Eligiblity Requirements
Selection
Study Abroad FAQ
Virtual NSLI-Y FAQ

Eligibility Requirements

All Programs

All programs require applicants to: 

Summer & Academic Year Abroad

Study Abroad programs also require applicants to: 

  • Have a GPA of 2.5 or higher 
  • Be 15-18 years of age at the start of the program 
    • For 2025 summer programs: birthdate between July 10, 2006 – June 10, 2010 
    • For 2025-2026 academic year programs: birthdate between August 30, 2006 – June 30, 2010 
  • Be enrolled in grades 9-12 (high school or home school equivalent) at the time of application 
  • Applicants for summer programs must be U.S. citizens residing in the United States at the time of application. 

Virtual NSLI-Y

Virtual NSLI-Y requires applicants to be: 

  • Between the ages of 15-18 at the start of the Fall 2025 program (Birthday range: September 12, 2006 – September 11, 2010)  
  • A U.S. high school student in the 2025-26 academic year 
  • Living in and attending school or homeschool in the United States
  • A beginner/novice-level learner in the selected target language

ECA Exchanges and Family Employment

There are additional eligibility requirements for applicants who are a current or previous participant in an ECA exchange, or have family employed by the U.S. Department of State.

Current or Past ECA Exchange Participant

A full list of U.S. Department of State ECA youth exchange programs for U.S. citizens can be found here.  

For Summer and Academic Year Study Abroad programs, applicants are not eligible if: 

  • The two programs take place in the same calendar year.
  • The student is currently participating, or has already participated, in an academic year program.  

Current or past participants in an ECA overseas program of 8 weeks or less are not eligible for another short-duration program but are eligible for an academic year program. Participation in a virtual program does not make the applicant ineligible for programs of any length. 

An individual may not participate in more than two of the above-listed programs, unless one of the programs was completely virtual.  

For Virtual NSLI-Y, applicants must not be: 

  • A previous participant of any NSLI-Y program.
  • A current or past participant of another U.S. Department of State (virtual or in-country) exchange program. 

Family Member Employment

Details on specific eligibility requirements for 2026-27 programs are coming soon. The below information applies only to the Virtual NSLI-Y Fall 2025 program.

For one year following the termination of employment, association, or service: 

  • Employees of the U.S. Department of State are ineligible, including all paid and unpaid staff (e.g., part-time or temporary employees, consultants, externs, interns, fellows, and personal services contractors). 
  • Immediate family members (e.g., dependent children) of U.S. Department of State employees are ineligible. Self-supporting children living apart from their parents are eligible. 
  • Employees and their immediate family members of private or public agencies under contract or grant with the U.S. Department of State, who provide services for ECA Youth Exchange programs, are ineligible. 

Selection

The selection processes for NSLI-Y and Virtual NSLI-Y are merit-based and aim to ensure participants represent the 50 U.S. states. More details about this topic can be found on the Selection Process page.

Summer Abroad

These programs are intended for students who have not previously participated in an in-person exchange program or lived abroad for six months or more during the past five years.

Academic Year Abroad

These programs are intended for students who have not previously lived abroad for six months or more during the past five years. 

Virtual NSLI-Y

This program is intended for students who have no prior exchange experience and have not received instruction or tutoring in any of the other NSLI-Y languages (Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian, Korean, Persian, Russian, and Turkish). 

NSLI-Y Study Abroad Eligibility FAQ

Yes, absolutely! Previous language study is not required to apply. All applicants are encouraged to discuss their interest and commitment to language learning in their essay responses. 

No. Students of all language levels are encouraged to apply.   

Yes, however since most NSLI-Y participants are at novice or intermediate levels, the student’s class placement and overall experience may differ from that of others in the group. 

Yes, home-schooled students are eligible. There is a different transcript form (included within the online application) for home-schooled students to complete and submit. The recommendation form must be completed by an adult who is not related to the student, but who knows the student well and can attest to their readiness to be an exchange student. 

Yes, graduating seniors who will complete high school between December 2025 and June 2026 are eligible to apply for the NSLI-Y program, provided they meet age and other eligibility requirements. 

No, only U.S. citizens are eligible to participate. 

Applicants must have U.S. citizenship to be eligible for NSLI-Y. If residing in another country, a student is eligible to apply for the Academic Year Abroad program only. Summer Abroad applicants must reside in the U.S. to be considered eligible. 

Applicants must have U.S. citizenship to be eligible for NSLI-Y. If selected, the NSLI-Y finalist must travel on a U.S. passport. 

Note that the issuance of a visa to travel to a NSLI-Y location is at the sole discretion of the host country/location. Dual citizenship may impact one’s visa application. Applicants must note their dual citizenship on their NSLI-Y application. 

NSLI-Y alumni of Summer Abroad programs abroad are eligible to apply for an Academic Year Abroad program but are not eligible for another Summer Abroad program. Alumni of Summer Abroad programs applying for an Academic Year Abroad program are encouraged to apply for a program in the same language if offered.   

NSLI-Y Virtual Summer Intensive and Virtual NSLI-Y alumni are eligible to apply for a Summer Abroad or Academic Year Abroad NSLI-Y program if they meet other eligibility requirements. 

Students who are interested in studying the language of their birth country or cultural heritage are welcome to apply for NSLI-Y. These applicants should reflect on how participation in NSLI-Y and study of their preferred NSLI-Y language is linked to their future academic or professional goals. Students should not plan or expect to visit or seek out relatives or return to the city of their birth during the program. Birthplace and dual citizenship may be considered by the relevant foreign government authorities in the visa application process. 

Virtual NSLI-Y Eligibility FAQ

Virtual NSLI-Y is only open to U.S. citizens attending a U.S.-based high school. 

Yes. U.S. citizens attending high school in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands of the United States, and the Northern Mariana Islands all meet the eligibility requirement. 

The student’s birthday must be within the eligible age range to participate. 

Virtual NSLI-Y participants must be enrolled in a U.S. high school at the time of their participation. High school seniors may be interested in the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship. 

Ready to learn more?

Now that you know who is eligible for NSLI-Y, it’s time to learn more about program expectations and the application process.

Participation Requirements Application Components