American applicants for the Young Professionals portion must be between the ages of 18 and 24 at the start of the program, must be US citizens or permanent residents, must have work and academic experience in their field, must have a strong sense of American identity and interest in German and international affairs, and must show flexibility and diplomacy. German language skills are not required to participate. Applications are due December 1 of each year, and can be completed online at www.culturalvistas.org/cbyx. After the initial application round, candidates are interviewed at various locations across the U.S. by a team of Cultural Vistas staff, CBYX alumni, host families, German professors, and other program-supporters.