FAQ

The Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO) is an international organization serving Franco-German cooperation, with its head office in Paris, offices in Berlin and in Saarbrücken. Created by the Elysée Treaty in 1963, the FGYO's mission is to strengthen the bonds between young people in both countries, to strengthen their mutual understanding and thereby develop the exchange with their neighboring country.

The structure of the FGYO's teams and their organization reflect the binational dimension of the organization itself. The staff work together in binational Franco-German teams in the various departments of the FGYO. To find out more about the internal organization of the FGYO and to find the right contact person for your requests, please consult our organizational chart. 

Since 1963, the FGYO has enabled 9 million young people from France and Germany to participate in approximately 320,000 exchange programs. In 2018, the FGYO subsidized about 7,900 exchange programs during which participating young people took part in different activities like:

• extracurricular activities in a Franco-German environment,
• participating in a school exchange with an institution in the partner country,
• taking German or French language courses,
• attending a school or university in the partner country,
• leading an individual project in the partner country,
• participating in training to become a qualified facilitator in Franco-German youth meetings,
• being a volunteer or doing an internship in the partner country.

The FGYO finances and supports youth exchange and training programs as well as individual stays. Group exchanges and language courses are organized by our partners, involved in different fields of education and youth work. These are, for example:

• youth and educational associations,
• town-twinning committees,
• sports clubs,
• schools and universities,
• education centers,
• language schools,
• commercial guilds and trade unions,
• local governments.

To participate in one of the many programs offered by the FGYO and its partners, please select a program according to your interests and availability and follow the application procedures indicated on the page of the program. Most often, you can register or apply online or send your application directly to the project organizers. 

Please consult the offers on the FGYO’s website and send your application to candidaturestage@ofaj.org.

No, the FGYO subsidizes German and French courses for children and teenagers organized by partner organizations such as twinning committees, associations, schools, etc. Many language course formats are available, depending on the age and language level of the participants.

Please get in touch with colleagues in the "Intercultural formation" office. You can find their contact details here. 

Projects funded by the FGYO are based on the principles of cooperation and reciprocity between the partners. Subsidizing depends on the quality of the project and its objectives described in the project presentation. The project should encourage the coming together of young people from all three countries, consider the intercultural dimension of the meeting and plan for the active participation of the young people.

Grant applications are submitted either directly to the FGYO or to a central organization designated by the FGYO such as a federation or the school authorities.

Generally speaking, the partner from the country where the first phase of the project takes place should submit a general application in line with the rules stated, on behalf of the three partners, for all phases of the exchange project, for the participants from France, Germany and the third country, at the latest three months before the start of the project or within the deadline indicated on the program page.

For more information, please consult the guidelines of the FGYO or search for program formats adapted to your projects.

The final statement includes the following documents:

• detailed report on the implementation of the project,
• detailed program of the project,
• lists of participants and accompanying staff with an original copy of their signatures,
• balance sheet with all receipts and expenses and supporting documents
• documents used for communication on the project and the FGYO.

For more information on the content of these documents and deadlines, please consult the guidelines of the FGYO.

Please complete the online form.

Please consult the call for projects for the Franco-German Day. 

Please contact us :  info@ofaj.org. 

Several grants are available for various trilateral programs. Depending on your field of activity, you can contact Department II (School exchanges and extracurricular exchanges), Department III (Vocational training and university exchanges) or Department IV (Intercultural trainings) for more information. Please consult the subsidy guidelines of the FGYO for school exchanges. 

Several of the FGYO’s programs are open to third countries. It is the German or French partner organization that submits the application for funding of trilateral projects. The following program formats are available.

International voluntary projects

Young people looking to get involved in international charity work can volunteer to do social work or work for a good cause like the protection of the environment by participating in international youth projects in France or Germany.

Extracurricular youth meetings

The FGYO supports extracurricular exchange programs where children and teenagers meet like-minded young people from France, Germany and other countries. Together they work on exciting projects in the fields of culture, sports, the arts or social work.

Exchange during professional training or university studies

To promote professional mobility and international cooperation in the fields of education and research is a main priority of the FGYO. We support exchanges and projects between professional and higher education institutions.

Training courses for intercultural youth leaders and facilitators

Our training courses provide a solid foundation in the field of intercultural youth exchanges. Our partner organizations offer courses on language animation, training courses for group interpreters and other trilateral training dealing with topics like project planning, program design, intercultural learning methods and much more. Upon completion, participants can receive an FGYO certificate.

 The FGYO does not subsidize classical school trips without an exchange. The principle of reciprocity and other conditions must be respected. For more information, please consult the guidelines of the FGYO or search for program formats adapted to your projects.

 It is an exchange bringing together young people from France, Germany and possibly from a third country, who meet for a project and stay together in a place other than the partners' home city, for example in a youth hostel or a visitor center.

Please consult the guidelines of the FGYO as well as the application forms. To find partner institutions in Germany and France, please consult the offers on the FGYO website or publish one. 

Please consult the guidelines of the FGYO. You can apply for a grant for an extracurricular or university exchange.

Please get in touch with colleagues in the "Communication and Events" office. You can find their contact details here.