AFS-USA Study Abroad Newsletter: October Edition

Dear Study Abroad Volunteers,

The Study Abroad team wishes you well and hopes that Autumn has brought many opportunities to enjoy the season. We are well underway with our NH27 recruitment and also hope that you have also had a chance to spread the word about our amazing AFS study abroad programs to your networks and communities. Our October issue of the Study Abroad Newsletter includes great resources for recruitment, and information about our exciting new programs and opportunities!

So, what’s happening in Study Abroad?

VOLUNTEER INTERVIEW PROJECT

Our Study Abroad Advisory Group is reaching out to volunteers to conduct interviews about study abroad in your team! This information will help to inform our group’s conversations around roles and responsibilities within Study Abroad and it will also help to influence resources and trainings that we work on in the future. If someone has reached out, please schedule time with them! If you are interested in having a conversation about this topic but no one has reached out yet, please reach out to me directly. We would love to hear from you!

Check out this recording from our September Study Abroad National Call! (Passcode: L#^w+T7F)

NEW SUMMER PROGRAMS

Mongolia: June 22-July 14, 2027

Summer Camp and Cultural Immersion with a Host Family stay and a Camping component! This is an incredibly unique program where participants have the chance to learn about both life in Ulaanbaatar with a host family, and about the traditional nomadic lifestyle and how it fits into our more modern world. Click on this link to view the program page and see more details, including the link to apply!

Argentina: June 25-August 6, 2027

Culture, Language, and Community program with a host family stay! This program mirrors our longer AFS programs- participants enroll in a local school and are immersed in the daily life and culture of their host community. Click on this link to view the program page and see more details, including the link to apply!

Indonesia: July 3-July 30, 2027

Culture, Language, and Community program with a host family stay! Learn what it is like to like in Java by attending classes during the week while also getting to explore this part of the country and work on a variety of community service activities. Click on this link to view the program page and see more details, including the link to apply!

Germany: July 17-August 1, 2027

Language and Cultural Immersion. Participants live in a dorm during this program, they will receive 40 hours of formal language instruction and have the opportunity to explore Manheim and the surrounding areas. Click on this link to view the program page and see more details, including the link to apply!

SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINES

December 1, 2026: Deadline to apply for scholarships to be applied to Year, Semester and Trimester programs departing in the Fall of 2027 (NH27)

March 1, 2027: Deadline to application for scholarships to be applied to Summer programs departing in Summer 2027 (NH27)

NEW SUMMER RESOURCE

We have so many wonderful summer programs in our portfolio and now we have a wonderful resource that allows applicants to compare programs based on some common themes. This is a great reference for volunteers, or handout to leave with schools and audiences at events!

A reminder that all of the Study Abroad Resources can be found in Help and Learning HERE. If you scroll to Digital Resources you will find this newest resource, Summer Study Abroad Programs Guide (availably for digital and print use).

PROGRAM CATALOGUE

Don’t forget that you can order the Program Catalog here! (Password for the Marketing fulfillment site is intercultural25!) This is a wonderful, evergreen resource that can be dropped off at the guidance office or used at fairs and community events. It talks about our programs more broadly and it highlights where in the world we are sending AFS-USA participants. Order your copies now!

DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Stay tuned as we are almost ready to go live with our two confirmed domestic programs for Summer 2026! We will once again run our Pathfinders: NextGen Careers program at the University of Miami in Ohio (Cincinnati) and the Portland & Beyond: City Streets to Sacred Grounds program in Portland, OR. The application will be on the same platform as the study abroad application and will have similar components. We are very excited to be adding these programs to our summer portfolio and hope that you will help us get the word out!

Link to the Inquiry Form for these programs can be found HERE!

AFS GLOBAL STEM ACADEMIES

The application will be opening soon! The AFS Global STEM Innovators: USA scholarship is a short-term, domestic exchange program for youth from across the United States interested in STEM, innovation, and collaboration. The program is designed inspire and help develop the skills needed to create a positive local impact and solve some of today’s greatest challenges for a better future. Learn more here: afsusa.org/afs-global-stem-academies/.

AFS GLOBAL STEM INNOVATORS

Finally, our remaining 50 Year, Semester, and Trimester NH26 participants departed earlier this month to 6 different destinations! Their experiences are currently underway, and we encourage everyone to check in on the participants from their teams using the communication templates that we have created for participants and their families! Since many of you have relationships with these participants and their families, it is a natural way to keep them feeling connected to AFS-USA and the local team!

Check out where our participants have traveled abroad to, and what part of the country they came from:

Please don’t hesitate to be in touch with any questions or feedback about the information that we have shared. Thank you all for all that you do, and we look forward to connecting again next month!

Sincerely,

Caitlin Schneider on behalf of the Study Abroad Team and the Study Abroad Advisory Group