Program Details
| Program Length | Start | End | Program Cost | Age on Departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exchange Year | August 2008 | July 2009 | 8000 | 15.5 - 17.5 |
Age Explanation: Age on Departure reflect both the years and month(s) of the age of the applicant at the start of the program. For example, if the age is listed as 16.1 the applicant should be 16 years and 1 month at departure.
Austria Details:
Austria sits in the heart of Europe, and has constantly been a crossroads for communication in Europe. This is due in part to Austria’s common borders with eight other countries—the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Austrians are known for their _Gemuetlichkeit_—their characteristic way of taking things easy, and one way they relax is by skiing. There are more than 460 skiing lifts and more than 1700km of skiing slopes in the Austrian Alps. It is even possible to ski in summer. Quality of life in Vienna, Austria’s capital, was rated third in a worldwide ranking, topped only by the cities Zurich and Vancouver. Between New Year and Ash Wednesday, there are thousands of galas throughout the country. Famous Austrians include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who, among myriad other musical achievements, wrote the melody of the Austrian national anthem; Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele (famous art-nouveau artists); and the von Trapp Family as depicted in the Sound of Music.
AFS Austria has been hosting AFS Students from all over the world for more than 56 years. Today more than 150 AFS Exchange Students are welcomed by the 500 active AFS Volunteers all over Austria every year.
Year and Semester:
After arriving in Vienna, you’ll attend a four-day orientation to introduce you to Austrian life and culture. A German language course will be organized for students with no German language skills. Austria has a deep educational tradition, having established a compulsory school system in 1774. You will attend a public school providing general education. Most students are placed in grade levels 10 or 11. The Austrian school system gives pupils plenty of free time since school days last until approximately 2 in the afternoon. While homework will take up some of that time, extracurricular offerings such as choir, sports, and theater groups are available.
