The 2027 Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by IREX, brings emerging community leaders aged 22-27 from ten eligible European countries to the United States for a six-week exchange, including a four-week professional placement. Applications close on 18 November 2026 at 11:59 pm ET. At Youth Works Hub, we went through the full announcement and the official FAQ and set out every detail below.
A Six-Week Leadership Exchange for Emerging Community Leaders
The CEE Program is a leadership development opportunity for emerging community leaders committed to advancing free expression, open inquiry, constructive dialogue and civic participation in their communities. Through professional placements, applied learning and cross-cultural exchange, participants gain practical skills, expand their professional networks and explore how communities address challenges through collaboration, respectful disagreement and community-based problem-solving. The programme emphasises the responsible exercise of free speech and the role of civic engagement in strengthening communities and democratic societies.
What Participants Will Experience
🇺🇸 A six-week exchange experience in the United States, including a four-week professional placement with a U.S. host organisation
🏛️ Learning from American institutions, community organisations and civic leaders working to promote dialogue, participation and community engagement
🧭 Leadership, communication and project design skills built through experiential learning and peer exchange
🤝 Lasting professional relationships with U.S. and international counterparts
🌱 An Actions, Words project that applies lessons from the programme to address a need in your home community
🗓️ The six-week practicum takes place in September-October 2027 with a U.S. host organisation
Who Should Apply
CEE looks for emerging leaders with a demonstrated commitment to:
🗣️ Free speech and freedom of expression
🔎 Open inquiry and constructive public discourse
💬 Civic dialogue and public participation
📘 Civic education
🏘️ Community-level problem-solving
🌉 Conflict reduction and bridge-building across differences
Applicants should have at least two years of relevant professional or community experience and a strong desire to create positive change in their communities.
Eligibility Requirements
Competition for the CEE Program is merit-based and open to emerging civil society and community leaders who meet these criteria:
🎂 You are between the ages of 22 and 27 on the application closing date (18 November 2026)
🪪 You are a citizen of one of the FY26 eligible countries in Europe (full list below)
🧑💼 You have a minimum of two years of experience working on relevant First Amendment issues, including free speech, open inquiry, constructive public discourse, public participation, respectful disagreement or related community-level problem-solving; experience may be professional, volunteer, academic or community-based
🏠 You are living and working in your home country at the time of application
🌐 You are proficient in spoken and written English at the time of application
🧩 You can work effectively in cross-cultural settings and contribute meaningfully to a U.S. host organisation and community
🌱 You show a clear commitment to developing a locally grounded First Amendment or free-speech initiative in your home country
📆 You are available to begin the programme in the United States in 2027 and take part in the full six-week exchange, including the four-week individualised professional placement
↩️ You are committed to returning to your home country, applying your experience and implementing a community-based project after the exchange
In consultation with ECA, special consideration may be given to an individual completing school courses or non-U.S.-government programming outside the home country who will have returned home at least six months before the programme begins.
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Who Is Not Eligible
🚫 U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents of the United States
🎓 Individuals taking part in academic, training or research programmes in the United States or other countries at the time of application
🧳 Individuals residing or working outside their home countries at the time of application, unless the individual is a refugee or holds special refugee status and is working on behalf of their home country or community
🛂 Individuals who took part in an exchange visitor programme sponsored or funded by the U.S. government and have not fulfilled their two-year home residency requirement by the time of application
🗽 Individuals who have applied for U.S. permanent residency in the past three years
📋 Other criteria to be determined in consultation with ECA, including public-health related status based on guidance from federal agencies at the time of application
Eligible Countries
Citizens of the following ten countries can apply: Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, United Kingdom and Ukraine. A country that was eligible in earlier years but is not on this year's list cannot apply.
What the Programme Covers
The programme covers the cost of most expenses associated with:
🛂 J-1 visa support
✈️ Round-trip travel from participants' home city to the United States
🏠 An allowance to cover housing, meals and other living expenses while in the United States
🩺 Accident and sickness health benefits
For a closer look at how organised exchanges and funding differ, see our guide to the difference between a fellowship, an internship and a traineeship and browse more listings in the Others category on Youth Works Hub.
English Language Requirements
📝 No English test score is needed at the application stage
🧪 Semifinalists who do not already hold a valid qualifying TOEFL score complete an English-language proficiency assessment
🎧 Finalists and alternates take the Duolingo English Test before travelling to the United States; candidates with a sufficient TOEFL or IELTS score from the last two years can submit it instead
📏 Minimum scores: Duolingo 100, TOEFL 520 (computer-based 190, internet-based 68) or IELTS 6.0
Selection Process
The CEE Participant Selection Committee reviews all application components. Competition is merit-based. The stages are semifinalist, finalist and alternate.
Application Components
✍️ The application includes essays, each with its own word limit, and all of them must be completed
📎 Essay Question 9 is an optional supplemental attachment: you may upload a photograph, creative project, video, article, essay or recommendation letter, and not uploading anything does not lower your score
🤖 AI tools may be used for drafting, translating or editing, but the use must be disclosed in the application; originality, specificity and personal voice are part of the evaluation, and AI may assist with eligibility, originality and rubric-based triage but does not make the final selection decision
After the Exchange
Under the J-1 requirements, participants return to their home country for two years and carry out their Actions, Words project there. Participants who previously took part in a U.S. government-sponsored exchange must have completed the two-year home residency requirement by September 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the deadline for the CEE Program?
Applications are due by 18 November 2026 at 11:59 pm ET.
What is the age range for the CEE Program?
Applicants must be between 22 and 27 on the application closing date. Applicants outside this range cannot apply.
Can university students apply?
Yes. Students can apply if they study in their home country and can take part in the September-October 2027 practicum. There is no professional or employment requirement, but two years of relevant experience is required, and university initiatives and internships can count.
Is a test score required to apply?
No. English test scores are not required at the application stage. Finalists and alternates take an English assessment before travel.
Can I use AI tools when writing my application?
AI tools may be used for drafting, translating or editing, but the use must be disclosed in the application.
Who do I contact with questions?
Review the FAQ document or contact the CEE team using the questions email listed in the Links section.
Deadline
⏳ 18 November 2026
Links
🔗 Programme page: https://www.irex.org/program/community-engagement-exchange-program-application-information
📝 Application portal: https://cee.irex.org/
📄 FAQ document: https://www.irex.org/files/2027-cee-application-faqs.pdf
📧 Questions: apply.CEE@irex.org
