AMIDEAST
AMIDEAST Scholarships
Overview
US Funding Disruptions (2025-2026)
In February 2025, the Trump administration froze all State Department grant disbursements, disrupting Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) exchange programs including YES, Fulbright, and MEPI-funded initiatives administered by AMIDEAST. While some funding was partially restored by late 2025, several programs remain affected. The YES Program recruitment for 2026-2027 has been paused (source), and the MEPI Student Leaders Program summer 2025 was canceled (source). Check each program's official page for the latest status before applying.
References: NAFSA ECA Funding Freeze tracker | NPR: USAID shuts down
- Provider
- AMIDEAST (America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc.)
- Type
- US nonprofit educational organization; administers US government-funded exchange programs and its own privately funded scholarship programs in Lebanon
- Reach
- Over 33,000 individuals per year in Lebanon (source)
- Description
- AMIDEAST manages several scholarship and exchange programs across four levels: high school, undergraduate, graduate, and professional. Some are US government-funded (Fulbright, MEPI Tomorrow's Leaders, YES), while others are privately funded (Hope Fund, MSSF). This page covers AMIDEAST's directly managed programs in Lebanon, excluding Fulbright and MEPI Tomorrow's Leaders which have separate pages on this site.
The programs covered below are:
ProgramLevel
- YES ProgramFunding Source: US State Dept (ECA)
- High school
- MSSFFunding Source: Private (AMIDEAST)
- Undergraduate
- Hope FundFunding Source: Private donations
- Undergraduate
- Safar-Ibiary Syrian College PrepFunding Source: Private
- Undergraduate
- Professional Fellows ProgramFunding Source: US State Dept
- Professional
YES Program (Youth Exchange & Study)
Overview
The YES Program is a US State Department-funded cultural exchange that sends high school students from Lebanon to spend one academic year with an American host family, attending a US high school. Nearly 685 Lebanese alumni have participated to date (source).
Recruitment for the YES Program for academic year 2026-2027 has been paused. Check yesprograms.org or yes-abroad.org for updates on future programming (source).
Grade & background requirements
- Citizenship
- Lebanese citizen or long-term Palestinian resident in Lebanon; not a US citizen or green card holder (source)
- Academic level
- Currently enrolled in Brevet or 1st Secondary (Lebanese Baccalaureate), or 9th-10th grade
- GPA
- Minimum B average (12/20) for the past three years with no failing grades
- English
- Minimum B in English for the past three years
- Other
- Must demonstrate maturity, flexibility, and willingness to participate in host family daily life; agree to maintain at least C average (10/20) in a US high school; no prior semester or year at a US high school
Application window
StageTypical date
- Applications open
- Fall (varies by year)
- English proficiency exam
- During application cycle
- Proctored essay + interviews
- Following rounds
- Decisions
- Spring
Benefits
- Full scholarship for one academic year at a US high school
- Host family placement
- Leadership development opportunities
- Round-trip travel to the United States
Contact
Ms. Mariam Moukalled | lebanon@
MENA Scholarship Support Fund (MSSF)
Overview
The MSSF enables highly qualified students from underserved communities in the MENA region to pursue undergraduate study in the United States. The fund closes the gap between a student's financial aid package from a US university and their actual cost of attendance (source).
Note:_ Palestinian students from Lebanon are directed to apply to the Hope Fund instead (source)._
Grade & background requirements
- Citizenship
- MENA nationals; US citizens and green card holders are not eligible (source)
- Academic level
- Must have secured admission with a substantial financial aid package to a 4-year undergraduate program at a US college or university
- Financial need
- Cannot afford to study in the US without supplemental scholarship support
- GPA
- Not publicly specified
- Other
- Must be committed to pursuing a Bachelor's degree in the US
Application window
StageTypical date
- Applications open
- Contact mssf@
amideast.org for dates - Applications close
- Contact mssf@
amideast.org for dates - Decisions
- Contact mssf@
amideast.org for dates
Supported universities
US colleges and universities (and some American-style universities in the MENA region) where the student has been admitted with a financial aid package (source).
Benefits
- Covers the gap between university financial aid and the full cost of attendance (tuition, books, health insurance, transportation, incidentals) (source)
- Amounts vary per student based on individual need
Contact
Hope Fund
Overview
Founded in 2000 by Dr. Fahim Qubain and his wife Nancy, the Hope Fund helps academically talented Palestinian youth -- many from refugee backgrounds -- earn undergraduate degrees at US universities. The program became part of AMIDEAST in May 2015. Nearly 200 Palestinian students have benefited over nearly two decades (source).
Funding: Entirely by private donations; does not receive US government funding (source).
Grade & background requirements
- Nationality
- Palestinian refugee residing in Lebanon (source)
- Academic level
- Currently in 10th or 11th grade
- GPA
- Minimum 16/20 in each of the last three academic years
- Financial need
- Cannot afford US study without a scholarship
- Extracurriculars
- Active in research and activities such as sports, community projects, and arts
- Exclusion
- US citizens and green card holders are not eligible
Application window
StageTypical date
- Applications open
- Check with lebanon@
amideast.org - Applications close
- Check with lebanon@
amideast.org - Decisions
- Check with lebanon@
amideast.org
Supported universities
US colleges and universities where the student secures admission with substantial financial aid. Roanoke College was an early partner providing full scholarships (source).
Benefits
- Covers supplemental educational costs beyond university aid and family contributions (source):
- Books
- Health insurance
- Transportation
- Incidental expenses
Application and testing fee support (SAT, TOEFL)
Essay writing assistance
Required documents
- School transcripts (past 3 years)
- Copy of official Brevet exam
- Copy of ID
- Certificates of awards / community service
- SAT & TOEFL scores (if available)
Contact
lebanon@
Safar-Ibiary Syrian College Prep Program
Overview
A two-year preparatory program that helps talented Syrian students living in Lebanon strengthen their university applications and win scholarships to US universities (source).
Grade & background requirements
- Nationality
- Syrian living in Lebanon (source)
- Academic level
- Currently enrolled in grade 10 or 11
- GPA
- Minimum 16/20 (or 80/100) in each of the last three academic years (source)
- Financial need
- Cannot afford US study without a scholarship
- Extracurriculars
- Active in research and activities (sports, community projects, arts)
- Commitment
- Must be committed to pursuing a Bachelor's degree in the US
- Exclusion
- US citizens and green card holders are not eligible
Application window
StageTypical date
- Applications open
- Check with lebanon@
amideast.org - Applications close
- Check with lebanon@
amideast.org
A call for applications was posted via UNHCR Lebanon in February 2024.
Benefits
- Essay writing assistance
- Application and testing fee coverage
- First-year activity support
- Guidance through the US college admissions process