Selection

Candidates interested in the program and who meet the eligibility requirements can participate in the selection process, which consists of three rounds of evaluation, as follows:

Round 1

This round includes a preliminary online application and 3 essay questions that must be submitted within 10 days of opening the online application on the AIS platform.

The online application is available at the following address: https://ais.americancouncils.org/FLEXRomania

To fill in and submit the online application, it is not enough just to create an account on the AIS platform and fill in the application form, but all sections of the application must be completed, including the answer to the 3 essay questions.

Round 2

After submitting the application from round 1, within 24 hours, all applicants will be invited to take an online English test.

Round 3

This round will start in January – February 2025 and will include a group and one-on-one interview, 3 more essay questions, and an online application. Subsequently, the students selected after this evaluation will be invited to take a complex English language test. To fill in and submit the online application, it is not enough just to access it on the AIS platform, but all its sections must be completed, including answering the 3 essay questions and filling in and uploading the requested forms.

After submitting the application, in both Round 1 and Round 3, all applicants will receive a confirmation email and an application code. In the absence of this confirmation email, the application will not appear as sent and registered.

Post-Recruitment:

After the end of the recruitment period, all applications are fully evaluated in the United States of America, by several commissions of specialists. No selection is made in Romania. Individual feedback cannot be provided at any stage of the selection process, regardless of the outcome.

The results of the selection process are expected in April - May 2026.

After acceptance of status, finalists and those on the reserve list begin preparation for departure, which includes obtaining a U.S. visa, performing the necessary immunizations, and completing other required documents or receiving placement.

All finalists must attend a mandatory Preparation and Orientation Camp (PDO) prior to departure for the U.S.

Finalists selected will depart for the United States in August 2026 and return to Romania in May or June 2027.

FLEX 2026-2027 Program Timeline

The selection process followed the schedule below:

November 2025 – December 2025: Completion and submission of the online application and English language test
January 2026 – February 2026: Notification of semi-finalists
January 2026 – February 2026: Individual interview, English language test, and completion of the personal application
April 2026 – May 2026: Announcement of final results (selected scholarship recipients and alternates)
August 2026 – September 2026: Departure of scholarship recipients to the United States
May 2027 – June 2027: Return of scholarship recipients to Romania

ATTENTION!

Participation in the FLEX tests is completely free, with no registration, testing or other fees. Also, the voluntary interruption of the program, for personal reasons of the student, does not involve any costs.
The FLEX English language test is unique and cannot be equated with other language proficiency certificates. At the same time, it is not necessary for applicants to hold an English language certificate to participate.
The families of the Romanian scholarship holders are not obliged to host another child for the duration of the FLEX scholarship.
Host families in the USA are carefully selected by specialized placement organizations, which rigorously verify them from various perspectives. These families may or may not have children, live in large, medium, or small communities, and may be of varying ages. The choice or proposal of a host family by the scholarship holder is not possible.
The scholarship is equally open to all students, including those with disabilities

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

Be born between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010, and be students in the 9th, 10th, or 11th grade at the time of application, in a high school in Romania. These two conditions are cumulative and mandatory..
Hold Romanian citizenship. Applicants may also hold another citizenship, except for U.S. citizenship, but Romanian citizenship is required.
Have knowledge of the English language.
Maintain good or excellent academic standing (there is no minimum GPA requirement set by the program).
Meet the requirements for obtaining a J-1 study visa.
Must not have spent ninety (90) days or more in the United States within the past five (5) years.

Not eligible are those who: