Germany

	Quick Facts
	Language German. Previous language study is not required.
	Host Family Placement Throughout Germany.
	School Begins in mid-August or early September and ends between mid-June and July.
	Trips For all students, orientations are included in the program tuition, as is the mid-year seminar for year students. All students may choose optional educational and cultural trips for an additional fee.
	Pastimes Sports and music clubs, soccer, hiking, camping, and traveling.

A country many exchange students have been happy to call home, Germany is a breathtakingly beautiful country with an exciting and diversely modern culture at every turn.

In Germany, you’ll have a wide variety of cultural events to attend, ranging from public festivals and sporting events to world renowned art exhibitions, theater performances, and concerts. You will see beautiful landscapes, fantastic urban architecture, and meet people who cherish their environment.

Academic Programs

As a student in Germany, you will most likely go to a gymnasium, which prepares students for entrance into the German university system. The program has a set of core classes, with electives including foreign languages, math and science, and the classics also offered. At school you may participate in sports (soccer, tennis, basketball, etc.), the arts (theater, music, photography, etc.), computer projects, or other events. Outside of school, most German youth are involved in organizations, such as sport clubs, church, and community education centers.

For all year and semester students, the program begins with a unique one-month orientation and language course instructed by qualified teachers and utilizing learning materials specially developed for YFU exchange students. Students live with YFU host families in the area and attend classes during the week. Language courses are offered at all levels of proficiency, ranging from beginners to advanced speakers. The intensive orientation course provides tools for you to get the most out of your exchange experience. At the end of the four-week course, you will move to your host family who will host you for the rest of your stay.

Year students may choose from an assortment of mid-term seminars, each addressing a specific topic and held in various cities like Munich, Dresden, Hamburg, and Berlin. Each seminar provides a wonderful opportunity to meet other YFU students and explore German history, culture, and politics.

In addition, a number of optional "culture treks" are offered to all year and semester students for a modest fee (US$100-200). Each trip has a unique theme and is held in a different city over an extended weekend. At the end of the year or semester, you will be invited to participate in a departure orientation.

13th Year Abroad
The traditional Academic programs are also available as 13th Year Abroad options. Learn more about other 13th Year Abroad Programs.

Summer Programs

Discover Germany
Learn about German life, people, and language while you live with a German host family for six weeks. You will hear German being spoken by native speakers and get a real taste of what it is like to live in Germany. Upon your arrival, there is a three-day welcome orientation, where you will learn about basics of day-to-day living in Germany. You will also attend a farewell seminar in Berlin at the end of your stay.

During your stay, you will be offered the opportunity to choose from a number of optional "culture treks" for a modest fee (Euro 100-200). These culture expedition trips will be offered for travel to cities such as Munich, Dresden, Heidelberg, or Hamburg and are generally three days in length.

Programs, Departures, and Costs

Programs	Code	Departure	Return	Tuition
Year 13th Year Abroad	0877 0066 0877 0066	early January late July early January late July	early January early July early January early July	$7795 $7795 $7795 $7795
Semester 13th Year Abroad	0856 0202 0856 0202	early January late July early January late July	early July early January early July early January	$7395 $7395 $7395 $7395
Summer Discover Germany	0064	late June	early August	$5595

Scholarships

Check out these scholarships to Germany for minority students:

A full list of scholarships and the scholarship application are available on our Scholarships page.

Online Resources

To learn more about Germany, we recommend:

E-mail YFU Alumni from the Alumni Referral List with your questions
Visit your local library to find reference books, travel guides and essays, German language dictionaries, and many more country resources
Use an internet search engine to find informative web sites
German Embassy and Information Center in Washington, DC web site
The Goethe Institute web site
Government Press and Information Office web site
German National Tourist Office web site
Deutsche Welle (German TV in the US) web site

"You can't really explain what an exchange will be like, you just have to know that it will be what you make of it."
- Anna French

All YFU Programs are subject to change or cancellation without prior notice.
Last Updated: August, 2007