Explore how transatlantic collaboration can bring about real change in society and how transatlantic values can be implemented in the areas of politics, business, and society. This program brings 10 participants from the U.S. and 10 participants from Germany together in order to participate in practice-oriented and interactive learning on Social and Climate Justice. In between your workshops and cultural activities, you’ll experience the city of Hamburg, known as the “Gateway to the World”. By the end of your transformative experience, you’ll have gained an international perspective on social justice, shared values, and sustainability.
TransAtlantic Global Prep in Germany
An intercultural journey focused on social and climate justice
What's included in your experience
- Airfare
Eligibility
| Graduates Eligible? | No, participants cannot have graduated high school prior to program start |
| Minimum GPA | No GPA requirement |
| Age Range | 15yrs, 0 months to 17 yrs, 11 months at start of program |
| Language Skills | No language requirement |
Sample Program Itinerary to Germany
The below itinerary serves as an outline for the program, and each Global Prep experience will vary based on group size and opportunity.
Your Journey to Germany
In the months before your departure, AFSers have the opportunity to participate in various preparatory activities, including an online Student Learning Journey, which is an interactive course that brings AFSers from around the world together to learn how to develop essential global skills, intercultural communication techniques, and practice social impact, maximizing the outcomes of the AFS learning experience. AFS-USA will coordinate and share your international travel with you. You will need to coordinate your own travel to the point of international departure.
Your classes and cultural activities
Your program will be a combination of practice-oriented workshops, seminars, and interactive dialogue. The content of your program will focus on social and climate justice which will be supplemented by units on intercultural learning. The first few days will focus on the topic of transatlantic relations – you’ll learn about common transatlantic history, the democratization process in Germany after WWII, and the economic, political, and social interconnections of the USA and Germany. Your classes will be supplemented with meetings with people from institutions such as NGOs, research institutes, and political or business representatives. During your program, you’ll create a “Personal Action Plan” through which you’ll set objectives and goals for introducing the topic of social and climate justice to your community.
Your Accommodations
During your two weeks in Germany, you’ll stay at a youth hostel with teens from both the U.S. and Germany. You can expect to share a room with up to six students of the same gender. Camp counselors will be with the group the entire time. For your meals, you’ll have the chance to taste hearty German foods like schnitzel (pork, chicken, or veal that’s been flattened, battered, and fried) or Kartoffelpuffer mit Apfelmus (potato pancakes often served with apple sauce).
Exploring the Area
Hamburg, a historically important port city, is known for its international tradition and technical innovations. Hamburg is known for its livability and emphasis on environmental standards, noticeable through numerous parks and green spaces. Picturesque city squares, avenues, and canals make it a wonderful place to explore. During your program, you can also expect to participate in an excursion to Berlin, the capital of Germany, a multi-cultural and modern city.
Program Sponsors
This Global Prep program is partially funded by the Transatlantic Program of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, through funds from the European Recovery Program of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
The Program Sponsors Include:
Available Scholarships
AFS-USA scholarships are made possible by the generosity of numerous donors who all have a deep connection with AFS and value intercultural exchanges as necessary for the promotion of peace and justice in the world. Upon submission, applications will be reviewed and matched with the most applicable scholarship, if available. All scholarships are partial, and scholarship award amounts will be determined based on program length. For additional funding resources, check out our Fundraising page. You can view all available national and local scholarships on our Scholarships page.
What's Included
What's included in your program fee?
- 75+ years of experience delivering high-quality programs through a worldwide network of 50,000 dedicated volunteers
- Round-trip international airfare
- Accommodations, meals, and transportation
- International secondary medical travel coverage
- Access to a 24/7 Emergency Duty Officer
- Visa Support
- Please review the Terms and Conditions for complete guidelines.
What’s not included in the Program Fee?
Returning Home
“Life-changing” is hard to describe, yet it’s nearly always the first thing that AFSers say when asked about their experience abroad. “Transformed” is another one. When you return home, if you’re like most AFSers, you’ll bring with you a sense of accomplishment unlike any other. You’ll have gained maturity and independence, discovered new passions, and developed the confidence and resilience to accomplish anything you set out to do.
That transformation isn’t only visible to you, though – others see it as well. AFSers gain critical skills for college and careers. Second language fluency, intercultural competence, creativity, and critical reasoning will help you succeed, whatever path you take. “Life-changing” means it’s only the beginning.
It’s not just an adventure abroad; it’s a whole new reality. The perspectives and personal connections you gained will stay with you and likely draw you back to the second home you found in Germany. In fact, our alumni reviews have made AFS one of the top-rated organizations in the study abroad industry.