AFS aims to provide 30% of our students with scholarships or grants
Find out about our range of scholarships, grants and fundraising
Eligibility Requirements
- You must be 15 years 7 months to 18 years 7 months
- Enrolled in a NZ school
- Getting ‘achieved’ or more in your school work
Notes
- The peace camp can be added to this programme at an additional $1,000
Programme Price TBC, * Subject to Confirmation from AFS Iceland
What's included in your experience
- Airfare
- Airport Pick-up
- Host Family Placement
- Housing
- Meals
- School Placement
- Individual Contact Person
- Medical Insurance
- 24/7 Emergency Support
- School Transport
- Assistance with Application Process
- Visa Application Assistance
- Pre-Departure Orientation
- Orientations during your time abroad
- Access to Alumni Network
- Continuous Support
- Worldwide Presence
- 70 Years Experience
What you are responsible for
- Vaccinations
- Cultural Tours
- Visa and Passport Fees
- Stipend
- School Uniform
Host Family & Community
Whether you live in the capital Reykjavik or in the countryside, you’ll be in a coastal community. Some host families live in isolated areas, so you may have to travel a bit to school or to see friends. Icelanders are proud of their Viking blood and many continue holding old Norse beliefs; a majority of Icelanders won’t rule out the existence of elves. While holding history close, the country is socially progressive and equality oriented. The capital city Reykjavik, where 80 per cent of the population live, is small but still has galleries, museums and theatres enough to support a vibrant and sophisticated artistic culture. Annual festivals, special exhibitions and stage productions mean that the cultural calendar is always full and there is always plenty for the visitor to enjoy. It also has the reputation of being one of Europe’s hottest cities at night, with an active music scene and famous nightlife.
School
High school runs from Monday through Friday (8 am to 3 pm). Icelandic, Danish, and English are all required and students choose one additional language to study. The relationship between teachers and students tends to be casual and friendly as a part of a general atmosphere of creativity and support. You can join one of the many clubs at school such as photography, cinema, radio, and choir or do activities like mountaineering, modeling, and cooking.
Language
Icelandic is the language of Iceland. English, other Nordic languages like Danish, and German are widely spoken. Having a basic knowledge of English will be helpful. AFS will help you find language courses in the first few months and provide materials for you to study before your exchange.
Food
Dinner is the most important meal of the day when the whole family to gets together. Icelanders eat a lot of seafood, lamb, cheese and skyr, the local version of yogurt. Boiled potatoes accompany most meals. Thanks to Iceland’s many greenhouses, a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables are also available.
Peace Camp Info
The PEACE Programme or PEACE through Exchange and Active Citizenship Education is a secondary school trimester programme which aims at empowering and enabling young people to become active citizens. The participants stay with host-families and go to high school in a European country. At the end of the programme, all participants of the PEACE programme come to Belgium for a five day long camp with a focus on Active Global Citizenship in Europe.
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