Dates and Deadlines

Summer & Academic Year Abroad Timeline

August – September: Learn About the Program

• Discuss the program with their parent(s) or guardian(s).
• Follow NSLI-Y on social media for application tips and updates.
• Watch informational videos and review the sample application.

September: Start the Application

• Review the application with their parent(s) or guardian(s) and ask them to complete the Parent/Legal Guardian Statement.
• Watch informational videos about the application process and start the NSLI-Y application.
• Ask an adult (teacher, counselor, school administrator, coach, etc.) to write a recommendation for them. The timely submission of Parent/Legal Guardian Statement and Recommendation is the responsibility of the applicant.

Mid-October: Request Accommodation

Request accommodation if unable to complete application online. 

Early November: Application Due

Review and complete the application.

• Key reminders about submitting the application:
  • Submit early! Do not wait until the last minute. Due to the high volume of applications, there is no guarantee that NSLI-Y staff can respond to all questions or trouble-shoot all issues on the day the application is due.
  • Late applications will not be accepted, including those delayed by technical problems.
  • Report any technical problems to [email protected].

Mid-November: Recommendation and Parent/Legal Guardian Statement Due

• Check in with recommender and parent/guardian to make sure they will submit the recommendation and the parent/legal guardian statement on time.
  • Confirm that the recommender and parent/guardian can:
    • Access the form. They will receive instructions by email from [email protected].
    • Complete their portions by the deadline and submit online according to the instructions. Late documents, or documents submitted by mail, email, or fax will not be accepted.
• Applicants can track the status of their recommendation, parent/legal guardian statement, and transcript uploads in the respective sections of their application. The status history box will display “submitted” once the document has been received. Please contact [email protected] with questions about transcripts.

December: Semi-Finalists Notified

• American Councils will notify applicants of their selection status via the primary email address provided in the application. American Councils cannot discuss individual application determinations.
• Semi-finalists will receive the NSLI-Y Medical Evaluation Form in December and should schedule an appointment with their doctor promptly. If applying to a NSLI-Y Academic Year Abroad program, semi-finalists should also schedule a dental appointment and bring the Medical Evaluation Form to both appointments. The submission deadline for the Medical Evaluation Form will be in late February.

December – January: Schedule Interviews

• An AFS-USA coordinator will contact all semi-finalists, who should respond promptly to schedule an interview. 
• Semi-finalists should review the Terms and Conditions again with their parent(s)/legal guardian(s).
• Exact program dates will be available upon finalist notifications.

Late January: Submit Passport Paperwork

• Semi-finalists without a valid passport (or one that expires within six months of the program’s end), must apply by January at the latest and have a valid passport by the end of February. Waiting until finalist notifications will be too late. The NSLI-Y scholarship does not cover passport costs.  
• For programs in China or Indonesia, legal guardians may need a valid passport or custody documentation for visa applications. NSLI-Y does not cover passport costs for parents/guardians. Passport application details are available here. Processing times may be long.

 Late February: Medical Forms Due

Semi-finalists submit Medical Evaluation Forms to American Councils.

March and April: Scholarship Notifications

Summer and Academic Year Abroad finalist notifications are sent on a rolling basis by the end of April. All finalists receive information about their implementing organization and the location of their program when they receive the official scholarship offer. Summer Abroad program finalists have 7 days to accept or decline the NSLI-Y scholarship. Academic Year Abroad program finalists have 14 days to accept or decline the scholarship. NSLI-Y finalists may not request a change to their assigned program location or program schedule.

May: Medical Evaluation

Independent medical professionals review the medical evaluation forms after an applicant is selected as a finalist or alternate. This review will determine whether an applicant meets the medical requirements necessary to participate. The medical review process may be lengthy and finalists may be asked to provide additional information.

May-June: Pre-Program Participation

• Finalists must participate in pre-program language preparation and language assessments. Finalists should expect to dedicate at least a couple of hours each week to these pre-program requirements.
• Other preparatory activities for NSLI-Y Summer Abroad programs begin in the spring; Academic Year Abroad students typically begin their preparation during the summer.

Virtual NSLI-Y Timeline

Virtual NSLI-Y will be offered in Fall 2025 (Sept-Nov).

Fall 2025 Key Dates

Early May 2025:  Application opens

June 9, 2025 at 4:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time:  Application Deadline

June 12, 2025 at 11:59 PM U.S. Eastern Time:  Recommendation due

Late July/Early August 2025: Notification of status and placement

August-September 2025: Pre-program requirements

September 8 to November 16, 2025: Program in session (exact program start/end dates will vary based on class schedule)

Mid-November 2025: Post-program requirements