CEE is a leadership exchange sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by IREX. It serves emerging leaders from ten European countries who work on free expression, open inquiry, constructive dialogue and civic participation.
Participants join a hybrid leadership academy, spend six weeks in the United States, including a four-week placement with a U.S. host organization, then run an “Actions > Words” project at home. The 2027 application runs 21 October–18 November 2026.
Benefits & funding
- Covers most costs: J-1 visa support, round-trip travel from your home city to the U.S., and accident and sickness health benefits.
- An allowance for housing, meals and other living costs while in the U.S.
- A four-week professional placement, hybrid leadership training and the CEE network.
- Duty: J-1 rules require you to return to your home country for two years after the program.
Eligibility
- Aged 22–27 on 18 November 2026.
- Citizens of Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the United Kingdom and Ukraine.
- Living and working in your home country when you apply; refugees working for their home community are exempt, and people abroad for study who return home at least six months before the start may get special consideration.
- At least two years of professional, volunteer, academic or community experience on free speech, public discourse or local problem-solving.
- No formal education requirement; university students studying at home may apply.
- Proficient spoken and written English.
- Not eligible: U.S. citizens or permanent residents; people in an academic, training or research program when applying; anyone with an unfulfilled two-year home-residency duty from a U.S.-government exchange; anyone who applied for U.S. permanent residency in the past three years.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
“You are living and working in your home country 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/community” Eligibility
Eligible nationalities
Czechia · France · Germany · Hungary · Ireland · Poland · Romania · Slovakia · UK · Ukraine
Experience required
≥ 2 yrs
Age requirement
22–27 yrs
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Application process
- 1Apply in the CEE online application system between 21 October and 18 November 2026 (11:59 p.m. ET).
- 2Answer every essay within its word limit; the supplemental attachment is optional.
- 3AI help is allowed, but you must disclose its use.
- 4Semifinalists submit a pre-recorded interview; those without a valid TOEFL score also take an English assessment.
Program timeline
Application opens
Oct 21, 2026
Application deadline
Nov 18, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
Semifinalist interviews reviewed
Jan 6, 2027 to Jan 15, 2027
Six-week U.S. exchange
September–October 2027
After the exchange
“Actions > Words” project at home