AFS offers two types of year-long programmes in India.
The traditional programme involves attending a high school and living with a host family.
The school residence programme involves staying at the school (a boarding school), usually from Monday to Friday and sometimes until Saturday. During weekends and holidays, students are hosted by local families so they can experience Indian culture in a domestic setting. This is a challenging programme, suitable for ambitious and academically motivated students. Students live in large dormitories where they have their own independence, but are always under the supervision of school staff.
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 arrival in India, local volunteers organise a regional training camp for the students. During this camp, they review many aspects of the local culture, such as the school system, family life, religion, customs and traditions, as well as other practical information about how the AFS programme works. Then, the students travel to their host families, often by plane given the vast distances in the country. A few months after arrival, AFS India organises one or two regional meetings to evaluate the students’ progress. A final meeting is scheduled a few days before departure, during which students reflect on the value of their experience and prepare for returning home.
The students will be required to complete 30 hours of community service during the programme, as well as attending a local language course for a minimum of two hours per week for the first three months. Additional optional activities, such as excursions, field trips and cultural visits, may be offered; the cost of these optional activities 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.
Host families with AFS are voluntarily hosting, come from all kinds of socio-economic backgrounds and can be very different from each other. Where they live can also vary; some of them live in cities, while others live in more rural or suburban areas.