The Community Solutions Program is a year-long professional exchange sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by IREX for experienced community leaders.
Fellows spend four months with a U.S. nonprofit, private-sector partner or local government office, take a leadership curriculum with coaching, then run a six-month project at home. The 2025 cycle is closed and no next opening date has been announced.
Benefits & funding
- Covers most costs of J-1 visa support and round-trip travel from your home city to the U.S.
- Monthly allowance for housing, meals and living expenses while in the U.S.
- Accident and sickness coverage, plus disability accommodations.
Eligibility
- Aged 26–39 as of 13 November 2024 (IREX, 2025 cycle); the State Department’s program page gives 25–38 at the start of the year.
- Citizens of: Botswana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe; Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Marshall Islands, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, Vietnam; Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Türkiye, Ukraine; Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Palestinian Territories; Bangladesh, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela.
- Living and working in your country of citizenship; refugees working for their home community may get special consideration.
- At least two years of community-development work, paid or volunteer.
- Strong spoken and written English; semifinalists must pass or submit recent TOEFL or IELTS scores.
- Free to spend four months in the U.S. without family (disability accommodation aside) and eligible for a J-1 visa.
- Not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, no U.S. residency application in the past three years, not now in a U.S. study or training program; any two-year home-residency rule from a past U.S. Government exchange fulfilled.
- Must return home for at least two years; IREX staff, consultants and their immediate family are barred.
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.
Eligible nationalities
Botswana · Cameroon · DR Congo · Ghana · Guinea · Kenya · Liberia · Malawi · Mozambique · Namibia · Sierra Leone · Tanzania
+ 94 more
Uganda · Zambia · Zimbabwe · Brunei · Myanmar · Cambodia · Micronesia · Fiji · Indonesia · Laos · Malaysia · Mongolia · Papua New Guinea · Philippines · Marshall Islands · Singapore · Solomon Islands · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Vanuatu · Vietnam · Albania · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Czechia · Estonia · Hungary · Kosovo · Latvia · Lithuania · Malta · Moldova · Montenegro · North Macedonia · Romania · Serbia · Slovakia · Türkiye · Ukraine · Algeria · Bahrain · Egypt · Iraq · Israel · Jordan · Kuwait · Lebanon · Morocco · Oman · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Syria · Tunisia · UAE · Palestine · Bangladesh · Bhutan · Kazakhstan · Kyrgyzstan · Maldives · Nepal · Pakistan · Sri Lanka · Tajikistan · Turkmenistan · Uzbekistan · Argentina · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Bolivia · Brazil · Canada · Chile · Colombia · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Guatemala · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Mexico · Nicaragua · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago · Uruguay · Venezuela
Residence required
Botswana · Cameroon · DR Congo · Ghana · Guinea · Kenya · Liberia · Malawi · Mozambique · Namibia · Sierra Leone · Tanzania
+ 94 more
Uganda · Zambia · Zimbabwe · Brunei · Myanmar · Cambodia · Micronesia · Fiji · Indonesia · Laos · Malaysia · Mongolia · Papua New Guinea · Philippines · Marshall Islands · Singapore · Solomon Islands · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Vanuatu · Vietnam · Albania · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Czechia · Estonia · Hungary · Kosovo · Latvia · Lithuania · Malta · Moldova · Montenegro · North Macedonia · Romania · Serbia · Slovakia · Türkiye · Ukraine · Algeria · Bahrain · Egypt · Iraq · Israel · Jordan · Kuwait · Lebanon · Morocco · Oman · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Syria · Tunisia · UAE · Palestine · Bangladesh · Bhutan · Kazakhstan · Kyrgyzstan · Maldives · Nepal · Pakistan · Sri Lanka · Tajikistan · Turkmenistan · Uzbekistan · Argentina · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Bolivia · Brazil · Canada · Chile · Colombia · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Guatemala · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Mexico · Nicaragua · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago · Uruguay · Venezuela
Experience required
≥ 2 yrs
Age requirement
26–39 yrs
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We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.
Application process
- 1Apply through the IREX online application system when a cycle opens; emailed applications are not considered.
- 2Shortlisted applicants record an interview, then semifinalists submit a CV (2024 cycle steps).
- 3Finalists take an English test if required.
Program timeline
13 November 2024
age cut-off date for the 2025 cycle, now closed.
August–December 2025
2025 fellows’ U.S. practicum.
After return
six-month home-country project.
October–November
when applications are typically accepted; no 2026 date announced.