Description

Dispel any notions you might have of Finland being a cold, snowy, northern country; it is alive with vibrant culture, outdoor activities, lush landscapes, and the midnight sun. Finnish culture is colorful with hundreds of arts festivals, a wide range of sporting events, and a balanced mix of small-town life and modern cities. Common sense, no fuss, and making things work sums up how the Finns operate. Finland will stay with you long after your study abroad program. And be ready for anything: you will be placed anywhere between the northernmost village Utsjoki and southernmost town of Hanko, and throughout Finland.

Highlights

Year, Gap Year, Semester and Gap Semester programs:

Spend a school year or semester living with a host family who will help you not only learn the culture but the country's language as well. The school year is usually divided into five terms from August, to June, with breaks at Christmas and Easter, a one-week sports vacation mid-winter, and the First-of-May celebration. You will study a few courses intensively each term, including Finnish and/or Swedish, math, science, psychology, art, music, sports, history, and geography. You'll travel straight to your host family when you arrive in Finland. About a month into your stay, there will be an orientation to help you get a better grasp on the language and culture and to talk about your experiences so far. AFS host family placements are located throughout Finland.

Summer Homestay Program:

Imagine having six weeks in this beautiful country during summer to enjoy daily life with your host family. The country is predominantly an unspoiled natural playground with vast forests and almost two hundred thousand lakes. Many host families will take their student to visit their summer cottage by the lake. There is an arrival orientation in Helsinki and an End-of-Stay Orientation including a cruise to Tallinn, Estonia that is paid for by AFS Finland.

These programs do accept recent high school graduates.

Type of Programs

• High School Study Abroad
• Cultural Exploration
• Language Immersion

Languages

• Finnish

Cost in US$:

Refer to the AFS-USA Website

Program Fees Include:

- Professional guidance and support throughout the entire application and program
- Placement with a carefully selected volunteer host family
- Placement with a host school
- Round-trip international travel
- Orientations prior to departure and after your arrival
- Comprehensive secondary medical insurance
- Visa information
- Access to a support network that includes AFS Professional Staff in the U.S. and your host country, plus thousands of trained volunteers worldwide.
- 24-hour emergency assistance

This Program is open to

American Participants.

Application Process Involves

• In-Person Interview Required
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Transcript
• Physical Exam/Health Records

Typically The Application Process Time is

varies

AFS Intercultural Programs/USA's Mission Statement

AFS Intercultural Programs is an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. AFS Intercultural Programs is a leader in intercultural learning and offers international exchange programs in over 50 countries around the world through independent, not-for-profit AFS organizations, each with a network of volunteers, a professionally staffed office, and headed up by a volunteer board.

Year Founded

1947