The Community Engagement Exchange Fellowship 2026 application closed on 22 May 2025 — if you are searching for this fellowship today, you cannot submit an application for this cycle. IREX has not yet announced when the next intake will open.
This fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State and run by IREX, sends civil society leaders aged 21 to 27 to the United States for a three-month practicum, covering travel, visa support, a monthly stipend, and health insurance. If you missed this cycle, this post walks you through exactly what was required last time, so you can prepare early and apply the moment the next cycle opens.
About the Community Engagement Exchange Fellowship
The Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) Program is a year-long leadership initiative run by IREX, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and funded by the U.S. Government. It exists to support emerging civil society leaders who are already working on community-level problems in their home countries, and to give them a structured period of training and practical experience inside the United States before they return home to apply what they’ve learned.
The program brings together civil society leaders aged 21 to 27 to develop skills in building relationships, using networks, and applying information for public good. It is built around three connected components. First, a three-month practicum where IREX matches fellows with civil society organizations across the United States, supported by designated supervisors and peers. Second, a Leadership and Civic Engagement Academy, where fellows go through service learning, in-person trainings, mentorship, and professional coaching alongside a global peer network. Third, fellows design a Community Engagement Project with their U.S. host organization, which they then carry out in their home country after the program ends.
What separates CEE from many other fellowships is the deliberate two-way structure: the experience is not just about what fellows gain while in the U.S., but about what they bring back. In some cases, select U.S. hosts and CEE specialists travel to a fellow’s home country to support the implementation of their community project directly, creating a feedback loop between the U.S. and the fellow’s community.
This Application Cycle Has Closed
The 2026 Community Engagement Exchange Program application is closed. The window ran from 23 April 2025 to 22 May 2025, and that deadline has already passed. If you are reading this expecting to apply for the 2026 cohort, you cannot — the cycle is shut.
This post exists to help you prepare properly for the next cycle, not to encourage you to apply for one that no longer exists. IREX has stated that updates on the next application period will be shared on their website and social media. Everything below reflects what was required for the most recently closed cycle, so you know exactly what to have ready when the next one opens.
Community Engagement Exchange Fellowship Summary
| Fellowship Name ⇒ | Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) Program |
| Host Country ⇒ | United States |
| Funded By ⇒ | U.S. Department of State, implemented by IREX |
| Age Requirement ⇒ | 21–27 years old (as of the application deadline) |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | Specific countries across Africa, East Asia & Pacific, Europe & Eurasia, Middle East & North Africa, South & Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere — list changes annually |
| Benefits ⇒ | Fully Funded — Travel, J-1 visa support, monthly allowance, health insurance |
| Application Status ⇒ | Closed — last cycle’s deadline was 22 May 2025. Next cycle dates not yet announced |
What the Fellowship Covers
Fellows who were selected in the last cycle received:
- Round-trip travel from their home city to the United States
- J-1 visa fees and related support
- A monthly stipend covering housing, meals, and living expenses during the three-month U.S. practicum
- Health and accident insurance for the duration of the program
This is a fully funded fellowship, not a stipend-only arrangement — visa costs and travel are handled separately from your monthly allowance, so you are not expected to cover major costs out of pocket once selected.
Eligibility Requirements (Last Cycle)
To qualify, applicants needed to meet all of the following:
- You must be between 21 and 27 years old at the time of application.
- You must have at least two years of experience working on community or civil society issues, as a professional or volunteer. Professional experience or current employment is not required — volunteer work and university-led initiatives or internships count toward this requirement.
- You must be a citizen of a country on the eligible list for that cycle.
- You must currently reside and work in your home country. Refugees serving their home communities are also eligible.
- You must be involved in an active community project, professionally or as a volunteer, with a demonstrated commitment to long-term civil society work.
- You must be able to relocate to the U.S. for the program and commit to returning home afterward to implement your community project.
- You must be eligible for a J-1 visa and proficient in English. Semifinalists are required to complete an English-language interview, and finalists must take an English exam or submit recent TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores.
You were not eligible if any of the following applied:
- You are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
- You are currently enrolled in a study, training, or research program in the U.S. or elsewhere.
- You are living or working outside your home country, except as a refugee serving your community.
- You previously participated in a U.S. government-funded exchange and have not yet fulfilled the required two-year home residency period.
- You applied for a U.S. green card within the last three years.
- You fall under public health or other eligibility restrictions set by U.S. federal agencies.
Key disqualifier worth flagging clearly: if your country was eligible in a previous cycle but is not on the current year’s list, you cannot apply, because the U.S. Department of State revises the eligible country list annually based on a range of factors. Never assume your country’s eligibility carries over.
Eligible Countries (Last Cycle — Subject to Change)
This list reflects the most recently closed cycle. It is not confirmed for the next cycle, and IREX has explicitly stated this list is revised annually, so treat it as a reference point rather than a guarantee:
- Africa: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zimbabwe
- East Asia and the Pacific: Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam
- Europe and Eurasia: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia
- Middle East and North Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Tunisia
- South and Central Asia: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
- Western Hemisphere: Bolivia, Cuba, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Peru, Venezuela
Nigeria does not appear on this list. If you are Nigerian and have followed this fellowship hoping to apply, confirm directly with IREX whether Nigeria has ever been included or might be added in a future cycle, rather than assuming eligibility based on this list.
Required Documents (Based on Last Cycle)
Based on the most recent application instructions, applicants needed to prepare:
- A completed online application submitted through the official CEE portal
- Responses to a set of required essay questions, each with a word limit
- An optional supplemental attachment — a photo, creative project, video, article, essay, or similar material that gives reviewers a deeper sense of who you are and why you’re applying
- Language proficiency documentation if requested at the semifinalist stage — Duolingo, TOEFL, or IELTS scores
Practical warning: applications were only accepted through the official online portal — submissions mailed, faxed, or emailed directly were not accepted, and applications not completed in English were disqualified. Names and addresses also had to be entered without accent marks or translation — for example, “José” had to be written as “Jose.” These formatting details have disqualified applicants in the past for reasons unrelated to the strength of their application.
How to Apply (When the Next Cycle Opens)
Based on the most recent cycle’s process:
- Register and complete your application through the official CEE online portal at cee.irex.org.
- Answer all required essay questions in English, respecting the word limits for each.
- Submit any required supplemental materials.
- Review your application carefully before submitting — incomplete or incorrectly formatted entries can result in disqualification.
- Submit before the deadline, since competition is merit-based and reviewed by a selection committee after the deadline closes. Top-scoring applicants are invited to a semifinalist interview, and finalists are selected based on their full application and interview performance.
Since the portal is currently closed, there is nothing to submit right now. Use the time before the next cycle opens to draft your essay responses and gather two years of documented community work experience, so you’re ready to submit quickly once applications reopen.
Application Deadline
The most recently closed cycle’s deadline was 22 May 2025 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. IREX has not yet published a date for the next application period. Watch the official IREX CEE program page and their social media channels directly for the announcement, rather than relying on third-party scholarship sites, which may continue to circulate the old 2025 deadline as if it were current — exactly as the post you’re reading right now originally did before this correction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Community Engagement Exchange Fellowship still accepting applications?
No. The 2026 cycle’s application is closed, and IREX has not announced when the next cycle will open. Check the official IREX website directly for updates rather than assuming the program is currently open.
Can Nigerian students apply to this fellowship?
Not under the most recently closed cycle’s country list, which does not include Nigeria. The U.S. Department of State updates the eligible country list annually, so this could change in a future cycle, but there is no guarantee. Confirm directly with IREX before assuming eligibility.
Do I need professional experience to apply?
No. Professional experience or current employment is not a requirement — volunteer work counts, and participation in a university-led initiative or internship can also count toward the required two years of civil society experience.
What happens if my country was eligible before but isn’t on the current list?
You are not eligible to apply if your country is not on the current year’s list, even if it was eligible in a previous cycle. The Department of State revises this list every year, so eligibility does not carry forward automatically.
What if I already completed a U.S. government-funded exchange program before?
You may still be eligible, but only if you have already fulfilled the required two-year home residency period following your previous exchange. If that period has not been completed, you cannot apply to CEE.
Disclaimer: All fellowship details, deadlines, and eligibility criteria were verified from the official IREX Community Engagement Exchange Program website as of June 2026. The 2026 application cycle is confirmed closed as of this verification date. Information is subject to change without notice, and eligible countries are revised annually. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official IREX source before assuming any information here applies to a future cycle.
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