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.
School programmes in Ireland are offered in collaboration with AFS’s Irish partner, Experiment in International Living Ireland (EIL). In addition, there is a summer programme providing a four-week English language course in collaboration with a number of language schools in various locations around the country.
An initial orientation meeting with other programme participants in the area is scheduled for the first few weeks of the stay in Ireland. This will be followed by another meeting around the middle of the programme, and finally a final meeting before returning home.
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.
The Local EIL Coordinator will be the point of contact for any needs or requirements of the participants and the point of contact with the host school.