About the programme
The 2027 CEE Program brings young civil society leaders from eligible European countries to the United States for a six-week exchange, including a four-week individualized professional placement with a U.S. host organization. Participants design and implement an Actions, Words project to address a need in their home community after returning home.
Duration: Six weeks (including a four-week professional placement)
Eligibility
- Age 22-27 on the application closing date
- Citizen of one of the eligible European countries: Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, United Kingdom, or Ukraine
- At least two years of relevant First Amendment or free-speech experience (professional, volunteer, academic, or community-based)
- Living and working in home country at time of application
- Clear commitment to developing a locally grounded free-speech or First Amendment initiative at home
- Ability to work in cross-cultural settings and contribute to a U.S. host organization
- Proficient in spoken and written English at time of application (semifinalists without a qualifying TOEFL score must take an assessment)
- Available to begin in the U.S. in 2027 and complete the full six-week exchange
- Committed to returning home and implementing a community-based project afterward
- Not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; not in an academic, training or research program at time of application; not applied for U.S. permanent residency in past three years; no unfulfilled two-year home residency requirement from a U.S. government exchange
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What they look for
- Strong desire to create positive change; demonstrated commitment to free speech, open inquiry, civic dialogue, civic education, community problem-solving, and conflict reduction
How to apply
- Submit application online before the deadline
- Semifinalists may be asked to complete an English-language proficiency assessment if they lack a qualifying TOEFL score
- Questions can be sent to apply.CEE@irex.org
Applications are submitted on IREX (sponsored by the U.S. Department of State)’s own site. Open Doors helps you prepare; it is not the official application portal.
From people who applied
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Source and verification
- Official source
- IREX (sponsored by the U.S. Department of State) · Application
- Last checked
- 10 Nov 2026, read automatically from the official page
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