Applications are Open!
AFS students are not tourists. Most students live with a volunteer host family. AFS has an excellent reputation for providing high-quality, safe and satisfying international programmes for more than 75 years.
Be part of the #AFSeffect
AFS has been providing Kiwis with extraordinary intercultural learning opportunities for more than 75 years. We have the tools to help you live your dreams.
New Student Profiles for January 2025 Arrivals
Ready to have an intercultural experience in your own home?
We’re excited to share the profiles of our year and semester programme participants arriving in January 2025.
Check out their profiles and choose the perfect family member to welcome next summer!
Hosting an Exchange Student
Brings Numerous Benefits to Families
AFS’s first-ever Global Host Family Survey focused on the impact of hosting on families and received over 3,000 responses from 76 countries. Explore the key findings in our new, global research report, “Global Families, Global Impact: The Experience of Host Families in International Youth Exchange”.
Expand your horizons & dive in to a new adventure!
AFS Aotearoa Scholarships | Ngā Karahipi Kaitiaki o Te Ao
Intercultural exchange programmes should be accessible for all students in Aotearoa New Zealand. With support from the AFS Educational Trust, AFS New Zealand provides a range of grants and scholarships for students from all walks of life.
"One of the best decisions of my life"
It’s a pretty special feeling to be able to converse in an entirely different language, and to see my grasp of the language improve from very basic sentences and words, to the ability to have full in-depth conversations as I’ve progressed. I’ve also made some great friends over here, and had some amazing new experiences that never would have been possible had I forgone this opportunity. I really can’t express how valuable that is, the vast range of things I’ve done, seen, or tried, things that, to me, are different in ways I never conceived of.
— Callum, exchange student from New Zealand to Uruguay
Latest News
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Returnee Reflections: Tui, France
Kia ora koutou and Bonjour à tous ! My name is Tui, and I have just recently returned from a year-long exchange in France! Long story short, it was the… -
AFS Youth Assembly 2024 – How was it?
Seven young New Zealanders attended the AFS Youth Assembly in New York City in August 2024. This was the first time we sent a delegation from Aotearoa to this global… -
Current Student Updates: Elaena in Argentina
Read about our student Elaena’s highlights and learnings 6 weeks into her AFS experience in Crespo, Argentina! Hola! So far my exchange experience has been amazing with the people,…
Let AFS guide your intercultural adventure
With over 75 years of experience in student exchanges, we know what we’re doing when it comes to support and education! AFS provides comprehensive orientation for all students and families before, during and after your exchange – AFS volunteers and staff will be there to support and guide you the whole way through. In-person orientation camps in New Zealand and your host country are supplemented by our world-leading online Student Learning Journey, an interactive course that brings AFSers from around the world together to develop essential global skills, learn intercultural communication techniques, and practice social impact. This journey will help you maximise your experience, cope with the challenges of navigating a new culture and community, and gain knowledge, skills, and a global understanding throughout your time abroad and as you return to your home country. Find out more about our educational expertise here!