The American Center at the US Embassy Dhaka has announced the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (K-L YES) Programme for academic year 2020-21 for Bangladeshi students. 

The K-L YES programme is a high school exchange programme sponsored by the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, said the Embassy on Thursday. 

It is administered in Bangladesh by the International Education and Resource Network - Bangladesh (iEARN-BD), a non-profit organisation, with the support of US Embassy Dhaka.

To be eligible for the K-L YES programme, interested candidates must be a Bangladesh citizen and not dual citizens or permanent residents of the US, or any other country; aged between 15 and 17 years on August 1, 2020; and be currently enrolled in grade 8-11 in any high school and/or college in Bangladesh.

The programme enables exemplary Bangladeshi high school students from grades eight through 11 to spend one academic year at an American high school.

Its purpose is to provide promising high school students with a deeper understanding of the United States, while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills.

The K-L YES Program began in Bangladesh in 2004, and since then, 420 Bangladeshi students have successfully participated.

Many YES participants have been recognised for their community service activities in the United States and the YES alumni association in Bangladesh is actively engaged in several community programmes.

The programme application is online and the interested students can apply at the iEARN-BD website: http://www.iearnbd.org/.

The deadline for submission of completed applications to iEARN-BD website is Sunday (November 23).