Programme details
| Programme length | Start | End | Price | Age on departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFS year programme (academic year) | February 2010 | January 2011 | $12,300 | 16 - 18.5 |
The 19th century German writer Goethe called Switzerland a combination of “the colossal and the well-ordered” – and the spectacular Alps, which account for 60% of Swiss terrain, are certainly colossal. Likewise, the Swiss themselves lead well-ordered lives, most famously as detail-obsessed bankers and watchmakers. They are also polite and respectful of everyone’s privacy, which visitors can mistake for aloofness. But in fact, Swiss culture is a friendly stew of four official languages – German, French, Italian and Romansh – each contributing different traditions and cuisines to the national ethos.
Switzerland is a small, polished gem of a country, with modern cities like Zürich and Geneva, snow-capped mountains, forests, and lakes. Switzerland is said to have one of the world’s best education systems.
You’ll discover a love for the outdoors in this country as the Swiss love to go hiking, skiing, and bicycling. With efficient Swiss public transportation you can reach nearly every village at exactly the time expected – the Swiss are very punctual and attentive to detail.
Family life
The nuclear family is the most important social unit. Family privacy is important. On weekends, families are often active together, taking trips or visiting family or friends. Teenagers are generally given a fair amount of independence.
School life
School starts in August and goes to the end of June or the middle of July. Classes are from 8am to 5 or 6pm, usually Monday to Friday, some with a half-day on Saturday. Holidays include two weeks in the autumn, 10 days at Christmas, one or two weeks in the winter, two weeks in the spring and five to six weeks in summer. Students attend approximately 30 to 35 classes a week; each class lasts 45 minutes. One hour is allowed for lunch.
The Swiss school system is very competitive, and you are expected to participate fully and actively. A broad range of academic subjects are available, but the main compulsory courses will be German/French, maths, history, geography, biology and physical education. Swiss students tend to get involved more in clubs and teams on their own.
AFS Switzerland only takes students with pre-existing German language skills and high academic levels are necessary and smokers are not accepted.
Most AFS placements in Switzerland are in the German-speaking region.
