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Skiptinám í Finnlandi

During their exchange program with AFS, students will live in a host family, attend a local school and therefore experience a foreign culture up close. AFS á Íslandi provides a preparation camp before departure (Undirbúningsnámskeið) and a reorientation-camp (Heimkomunámskeið) where students can share their experience with volunteers and other exchange students.

Upon landing at Helsinki’s Vantaa Airport, students join their host families immediately. Initial training takes place locally or regionally, with sessions two to three weeks apart. This allows participants to learn more about Finnish society, schooling, culture and lifestyle. Another meeting, this time to prepare for returning home, is scheduled for the end of the programme, approximately one month before departure.

During the stay, local chapters and schools could organise Finnish and Swedish language courses and provide students with useful self-study materials. AFS Finland can arrange optional field trips, the cost of which is not included in the participation fee.

 

Each student will be assigned a volunteer (liaison) to accompany them throughout their journey, helping them to understand the local reality and overcome difficulties in cultural adjustment.

skilyrði

Each country may have different eligibility criteria for the students; you can find the general criteria here. Some AFS countries have stricter requirements for applicants than others, the main reason being that it can be difficult to find host families or schools. 

For example, some countries prefer not to accept vegetarians, applicants with certain medical conditions, certain allergies, or students with special dietary requirements.  

In Finland, for instance, it is hard to find families willing to host students who smoke or have dietary restrictions, including vegetarians. Students should also be prepared to live with pets, as many families have them.

We would prefer that these factors not prevent exchange programs, but at the same time we need to take into account local conditions in each country. You can contact our office to find out what are the specific criteria for the country you are interested in.