The FLEX Program has announced the start of the Study for Free in the USA contest for high school students. The program was created by the U.S. Congress to facilitate reciprocal understanding between peoples. David Jesse, director of the American Councils for International Education (ACTR/ACCELS) in Moldova, said that the contest to select recipients of FLEX scholarships will start next week. The FLEX program offers the opportunity to spend one academic year in the U.S., studying in an American high school and living with an American host family. From September 14, the selection commission will travel to six test centers in Moldova, including the municipality of Chisinau ,for the first and second stages of the contest. The about 45 Moldovan finalists will be covered the costs of the round-trip ticket and the health policy. The applicants must be 9th, 10th and 11th graders born between January 1, 1993 - July 15, 1995; be citizens of Moldova; be in good academic standing (at least 8,00 point average); have not lived in the United States for more than three months in the last five years; meet the requirements for receiving and maintaining a US visa; meet the requirements for receiving a Moldovan passport. To participate in the first round of the competition all eligible candidates have to come to a test center with the following items: original birth certificate; one 4x5 recent photograph; a pencil and a pen. The Ministry of Education of Moldova requires that FLEX finalists returning from the program year in the U.S. complete the 12th form in Moldova. The Chisinau high school students can submit applications to the office of the America Councils between September 21 and October 2, 2009. The tests will be held in [Drochia] – on September 14 at High School No. 3, 31 August St, 5A, starting at 10.00.; [Ungheni] – on September 16, V. Alecsandri High School, 13 Nationala St, starting at 10.00; [Cahul] – on September 21, D. Cantemir High School, 33 Caragiale St, starting at 10.00; [Balti] – on September 24, G. Cosbuc High School, 3 Larisa Blvd, starting at 10.00; [Anenii Noi] – on September 28, Hyperion High School, 31 August 1989 Square, 5, starting at 10.00; [Chisinau] – on October 3, at the ACTR/ACCELS office in Moldova, starting at 8.30. The FLEX Program is a US government-sponsored program for high school students from Moldova, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine. In Moldova, the program is administered by ACTR/ACCELS and usually is announced in late August.