104 young leaders from around the world have been awarded scholarships to attend the 2026 AFS Youth Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. The scholarships are made possible through the support of bp, a global integrated energy company, and long-standing sponsor of AFS’s Global STEM Changemakers Initiative.
Scholars were selected from more than 1,270 applicants across 94 countries, and the scholarships support participation in two bespoke AFS Youth Assembly Academies:
- The Changemaker Academy, which convenes young leaders passionate about social innovation to design and scale impactful solutions to global challenges.
- The Global Educators Academy, which brings together educators to deepen practical learning and skill-building in global citizenship in their schools and communities.
The AFS Youth Assembly Academies are enriching program tracks that offer a comprehensive theme-based experience beyond the flagship AFS Youth Assembly conference. Each Academy includes a series of seminars, site visits, and exclusive special events to facilitate learning, connection, engagement and action beyond the main conference. The Academies are delivered in partnership with peer institutions including the Center for Social Impact Strategy at the University of Pennsylvania and offer certificates to all participants.
The 2026 cohort of scholars come from 47 countries and were selected in a rigorous, competitive review process. They include young changemakers who are alumni of AFS Global STEM programs (a suite of full-scholarship STEM and social impact study abroad programs), as well as young educators keen to infuse intercultural learning in their classrooms and beyond.
The AFS Youth Assembly is a global platform that cultivates an international network of young leaders and changemakers through exchange, education, action and impact. It is one of the world’s largest youth events focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with more than 20,000 alumni from 160 countries since 2004. In 2026, the event will gather hundreds of young leaders between the ages of 18 and 35 from around the world under the theme “Rise. Reimagine. Rebuild: A World for All.” The 2026 AFS Youth Assembly is organized in partnership with the UN Institute of Training and Research, and Delegates will tackle ways to advance youth leadership in areas of:
- Reclaiming Development as a Human Right for All
- Policy, Justice and Adaptation: Real-World Solutions for Climate Resilience
- Rethinking Education: Youth Innovation for Future-Ready Skills
- Bridging Divides: The Power of Connection in a Polarized World
The impact of the AFS Youth Assembly is clearly felt by all the Delegates who join this event.
Allegra Cuomo from the United Kingdom, who received a scholarship in 2025, describes her experience in this way: “The AFS Youth Assembly was a fantastic opportunity for me to not only combine my different areas of interest in order to create impactful solutions, but also to meet people in similar and connecting fields who inspire me, and demonstrate that it is more than possible to overcome the challenges many of us face when creating social change and impact. I now have more confidence and knowledge about how I can pursue my passion. The experience reaffirmed my belief that global perspectives are necessary when tackling these sorts of issues.”
Typically, one in four Delegates attends the AFS Youth Assembly with a scholarship or financial support. The goal of the event organizers is to continue providing scholarships at this rate or higher, to make the AFS Youth Assembly as inclusive and equitable as possible for young people worldwide. Prominent past scholarship providers and sponsors include bp, AstraZeneca, The Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation, DHL, Schwartzman Scholars, and more. Find out more about possibilities to partner with the AFS Youth Assembly.
For more information about the AFS Youth Assembly please visit www.youthassembly.org.
The Youth Assembly is organized by AFS Intercultural Programs, an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world.