The One Year Program

Thank you for your interest in SYE’s One Year program! The 2026-27 One Year program application is now closed.

The One Year Program provides one-on-one mentoring and financial support to students from Syria who are navigating the college application process, preparing them to begin undergraduate degrees at competitive universities worldwide the following academic year. SYE comprehensively covers application expenses while our volunteer mentors support students in identifying universities, preparing for standardized exams, and writing application essays. We work closely with students to both secure admissions and identify scholarship opportunities to cover the full cost of attendance.

Instead of focusing on US admissions, the 2026-27 One Year program will focus on international universities and scholarship opportunities outside the US. The program will support students in applying to top universities around the world.

Info for Prospective Students

  • Syrian and Palestinian-Syrian students are all eligible for the One Year Program. This year, Iraqi students will not be eligible for the One Year Program. Syrian students currently in grades 11 or 12 (including students currently taking Baccalaureate) living anywhere in the world are eligible to apply. We highly encourage current 11th graders to apply to the One Year program, as they will not be eligible for the Prep program this year. SYE will also accommodate students who have faced educational interruptions.

    Students must be interested in pursuing a Bachelor’s degree taught in English at a university abroad. We do not support applications to universities or programs where English is not the language of instruction.

  • Students in the One Year Program will be actively applying for universities. Student support includes:

    • Access to a mentor to support your application process

    • Access to SYE’s curriculum and online trainings

    • Access to SYE’s sessions with university admissions officers

    • Waivers for the Duolingo and SAT exams

    • Waivers for select application fees

    • Review of applications by SYE’s team of experts

  • The 2026-27 One Year program application will open in early May 2026 with an expected program start date in early August 2026. The program will conclude in spring 2027. 

  • To apply to SYE, you will complete an online application where you will report your marks, write essays, and tell us about the activities you engage in outside of the classroom.

    SYE practices holistic review of applications.

    To admit students, we consider:

    • Your grades from 9th grade until your current year of high school

    • Your essays. We care more about content than perfect English.

    • Your activities. We want to see you’re doing something beyond studying, whether it’s a job, taking care of your younger sister, learning how to code, or singing. All activities are worth mentioning.

    • Your interview. We want to see how well you can communicate your goals to us.

    • Your English level. We know your English may not be perfect, but we want to see if you have strong enough English to complete the application process for English-speaking universities.

    We take into account any challenges you may face. For example, if you’re in an area where you cannot take advantage of activities outside of the classroom, or if your grades are lower because of displacement, we will consider this context when reviewing your application.

Interested in applying to the One Year Program this coming year? Sign up here and we’ll email you when the application opens. We also encourage you to follow our Facebook page for updates related to SYE’s applications.