Eligibility
Program Description
Visa and Travel Documents
Getting There
AFS Orientations and Activities
Eligibility
To be eligible you must:
- Be between 15 years 6 months and 18 years 6 months old at the start of the program
- Have a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
- Be in good mental, physical, and emotional health in accordance with the AFS Medical Evaluation Policy
- Have an open mind, willingness to be flexible, and the ability to adapt to new a culture, school, and environment
Program Description
A four-day orientation teaches you about Danish culture, history, customs, daily life, and language. Then you’ll have a full week with your host family before school begins. There are extra classes to help you with your Danish and to acclimate to the culture, which won’t be too difficult since the Danish people are very friendly and most speak English. School runs from August through June, with breaks in October and at Christmas and Easter. You’ll probably live in a rural area, but towns are close together and there is an excellent public transportation system. Denmark is more than just a peninsula: there is the exciting possibility of being placed in Greenland, an unspoiled country full of adventure, indigenous people, and breathtaking landscapes; or the Faroe Islands, located north of Scotland, providing spectacular scenery and friendly close-knit communities.
As with all AFS high school programs, you will be placed with a volunteer host family while attending a local host school.
The ability to speak Danish is not a prerequisite for the program but we strongly suggest that you learn as much as possible prior to departure.
Vegetarians can be particularly difficult to place, since the Danish cuisine consists of a wide variety of meats and fish.
Learn more about life in Denmark.
Visa and Travel Documents
In order to participate in this program, you must have a U.S. passport that is valid for six months longer than your intended stay.
In addition to your passport, you also need a student residence permit to enter and reside in the host country.
The Danish visa application processing time is long and can take between 2-3 months. For this reason, it is very important that you have your valid passport at the time you apply for the program. Also, we suggest that you do not plan any international trips in the summer prior to your AFS program departure since your passport will be needed in order to apply for the visa.
The application itself involves collecting a number of documents including a parental consent form and transcripts. Also, you will need support documentation – provided by AFS Denmark – in order to complete your application packet.
The current visa processing fee is US$122, not including the cost of obtaining, translating, notarizing, and mailing the required documents. Please note that these fees and requirements are determined by the consulates and are subject to change.
AFS USA will provide you with detailed visa application instructions in the months prior to your departure.
Getting There
You and your fellow AFSers will travel together between New York City and Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. After you collect your baggage and pass through customs you will be met by AFS staff and volunteers who will escort you to the arrival orientation site. There you and your fellow AFSers will participate in a welcome orientation.
AFS Orientations and Activities
In addition to the orientations that you will participate in domestically (the local Pre-Departure Orientation, Culture Trek, and the Gateway Orientation), you and your fellow AFSers will have several orientations while abroad.
The first orientation will take place upon your arrival in Copenhagen. This will be a 4 day orientation that is intended to prepare you for your first weeks abroad. At the language and orientation camp, you will do most of the practical work: cleaning, cooking, shopping, etc. This involves hard work, but it will be an unforgettable experience. You will make friends from all over the world and join in games, singing and dancing. In other words, it will be fun! You will then travel to your host community.
About 10 weeks in to your stay, you will have another orientation, once again organized at the national level and held outside of Copenhagen. This will last for 2-3 days and will focus on cultural and school adjustment. You will also meet with AFS staff and volunteers to evaluate your first few weeks and be offered guidance to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Finally, there will be an evaluation camp in the weeks prior to departure. This is your chance to reflect on your experience and to share with other AFSers. You will also prepare for the cultural readjustment that is a part of returning home.
In addition to the orientations, many local chapters organize activities for students and host families throughout the year. These will vary from chapter to chapter but may include parties or excursions to other cities or regions in Denmark. Unlike the orientations, these activities are optional and are at the student’s expense.
