Overview: The purpose of this activity is to introduce U.S. students to the world beyond their classroom borders through the bounty of hosting international students. An introductory exploration of culture…
Goal: Known as the official start of the holiday season to many, the American secular holiday of Thanksgiving has been a long tradition that brings together family and friends from…
Sourced from the UN: Investments in infrastructure – transport, irrigation, energy and information and communication technology – are crucial to achieving sustainable development and empowering communities in many countries. It…
Sourced from the UN: Roughly half the world’s population still lives on the equivalent of about US$2 a day with global unemployment rates of 5.7% and having a job doesn’t…
Sourced from the UN: Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity the world faces today. Be it for jobs, security, climate change, food production or increasing incomes,…
Sourced from the UN: Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in and there is sufficient fresh water on the planet…
Sourced from the UN: While the world has achieved progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment under the Millennium Development Goals (including equal access to primary education between girls and boys), women…
Sourced from the UN: Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to creating sustainable development. In addition to improving quality of life, access to inclusive education can help equip locals…
Sourced from the UN: Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being at all ages is essential to sustainable development. Significant strides have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing…
Sourced from the UN: It is time to rethink how we grow, share and consume our food. If done right, agriculture, forestry and fisheries can provide nutritious food for all…
While global poverty rates have been cut by more than half since 2000, one in ten people in developing regions are still living with their families on less than the…
Sourced from the UN: Sustainable consumption and production is about promoting resource and energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and providing access to basic services, green and decent jobs and a better…
Sourced from the UN: The world’s oceans – their temperature, chemistry, currents and life – drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather,…
Sourced from the UN: Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. It is disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing people, communities and countries dearly today and…
Sourced from the UN: Forests cover 30.7 percent of the Earth’s surface and, in addition to providing food security and shelter, they are key to combating climate change, protecting biodiversity…
Sourced from the UN: The threats of international homicide, violence against children, human trafficking and sexual violence are important to address to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.…
Sourced from the UN: The international community has made significant strides towards lifting people out of poverty. The most vulnerable nations – the least developed countries, the landlocked developing countries…
Sourced from the UN: Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity, social development and much more. At their best, cities have enabled people to advance socially and economically.…
The Aussie Kiwi Haere Scholarship is for students interested in studying abroad to Australia or New Zealand.
Local scholarships for students attending The Barea Midpark High School in Ohio.
Local scholarship for students from Maine.
Local scholarships for students from DelMarPa Area Team
Local scholarships for students from DelMarPa Area Team
The Felicia Buell Study Abroad Scholarship will award one (1) student from any high school in Washington County, Ohio or Williamstown High School in Williamstown, WV, $5,000 to participate in…
Local scholarships for students from Nevada and California
The Greater Los Angeles Area Team Scholarships are made possible by the generosity of volunteers, individual donors, and foundations in the Los Angeles area. Scholarship Types: Needs-Based and Merit-Based Scholarship…
Local scholarships for students from the Massachusetts Bay Area Team.
Students living in Michigan, applying for any of AFS’s study abroad programs, are eligible to apply for a local need- or merit-based partial scholarship.
Students living in the capital city of Springfield, Illinois are encouraged to apply for this merit-based scholarship.
Local scholarships for students from Wisconsin.
Up to $2,500 study abroad scholarships for students of Washington.
Local study abroad scholarships for students from the Greater Cincinnati area.
Up to $2,500 study abroad scholarships for Talawanda High School students from Oxford, Ohio.
$1000 study abroad scholarships for students from Connecticut and New York.
$1000 or more study abroad scholarships for students from Connecticut and New York.
$1000 or more study abroad scholarships to study abroad for students from Connecticut and New York.
Scholarship to study abroad for a year or semester for residents of Colorado.
Full, merit-based scholarship program of the U.S. Department of State to serve as a “youth ambassador” for an academic year home-stay program in Germany.
Full, merit-based scholarship program of the U.S. Department of State to study critical languages in an overseas immersion environment.
Many AFS Exchange Students lead impactful lives after their time abroad opened their minds and taught them to collaborate across typical divides. They think globally, then act locally. One AFSer,…
Molly Kisner is AFS-USA’s Alumni Relations intern, an AFS Returnee (U.S. to France, 2010), and she is completing our fall internship program this week. She studied French literature and Japanese…
Thanks to the generosity of George Gabb, the AFS Archives recently acquired an oversized scrapbook filled with black and white photographs, letters, newspaper clippings, small brochures, cards, tickets, luggage tags,…
Sparkling, sunny, snow tubing fun! Pacific Cascades Douglas County Chapter organized a day of winter sports fun at Diamond Lake on January 12th. Snow shoeing and tubing under bright sunny…
December 5, 2018 – Over the weekend, AFS-USA conducted a leadership development workshop at Trinity College’s new Action Lab. Among the attendees were AFS-USA President/CEO Tara Boyce-Hofmann, Trinity College President Joanne Berger-Sweeney,…
With Latin American and European influences, Argentina is a multifaceted country with so much to offer. There’s the romantic tango, the passion of fútbol culture, and the delicious beef prepared during an asado,…
Fun times at Pacific Cascades’s post-arrival orientation, Sky Camp! Mixing up deep discussions with a good dose of fun. Parents and siblings coming together with volunteers to support the student…
A group of students from AFS Pacific Cascades met together late September in California for a visit to the Redwoods. The Douglas County local chapter sponsored a camping trip with…
This is the Good Stuff about hosting………… The Steagall Family from NW Portland shared this: “You get to visit places you would not have otherwise. We all went to Tunisia…
Denmark, France, Brazil, Switzerland, Dominican Republic, Chile and Germany represented AFS at the Fall Festival meet-up!
Our friends at TakeLessons provided us with this great blog post of the Top 25 Benefits of Studying Abroad! Let’s be honest, studying abroad is a life-changing experience. Not only do…
A few family photos of the first meeting between students and families at September arrivals.
Jed Hepworth is our new Board Vice Chair and has been a member of AFS-USA’s Board of Directors since 2015. He is also an AFS Returnee (U.S. to Chile, 1968-69),…
The AFS 2018 Reel Life Winners, The Lounibos Family, share their thoughts on how Lison, their host daughter, changed their lives!
With over seventeen thousand students studying abroad in France each year, it’s no surprise that the country is one of the most popular destinations for international education. Its charming blend…
We are excited to announce the 2016 AFS Volunteer Awards! Once every year, a winner for each award is chosen from the entire AFS global community. This is a great…
Hometown Diplomacy is the process through which individual citizens facilitate lasting, positive relationships with citizens of other countries through sharing something very close to their hearts: the places they call…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? Patti is an AFS returnee (Costa Rica, 1966) and learned about AFS from her high school’s AFS…
Meet Stephanie Davidson of Helotes, Texas. She’s an AFS returnee who participated in two AFS Summer Study Abroad programs: A community-service based program in Panama and a Spanish language immersion…
Meet Danielle Tye…This is her 11th year volunteering with AFS! When people ask what her hobbies are, she always says “AFS.” Whether serving on the National Council, planning the National…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? I was involved in the AFS club in my high school in the late 1970s and loved…
Meet Paula McElroy, of Silverwood Michigan. She’s a high school teacher, history buff, wife and parent who has made cultural exchange an essential part of her daily life. Since 2002,…
Meet Bob Rushing of Silverspring, Maryland. He’s a long-time AFSer who has worn numerous hats in the organization, from host brother to host dad to volunteer. Here is his AFS…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? My daughter was in eighth grade and wanted a sister! Unfortunately, I could not have any more…
Meet Eric Mattlin of Chicago. A relative newcomer to AFS, Eric is an active member of the Greater Chicago team and is amazed how much of an impact AFS has…
Meet Ann Sweet of Williamsville, New York. Her energy for AFS is limitless. She has hosted 16 AFS students, been a Support and Event Coordinator and sits on the Volunteer…
Meet Kathleen Broda. She first became aware of AFS in 7th grade from her English teacher whose son was studying on an AFS program in France. When asked about her…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? In the late summer of 2012 a co-worker shared an email from AFS that nine students needed…
Meet Carol McCaulley of California’s Silver and Gold Team. In her countless years as an AFS volunteer, she has served in nearly every volunteer role imaginable. When asked what she…
March 3, 2015 – When Dr. Coleen Cunningham isn’t busy being a mother to her five children, an accomplished infectious disease physician, and a professor at the Duke University School of…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? I learned about AFS when I was 16 from a co-worker who was preparing to go to…
Allison was enthralled by the AFS stories of her uncle who spent a year in Spain in the early 60s and in 1976, she too, was able to experience the…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? I grew up fifteen minutes away from C.W. Post College and heard through my AFS High School…
April 16, 2015 – AFS has been a volunteer-driven organization for nearly 70 years. Volunteerism is at the core of our philosophy, and our incredible network of 40,000 volunteers worldwide…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? I had a friend from Australia with AFS who was attending our school on an AFS program.…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? My daughter’s dance teacher is a long time AFS volunteer and host family so I was aware…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? My friend, Agnes Matheson’s daughter, Marina, was on AFS exchange to Switzerland. She knew of my love…
For the month of March we are proud to feature Kathy Collins of the Lake Superior Team in our Volunteer Spotlight. Kathy has the title of Chair –and a couple…
Janet Gaudet became involved with the Greater Illinois Team after getting to know the hosted student of a close friend. Over the year she had the opportunity to get to…
August 4, 2015 – What does a small American town on the Oregon coast have to do with international diplomacy, anyway? More than you might think… Tillamook, Oregon, is the site…
This month we are excited to be spotlighting an AFS COUPLE! Jay and Stassa Phillips of the Ohio River Valley Team have been involved with AFS since 1991 when they…
Meet Christine McGarvey of the Baltimore Team. She has been a host mom, a liaison, a hosting coordinator and a group leader at orientations. Being a part of AFS has…
Rio Orticio knows first-hand what it is like to come to a different country to study. Because of his experiences as an international student, Rio is dedicated to ensuring that…
This month AFS USA is pleased to spotlight Katherine (Kate) Weber of the Michigan Team. Kate is a relative newcomer to the world of AFS. Registering for the first time…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? A daughter of friends had been an AA and they had hosted. They approached us as possible…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? My son David was an alternate to go abroad with AFS. He was not selected but I…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? I heard about AFS as a teenager at East Peoria Community High School. I was friends with…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? I became aware or AFS as a high school teacher in Fairborn, Ohio as I had contact…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? My daughter was a semi finalist for a CBYX scholarship. When that didn’t happen, she was encouraged…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? I was a teacher at Washburn High School where the French teacher started the AFS program at…
Rio Orticio knows first-hand what it is like to come to a different country to study. Because of his experiences as an international student, Rio is dedicated to ensuring that…
How did you learn about AFS and what prompted you to get involved? I was an exchange student on the CBYX program with AFS. What keeps you coming back to…
Thirteen Greater Charlotte families welcomed a new son or daughter this week into their homes. Not babies, however. They are hosting foreign exchange students from nine countries around the world,…
Read study abroad program reviews from real AFS Returnees about their formative experiences studying abroad on our programs! 1. Naomi, U.S. to Brazil ‘11 Ready to experience the warm, close-knit…
Students from all over the world are arriving to the U.S. to meet their AFS Host Families. Over the years, host families have made such creative, sweet, and thoughtful signs…
Hosting international exchange students does more than bring diverse cultures into a community. For John O’Connell High School in San Francisco, hosting an AFS international exchange student gave students a…
Kudos to the following 25 host families and their exchange students for advancing to the final round of the Reel Life contest (listed alphabetically by student’s first name): Bronislav T.…
June 1, 2018 – Our AFS-USA staff in New York recently gathered for a moment of silence to honor the ten people who tragically lost their lives in a shooting in…
Thank you, Mom My name is Johannes, I’m from Germany and an exchange student at Snohomish High School. This Mother’s Day I want to celebrate my awesome Host mom Rebecca.You’ve…
Hi Mom, A lot of things have been happening since I first know you and your family through email on July 2017. We’ve been through summer, fall, winter, and now…
April 30, 2018 — Charlotte, NC– At the tail end of Charlotte’s Do Good Week (National Volunteer Week), 14 exchange students and host family members of AFS Greater Charlotte joined…
