Eligibility
Program Description
Visa and Travel Documents
Getting There
AFS Orientations and Activities
Eligibility
To be eligible you must:
- Be between 15 years 8 months and 18 years 0 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
- As with all AFS high school programs, you will be placed with a volunteer host family while attending a local host school. Learn more about life in Turkey.
- Students are placed throughout Turkey.
- Vegetarians are extremely difficult to place because the cuisine is fairly meat-heavy and vegetarians have a difficult time maintaining a balanced diet.
Visa and Travel Documents
In order to participate in this program, you must have a passport that is valid for six months longer than your intended stay.
In addition to your passport, you also need a visa to enter and reside in your host country.
The visa application process for Turkey is detailed, time-consuming, and costly. It involves collecting a number of documents including a statement of good health from your physician and official academic transcripts (transcripts must be notarized, officially translated, and legalized with apostilles), among other documents.
The visa fee is currently $100, but fees are subject to change.
After you have been accepted into the program and in the months prior to your departure, AFS will provide you with detailed instructions regarding the required documents and how to apply for your visa.
Getting There
You and your fellow AFSers will travel together from one of the gateway cities in the United States. You all will arrive in the large city in Turkey, Istanbul, and collect your baggage before passing through customs. You will be met by AFS staff and volunteers and will participate in a welcome orientation together. You will then travel to your host community by plane or bus, which may be some distance away.
AFS Orientations and Activities
Your Arrival Orientation will last two days. Here you will have a brief introduction to Turkey’s rich culture, learn about AFS Turkey, receive some safety and culture tips and, of course, meet other AFS students with whom you will share your time abroad.
AFS will provide you with several orientations throughout your experience. These orientations give you a chance to gather important information about your host country, to meet other AFS teens from around the world, to share experiences and make friends. These group activities give you a chance to understand and process your intercultural learning experience during your time abroad as well as when you are returning home.
These required orientations are intended to help you maximize the AFS experience, prevent culture shock and to gain knowledge, skills and a global understanding.
