Two Kenyan women in blue planning an application together at a bright office desk
🇺🇸 Funded by the U.S. Government
🇺🇸 US COMMUNITY LEADERS EXCHANGE PROGRAM

Are you a Kenyan community leader aged 27–39?

  • ✔️ Want to work with a U.S. organisation for 12 weeks?
  • ✔️ Want international experience and a global network?
  • ✔️ Want leadership skills to grow your work back home?
  • ✔️ Want your flights, monthly allowance and health cover paid?

Then this FREE U.S. exchange program is for you.

Find out if I qualify ›

Applying to the program is free. LearnAbroad charges a small fee only if you want our help preparing your application package.

Current cycle· Requirements· What you get· How it works· Costs· FAQ

CURRENT CYCLE

2027 program: OPEN

  • Apply before: Tuesday 24 November 2026, 11:59 pm Washington DC time = Wednesday 25 November 2026, 7:59 am Kenya time. Late applications are not accepted.
  • Semi-finalists told: around 22 December 2026.
  • Finalists told: around 25 February 2027.
  • In the U.S.: orientation 2–5 August 2027, work placement 9 August–29 October 2027, closing workshop 1–4 November 2027 (subject to confirmation by the program).

Checked on 4 November 2026 against the official IREX application information.

What is this program?

The program’s official name is the Community Solutions Program. It is a professional exchange paid for by the U.S. Department of State and run by IREX. Community leaders from Kenya and other countries spend about 3 to 4 months in the United States. The heart of it is a 12-week work placement with a U.S. organisation, on issues such as health, youth, women and girls, the environment, peace or good government.

Afterwards you come home, stay in Kenya for at least 2 years (a J-1 visa rule) and lead a community project using what you learned. It is a learning exchange, not a job or a way to move to the U.S.

Requirements: can you say yes to all of these?

  • ✅ You are from Kenya (an eligible country) and you live and work in Kenya now.
  • ✅ You are 27 to 39 years old when you apply.
  • ✅ You have at least 5 years’ experience working on community issues, and you can show measurable benefits to local communities.
  • ✅ Your spoken and written English is strong. Semi-finalists without a TOEFL score take an English test.
  • ✅ You can get a U.S. J-1 visa, and you will come back home for at least 2 years after the program.
  • ✅ You are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and you have not applied for U.S. permanent residence in the last 3 years.

These rules are set by the U.S. Department of State, and the program says exceptions cannot be made.

What you gain

  • International work experience with a U.S. organisation.
  • A global network of community leaders and U.S. professionals.
  • Leadership skills to grow your work back home.

What the program pays

  • Return flights from your home city to the U.S.
  • A monthly allowance for housing, meals and living costs.
  • Accident and sickness health cover and J-1 visa support.

How it works

  1. Check you meet every requirement above.
  2. Prepare the facts about your community work: the problem, how long you have worked on it, and what changed for people.
  3. Apply online on the official IREX portal (csp.irex.org) before the deadline in the cycle box. Applying is free.
  4. Semi-finalists are contacted and may take an English test.
  5. Finalists are placed with a U.S. host organisation and get J-1 visa support.
  6. Go to the U.S. for orientation, the 12-week work placement and the closing workshop.
  7. Come home and lead a community project, staying in Kenya for at least 2 years.

Costs: what is free and what is not

The program: free to apply

Applying to the Community Solutions Program is free. The program covers most expenses for the items listed above. Check the official application instructions for anything it does not cover.

LearnAbroad’s help: a small fee

You do not need us to apply. If you want our help to prepare your application package, we charge a small fee. We tell you the exact amount before you start, and you only pay if you choose our help. This fee goes to LearnAbroad, not to the program, and it does not affect who is selected.

🛡️ Stay safe: nobody can sell you a place or promise you will be selected. You submit your application only on the official IREX portal.

How LearnAbroad can help

Our application-package help is optional and has a small fee:

  • An honest check of whether you qualify.
  • Help to plan your answers and show your community impact clearly.
  • Preparation for the English test and the J-1 visa interview.
  • If this program is not right for you, other programs and options that fit.
LearnAbroad adviser in blue helping two young professionals at a laptop, Nairobi skyline behind

Questions people ask

Is it really free?

Applying to the program is free. The program covers most expenses for return flights, a monthly allowance, health cover and J-1 visa support. If you choose LearnAbroad’s help to prepare your application package, we charge a small fee and tell you the amount first.

Is this a job in America?

No. It is a 12-week work placement as part of an exchange. You must return to Kenya for at least 2 years afterwards.

Will LearnAbroad apply for me?

No. You submit your own application on the official IREX portal. For a small fee, we can help you prepare your application package. We cannot promise selection; the program chooses participants.

I am under 27 or over 39. What can I do?

You cannot apply to this program, but other programs may fit you. Fill in the form below and we will show you your options.

I missed the deadline. Is there a next cycle?

The program has run in yearly cycles. Fill in the form and we will tell you when the next call is announced. We never advertise a call before it officially opens.

Ready? Find out if you qualify

Fill in our short Get Started form. We review it and tell you honestly whether this program fits you, and what to do next.

Get started ›

Applying to the program is free. If you want our help preparing your application package, we charge a small fee and tell you the amount before you start.

Sources and disclaimer

Official source: IREX — Community Solutions Program application information and the CSP Application Instructions. Details checked on 4 November 2026. Always confirm on the official site before you apply. “US Community Leaders Exchange Program” is LearnAbroad’s description; the official program name is the Community Solutions Program. “Free” and “paid” refer to what the program covers.

LearnAbroad (Liberty Learn and Work Abroad Immigration Consulting) is an independent advisory service and is not part of, or endorsed by, IREX or the U.S. Government. Applying to the program is free; LearnAbroad charges a small fee for optional help preparing application packages. Participants are selected by the program. We cannot promise selection.