline: November 1, 2023
Community Engagement Exchange Program (CEE)
The Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) Program, a fully funded exchange program, supports emerging community leaders, ages 21-28, from around the world working at the nexus of public, private, and nonprofit sectors to address issues of public concern and improve the quality of community. Through a three-month exchange in the United States, follow-on community engagement projects, and robust alumni programming, CEE equips the next generation of civil society leaders to develop sustainable, multisector solutions to community challenges in over 100 countries.
Age range: 21-28 years old
Duration of the travel: One year
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement
To know more, please check the Application Instruction
Deadline: To be announced
Study of the United States Institutes (SUSI) for Scholars
Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars (SUSIs) are intensive post-graduate level academic programs that provide foreign university faculty and other scholars the opportunity to deepen their understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions. The program goal is to strengthen curricula and to enhance the quality of teaching about the United States in academic institutions abroad.
Age range: Mid-career professionals, 30-50 years old
Duration of the program: 5-6 weeks
For program information, please visit: Program Announcement
Application form is available at: SUSI for Scholars DOCX
Application form must be submitted to: IraqSUSI@state.gov
Deadline: November 15, 2023
Study of the United States Institutes (SUSI) for Secondary Educators
Study of the U.S. Institutes for Secondary Educators (SUSIs) are intensive post-graduate level academic programs that provide foreign secondary school educators and administrators the opportunity to deepen their understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions. The program goal is to strengthen curricula and to enhance the quality of teaching about the United States in secondary schools and other academic institutions abroad.
Age range: 30-50
Duration of the program: 5 weeks
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement
Application form is available at: SUSI for Secondary Educators DOCX
Application form must be submitted to: IraqSUSI@state.gov
Deadline: November 15, 2023
Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program
The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program for Iraq brings junior Iraqi scholars to U.S. institutions for faculty development, mentoring, and cultural exchange activities. Discipline-based cohorts will spend 10 weeks at selected U.S. host institutions, where they will be introduced to new teaching and research methods, observe classes, attend seminars, and develop linkages with American faculty through weekly mentoring sessions. Ongoing community engagement with university-identified host families, volunteers, or others in the broader local community will facilitate the scholars’ participation in outreach activities, including visits to historical sites and attendance at cultural events. While introduction to new research methods in the scholars’ disciplines is one component of the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program for Iraq, the program is not intended to provide a venue for individual research projects.
Age range: Mid-career professionals, 30-50 years old
Duration of the program: 10 weeks.
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement.
The application process has been closed.
Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), the Fulbright FLTA Program is a nine-month non-degree program aimed at strengthening foreign language instruction at U.S. colleges and universities, while providing current or future teachers of English with the opportunity to refine their skills, increase their English language proficiency, and extend their knowledge of U.S. society and culture. Fulbright FLTA participants will serve as assistant teachers of Arabic at U.S. universities or high schools and take graduate courses related to their career in English language teaching, also interact with their host communities in conversation groups, extracurricular activities, and community outreach projects.
Age range: English Teachers
Duration of the program: 9 months, non-degree program
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement
Deadline: To be announced
Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (FTEA) Program
The Fulbright TEA Program brings international teachers to the United States for a six-week program that offers academic seminars for professional development at a host university. Participants observe classrooms and share their expertise with teachers and students at the host university and at local secondary schools. Teachers are nominated to participate in the Fulbright TEA Program based on their educational experience, academic training, leadership and professional experience.
Age range: Teachers of English, math, science, social studies, including special education teachers
Duration of the program: 6 weeks
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement
Deadline: To be announced
Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program provides accomplished Iraqi young and mid-career professionals with ten months of non-degree academic study, leadership development, and professional enrichment in the United States. Humphrey Fellows are selected based on their potential for leadership and commitment to public service either in the public or the private sector.
Age range: Mid-career professionals
Duration of the program: 10 months
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement
Deadline: To be announced
International Writing Program’s (IWP)
International Writing Program’s (IWP) Fall Residency at the University of Iowa is an ECA-funded 12-week Fall Residency program for established writers who have achieved literary distinction in their own countries, as well as for rising stars who have demonstrated notable literary talent. Fiction and literary non-fiction writers, bloggers, screenwriters, poets, and dramatists are eligible for nomination. Except in extraordinary circumstances, candidates should have at least one published volume of work or professional script credit or works that have appeared in significant publications or attracted significant audiences over a period of at least two years. Nominees must be fluent in English, comfortable with cross-cultural dynamics, and eager to engage with writers from diverse cultures.
Age range: Fiction and literary non-fiction writers, bloggers, screenwriters, poets, and dramatists.
Duration of the program: 12 weeks
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement
Deadline: To be announced
ONEBEAT
ONEBEAT is a musical fellowship which aims at using music as a tool to promote dialogue, creation, and social engagement. The program is open to young musicians between the ages of 19-35 who not only have musical talent but also leadership skills, entrepreneurial spirit and a strong commitment to their societies. ONEBEAT consists of a two-week RESIDENCY followed by a two-week TOUR. During the RESIDENCY, fellows form small ensembles and create original material and develop workshop ideas. While on TOUR, fellows give public performances in various U.S. cities and states and lead workshops with youth and communities groups.
Age range: 19-35 years old
Duration of the program: 4 weeks
To apply or for more information, please visit: Program Announcement
Deadline: To be announced