Live without borders

Join a Global Community of over 500,000

In the past month alone there have been more than 45 mass shootings from California to Washington, DC. AFS-USA condemns all acts of violence, racism, and xenophobia. Our AFS-USA community joins in mourning for those who have lost their lives, and their loved ones, and we stand united in sympathy and in grief. We believe that only together can we create a more just and peaceful world.

Exchange your perspective

  1. Study Abroad

  2. Host a Student

  3. Volunteer in the U.S.

NBC Chief Foreign Correspondent and AFS Alumnus Richard Engel Addresses the AFS-USA Family

AFS-USA in Action:
Our Response to COVID-19

AFSers are made for times like these—helping us adapt to our biggest challenge in 70 years and enabling us to become an even stronger organization!  While we continue to navigate the pandemic, we are keeping our eyes on what will be needed when it is under control. With your help, AFS-USA will continue to create global citizens who are building a more just and peaceful planet—and that’s just what the world needs!

Our Mission and Impact

100 years of volunteerism. 70 years of exchange.

AFS-USA honors the legacy of its founders—volunteer WWI and WWII American Field Service ambulance drivers—who emerged from the wars with a bold mission: to help prevent future conflict through cultural exchange and understanding.

As a partner in the global AFS network, AFS-USA offers international exchange and education opportunities in over 45 countries and hosts exchange students from 90 countries. True to the spirit of our founders, these intercultural programs are made possible by the dedicated work of AFS Volunteers—more than 4,400 in the U.S. and over 50,000 worldwide.

Our diverse study abroad programs vary in length from a year to a few weeks and cover timely and timeless topics such as sustainability and language learning. What every program has in common is a commitment to fostering intercultural and global competence in our students, host families, schools, and communities. This cultural exchange helps us come together, across typical divides, to make a more peaceful and just world. That’s the #AFSEffect.

Read our Mission & Values

AFS-USA stands with our Asian and Asian American colleagues, families, students, alumni, and the AAPI community. The AFS community condemns any and all acts of violence, racism, and xenophobia. We join in mourning for those who have lost their lives or loved ones and believe that only together can we create a more just and peaceful world. AFS-USA embraces diversity at every level of the organization. Read our Equity and Inclusion Statement and the AFS-USA Statement on Racial Justice.

Explore the World from Home

Quarantine is temporary, but curiosity and wonder about the world is endless. As we’re social distancing, we can still continue international exchange online, become global citizens, and plan our next adventures.

Explore our Virtual Programs and Resources Join a Virtual Program Today!