Programme details
| Programme length | Start | End | Price | Age on departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFS year programme (academic year) | August 2010 | July 2011 | $12,500 +visa | 15-5 - 18 |
| AFS semester programme (5-6 months) | August 2010 | February 2011 | $10,250 + visa | 15.5 - 18 |
Austria sits in the heart of Europe and shares borders with eight other countries. 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 ski lifts and more than 1700km of ski 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 Zürich and Vancouver.
Between New Year and Ash Wednesday, there are thousands of galas throughout the country. Famous Austrians include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who, among other musical achievements, wrote 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.
Family life
Although a quarter of the Austrian population lives in Vienna, you may be placed in a rural or suburban area. In these towns, families are traditional in their ways. This has a lot to do with the particular region, and a relatively patriarchal and authoritarian family structure is common. Nevertheless, Austrians are known to be highly open-minded and innovative people.
School life
The Austrian school system gives pupils plenty of free time, as school starts at 8am and finishes at 2pm on Monday to Friday and some schools open 8am to 12pm Saturdays. While homework will take up some of the ‘spare’ time, extracurricular offerings such as choir, sports, and theatre groups are available. Holidays are at Christmas, in February and at Easter and students are encouraged to take part in school trips, dance courses, sports and special festivals during this time.
High academic levels are needed to become an AFS student in Austria, and it does not accept graduates (i.e. students who have finished year 13) and pre-existing German skills are required. On top of visa cost, up to $500 worth of document translation costs may apply.
