Host a Fellow

Apply to be a Fellowship Host

About Fellowship Placements

YSEALI Fellows are placed in individually tailored fellowship placements at relevant U.S. non-profit, public, or private sector organizations across the U.S. for four-week fellowships. Fellows come from a diverse range of backgrounds and professional sectors under the themes of Civic Engagement, Economic Empowerment, Governance and Society, and Sustainable Development and the Environment. Fellows are between the ages of 25 and 35 years old, have demonstrated expertise in their field, are currently employed, and have at least two years of relevant professional experience. The majority of Fellows have university or advanced degrees, and all have working proficiency in English.

Fellowship placements should be mutually beneficial to the Fellow and the fellowship placement and must provide a substantive experience for the Fellow. The fellowship placement is intended to provide Fellows direct experience with the day-to-day workings of a U.S. organization and the opportunity to network and form professional relationships with American colleagues. Fellows are expected to report to their fellowship sites approximately 32-40 hours per week during the four-week program. Past Fellows have been placed with large multi-national companies, fast-paced start-ups, grassroots NGOs, government offices, and other dynamic organizations within their sector or a complimentary sector.

Responsibilities of Hosting a Fellow

While at their fellowship placement, Fellows work directly with a U.S. placement host, who serves as the Fellow’s main point of contact and coordinates the fellowship activities. Activities can include shadowing important meetings, conducting research, presenting on relevant topics, participating in office events, and many other projects. While the U.S. placement host is the main point of contact, they are encouraged to arrange for their Fellow to collaborate with other colleagues and departments within their organization as well. There is no cost to a U.S. institution to host a Fellow. Fellows are provided a living stipend from the U.S. Department of State and take public transit or other means to commute to their fellowship placement each day.

For more information about hosting a Fellow at your organization, please contact us at ysealipfp@americancouncils.org.

Reciprocal Exchange Projects

U.S. placement hosts have a unique opportunity to participate in a Reciprocal Exchange Project as a follow-on to the U.S.-based exchange. The Reciprocal Exchange Project affords the U.S. placement host the opportunity to travel to the Fellow’s home country and implement a professional project addressing a need or challenge faced in the Fellow’s community. The projects are designed by the Fellow in close collaboration with the U.S. placement host. Reciprocal Exchange Project proposals are competitively selected. Selected Reciprocal Exchange Projects are fully-funded, are approximately ten days in length, and are open to U.S. citizens who have worked closely with a Fellow during the program.

Participants in these projects, called U.S. Fellows, are expected to provide expertise, insights, and best practices while simultaneously learning about the Fellow’s country, community, and work. Reciprocal Exchange Projects are intended as substantive professional experiences directly supporting U.S. public diplomacy objectives and advancing the YSEALI PFP goals of building sustainable and lasting professional partnerships. U.S. Fellows who successfully complete projects become members of the prestigious U.S. Department of State Exchange Alumni network at the conclusion of the project.

Apply to be a Host Family

About Host Families

Host families are an important part of the YSEALI PFP experience and provide Fellows with valuable cultural immersion during their time in the U.S. Host families reflect the diversity of the United States and serve as cultural ambassadors for the Fellows, offering them a glimpse of “regular” American life. Host families can be families with or without children, straight or same sex couples, adult roommates, or single adult individuals.

The majority of YSEALI PFP Fellows are housed in U.S. host families for the duration of their four-week fellowship. Others will stay with a host family for a shorter period of time (several days to a couple of weeks) and reside in university housing or an extended stay hotel for the remainder of their fellowship experience.

Host families provide Fellows with their own bed, private room, adequate space to put their things, and meals and/or access to groceries and kitchen amenities. Host families are volunteers and do not receive compensation for hosting a Fellow. Fellows receive a modest stipend for lunches during working hours and an allowance for public transportation provided by the U.S. Department of State.

For more information on becoming a host family, please contact us at ysealipfp@americancouncils.org.

Apply to be a Hospitality Host

About Hospitality Hosts

For those who may not have the space, time, or capacity to host a Fellow in their home for a longer stay, there are still plenty of opportunities to be involved as a hospitality host. Home hospitality experiences provide Fellows with a glimpse into everyday American life. Hospitality hosts are community members who are interested in sharing their American culture and learning about the Fellows’ culture, but may not be able to commit to the full four-weeks of hosting.

Hospitality hosts can lead experiences such as inviting a Fellow for a homecooked meal, taking them out to dinner, visiting a museum, visiting the zoo, attending a sporting event, or another cultural experience. As with host families, hospitality hosts are considered volunteers and are not compensated for hosting a Fellow.

For more information about volunteering as a hospitality host, please contact us at ysealipfp@americancouncils.org.