What is the AFS Student Learning Journey?

On an AFS programme, every student does more than just travel — they go on a learning journey.

Before, during, and after their study abroad programme, every AFS student benefits from an educational curriculum based on a proven approach that we developed over 75 years of intercultural exchange and recently updated in collaboration with experts in Global Citizenship Education who helped create the AFS Framework for Active Global Citizenship.

At the end of their learning journey, students leave with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to develop as active global citizens. We call these learning outcomes the “AFS Superpowers” adaptability, critical thinking, self-awareness, effective communication, empathy, open-mindedness, valuing differences, global awareness, and changemaking. These abilities will accompany students later in life, serving as the foundation for a lifetime of active global citizenship.

Besides impacting students participating in our programmes, AFS’s reach extends to others who come into close contact with them, such as AFS volunteers, family members, and the school community. We call this the #AFSeffect.

The AFS Student Learning Journey is a carefully designed curriculum that combines online and in-person educational activities to engage students with content related to intercultural learning and social innovation at every step of their AFS programme: before travel, during their time abroad and after students return from the programme.

This unique approach prepares students for their intercultural experience and supports them at each moment, providing guided reflection to help students process their everyday experiences in a new cultural environment and learn from situations when differences challenge them. Students also learn from each other as they can connect online globally with all exchange students in an AFS programme at the same time and interact in person locally with their peers.

Before Your Programme Starts: Discover

Online globally: As they prepare for their AFS programme, students become part of a global community and meet like-minded and diverse people before even travelling. Each student is enrolled in an online learning course that complements their local preparation activities. Students are also invited to meet, connect, and collaborate virtually with AFS peers worldwide through virtual live sessions – the Global Meetup and Facilitated Dialogue Sessions #1 and #2.
In-person locally: Before they travel, students participate in a locally scheduled group orientation session that gives them the knowledge, coping strategies, and skills needed to have a meaningful intercultural experience. This orientation, led by AFS staff and volunteers, will be a great way to meet other AFSers before they go abroad.

During Your Programme: Develop

In-person locally: When they get to their host country, students receive an orientation from AFS staff, volunteers, and other students in the AFS programme in that same country. Students join similar in-person orientations a few weeks after arrival, in the middle of their programme, and before returning to their home country. Students also receive constant individualised support. At least once a month, they work with trained AFS volunteers to discuss their experiences. These guided reflections help them develop a deeper appreciation of cultural differences, the most effective and appropriate ways to deal with them, and how to apply this learning later in life.
Online globally: Students taking part in semester-long and year-long programmes continue to move through our online course learning how to help solve global and local challenges. Over the course of their AFS programme, students are invited to reconnect with their global AFS peers through live sessions.

After Your Programme: Debrief

In-person or online locally: When they return home, students participate in a group orientation session. This is an excellent opportunity to reconnect with AFSers in their home country and reflect on the life-changing experience they just had. This is also a great opportunity to continue their involvement with AFS by becoming an AFS volunteer or host family and exploring other AFS programs they can join. The end of an AFS exchange is really just the beginning of a lifelong connection to the AFS global alumni network!

What do students say?

I plan to use this information to make a change in the world.
I will definitely use listening with empathy and open-mindedness in my day to day life. I will also try to problem-solve and collaborate with others to reach creative solutions.
Overall I loved learning that there is a danger to “one story”, now I am open-minded.
I think all of what we learned is super helpful and I plan on using that during and after the AFS experience, it basically improves our mindsets and make us have different insights.
It helps so much to have tools, I feel I see my life differently.

Check out our programmes and start your AFS Learning Journey today

The AFS Student Learning Journey

The global citizenship education curriculum of our exchange programmes for teens

What is the AFS Student Learning Journey?

What do you experience on the AFS Student Learning Journey?

Before Your Programme Starts: Discover

During Your Programme: Develop

After Your Programme: Debrief

What do students say?