A group of students are to spend a year in the US to gain international experience and business knowledge.
A total of 53 young people are taking part in the British Council's Study USA programme.
The British Council, which is the UK's international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations, manages Study USA on behalf of the Department for the Economy.
The scholarship programme enables students to learn about business and management for a year in US colleges, where they gain valuable experience, helping to develop their career prospects when they return to the north.
Since its formation in 1994, the initiative has sent more than 1,800 students from Northern Ireland to the US.
Niamh Sammon (20) from Derry will leave later this month. A law student at Queen's University Belfast, she will spend the next academic year at Ferrum College in Virginia.
"Words can't describe how excited I am to step outside my comfort zone and I still can't believe how lucky I am to be jetting off to study in Virginia for an entire year," she said.
"I've been away from home before but not for more than a month, so I do expect the experience of adapting to a completely different culture to be challenging; but I couldn't be happier to have the chance to do so.
"Through Study USA I am determined to broaden my horizons, become more confident and self-reliant; and return with a newly gained skill set, knowledge and perspective to equip me in making a positive contribution to Northern Ireland."
David Alderdice, the British Council's Northern Ireland director, said the students would be great ambassadors.
"The students will have the opportunity to learn from leading experts in their field and their future employability will be enhanced through internships, ambassadorial presentations, and volunteer work in a really international context," he said.
"Most importantly, our students will build links with counterparts in the United States that will last a lifetime."
